The Flinck Connection (Book 4) (Genevieve Lenard) by Estelle Ryan Read Free Book Online

his preservation room set up as a display room, with a swivel chair in the centre. On the one wall were shelves with Modigliani sculptures, Incan masks and Ancient Egyptian artefacts. On the other walls were quite a few Picasso paintings and sketches, but it was the Vermeer that had central stage. He had obviously decorated the room to give that painting the most prominent place.”
    “Which means it has the greatest value to him,” I said. “It could be the monetary value or the ownership value.”
    “I think it might be both. Owning a stolen piece of art that not only is that valuable, but comes from a heist that has had many law enforcement agencies scratching their heads for almost a quarter of a century is quite a coup.”
    “What do we know about this Mud guy?” Manny asked.
    “Motte. René Motte.” Francine rolled her eyes and waved her tablet. “He has his own Wikipedia page. He’s also listed by Forbes as one of the five hundred richest people in the world. He got some money from inheritance, but smartly invested in oil companies and that was where he hit… well, black gold.”
    “An oligarch.” Vinnie put his croissant on his plate, his mouth pulled in an expression as if he had tasted something unpleasant. I assumed it wasn’t the pastry. “Most of the oligarchs are Russian and we know that they are all thieving bastards.”
    “Says the pot calling the kettle black.”
    I ignored Manny’s provocation. I also decided not to question Vinnie’s certainty that the Russian oligarchs were thieves. It would mean digressing. Again. “What is Motte doing now?”
    “He’s been CEO of a few companies, but the last decade or so, he’s been sitting on several boards as a member, and is also part of a think tank for the Democratic Platform party.”
    “Isn’t that the president’s party?” Nikki asked.
    “Yes, it is,” Francine said, still swiping her tablet screen.
    “Can you find any connection between him and Minister Savreux?” I leaned forward. We might be getting somewhere.
    “Not from Wikipedia, no.”
    I frowned. “I thought you said to never believe anything from Wikipedia. That it is all propaganda and lies.”
    “Of course it is.” She sucked in her cheeks, and flipped her hair over her shoulder in a jerky movement. “I sometimes use it as a starting point. It’s already given me a few links to reputable websites with credible information on Motte. Soon I’ll tell you what he eats for breakfast.”
    “Why would he own a painting stolen in Boston twenty-four years ago?” Phillip asked. “Francine, in your research, also look for any connection Motte has with Boston.”
    “Here’s another thought.” The tone in Colin’s voice got everyone’s attention. “Thirteen works of art were stolen from the Isabella Steward Gardner museum in Boston. This Vermeer, two Rembrandts, drawings by Degas, a Manet and Govaert Flinck’s Landscape with an Obelisk.”
    “Oh, bloody hell.” Manny rubbed his hand over his face. “And you think that is the painting you were directed to in Savreux’s house?”
    “I think it is a safe conclusion taking the latest developments into consideration.” The muscles around Colin’s eyes and mouth contracted into a genuine smile. “I think we are in the process of solving a twenty-four-year-old crime.”
    “Don’t get too cocky, Frey. We’re still far from solving anything. Tell me more about this heist in Boston. Did the locals have any suspects?”
    “Me! Me!” Francine’s enthusiastic answer startled me, especially when she waved her right hand above her head. “I recently read that the FBI said they knew exactly who had stolen the art, but didn’t name the suspects, because the statutes of limitation have run out. Since all the art is still missing, they didn’t want to shoot themselves in the foot, but rather look for the works. Anyhoo, that got me interested and I looked into it. There are some really cool theories about who was