War One - tried to intercede on the Romanians’ behalf. The Consul General of France took possession of the Romanian key in an effort to broker a deal. He went to Moscow to negotiate and was promptly arrested by Soviet authorities. They seized the Romanian key and didn’t return it until 1926.’
Sarah smiled. ‘In the meantime, let the looting begin.’
‘Indeed,’ Papineau said. ‘The Soviet government immediately confiscated eight crates filled with more than a million dollars’ worth of bank notes, claiming it was owed to them as compensation for their “good work”. When peace between Moscow and Bucharest was fully restored in 1934, the USSR returned almost fifteen hundred crates—’
‘Exact numbers please!’ Garcia snapped.
‘One thousand, four hundred and thirty-six crates,’ the Frenchman informed him. ‘Although they were replete with valuable documents, the crates contained nothing of monetary value.’
‘The art?’ Sarah asked.
‘Returned in 1956,’ Jasmine said.
‘And the rest of it?’ she asked. ‘Surely the Romanians protested.’
‘Vigorously and often,’ Papineau said. ‘Although nearly forty thousand—’ he stopped, bowed slightly to Garcia, - ‘thirty-nine thousand, three hundred and twenty artifacts were returned, actual monies received by Romania consisted of only thirty-three kilograms of gold and six hundred and ninety kilograms of silver.’
McNutt whistled. ‘The Russian bear just stomped through that campsite, didn’t it?’
Jasmine nodded. ‘The Romanians have repeatedly tried to reopen negotiations for the return of the bulk of the treasure. Unfortunately, Brezhnev, Kosygin, and Andropov all refused to negotiate. They have even said because of Romania’s debt that they owe Russia money.’
Papineau took over from there. ‘No one outside an elite few in the Kremlin has had access to the vault or its treasure for decades. The best of the Romanian treasure - the parts that would be easiest to pawn or “fence”, if you will - has already been looted, I am sure. I am aware that some of the items have been on the market over the years - though not publicly, of course. They are still stolen goods—’
‘You mean jewels, paintings, rare books - most of the “priceless” things,’ Sarah lamented.
‘Exactly.’
‘But not the gold,’ Garcia stated, looking at his screen. ‘Gold prices went up and up and up until 1931, and they only fell because the Brits abandoned the gold standard and speculators pounced on the outflow. There was no other influx of gold into the world market.’
Sarah nodded. ‘Thieves wouldn’t have bothered holding it for the best price. They would have melted it down and sold it right away.’
‘Exactly,’ Papineau said. ‘The gold apparently has not, as of yet, been circulated.’
‘Wait, wait, wait,’ McNutt chimed in. ‘Just wait a minute. Let me get this straight. You’re not one hundred percent sure the gold’s even there, but you want us to break in anyway? Into the goddamn Kremlin? The one in goddamn Russia?’
18
Cobb smiled, realizing that McNutt and the others had gotten ahead of Papineau’s explanation. Had they let him finish, they would know what Cobb had already figured out.
‘It’s not in the Kremlin anymore,’ Cobb announced.
‘Just because you say it isn’t?’ Garcia challenged.
‘No,’ Cobb replied. ‘Not because of what
I
say.’ He nodded toward Jasmine. ‘Because of what
she
said.’
Jasmine didn’t know how to respond, but her look said it all:
Who, me?
‘Yes, you,’ Cobb assured her. ‘You said it just a moment ago.
They refused to negotiate
.’
‘I don’t follow,’ McNutt admitted.
Papineau beamed across the table, pleased that Cobb had put the pieces together.
‘They won’t negotiate,’ Cobb explained, ‘because if they did, someone might find out that they don’t have the treasure anymore.’
‘How can you be so sure?’ Sarah asked.
‘Simple,’ Cobb
Sarah smiled. ‘In the meantime, let the looting begin.’
‘Indeed,’ Papineau said. ‘The Soviet government immediately confiscated eight crates filled with more than a million dollars’ worth of bank notes, claiming it was owed to them as compensation for their “good work”. When peace between Moscow and Bucharest was fully restored in 1934, the USSR returned almost fifteen hundred crates—’
‘Exact numbers please!’ Garcia snapped.
‘One thousand, four hundred and thirty-six crates,’ the Frenchman informed him. ‘Although they were replete with valuable documents, the crates contained nothing of monetary value.’
‘The art?’ Sarah asked.
‘Returned in 1956,’ Jasmine said.
‘And the rest of it?’ she asked. ‘Surely the Romanians protested.’
‘Vigorously and often,’ Papineau said. ‘Although nearly forty thousand—’ he stopped, bowed slightly to Garcia, - ‘thirty-nine thousand, three hundred and twenty artifacts were returned, actual monies received by Romania consisted of only thirty-three kilograms of gold and six hundred and ninety kilograms of silver.’
McNutt whistled. ‘The Russian bear just stomped through that campsite, didn’t it?’
Jasmine nodded. ‘The Romanians have repeatedly tried to reopen negotiations for the return of the bulk of the treasure. Unfortunately, Brezhnev, Kosygin, and Andropov all refused to negotiate. They have even said because of Romania’s debt that they owe Russia money.’
Papineau took over from there. ‘No one outside an elite few in the Kremlin has had access to the vault or its treasure for decades. The best of the Romanian treasure - the parts that would be easiest to pawn or “fence”, if you will - has already been looted, I am sure. I am aware that some of the items have been on the market over the years - though not publicly, of course. They are still stolen goods—’
‘You mean jewels, paintings, rare books - most of the “priceless” things,’ Sarah lamented.
‘Exactly.’
‘But not the gold,’ Garcia stated, looking at his screen. ‘Gold prices went up and up and up until 1931, and they only fell because the Brits abandoned the gold standard and speculators pounced on the outflow. There was no other influx of gold into the world market.’
Sarah nodded. ‘Thieves wouldn’t have bothered holding it for the best price. They would have melted it down and sold it right away.’
‘Exactly,’ Papineau said. ‘The gold apparently has not, as of yet, been circulated.’
‘Wait, wait, wait,’ McNutt chimed in. ‘Just wait a minute. Let me get this straight. You’re not one hundred percent sure the gold’s even there, but you want us to break in anyway? Into the goddamn Kremlin? The one in goddamn Russia?’
18
Cobb smiled, realizing that McNutt and the others had gotten ahead of Papineau’s explanation. Had they let him finish, they would know what Cobb had already figured out.
‘It’s not in the Kremlin anymore,’ Cobb announced.
‘Just because you say it isn’t?’ Garcia challenged.
‘No,’ Cobb replied. ‘Not because of what
I
say.’ He nodded toward Jasmine. ‘Because of what
she
said.’
Jasmine didn’t know how to respond, but her look said it all:
Who, me?
‘Yes, you,’ Cobb assured her. ‘You said it just a moment ago.
They refused to negotiate
.’
‘I don’t follow,’ McNutt admitted.
Papineau beamed across the table, pleased that Cobb had put the pieces together.
‘They won’t negotiate,’ Cobb explained, ‘because if they did, someone might find out that they don’t have the treasure anymore.’
‘How can you be so sure?’ Sarah asked.
‘Simple,’ Cobb
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