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

promotion, and he was taken off that committee he had served on. After that, Savreux and René Motte had no more connection to Gabon. Not until they founded the Libreville Dignity Foundation more than a decade later.”
    “The same charity that President Godard’s wife is a patron of? Very good work, Francine.” I truly enjoyed it when Francine applied her considerable intellect to worthy pursuits instead of dreaming up unsubstantiated theories.
    “Thanks, girlfriend.” She lowered her voice and I sighed. “But this goes with that theory that in 1990, some French politicians organised the Gardner heist to fund a campaign they were still planning. It is very clear that the timing is suspicious. Around the same time Savreux stopped being involved in Gabon affairs, gazillions of dollars’ worth of art is stolen in one foul swoop. See? It all makes sense now.”
    “No, it doesn’t.” My mind was racing with this new data. “But I do agree with you about the dubious nature of René Motte and Savreux’s connections.”
    “I’m not saying that I’m buying into Francine’s theory, but finding the Vermeer in Motte’s house and the possibility of the Flinck in Savreux’s? That connects them to the Gardner heist as well as to each other on yet another level.”
    “Holy hell.” Manny rubbed both hands over his face a few times. “Okay, people, we need clear information on all of these elements. Supermodel, are you listening? Clear information, not some nutcase conspiracy theory.”
    “Ooh, I like it when you go all alpha on me.” She laughed when Manny exhibited all the cues for rage. “I’ll get you your clear info, handsome. Don’t you worry.”

Chapter SEVEN
     
     
     
    I felt refreshed and fully rested after a very hot shower. It had been a long afternoon and evening sifting through the vast amount of information. At nine o’clock, Nikki had insisted that she was bored and wanted to come home. I had continued refining my searches and organising the findings until Colin had closed my laptop over my fingers. That had resulted in a short argument that he had won and I’d gone to bed. It was now seventeen minutes after six and I was ready for this day.
    One more glance around the bathroom reassured me that it was as spotless as before I’d had the shower. I walked into the bedroom to find Colin still in bed. He was sitting against the headboard, reading something on his tablet. Francine had been pestering me for months to buy a tablet. Or to use her word, ‘invest’. I didn’t see the need for it.
    Colin looked up from the tablet and smiled. “Already dressed? You really want to get back to work, don’t you?”
    “You don’t seem all that motivated. You’re still naked in bed.”
    He looked down. “Not naked. I’m wearing pants.”
    “You’re still in bed.”
    “Really?” He put the tablet on the bed. “You want to start arguing this early?”
    “I’m not arguing.” I saw the zygomaticus muscles lift the corner of his mouth. “Don’t tease me before I’ve had coffee. You have me at a disadvantage.”
    “That’s exactl—” Every muscle in his body went still. He tilted his head and lifted his index finger to stop me when I inhaled to ask him what he had heard. Then I also heard it. A soft knock at my front door.
    Nobody knocked on my door. People needed to ring the intercom at the building entrance before they could come up to my apartment. When Manny or Phillip came around, they always rang the doorbell, which was next to my front door.
    Colin jumped out of bed, not bothering with a robe or slippers. He reached into the bedside table on his side of the bed and came out with a handgun. Knowing about his deep dislike for force, I was taken aback by the familiarity with which he handled the weapon. If it weren’t for the watchfulness on his face, and the strangeness of a knock on my front door at this hour, I would’ve confronted him over keeping a firearm in my bedroom. It wasn’t