outside, we aren't part of the group of those who have officially come apart ... So cut the crap. Wh at's wrong with Annek? Why have you withdrawn her?'
'Fuck,' Benoit said again.
'She could cause real trouble,' De Baas said, twisting his head towards Benoit.
'She will cause real trouble,' one of his assistants insisted.
'Wh at's happening, Papa Willy? Why don't you reply?'
Benoit swore indignantly again, and stood up.
‘L et me deal with her, Willy. Why on earth did you tell her that nonsense about flu?'
'What else could we do?'
'Papa Willy? Are you there...?'
Benoit scurried over to De Baas, talking all the time.
This is a work of art valued at thirty million dollars, Willy. Thirty big bricks and a monthly rental I prefer not to mention ...' He took the microphone from De Baas, 'And she has become indispensable: the owner will only have her. We have to tread carefully ...'
Benoit's voice suddenly became mellifluous. 'Sally? It's Paul Benoit.'
'Wow!' Sally unhooked her thumbs from her shorts and stood with arms akimbo. 'Grandpa Paul in person . . . I'm truly honoured, Grandpa Paul ... Grandpa Paul is always the one who comes to the phone when things go wrong, isn't he? ...'
I'm sure she's drugged, Bosch thought. Sally was slurring her words, and her plump lips stayed open when she fell silent. Bosch thought she was one of the most beautiful pieces in the collection.
That's right,' Benoit said gently. 'That's how things work with us: they pay Willy less than me, so he spouts more nons ense. But this is pure chance - I happened to be in Vienna and wanted to come and see you all.'
'Well, make sure you don't come down to the gym, Grandpa. Some of the flowers have turned carnivorous. They say you look after those dogs of yours in Brittany better than you do us.'
‘I don't believe that for a minute. You're wicked, Sally.'
'Wh at happened to Annek, Grandpa? Tell me the truth, just this once.'
'Annek is fine,' replied Benoit. The thing is that the Maestro has decided to withdraw her for a few weeks to work on some details.'
This was an absurd excuse, but Bosch knew that Benoit had a lot of experience in fooling the works of art.
'Work on some details ...? Come off it, Grandpa! Do you think I'm an idiot? The Maestro finished her two years ago ... If he withdrew her, it's because he wants to substitute her ...'
'Don't get mad, Sally, that's what I've been told, and I'm usually told the truth. There isn't going to be any substitute for Deflowering for two years at least. The Maestro has taken her to Edenburg to correct a few details of her body colour, that's all. In theory, he's within his rights - Deflowering hasn't been sold yet.'
'Are you telling me the truth, Grandpa?'
'I couldn't lie to you, Sally. Doesn't Hoffmann do the same with you? Doesn't he renew the purple every now and then?' 'Yes, he does.'
'She's falling for it ...' one of the assistants whispered admiringly. 'She's falling for it!' De Baas hissed to silence him.
'But why didn't you tell the truth from the beginning, Grandpa? Why invent the story about the flu'?'
'What else could we say? That one of the most expensive of Bruno van Tysch's works was not properly finished? And I need hardly tell you, Sally, that this has to be kept between you and me, right?'
'I'll keep the secret,' Sally paused for a moment, and her expression changed. This made Bosch forget about works of art and suddenly see a solitary, fearful young woman on the TV screens.
'Well, I guess I won't be seeing the poor girl for some time ... I feel sorry for her, Grandpa. Annek is a child, and she has no one ... I think that's why I liked her, because I'm all alone too ... Do you know I invited her to go out to the Prater this Monday? ... I thought that might help her ...'
'I'm sure you did help her, Sally. Annek feels better now.'
Cynicism three times a day after meals, thought
'Fuck,' Benoit said again.
'She could cause real trouble,' De Baas said, twisting his head towards Benoit.
'She will cause real trouble,' one of his assistants insisted.
'Wh at's happening, Papa Willy? Why don't you reply?'
Benoit swore indignantly again, and stood up.
‘L et me deal with her, Willy. Why on earth did you tell her that nonsense about flu?'
'What else could we do?'
'Papa Willy? Are you there...?'
Benoit scurried over to De Baas, talking all the time.
This is a work of art valued at thirty million dollars, Willy. Thirty big bricks and a monthly rental I prefer not to mention ...' He took the microphone from De Baas, 'And she has become indispensable: the owner will only have her. We have to tread carefully ...'
Benoit's voice suddenly became mellifluous. 'Sally? It's Paul Benoit.'
'Wow!' Sally unhooked her thumbs from her shorts and stood with arms akimbo. 'Grandpa Paul in person . . . I'm truly honoured, Grandpa Paul ... Grandpa Paul is always the one who comes to the phone when things go wrong, isn't he? ...'
I'm sure she's drugged, Bosch thought. Sally was slurring her words, and her plump lips stayed open when she fell silent. Bosch thought she was one of the most beautiful pieces in the collection.
That's right,' Benoit said gently. 'That's how things work with us: they pay Willy less than me, so he spouts more nons ense. But this is pure chance - I happened to be in Vienna and wanted to come and see you all.'
'Well, make sure you don't come down to the gym, Grandpa. Some of the flowers have turned carnivorous. They say you look after those dogs of yours in Brittany better than you do us.'
‘I don't believe that for a minute. You're wicked, Sally.'
'Wh at happened to Annek, Grandpa? Tell me the truth, just this once.'
'Annek is fine,' replied Benoit. The thing is that the Maestro has decided to withdraw her for a few weeks to work on some details.'
This was an absurd excuse, but Bosch knew that Benoit had a lot of experience in fooling the works of art.
'Work on some details ...? Come off it, Grandpa! Do you think I'm an idiot? The Maestro finished her two years ago ... If he withdrew her, it's because he wants to substitute her ...'
'Don't get mad, Sally, that's what I've been told, and I'm usually told the truth. There isn't going to be any substitute for Deflowering for two years at least. The Maestro has taken her to Edenburg to correct a few details of her body colour, that's all. In theory, he's within his rights - Deflowering hasn't been sold yet.'
'Are you telling me the truth, Grandpa?'
'I couldn't lie to you, Sally. Doesn't Hoffmann do the same with you? Doesn't he renew the purple every now and then?' 'Yes, he does.'
'She's falling for it ...' one of the assistants whispered admiringly. 'She's falling for it!' De Baas hissed to silence him.
'But why didn't you tell the truth from the beginning, Grandpa? Why invent the story about the flu'?'
'What else could we say? That one of the most expensive of Bruno van Tysch's works was not properly finished? And I need hardly tell you, Sally, that this has to be kept between you and me, right?'
'I'll keep the secret,' Sally paused for a moment, and her expression changed. This made Bosch forget about works of art and suddenly see a solitary, fearful young woman on the TV screens.
'Well, I guess I won't be seeing the poor girl for some time ... I feel sorry for her, Grandpa. Annek is a child, and she has no one ... I think that's why I liked her, because I'm all alone too ... Do you know I invited her to go out to the Prater this Monday? ... I thought that might help her ...'
'I'm sure you did help her, Sally. Annek feels better now.'
Cynicism three times a day after meals, thought
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