Except Danny had stolen it fifteen years ago as a present for Julia, who had been—by her own account—blue.Josh was old enough to start school (although they’d pull him out in a year or two), and while their household was warm and happy and full of laughter, it was also not what a young wife and mother dreamed of as a child.
And according to Danny, it had started to hit the three of them that they’d signed onto this grift for life.
Danny had apparently been in and out of the mansion at Glencoe at this time.Julia and Felix had been busy building Felix’s empire out of the crumbs Julia’s father threw her, and Phyllis was there for Josh if Danny warned them he was going to be gone.Josh remembered that—Danny sneaking into his nursery, giving him a hug, and promising to bring back a gift.He never went back on those promises, Josh remembered, until the time he’d left for good.
One night he’d gone into Josh’s room, said he’d be back in two weeks, and had returned with a gift for Julia and a science kit for Josh.
Josh never knew what he’d brought back for Felix, but this had been the period when they’d always reunited happily, before Danny’s drinking had begun to infect the family like a scotch-scented plague over the sun.
“It’s beautiful,” Michael said reverently, gazing at it as it sat on the table in a puddle of silk.“What made Julia decide to give it back?”
Josh shrugged, remembering the moment she and Danny had shared.
“She said it was never really hers in the first place.It’s one of the few things Danny ever stole that he felt bad about.It had been saved from the Nazis and bequeathed to the public—but look at the pictures painted on it.”
He held up his phone to use as a magnifying glass so they could get a good look at the etchings on the tiny silver panels and Carl and Michael gasped first, then Liam, who had done the same with his phone.
“Oh,” he said, glancing at Josh.
The pictures, to a one, were of a lovely woman, dressed in full Victorian regalia, and her child.Whether walking hand in hand under almond blossoms or playing on a swing or eating dinner, the little boy wore bloomers, and the woman had the elaborate coif of the age, but they were obviously very happy in each other’s company.
“For his daughter and grandson,” Josh said.“Unfortunately, the daughter died in childbirth with her second child, so the casket has always been in public circulation, but Danny—well, he said that you grew less self-centered with age.”
“Back then, what mattered was I saw a pretty thing for my loved one, and I wanted it,” he said.“But this one haunted me.This treasure truly belonged to the world, and I stole it for my own.This isn’t a rope of jewels shoved in the back of a museum that will never be shown again.This one is haunting.I found a replica—a good one—and replaced it, but I think the world should have the real thing again, don’t you?”
“And this was a good time to replace the thing,” Carl murmured.“How very Danny.”
“Yes,” Josh agreed with a little smile.He glanced at Liam and then at Carl.“So since we’re going to advertise the return after I’m out of there?”
“Wait,” Michael said.“So this isn’t a switch?”
Josh grimaced.“Well, this one doesn’t work unless they realize it happened.So we’re going to have to simply put this one side by side with the other one, close the case, leave a marker that says ‘Lightfingers was here,’ and get away scot-free.”
“Well, why don’t we just set the casket down and run?”Michael asked, looking at everybody.
Carl snorted, the sound pure offense.“Because that’s a terrible thing to do to Danny’s reputation!No, this thing was stolen, and the replica has sat, pretty as a baby’s first smile, on a green velvet cushion under a glass box for the last fifteen years.We need there to be both a subtlety and a flair here.”
“Okay, then,” Michael said slowly.“So we need to set the two boxes side by side and have somebody come in to… whatzit?”
“Authenticate it,” Josh said, nodding.“Ideally, yes.So Carl’s right.It can’t be a smash and grab or art students doing parkour.It’s got to be a ‘now you don’t see it, now you do,’ sort of thing.”
“So,” Liam asked speculatively, “why did you ask me how game Interpol is?”
“Well,” Josh said, giving him a kind glance, “how about we do this—and I know it’s terrifying for all of us—but partly on the up-and-up.Liam and Carl distract the guards with some—”
“Not Liam,” Carl said, making Josh blink.“I know you’re trying to make him legitimate here, and it’s a nice thing to do, but it’s too suspicious.Liam shows up and the box shows up?Whether his job backs him or not, suddenly Liam’s got a mark.He’s been pretty pristine in all of our adventures so far—let’s keep him that way.”
“So what do you recommend?”Liam asked.“Because I saw that coming and I was on board.”
“It’s easy.”Carl shrugged.“I saw five or six pieces my company ensures while we were there.Two of them were in the bedroom.I call the guards over, point out the weaknesses in the alarm system—and there were several—and while I’m doing that, Michael freezes the wires from the alarm to the wall, which gives you the five seconds to break the contacts and replace the box.”He dusted his hands.“Easy peasy.”
“Well, what doIdo?”Liam asked, sounding miffed.
“Cover me on my way out,” Josh said.“Also, you’re in charge of the signature.”
“Whatisthe signature?”Michael asked, and Josh, feeling thick, stood up and went to search his luggage again.
“Actually, when we go out tomorrow—”
