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data-src="/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2FIvory+Collectables+and+Art+++The+young+woman+was+dressed+far+too+rebelliously+with+her+distressed%2C+cut-up+denims+and+plain+gray+t-shirt+to+be+anyone+of+consequence.+In+fact%2C+she+was+the+sore+thumb+in+an+expensive+looking+room+with+honey+oak+parquet+pattern+zig-zagging+along+the+floor%2C+and+soft+sage+walls+that+faded+out+of+importance+in+the+face+of+the+timeless%2C+priceless+art+on+display+around+the+room.++And+yet+all+eyes+were+on+her+as+she+stood+apart%2C+and+stared+at+the+humble+portrait+in+front+of+her.+Carefully%2C+she+drew+her+gunmetal+gaze+into+the+finer+details+of+the+painting.+One+by+one+she+switched+off+her+other+senses--refusing+to+listen+to+the+pensive+din+of+stone-cold+investigators+and+frantic+curators.+The+museum+air+was+cool%2C+and+she+ignored+the+goosebumps+rising+on+her+bare%2C+sun-kissed+arms+as+the+AC+unit+kicked-in.+Nothing+else+existed+other+than+what+was+right+in+front+of+her+very+eyes.++Audrey+LaBelle+had+been+standing+before+the+moderately+sized+portrait+for+over+twenty+minutes+inside+the+grand+room+where+the+museum+was+hosting+a+large+display+of+recovered+World+War+II+art+and+artifacts.+The+pieces+in+the+room+were+part+of+the+greatest+collections+ever+found.+They+represented+decades+of+cold-case+investigations+and+research.+Then+again%2C+nothing+else+inside+the+room+mattered+at+the+moment.%09They+all+had+been+standing+there%2C+waiting+for+her.+To+say+something--anything--of+value+to+the+ongoing+investigation.+The+constables%2C+Interpol+agents%2C+museum+curators%2C+and+well%2C+everyone+was+looking+to+her+expertise+to+give+everyone+greater+insight+to+the+investigation.+No+one+else+in+the+room+seemed+seemed+to+matter+except+the+woman+staring+at+the+painting.+++%E2%80%9CIt%E2%80%99s+a+forgery.%E2%80%9D+Casually%2C+she+held+her+thumbnail+between+her+teeth+and+took+comfort+in+the+sound+of+her+Converse+shoe+squeaking+on+the+smooth+wood+floors+as+she+twisted+her+food+about+back+and+forth.+She+was+not+someone+who+was+good+at+staying+entirely+still%2C+and+sadly%2C+she+left+her+fidget+spinner+on+her+kitchen+counter+this+morning.++%E2%80%9CIt%E2%80%99s+the+face+in+the+portrait+that+gives+it+away.+The+brush+strokes+imply+a+more+modern+technique.+Finer+lines%2C+more+of+a+photographic+quality.+Van+der+Helst+was+a+master+of+portraits%2C+but+still+an+artist+of+his+time.++Audrey+turned+to+the+small+congregation+standing+behind+her.+%E2%80%9CI+think+the+bigger+question+here+isn%E2%80%99t+whether+or+not+this+painting+was+stolen%2C+but+why+it+was+stolen.+This+particular+piece+is+only+worth-%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CIt%E2%80%99s+value+isn%E2%80%99t+the+case+here%2C+Miss+Richardson.+My+property+has+been+stolen%2C+and+I+want+it+back.%E2%80%9D+An+older+woman+stepped+apart+from+the+small+crowd+of+men.+Her+startling+green+eyes+were+about+as+warm+and+friendly+as+a+clear+sky+on+a+winter%E2%80%99s+day.+Her+pale+skin%2C+and+displeased+visage%2C+even+colder.+Already+Audrey+knew+she+would+not+like+working+with+this+woman.+++Of+course%2C+the+older+woman%2C+Yvonne+Redver%2C+was+impeccably+dressed+with+her+silky+gray+skirt-suit+and+three+inch+black+heels.+Her+gray-white+hair+fell+in+a+neat%2C+classic+style+atop+her+shoulders.+As+she+crossed+her+arms+across+her+chest%2C+she+pursed+her+bold+red+lips+and+looked+down+the+line+of+her+delicate+nose+at+the+younger+woman.++%E2%80%9CWhat+I+am+saying%2C+Ms.+Redvers%2C+is+that+this+particular+piece+seems+hardly+worth+a+thief%27s+time.+It+is+not+even+close+to+being+the+most+expensive+or+most+interesting+piece+in+the+room.+Even+with+its+unique+history%2C+there+are+several+paintings+that+are+far+more+valuable+on+the+Black+Market.++%E2%80%9CThe+painting+stolen+for+a+very+specific+purpose.+It+holds+personal+value+to+the+person+who+took+it.+In+fact%2C+whoever+took+this+has+means.+Opportunity.+Resources.+They+took+their+time%2C+they%E2%80%99re+smart%2C+and+had+a+plan%2C+not+to+mention+the+skills+to+break+into+one+of+London%E2%80%99s+top+museums.+This+person+is+a+professional+thief%2C+and+has+done+it+many+times+before.++%E2%80%9CFrankly%2C+I+think+this+will+be+an+open+and+shut+case.%E2%80%9D+Smirking%2C+Audrey+looked+up+at+the+tall+woman%2C+not+intimidated+in+the+least+that+she+stood+a+full+head+over+her.+%E2%80%9CAnd+for+the+record%2C+my+name+is+LaBelle.+You+may+call+me+Ms.+LaBelle.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CYou+are+an+insolent+little+girl%2C+and+I+will+address+you+however+I+choose%2C+and+since+your+father+answers+to+the+name+Richardson%2C+that+is+exactly+what+I+will+call+you%2C%E2%80%9D+Ms.+Redvers+smiled%2C+or+rather+bared+her+pearly+whites--it+was+only+slightly+reminiscent+of+a+purebred+alpha+bitch.++Audrey+matched+that%E2%80%A6+grin%E2%80%A6+with+one+of+her+own.+She+wasn%E2%80%99t+afraid+of+this+woman.+%E2%80%9CAnd+yet%2C+I%E2%80%99m+the+one+who+is+going+to+find+your+painting%2C+and+then+you+will+be+the+one+to+pay+me+handsomely+for+it.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CNae%2C+lassie%2C+doona+be+gettin%E2%80%99+ahead+of+yerself.%E2%80%9D+Constable+Ruskin+interjected%2C+%E2%80%9Cyou%E2%80%99ll+nae+be+dooin%E2%80%99+the+job+of+th%E2%80%99+law.+Yer+here+to+consult+only.%E2%80%9D++She+was+proud+of+herself+when+she+didn%E2%80%99t+roll+her+eyes.+Consultant+her+ass.+Audrey+opened+her+mouth+to+speak%2C+and+was+utterly+unsurprised+when+she+was+interrupted+by+the+older+%E2%80%9Cnoble%E2%80%9D+woman.++%E2%80%9CI+don%E2%80%99t+care+who+finds+my+property.+Do+your+jobs%2C+or+I%E2%80%99ll+sue+you%2C+the+museum%2C+and+the+city%21%E2%80%9D+Mrs.+Redvers+turned+abruptly%2C+then+and+with+a+nod+was+gone+from+the+room%2C+her+footfalls+echoing+against+the+wood+floors%2C+with+her+entourage+of+security+falling+in+line+alongside+her++And+suddenly+the+room+got+much+warmer+and+more+comfortable.+Audrey+looked+at+the+Constable+and+simply+shrugged.+He+smiled+back+at+her%2C+the+man+being+akin+to+an+uncle+given+how+long+he+had+worked+with+her+father.+++%E2%80%9CWee%E2%80%99ll%2C+lass%2C+what+doo+ye%E2%80%99+think%3F+What%E2%80%99s+th%E2%80%99+art+worth%3F%E2%80%9D+he+asked%2C+jumping+back+into+the+investigation+at+hand.++Audrey+shrugged+as+she+turned+back+to+the+forgery.+%E2%80%9CNot+much%2C%E2%80%9D+she+admitted%2C+%E2%80%9CI%E2%80%99ll+have+to+check+the+museum+records+to+know+its+exact+value%2C+but+there%E2%80%99s+nothing+at+all+remarkable+about+it.+The+man+in+the+portrait+is+no+one+of+historical+significance%2C+and+in+fact+no+one+particularly+knows+who+it+is.+No+one+really+cares+either.+Van+der+Helst+was+a+master+of+portraits%2C+but+again%2C+the+only+thing+that+makes+this+painting+worth+anything+now+is+that+it+a+surviving+piece+from+World+War+II%3B+the+Nazis+stole+this+one+just+as+they+did+so+many+during+that+period.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CSo+what+do+your+instincts+tell+you%2C+love%3F+How+do+we+proceed%3F%E2%80%9D+Audrey+smirked+at+the+older+man%E2%80%99s+drawling+tone.+He+was+testing+her%3B+evaluating+her+skills+as+well+as+her+logic.+It+was+as+adorable+as+it+was+annoying.+In+the+end%2C+however%2C+she+knew+it+was+just+her+father%E2%80%99s+way.++%E2%80%9CThe+theft+was+personal.+Probably+desperate+too.+We%E2%80%99ll+want+to+check+Mrs.+Redver%E2%80%99s+records+of+when+she+purchased+the+piece%2C+and+from+where.+Auction+is+most+likely%2C+and+if+that+is+the+case+we+can+trace+it+back+and+see+who+else+was+bidding+on+it.++%E2%80%9CI+expect+that+whoever+wanted+this+has+been+after+it+for+awhile%2C+and+I%E2%80%99ll+bet+they+haven%E2%80%99t+gone+too+far.+No+one+in+the+states+would+care+about+art+recovered+from+World+War+II%2C+let+alone+a+random+portrait.+I+suppose+it+is+possible+that+the+painting+is+on+its+way+to+the+Netherlands%2C+but+I+somehow+doubt+it.++%E2%80%9CThe+thief+may+have+been+desperate+too%2C+or+the+heist+went+sideways.+Leaving+a+guard+tied+up+to+give+testimony+is+just+sloppy.+Frankly%2C+if+not+for+that+guard+we+wouldn%E2%80%99t+even+be+here+right+now.+It+would+have+been+months+or+possibly+even+years+before+anyone+figured+out+that+this+painting+here+was+a+fake.%E2%80%9D++The+man+with+snow+white+hair+and+experienced+older+eyes+smirked%2C+as+he+casually+slipped+his+hands+into+his+suit+pockets.+%E2%80%9CNot+bad.%E2%80%9D++Audrey+beamed%2C+%E2%80%9CMy+dad+taught+me+everything+I+know.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CAnd+he+did+a+spectacular+job.%E2%80%9D+The+man+nodded+looked+down+at+his+daughter.+%2A%2A%2A++The+rest+of+the+day%2C+and+the+one+after+that+was+spent+tracking+down+files+and+records+from+every+auction+throughout+the+past+year.+This+was+the+part+of+the+job+that+Audrey+detested.+Sitting+in+her+father%E2%80%99s+office+researching.+It+was+mind+numbingly+boring+as+she+scrolled+down+the+screen+on+her+laptop%2C+scanning+for+names%2C+numbers%2C+purchase+receipts+and+more.++Surely+this+would+be+an+open+and+shut+case%2C+and+yet+as+she+tried+to+follow+the+money+it+was+proving+to+be+far+more+difficult.+Either+the+thief+knew+how+to+cover+his+or+her+tracks%2C+or+they+lived+off+the+grid.+Perhaps+they+lived+under+an+alias%3F+Were+they+rich%3F+Poor%3F+Simple+or+refined%3F++Audrey+did+so+love+the+mystery%2C+but+always+felt+better+with+tangible+evidence+that+let+her+stretch+her+legs+and+do+something--sitting+around+and+staring+at+a+screen+was%2C+in+a+word%2C+boring.++Sighing%2C+she+set+the+laptop+away+from+her+on+the+nearby+coffee+table+and+irritably+rubbed+her+eyes+before+absently+reaching+over+and+palming+her+ever+loving+fidget+spinner.+She+found+the+weighty+spinning+in+her+hand+to+be+quite+calming%2C+and+she+let+her+mind+drift+for+a+moment+or+two+as+she+leaned+back+on+the+deep+seated+sofa+in+her+father%E2%80%99s+office.++%E2%80%9CHave+you+tried+Mrs.+Redvers%E2%80%99s+office+again%3F%E2%80%9D+her+father%2C+Clarence+Richardson%2C+asked+from+his+perch+behind+his+dark-stained%2C+heavily+lacquered+desk.++She+nodded%2C+%E2%80%9CI+did.+Apparently+she%E2%80%99s+going+to+be+%E2%80%98out+of+the+country+on+business%E2%80%99+for+the+next+several+days.+Her+assistant+assures+me+that+he+won%E2%80%99t+be+able+to+do+anything+to+help+until+then.++%E2%80%9COf+course+we%E2%80%99re+still+expected+to+have+her+property+back+soon+%E2%80%98or+else.%E2%80%99%E2%80%9D+Audrey+mimicked+the+detestable+older+woman%E2%80%99s+tone+as+she+sighed+and+looked+over+at+her+father.+Sighing+she+took+up+her+iPhone+and+started+scrolling+through+her+contacts+list.+%E2%80%9CI+suppose+I+can+start+calling+auction+houses.+I+doubt+someone+like+Mrs.+Redvers+will+be+forgotten+easily.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CIndeed%2C+she+wouldn%E2%80%99t%2C%E2%80%9D+Clarence+agreed.++%E2%80%9CBut%2C+seriously+dad.+How+do+you+want+me+to+play+this%3F+Am+I+passing+my+findings+off+to+the+authorities%2C+or+do+you+want+me+to%E2%80%A6+you+know%E2%80%A6+do+it+your+way%3F%E2%80%9D++The+older+man+was+quiet+for+a+time+as+he+leaned+back+in+his+chair+and+raked+his+fingers+through+his+full+white+hair.+Audrey+could+see+him+weighing+the+options--and+reputation+of+the+agency.+He+was+the+newest+partner%2C+having+only+retired+from+the+field+six+months+ago%2C+and+happy+to+pass+his+legacy+on+to+his+daughter.+Of+course%2C+having+his+one+and+only+child+out+in+the+field+was+something+that+seemed+to+make+him+uncharacteristically+cautious.+Audrey+found+it+more+than+a+little+annoying.++It+was+several+minutes+before+he+responded.+It+was+clear+that+his+mind+was+made+up+when+he+steepled+his+hands+together+atop+his+desk%2C+each+finger+firmly+pressed+against+its+opposite.+%E2%80%9CWe+can%E2%80%99t+afford+to+make+a+woman+like+Mrs.+Redvers+our+enemy.+She+isn%E2%80%99t+nobility%2C+but+she+has%E2%80%A6+unsavory+connections.+Do+it+my+way%2C+but+Audrey%2C+you+swear+to+me+that+you+will+be+smart+and+stay+safe.+You+are+my+one+and+only.%E2%80%9D++Audrey+smirked%2C+as+she+put+the+phone+to+her+ear+in+what+would+likely+be+a+long+string+of+calls.+She+looked+over+to+her+father%2C+and+offered+her+father+the+same+tiny+smile+that+she+had+given+him+since+she+was+a+little+girl.+%E2%80%9CAlways.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CAnd+don%E2%80%99t+worry%2C%E2%80%9D+he+added%2C+%E2%80%9CI%E2%80%99ll+take+care+of+everything+with+the+ol%E2%80%99+Scot+detective%E2%80%A6+just+like+I+always+have.+Just+do+anything+you+must+to+get+that+painting+back+to+our+biggest+client.%E2%80%9D+%2A%2A%2A+++As+expected%2C+once+she+had+a+name%2C+her+job+got+not+only+easy%2C+but+terribly+fun.+It+was+only+days+later+that+Audrey+found+herself+in+the+ever+stunning+English+countryside.+James+Thackery.+The+man+was+no+one%2C+and+painstakingly+easy+to+find.+For+as+glad+as+she+was+to+find+him%2C+she+couldn%E2%80%99t+help+but+be+a+little+disappointed+in+him+as+well%3B+thieves+should+be+more+of+a+challenge.+Besides%2C+the+chase+was+easily+the+best+part.++Oh+well.++At+least+she+would+get+the+chance+to+break+into+the+man%E2%80%99s+veritable+fortress.+Now+that+would+be+a+fantastic+challenge%3A+stealing+from+a+thief.+Lockpicking%2C+bypassing+security%2C+and+slipping+in+and+out+unnoticed+with+a+relatively+large+object.+The+man+had+clearly+needed+a+small+team+to+get+it+from+the+museum%2C+and+she+was+going+to+do+it+all+over+again%E2%80%A6+by+herself.++Thackery+wouldn%E2%80%99t+even+know+what+hit+him.+It+was+going+to+be+glorious.++It+was+early+evening%2C+and+Audrey+was+beginning+to+feel+the+buzz+as+she+slowly+sipped+at+a+tall+glass+of+amber+beer.+She+looked+at+her+laptop+as+she+studied+the+maps+of+the+area%2C+as+well+as+the+property+that+was+said+to+belong+to+the+so-called+%E2%80%9Cmaster%E2%80%9D+thief.+Of+course%2C+the+man+was+clearly+good%2C+but+she+was+certain+that+she+was+better.++Much+better.+Oh+yes%2C+this+was+going+to+be+fun.&amp;hash=e5d9008934e1c2c3c65b4bc9ebea4359" 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<img alt="" class="bbImage lazyload" data-src="/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2FIvory+Collectables+and+Art+++The+young+woman+was+dressed+far+too+rebelliously+with+her+distressed%2C+cut-up+denims+and+plain+gray+t-shirt+to+be+anyone+of+consequence.+In+fact%2C+she+was+the+sore+thumb+in+an+expensive+looking+room+with+honey+oak+parquet+pattern+zig-zagging+along+the+floor%2C+and+soft+sage+walls+that+faded+out+of+importance+in+the+face+of+the+timeless%2C+priceless+art+on+display+around+the+room.++And+yet+all+eyes+were+on+her+as+she+stood+apart%2C+and+stared+at+the+humble+portrait+in+front+of+her.+Carefully%2C+she+drew+her+gunmetal+gaze+into+the+finer+details+of+the+painting.+One+by+one+she+switched+off+her+other+senses--refusing+to+listen+to+the+pensive+din+of+stone-cold+investigators+and+frantic+curators.+The+museum+air+was+cool%2C+and+she+ignored+the+goosebumps+rising+on+her+bare%2C+sun-kissed+arms+as+the+AC+unit+kicked-in.+Nothing+else+existed+other+than+what+was+right+in+front+of+her+very+eyes.++Audrey+LaBelle+had+been+standing+before+the+moderately+sized+portrait+for+over+twenty+minutes+inside+the+grand+room+where+the+museum+was+hosting+a+large+display+of+recovered+World+War+II+art+and+artifacts.+The+pieces+in+the+room+were+part+of+the+greatest+collections+ever+found.+They+represented+decades+of+cold-case+investigations+and+research.+Then+again%2C+nothing+else+inside+the+room+mattered+at+the+moment.%09They+all+had+been+standing+there%2C+waiting+for+her.+To+say+something--anything--of+value+to+the+ongoing+investigation.+The+constables%2C+Interpol+agents%2C+museum+curators%2C+and+well%2C+everyone+was+looking+to+her+expertise+to+give+everyone+greater+insight+to+the+investigation.+No+one+else+in+the+room+seemed+seemed+to+matter+except+the+woman+staring+at+the+painting.+++%E2%80%9CIt%E2%80%99s+a+forgery.%E2%80%9D+Casually%2C+she+held+her+thumbnail+between+her+teeth+and+took+comfort+in+the+sound+of+her+Converse+shoe+squeaking+on+the+smooth+wood+floors+as+she+twisted+her+food+about+back+and+forth.+She+was+not+someone+who+was+good+at+staying+entirely+still%2C+and+sadly%2C+she+left+her+fidget+spinner+on+her+kitchen+counter+this+morning.++%E2%80%9CIt%E2%80%99s+the+face+in+the+portrait+that+gives+it+away.+The+brush+strokes+imply+a+more+modern+technique.+Finer+lines%2C+more+of+a+photographic+quality.+Van+der+Helst+was+a+master+of+portraits%2C+but+still+an+artist+of+his+time.++Audrey+turned+to+the+small+congregation+standing+behind+her.+%E2%80%9CI+think+the+bigger+question+here+isn%E2%80%99t+whether+or+not+this+painting+was+stolen%2C+but+why+it+was+stolen.+This+particular+piece+is+only+worth-%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CIt%E2%80%99s+value+isn%E2%80%99t+the+case+here%2C+Miss+Richardson.+My+property+has+been+stolen%2C+and+I+want+it+back.%E2%80%9D+An+older+woman+stepped+apart+from+the+small+crowd+of+men.+Her+startling+green+eyes+were+about+as+warm+and+friendly+as+a+clear+sky+on+a+winter%E2%80%99s+day.+Her+pale+skin%2C+and+displeased+visage%2C+even+colder.+Already+Audrey+knew+she+would+not+like+working+with+this+woman.+++Of+course%2C+the+older+woman%2C+Yvonne+Redver%2C+was+impeccably+dressed+with+her+silky+gray+skirt-suit+and+three+inch+black+heels.+Her+gray-white+hair+fell+in+a+neat%2C+classic+style+atop+her+shoulders.+As+she+crossed+her+arms+across+her+chest%2C+she+pursed+her+bold+red+lips+and+looked+down+the+line+of+her+delicate+nose+at+the+younger+woman.++%E2%80%9CWhat+I+am+saying%2C+Ms.+Redvers%2C+is+that+this+particular+piece+seems+hardly+worth+a+thief%27s+time.+It+is+not+even+close+to+being+the+most+expensive+or+most+interesting+piece+in+the+room.+Even+with+its+unique+history%2C+there+are+several+paintings+that+are+far+more+valuable+on+the+Black+Market.++%E2%80%9CThe+painting+stolen+for+a+very+specific+purpose.+It+holds+personal+value+to+the+person+who+took+it.+In+fact%2C+whoever+took+this+has+means.+Opportunity.+Resources.+They+took+their+time%2C+they%E2%80%99re+smart%2C+and+had+a+plan%2C+not+to+mention+the+skills+to+break+into+one+of+London%E2%80%99s+top+museums.+This+person+is+a+professional+thief%2C+and+has+done+it+many+times+before.++%E2%80%9CFrankly%2C+I+think+this+will+be+an+open+and+shut+case.%E2%80%9D+Smirking%2C+Audrey+looked+up+at+the+tall+woman%2C+not+intimidated+in+the+least+that+she+stood+a+full+head+over+her.+%E2%80%9CAnd+for+the+record%2C+my+name+is+LaBelle.+You+may+call+me+Ms.+LaBelle.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CYou+are+an+insolent+little+girl%2C+and+I+will+address+you+however+I+choose%2C+and+since+your+father+answers+to+the+name+Richardson%2C+that+is+exactly+what+I+will+call+you%2C%E2%80%9D+Ms.+Redvers+smiled%2C+or+rather+bared+her+pearly+whites--it+was+only+slightly+reminiscent+of+a+purebred+alpha+bitch.++Audrey+matched+that%E2%80%A6+grin%E2%80%A6+with+one+of+her+own.+She+wasn%E2%80%99t+afraid+of+this+woman.+%E2%80%9CAnd+yet%2C+I%E2%80%99m+the+one+who+is+going+to+find+your+painting%2C+and+then+you+will+be+the+one+to+pay+me+handsomely+for+it.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CNae%2C+lassie%2C+doona+be+gettin%E2%80%99+ahead+of+yerself.%E2%80%9D+Constable+Ruskin+interjected%2C+%E2%80%9Cyou%E2%80%99ll+nae+be+dooin%E2%80%99+the+job+of+th%E2%80%99+law.+Yer+here+to+consult+only.%E2%80%9D++She+was+proud+of+herself+when+she+didn%E2%80%99t+roll+her+eyes.+Consultant+her+ass.+Audrey+opened+her+mouth+to+speak%2C+and+was+utterly+unsurprised+when+she+was+interrupted+by+the+older+%E2%80%9Cnoble%E2%80%9D+woman.++%E2%80%9CI+don%E2%80%99t+care+who+finds+my+property.+Do+your+jobs%2C+or+I%E2%80%99ll+sue+you%2C+the+museum%2C+and+the+city%21%E2%80%9D+Mrs.+Redvers+turned+abruptly%2C+then+and+with+a+nod+was+gone+from+the+room%2C+her+footfalls+echoing+against+the+wood+floors%2C+with+her+entourage+of+security+falling+in+line+alongside+her++And+suddenly+the+room+got+much+warmer+and+more+comfortable.+Audrey+looked+at+the+Constable+and+simply+shrugged.+He+smiled+back+at+her%2C+the+man+being+akin+to+an+uncle+given+how+long+he+had+worked+with+her+father.+++%E2%80%9CWee%E2%80%99ll%2C+lass%2C+what+doo+ye%E2%80%99+think%3F+What%E2%80%99s+th%E2%80%99+art+worth%3F%E2%80%9D+he+asked%2C+jumping+back+into+the+investigation+at+hand.++Audrey+shrugged+as+she+turned+back+to+the+forgery.+%E2%80%9CNot+much%2C%E2%80%9D+she+admitted%2C+%E2%80%9CI%E2%80%99ll+have+to+check+the+museum+records+to+know+its+exact+value%2C+but+there%E2%80%99s+nothing+at+all+remarkable+about+it.+The+man+in+the+portrait+is+no+one+of+historical+significance%2C+and+in+fact+no+one+particularly+knows+who+it+is.+No+one+really+cares+either.+Van+der+Helst+was+a+master+of+portraits%2C+but+again%2C+the+only+thing+that+makes+this+painting+worth+anything+now+is+that+it+a+surviving+piece+from+World+War+II%3B+the+Nazis+stole+this+one+just+as+they+did+so+many+during+that+period.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CSo+what+do+your+instincts+tell+you%2C+love%3F+How+do+we+proceed%3F%E2%80%9D+Audrey+smirked+at+the+older+man%E2%80%99s+drawling+tone.+He+was+testing+her%3B+evaluating+her+skills+as+well+as+her+logic.+It+was+as+adorable+as+it+was+annoying.+In+the+end%2C+however%2C+she+knew+it+was+just+her+father%E2%80%99s+way.++%E2%80%9CThe+theft+was+personal.+Probably+desperate+too.+We%E2%80%99ll+want+to+check+Mrs.+Redver%E2%80%99s+records+of+when+she+purchased+the+piece%2C+and+from+where.+Auction+is+most+likely%2C+and+if+that+is+the+case+we+can+trace+it+back+and+see+who+else+was+bidding+on+it.++%E2%80%9CI+expect+that+whoever+wanted+this+has+been+after+it+for+awhile%2C+and+I%E2%80%99ll+bet+they+haven%E2%80%99t+gone+too+far.+No+one+in+the+states+would+care+about+art+recovered+from+World+War+II%2C+let+alone+a+random+portrait.+I+suppose+it+is+possible+that+the+painting+is+on+its+way+to+the+Netherlands%2C+but+I+somehow+doubt+it.++%E2%80%9CThe+thief+may+have+been+desperate+too%2C+or+the+heist+went+sideways.+Leaving+a+guard+tied+up+to+give+testimony+is+just+sloppy.+Frankly%2C+if+not+for+that+guard+we+wouldn%E2%80%99t+even+be+here+right+now.+It+would+have+been+months+or+possibly+even+years+before+anyone+figured+out+that+this+painting+here+was+a+fake.%E2%80%9D++The+man+with+snow+white+hair+and+experienced+older+eyes+smirked%2C+as+he+casually+slipped+his+hands+into+his+suit+pockets.+%E2%80%9CNot+bad.%E2%80%9D++Audrey+beamed%2C+%E2%80%9CMy+dad+taught+me+everything+I+know.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CAnd+he+did+a+spectacular+job.%E2%80%9D+The+man+nodded+looked+down+at+his+daughter.+%2A%2A%2A++The+rest+of+the+day%2C+and+the+one+after+that+was+spent+tracking+down+files+and+records+from+every+auction+throughout+the+past+year.+This+was+the+part+of+the+job+that+Audrey+detested.+Sitting+in+her+father%E2%80%99s+office+researching.+It+was+mind+numbingly+boring+as+she+scrolled+down+the+screen+on+her+laptop%2C+scanning+for+names%2C+numbers%2C+purchase+receipts+and+more.++Surely+this+would+be+an+open+and+shut+case%2C+and+yet+as+she+tried+to+follow+the+money+it+was+proving+to+be+far+more+difficult.+Either+the+thief+knew+how+to+cover+his+or+her+tracks%2C+or+they+lived+off+the+grid.+Perhaps+they+lived+under+an+alias%3F+Were+they+rich%3F+Poor%3F+Simple+or+refined%3F++Audrey+did+so+love+the+mystery%2C+but+always+felt+better+with+tangible+evidence+that+let+her+stretch+her+legs+and+do+something--sitting+around+and+staring+at+a+screen+was%2C+in+a+word%2C+boring.++Sighing%2C+she+set+the+laptop+away+from+her+on+the+nearby+coffee+table+and+irritably+rubbed+her+eyes+before+absently+reaching+over+and+palming+her+ever+loving+fidget+spinner.+She+found+the+weighty+spinning+in+her+hand+to+be+quite+calming%2C+and+she+let+her+mind+drift+for+a+moment+or+two+as+she+leaned+back+on+the+deep+seated+sofa+in+her+father%E2%80%99s+office.++%E2%80%9CHave+you+tried+Mrs.+Redvers%E2%80%99s+office+again%3F%E2%80%9D+her+father%2C+Clarence+Richardson%2C+asked+from+his+perch+behind+his+dark-stained%2C+heavily+lacquered+desk.++She+nodded%2C+%E2%80%9CI+did.+Apparently+she%E2%80%99s+going+to+be+%E2%80%98out+of+the+country+on+business%E2%80%99+for+the+next+several+days.+Her+assistant+assures+me+that+he+won%E2%80%99t+be+able+to+do+anything+to+help+until+then.++%E2%80%9COf+course+we%E2%80%99re+still+expected+to+have+her+property+back+soon+%E2%80%98or+else.%E2%80%99%E2%80%9D+Audrey+mimicked+the+detestable+older+woman%E2%80%99s+tone+as+she+sighed+and+looked+over+at+her+father.+Sighing+she+took+up+her+iPhone+and+started+scrolling+through+her+contacts+list.+%E2%80%9CI+suppose+I+can+start+calling+auction+houses.+I+doubt+someone+like+Mrs.+Redvers+will+be+forgotten+easily.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CIndeed%2C+she+wouldn%E2%80%99t%2C%E2%80%9D+Clarence+agreed.++%E2%80%9CBut%2C+seriously+dad.+How+do+you+want+me+to+play+this%3F+Am+I+passing+my+findings+off+to+the+authorities%2C+or+do+you+want+me+to%E2%80%A6+you+know%E2%80%A6+do+it+your+way%3F%E2%80%9D++The+older+man+was+quiet+for+a+time+as+he+leaned+back+in+his+chair+and+raked+his+fingers+through+his+full+white+hair.+Audrey+could+see+him+weighing+the+options--and+reputation+of+the+agency.+He+was+the+newest+partner%2C+having+only+retired+from+the+field+six+months+ago%2C+and+happy+to+pass+his+legacy+on+to+his+daughter.+Of+course%2C+having+his+one+and+only+child+out+in+the+field+was+something+that+seemed+to+make+him+uncharacteristically+cautious.+Audrey+found+it+more+than+a+little+annoying.++It+was+several+minutes+before+he+responded.+It+was+clear+that+his+mind+was+made+up+when+he+steepled+his+hands+together+atop+his+desk%2C+each+finger+firmly+pressed+against+its+opposite.+%E2%80%9CWe+can%E2%80%99t+afford+to+make+a+woman+like+Mrs.+Redvers+our+enemy.+She+isn%E2%80%99t+nobility%2C+but+she+has%E2%80%A6+unsavory+connections.+Do+it+my+way%2C+but+Audrey%2C+you+swear+to+me+that+you+will+be+smart+and+stay+safe.+You+are+my+one+and+only.%E2%80%9D++Audrey+smirked%2C+as+she+put+the+phone+to+her+ear+in+what+would+likely+be+a+long+string+of+calls.+She+looked+over+to+her+father%2C+and+offered+her+father+the+same+tiny+smile+that+she+had+given+him+since+she+was+a+little+girl.+%E2%80%9CAlways.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CAnd+don%E2%80%99t+worry%2C%E2%80%9D+he+added%2C+%E2%80%9CI%E2%80%99ll+take+care+of+everything+with+the+ol%E2%80%99+Scot+detective%E2%80%A6+just+like+I+always+have.+Just+do+anything+you+must+to+get+that+painting+back+to+our+biggest+client.%E2%80%9D+%2A%2A%2A+++As+expected%2C+once+she+had+a+name%2C+her+job+got+not+only+easy%2C+but+terribly+fun.+It+was+only+days+later+that+Audrey+found+herself+in+the+ever+stunning+English+countryside.+James+Thackery.+The+man+was+no+one%2C+and+painstakingly+easy+to+find.+For+as+glad+as+she+was+to+find+him%2C+she+couldn%E2%80%99t+help+but+be+a+little+disappointed+in+him+as+well%3B+thieves+should+be+more+of+a+challenge.+Besides%2C+the+chase+was+easily+the+best+part.++Oh+well.++At+least+she+would+get+the+chance+to+break+into+the+man%E2%80%99s+veritable+fortress.+Now+that+would+be+a+fantastic+challenge%3A+stealing+from+a+thief.+Lockpicking%2C+bypassing+security%2C+and+slipping+in+and+out+unnoticed+with+a+relatively+large+object.+The+man+had+clearly+needed+a+small+team+to+get+it+from+the+museum%2C+and+she+was+going+to+do+it+all+over+again%E2%80%A6+by+herself.++Thackery+wouldn%E2%80%99t+even+know+what+hit+him.+It+was+going+to+be+glorious.++It+was+early+evening%2C+and+Audrey+was+beginning+to+feel+the+buzz+as+she+slowly+sipped+at+a+tall+glass+of+amber+beer.+She+looked+at+her+laptop+as+she+studied+the+maps+of+the+area%2C+as+well+as+the+property+that+was+said+to+belong+to+the+so-called+%E2%80%9Cmaster%E2%80%9D+thief.+Of+course%2C+the+man+was+clearly+good%2C+but+she+was+certain+that+she+was+better.++Much+better.+Oh+yes%2C+this+was+going+to+be+fun.&amp;hash=e5d9008934e1c2c3c65b4bc9ebea4359" data-url="http://Ivory Collectables and Art   The young woman was dressed far too rebelliously with her distressed, cut-up denims and plain gray t-shirt to be anyone of consequence. In fact, she was the sore thumb in an expensive looking room with honey oak parquet pattern zig-zagging along the floor, and soft sage walls that faded out of importance in the face of the timeless, priceless art on display around the room.  And yet all eyes were on her as she stood apart, and stared at the humble portrait in front of her. Carefully, she drew her gunmetal gaze into the finer details of the painting. One by one she switched off her other senses--refusing to listen to the pensive din of stone-cold investigators and frantic curators. The museum air was cool, and she ignored the goosebumps rising on her bare, sun-kissed arms as the AC unit kicked-in. Nothing else existed other than what was right in front of her very eyes.  Audrey LaBelle had been standing before the moderately sized portrait for over twenty minutes inside the grand room where the museum was hosting a large display of recovered World War II art and artifacts. The pieces in the room were part of the greatest collections ever found. They represented decades of cold-case investigations and research. Then again, nothing else inside the room mattered at the moment.	They all had been standing there, waiting for her. To say something--anything--of value to the ongoing investigation. The constables, Interpol agents, museum curators, and well, everyone was looking to her expertise to give everyone greater insight to the investigation. No one else in the room seemed seemed to matter except the woman staring at the painting.   “It’s a forgery.” Casually, she held her thumbnail between her teeth and took comfort in the sound of her Converse shoe squeaking on the smooth wood floors as she twisted her food about back and forth. She was not someone who was good at staying entirely still, and sadly, she left her fidget spinner on her kitchen counter this morning.  “It’s the face in the portrait that gives it away. The brush strokes imply a more modern technique. Finer lines, more of a photographic quality. Van der Helst was a master of portraits, but still an artist of his time.  Audrey turned to the small congregation standing behind her. “I think the bigger question here isn’t whether or not this painting was stolen, but why it was stolen. This particular piece is only worth-”  “It’s value isn’t the case here, Miss Richardson. My property has been stolen, and I want it back.” An older woman stepped apart from the small crowd of men. Her startling green eyes were about as warm and friendly as a clear sky on a winter’s day. Her pale skin, and displeased visage, even colder. Already Audrey knew she would not like working with this woman.   Of course, the older woman, Yvonne Redver, was impeccably dressed with her silky gray skirt-suit and three inch black heels. Her gray-white hair fell in a neat, classic style atop her shoulders. As she crossed her arms across her chest, she pursed her bold red lips and looked down the line of her delicate nose at the younger woman.  “What I am saying, Ms. Redvers, is that this particular piece seems hardly worth a thief's time. It is not even close to being the most expensive or most interesting piece in the room. Even with its unique history, there are several paintings that are far more valuable on the Black Market.  “The painting stolen for a very specific purpose. It holds personal value to the person who took it. In fact, whoever took this has means. Opportunity. Resources. They took their time, they’re smart, and had a plan, not to mention the skills to break into one of London’s top museums. This person is a professional thief, and has done it many times before.  “Frankly, I think this will be an open and shut case.” Smirking, Audrey looked up at the tall woman, not intimidated in the least that she stood a full head over her. “And for the record, my name is LaBelle. You may call me Ms. LaBelle.”  “You are an insolent little girl, and I will address you however I choose, and since your father answers to the name Richardson, that is exactly what I will call you,” Ms. Redvers smiled, or rather bared her pearly whites--it was only slightly reminiscent of a purebred alpha bitch.  Audrey matched that… grin… with one of her own. She wasn’t afraid of this woman. “And yet, I’m the one who is going to find your painting, and then you will be the one to pay me handsomely for it.”  “Nae, lassie, doona be gettin’ ahead of yerself.” Constable Ruskin interjected, “you’ll nae be dooin’ the job of th’ law. Yer here to consult only.”  She was proud of herself when she didn’t roll her eyes. Consultant her ass. Audrey opened her mouth to speak, and was utterly unsurprised when she was interrupted by the older “noble” woman.  “I don’t care who finds my property. Do your jobs, or I’ll sue you, the museum, and the city!” Mrs. Redvers turned abruptly, then and with a nod was gone from the room, her footfalls echoing against the wood floors, with her entourage of security falling in line alongside her  And suddenly the room got much warmer and more comfortable. Audrey looked at the Constable and simply shrugged. He smiled back at her, the man being akin to an uncle given how long he had worked with her father.   “Wee’ll, lass, what doo ye’ think? What’s th’ art worth?” he asked, jumping back into the investigation at hand.  Audrey shrugged as she turned back to the forgery. “Not much,” she admitted, “I’ll have to check the museum records to know its exact value, but there’s nothing at all remarkable about it. The man in the portrait is no one of historical significance, and in fact no one particularly knows who it is. No one really cares either. Van der Helst was a master of portraits, but again, the only thing that makes this painting worth anything now is that it a surviving piece from World War II; the Nazis stole this one just as they did so many during that period.”  “So what do your instincts tell you, love? How do we proceed?” Audrey smirked at the older man’s drawling tone. He was testing her; evaluating her skills as well as her logic. It was as adorable as it was annoying. In the end, however, she knew it was just her father’s way.  “The theft was personal. Probably desperate too. We’ll want to check Mrs. Redver’s records of when she purchased the piece, and from where. Auction is most likely, and if that is the case we can trace it back and see who else was bidding on it.  “I expect that whoever wanted this has been after it for awhile, and I’ll bet they haven’t gone too far. No one in the states would care about art recovered from World War II, let alone a random portrait. I suppose it is possible that the painting is on its way to the Netherlands, but I somehow doubt it.  “The thief may have been desperate too, or the heist went sideways. Leaving a guard tied up to give testimony is just sloppy. Frankly, if not for that guard we wouldn’t even be here right now. It would have been months or possibly even years before anyone figured out that this painting here was a fake.”  The man with snow white hair and experienced older eyes smirked, as he casually slipped his hands into his suit pockets. “Not bad.”  Audrey beamed, “My dad taught me everything I know.”  “And he did a spectacular job.” The man nodded looked down at his daughter. ***  The rest of the day, and the one after that was spent tracking down files and records from every auction throughout the past year. This was the part of the job that Audrey detested. Sitting in her father’s office researching. It was mind numbingly boring as she scrolled down the screen on her laptop, scanning for names, numbers, purchase receipts and more.  Surely this would be an open and shut case, and yet as she tried to follow the money it was proving to be far more difficult. Either the thief knew how to cover his or her tracks, or they lived off the grid. Perhaps they lived under an alias? Were they rich? Poor? Simple or refined?  Audrey did so love the mystery, but always felt better with tangible evidence that let her stretch her legs and do something--sitting around and staring at a screen was, in a word, boring.  Sighing, she set the laptop away from her on the nearby coffee table and irritably rubbed her eyes before absently reaching over and palming her ever loving fidget spinner. She found the weighty spinning in her hand to be quite calming, and she let her mind drift for a moment or two as she leaned back on the deep seated sofa in her father’s office.  “Have you tried Mrs. Redvers’s office again?” her father, Clarence Richardson, asked from his perch behind his dark-stained, heavily lacquered desk.  She nodded, “I did. Apparently she’s going to be ‘out of the country on business’ for the next several days. Her assistant assures me that he won’t be able to do anything to help until then.  “Of course we’re still expected to have her property back soon ‘or else.’” Audrey mimicked the detestable older woman’s tone as she sighed and looked over at her father. Sighing she took up her iPhone and started scrolling through her contacts list. “I suppose I can start calling auction houses. I doubt someone like Mrs. Redvers will be forgotten easily.”  “Indeed, she wouldn’t,” Clarence agreed.  “But, seriously dad. How do you want me to play this? Am I passing my findings off to the authorities, or do you want me to… you know… do it your way?”  The older man was quiet for a time as he leaned back in his chair and raked his fingers through his full white hair. Audrey could see him weighing the options--and reputation of the agency. He was the newest partner, having only retired from the field six months ago, and happy to pass his legacy on to his daughter. Of course, having his one and only child out in the field was something that seemed to make him uncharacteristically cautious. Audrey found it more than a little annoying.  It was several minutes before he responded. It was clear that his mind was made up when he steepled his hands together atop his desk, each finger firmly pressed against its opposite. “We can’t afford to make a woman like Mrs. Redvers our enemy. She isn’t nobility, but she has… unsavory connections. Do it my way, but Audrey, you swear to me that you will be smart and stay safe. You are my one and only.”  Audrey smirked, as she put the phone to her ear in what would likely be a long string of calls. She looked over to her father, and offered her father the same tiny smile that she had given him since she was a little girl. “Always.”  “And don’t worry,” he added, “I’ll take care of everything with the ol’ Scot detective… just like I always have. Just do anything you must to get that painting back to our biggest client.” ***   As expected, once she had a name, her job got not only easy, but terribly fun. It was only days later that Audrey found herself in the ever stunning English countryside. James Thackery. The man was no one, and painstakingly easy to find. For as glad as she was to find him, she couldn’t help but be a little disappointed in him as well; thieves should be more of a challenge. Besides, the chase was easily the best part.  Oh well.  At least she would get the chance to break into the man’s veritable fortress. Now that would be a fantastic challenge: stealing from a thief. Lockpicking, bypassing security, and slipping in and out unnoticed with a relatively large object. The man had clearly needed a small team to get it from the museum, and she was going to do it all over again… by herself.  Thackery wouldn’t even know what hit him. It was going to be glorious.  It was early evening, and Audrey was beginning to feel the buzz as she slowly sipped at a tall glass of amber beer. She looked at her laptop as she studied the maps of the area, as well as the property that was said to belong to the so-called “master” thief. Of course, the man was clearly good, but she was certain that she was better.  Much better. Oh yes, this was going to be fun." data-zoom-target="1" height="" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" style="" title="" width=""/>
<noscript><img alt="" class="bbImage" data-url="http://Ivory Collectables and Art   The young woman was dressed far too rebelliously with her distressed, cut-up denims and plain gray t-shirt to be anyone of consequence. In fact, she was the sore thumb in an expensive looking room with honey oak parquet pattern zig-zagging along the floor, and soft sage walls that faded out of importance in the face of the timeless, priceless art on display around the room.  And yet all eyes were on her as she stood apart, and stared at the humble portrait in front of her. Carefully, she drew her gunmetal gaze into the finer details of the painting. One by one she switched off her other senses--refusing to listen to the pensive din of stone-cold investigators and frantic curators. The museum air was cool, and she ignored the goosebumps rising on her bare, sun-kissed arms as the AC unit kicked-in. Nothing else existed other than what was right in front of her very eyes.  Audrey LaBelle had been standing before the moderately sized portrait for over twenty minutes inside the grand room where the museum was hosting a large display of recovered World War II art and artifacts. The pieces in the room were part of the greatest collections ever found. They represented decades of cold-case investigations and research. Then again, nothing else inside the room mattered at the moment.	They all had been standing there, waiting for her. To say something--anything--of value to the ongoing investigation. The constables, Interpol agents, museum curators, and well, everyone was looking to her expertise to give everyone greater insight to the investigation. No one else in the room seemed seemed to matter except the woman staring at the painting.   “It’s a forgery.” Casually, she held her thumbnail between her teeth and took comfort in the sound of her Converse shoe squeaking on the smooth wood floors as she twisted her food about back and forth. She was not someone who was good at staying entirely still, and sadly, she left her fidget spinner on her kitchen counter this morning.  “It’s the face in the portrait that gives it away. The brush strokes imply a more modern technique. Finer lines, more of a photographic quality. Van der Helst was a master of portraits, but still an artist of his time.  Audrey turned to the small congregation standing behind her. “I think the bigger question here isn’t whether or not this painting was stolen, but why it was stolen. This particular piece is only worth-”  “It’s value isn’t the case here, Miss Richardson. My property has been stolen, and I want it back.” An older woman stepped apart from the small crowd of men. Her startling green eyes were about as warm and friendly as a clear sky on a winter’s day. Her pale skin, and displeased visage, even colder. Already Audrey knew she would not like working with this woman.   Of course, the older woman, Yvonne Redver, was impeccably dressed with her silky gray skirt-suit and three inch black heels. Her gray-white hair fell in a neat, classic style atop her shoulders. As she crossed her arms across her chest, she pursed her bold red lips and looked down the line of her delicate nose at the younger woman.  “What I am saying, Ms. Redvers, is that this particular piece seems hardly worth a thief's time. It is not even close to being the most expensive or most interesting piece in the room. Even with its unique history, there are several paintings that are far more valuable on the Black Market.  “The painting stolen for a very specific purpose. It holds personal value to the person who took it. In fact, whoever took this has means. Opportunity. Resources. They took their time, they’re smart, and had a plan, not to mention the skills to break into one of London’s top museums. This person is a professional thief, and has done it many times before.  “Frankly, I think this will be an open and shut case.” Smirking, Audrey looked up at the tall woman, not intimidated in the least that she stood a full head over her. “And for the record, my name is LaBelle. You may call me Ms. LaBelle.”  “You are an insolent little girl, and I will address you however I choose, and since your father answers to the name Richardson, that is exactly what I will call you,” Ms. Redvers smiled, or rather bared her pearly whites--it was only slightly reminiscent of a purebred alpha bitch.  Audrey matched that… grin… with one of her own. She wasn’t afraid of this woman. “And yet, I’m the one who is going to find your painting, and then you will be the one to pay me handsomely for it.”  “Nae, lassie, doona be gettin’ ahead of yerself.” Constable Ruskin interjected, “you’ll nae be dooin’ the job of th’ law. Yer here to consult only.”  She was proud of herself when she didn’t roll her eyes. Consultant her ass. Audrey opened her mouth to speak, and was utterly unsurprised when she was interrupted by the older “noble” woman.  “I don’t care who finds my property. Do your jobs, or I’ll sue you, the museum, and the city!” Mrs. Redvers turned abruptly, then and with a nod was gone from the room, her footfalls echoing against the wood floors, with her entourage of security falling in line alongside her  And suddenly the room got much warmer and more comfortable. Audrey looked at the Constable and simply shrugged. He smiled back at her, the man being akin to an uncle given how long he had worked with her father.   “Wee’ll, lass, what doo ye’ think? What’s th’ art worth?” he asked, jumping back into the investigation at hand.  Audrey shrugged as she turned back to the forgery. “Not much,” she admitted, “I’ll have to check the museum records to know its exact value, but there’s nothing at all remarkable about it. The man in the portrait is no one of historical significance, and in fact no one particularly knows who it is. No one really cares either. Van der Helst was a master of portraits, but again, the only thing that makes this painting worth anything now is that it a surviving piece from World War II; the Nazis stole this one just as they did so many during that period.”  “So what do your instincts tell you, love? How do we proceed?” Audrey smirked at the older man’s drawling tone. He was testing her; evaluating her skills as well as her logic. It was as adorable as it was annoying. In the end, however, she knew it was just her father’s way.  “The theft was personal. Probably desperate too. We’ll want to check Mrs. Redver’s records of when she purchased the piece, and from where. Auction is most likely, and if that is the case we can trace it back and see who else was bidding on it.  “I expect that whoever wanted this has been after it for awhile, and I’ll bet they haven’t gone too far. No one in the states would care about art recovered from World War II, let alone a random portrait. I suppose it is possible that the painting is on its way to the Netherlands, but I somehow doubt it.  “The thief may have been desperate too, or the heist went sideways. Leaving a guard tied up to give testimony is just sloppy. Frankly, if not for that guard we wouldn’t even be here right now. It would have been months or possibly even years before anyone figured out that this painting here was a fake.”  The man with snow white hair and experienced older eyes smirked, as he casually slipped his hands into his suit pockets. “Not bad.”  Audrey beamed, “My dad taught me everything I know.”  “And he did a spectacular job.” The man nodded looked down at his daughter. ***  The rest of the day, and the one after that was spent tracking down files and records from every auction throughout the past year. This was the part of the job that Audrey detested. Sitting in her father’s office researching. It was mind numbingly boring as she scrolled down the screen on her laptop, scanning for names, numbers, purchase receipts and more.  Surely this would be an open and shut case, and yet as she tried to follow the money it was proving to be far more difficult. Either the thief knew how to cover his or her tracks, or they lived off the grid. Perhaps they lived under an alias? Were they rich? Poor? Simple or refined?  Audrey did so love the mystery, but always felt better with tangible evidence that let her stretch her legs and do something--sitting around and staring at a screen was, in a word, boring.  Sighing, she set the laptop away from her on the nearby coffee table and irritably rubbed her eyes before absently reaching over and palming her ever loving fidget spinner. She found the weighty spinning in her hand to be quite calming, and she let her mind drift for a moment or two as she leaned back on the deep seated sofa in her father’s office.  “Have you tried Mrs. Redvers’s office again?” her father, Clarence Richardson, asked from his perch behind his dark-stained, heavily lacquered desk.  She nodded, “I did. Apparently she’s going to be ‘out of the country on business’ for the next several days. Her assistant assures me that he won’t be able to do anything to help until then.  “Of course we’re still expected to have her property back soon ‘or else.’” Audrey mimicked the detestable older woman’s tone as she sighed and looked over at her father. Sighing she took up her iPhone and started scrolling through her contacts list. “I suppose I can start calling auction houses. I doubt someone like Mrs. Redvers will be forgotten easily.”  “Indeed, she wouldn’t,” Clarence agreed.  “But, seriously dad. How do you want me to play this? Am I passing my findings off to the authorities, or do you want me to… you know… do it your way?”  The older man was quiet for a time as he leaned back in his chair and raked his fingers through his full white hair. Audrey could see him weighing the options--and reputation of the agency. He was the newest partner, having only retired from the field six months ago, and happy to pass his legacy on to his daughter. Of course, having his one and only child out in the field was something that seemed to make him uncharacteristically cautious. Audrey found it more than a little annoying.  It was several minutes before he responded. It was clear that his mind was made up when he steepled his hands together atop his desk, each finger firmly pressed against its opposite. “We can’t afford to make a woman like Mrs. Redvers our enemy. She isn’t nobility, but she has… unsavory connections. Do it my way, but Audrey, you swear to me that you will be smart and stay safe. You are my one and only.”  Audrey smirked, as she put the phone to her ear in what would likely be a long string of calls. She looked over to her father, and offered her father the same tiny smile that she had given him since she was a little girl. “Always.”  “And don’t worry,” he added, “I’ll take care of everything with the ol’ Scot detective… just like I always have. Just do anything you must to get that painting back to our biggest client.” ***   As expected, once she had a name, her job got not only easy, but terribly fun. It was only days later that Audrey found herself in the ever stunning English countryside. James Thackery. The man was no one, and painstakingly easy to find. For as glad as she was to find him, she couldn’t help but be a little disappointed in him as well; thieves should be more of a challenge. Besides, the chase was easily the best part.  Oh well.  At least she would get the chance to break into the man’s veritable fortress. Now that would be a fantastic challenge: stealing from a thief. Lockpicking, bypassing security, and slipping in and out unnoticed with a relatively large object. The man had clearly needed a small team to get it from the museum, and she was going to do it all over again… by herself.  Thackery wouldn’t even know what hit him. It was going to be glorious.  It was early evening, and Audrey was beginning to feel the buzz as she slowly sipped at a tall glass of amber beer. She looked at her laptop as she studied the maps of the area, as well as the property that was said to belong to the so-called “master” thief. Of course, the man was clearly good, but she was certain that she was better.  Much better. Oh yes, this was going to be fun." data-zoom-target="1" height="" src="/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2FIvory+Collectables+and+Art+++The+young+woman+was+dressed+far+too+rebelliously+with+her+distressed%2C+cut-up+denims+and+plain+gray+t-shirt+to+be+anyone+of+consequence.+In+fact%2C+she+was+the+sore+thumb+in+an+expensive+looking+room+with+honey+oak+parquet+pattern+zig-zagging+along+the+floor%2C+and+soft+sage+walls+that+faded+out+of+importance+in+the+face+of+the+timeless%2C+priceless+art+on+display+around+the+room.++And+yet+all+eyes+were+on+her+as+she+stood+apart%2C+and+stared+at+the+humble+portrait+in+front+of+her.+Carefully%2C+she+drew+her+gunmetal+gaze+into+the+finer+details+of+the+painting.+One+by+one+she+switched+off+her+other+senses--refusing+to+listen+to+the+pensive+din+of+stone-cold+investigators+and+frantic+curators.+The+museum+air+was+cool%2C+and+she+ignored+the+goosebumps+rising+on+her+bare%2C+sun-kissed+arms+as+the+AC+unit+kicked-in.+Nothing+else+existed+other+than+what+was+right+in+front+of+her+very+eyes.++Audrey+LaBelle+had+been+standing+before+the+moderately+sized+portrait+for+over+twenty+minutes+inside+the+grand+room+where+the+museum+was+hosting+a+large+display+of+recovered+World+War+II+art+and+artifacts.+The+pieces+in+the+room+were+part+of+the+greatest+collections+ever+found.+They+represented+decades+of+cold-case+investigations+and+research.+Then+again%2C+nothing+else+inside+the+room+mattered+at+the+moment.%09They+all+had+been+standing+there%2C+waiting+for+her.+To+say+something--anything--of+value+to+the+ongoing+investigation.+The+constables%2C+Interpol+agents%2C+museum+curators%2C+and+well%2C+everyone+was+looking+to+her+expertise+to+give+everyone+greater+insight+to+the+investigation.+No+one+else+in+the+room+seemed+seemed+to+matter+except+the+woman+staring+at+the+painting.+++%E2%80%9CIt%E2%80%99s+a+forgery.%E2%80%9D+Casually%2C+she+held+her+thumbnail+between+her+teeth+and+took+comfort+in+the+sound+of+her+Converse+shoe+squeaking+on+the+smooth+wood+floors+as+she+twisted+her+food+about+back+and+forth.+She+was+not+someone+who+was+good+at+staying+entirely+still%2C+and+sadly%2C+she+left+her+fidget+spinner+on+her+kitchen+counter+this+morning.++%E2%80%9CIt%E2%80%99s+the+face+in+the+portrait+that+gives+it+away.+The+brush+strokes+imply+a+more+modern+technique.+Finer+lines%2C+more+of+a+photographic+quality.+Van+der+Helst+was+a+master+of+portraits%2C+but+still+an+artist+of+his+time.++Audrey+turned+to+the+small+congregation+standing+behind+her.+%E2%80%9CI+think+the+bigger+question+here+isn%E2%80%99t+whether+or+not+this+painting+was+stolen%2C+but+why+it+was+stolen.+This+particular+piece+is+only+worth-%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CIt%E2%80%99s+value+isn%E2%80%99t+the+case+here%2C+Miss+Richardson.+My+property+has+been+stolen%2C+and+I+want+it+back.%E2%80%9D+An+older+woman+stepped+apart+from+the+small+crowd+of+men.+Her+startling+green+eyes+were+about+as+warm+and+friendly+as+a+clear+sky+on+a+winter%E2%80%99s+day.+Her+pale+skin%2C+and+displeased+visage%2C+even+colder.+Already+Audrey+knew+she+would+not+like+working+with+this+woman.+++Of+course%2C+the+older+woman%2C+Yvonne+Redver%2C+was+impeccably+dressed+with+her+silky+gray+skirt-suit+and+three+inch+black+heels.+Her+gray-white+hair+fell+in+a+neat%2C+classic+style+atop+her+shoulders.+As+she+crossed+her+arms+across+her+chest%2C+she+pursed+her+bold+red+lips+and+looked+down+the+line+of+her+delicate+nose+at+the+younger+woman.++%E2%80%9CWhat+I+am+saying%2C+Ms.+Redvers%2C+is+that+this+particular+piece+seems+hardly+worth+a+thief%27s+time.+It+is+not+even+close+to+being+the+most+expensive+or+most+interesting+piece+in+the+room.+Even+with+its+unique+history%2C+there+are+several+paintings+that+are+far+more+valuable+on+the+Black+Market.++%E2%80%9CThe+painting+stolen+for+a+very+specific+purpose.+It+holds+personal+value+to+the+person+who+took+it.+In+fact%2C+whoever+took+this+has+means.+Opportunity.+Resources.+They+took+their+time%2C+they%E2%80%99re+smart%2C+and+had+a+plan%2C+not+to+mention+the+skills+to+break+into+one+of+London%E2%80%99s+top+museums.+This+person+is+a+professional+thief%2C+and+has+done+it+many+times+before.++%E2%80%9CFrankly%2C+I+think+this+will+be+an+open+and+shut+case.%E2%80%9D+Smirking%2C+Audrey+looked+up+at+the+tall+woman%2C+not+intimidated+in+the+least+that+she+stood+a+full+head+over+her.+%E2%80%9CAnd+for+the+record%2C+my+name+is+LaBelle.+You+may+call+me+Ms.+LaBelle.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CYou+are+an+insolent+little+girl%2C+and+I+will+address+you+however+I+choose%2C+and+since+your+father+answers+to+the+name+Richardson%2C+that+is+exactly+what+I+will+call+you%2C%E2%80%9D+Ms.+Redvers+smiled%2C+or+rather+bared+her+pearly+whites--it+was+only+slightly+reminiscent+of+a+purebred+alpha+bitch.++Audrey+matched+that%E2%80%A6+grin%E2%80%A6+with+one+of+her+own.+She+wasn%E2%80%99t+afraid+of+this+woman.+%E2%80%9CAnd+yet%2C+I%E2%80%99m+the+one+who+is+going+to+find+your+painting%2C+and+then+you+will+be+the+one+to+pay+me+handsomely+for+it.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CNae%2C+lassie%2C+doona+be+gettin%E2%80%99+ahead+of+yerself.%E2%80%9D+Constable+Ruskin+interjected%2C+%E2%80%9Cyou%E2%80%99ll+nae+be+dooin%E2%80%99+the+job+of+th%E2%80%99+law.+Yer+here+to+consult+only.%E2%80%9D++She+was+proud+of+herself+when+she+didn%E2%80%99t+roll+her+eyes.+Consultant+her+ass.+Audrey+opened+her+mouth+to+speak%2C+and+was+utterly+unsurprised+when+she+was+interrupted+by+the+older+%E2%80%9Cnoble%E2%80%9D+woman.++%E2%80%9CI+don%E2%80%99t+care+who+finds+my+property.+Do+your+jobs%2C+or+I%E2%80%99ll+sue+you%2C+the+museum%2C+and+the+city%21%E2%80%9D+Mrs.+Redvers+turned+abruptly%2C+then+and+with+a+nod+was+gone+from+the+room%2C+her+footfalls+echoing+against+the+wood+floors%2C+with+her+entourage+of+security+falling+in+line+alongside+her++And+suddenly+the+room+got+much+warmer+and+more+comfortable.+Audrey+looked+at+the+Constable+and+simply+shrugged.+He+smiled+back+at+her%2C+the+man+being+akin+to+an+uncle+given+how+long+he+had+worked+with+her+father.+++%E2%80%9CWee%E2%80%99ll%2C+lass%2C+what+doo+ye%E2%80%99+think%3F+What%E2%80%99s+th%E2%80%99+art+worth%3F%E2%80%9D+he+asked%2C+jumping+back+into+the+investigation+at+hand.++Audrey+shrugged+as+she+turned+back+to+the+forgery.+%E2%80%9CNot+much%2C%E2%80%9D+she+admitted%2C+%E2%80%9CI%E2%80%99ll+have+to+check+the+museum+records+to+know+its+exact+value%2C+but+there%E2%80%99s+nothing+at+all+remarkable+about+it.+The+man+in+the+portrait+is+no+one+of+historical+significance%2C+and+in+fact+no+one+particularly+knows+who+it+is.+No+one+really+cares+either.+Van+der+Helst+was+a+master+of+portraits%2C+but+again%2C+the+only+thing+that+makes+this+painting+worth+anything+now+is+that+it+a+surviving+piece+from+World+War+II%3B+the+Nazis+stole+this+one+just+as+they+did+so+many+during+that+period.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CSo+what+do+your+instincts+tell+you%2C+love%3F+How+do+we+proceed%3F%E2%80%9D+Audrey+smirked+at+the+older+man%E2%80%99s+drawling+tone.+He+was+testing+her%3B+evaluating+her+skills+as+well+as+her+logic.+It+was+as+adorable+as+it+was+annoying.+In+the+end%2C+however%2C+she+knew+it+was+just+her+father%E2%80%99s+way.++%E2%80%9CThe+theft+was+personal.+Probably+desperate+too.+We%E2%80%99ll+want+to+check+Mrs.+Redver%E2%80%99s+records+of+when+she+purchased+the+piece%2C+and+from+where.+Auction+is+most+likely%2C+and+if+that+is+the+case+we+can+trace+it+back+and+see+who+else+was+bidding+on+it.++%E2%80%9CI+expect+that+whoever+wanted+this+has+been+after+it+for+awhile%2C+and+I%E2%80%99ll+bet+they+haven%E2%80%99t+gone+too+far.+No+one+in+the+states+would+care+about+art+recovered+from+World+War+II%2C+let+alone+a+random+portrait.+I+suppose+it+is+possible+that+the+painting+is+on+its+way+to+the+Netherlands%2C+but+I+somehow+doubt+it.++%E2%80%9CThe+thief+may+have+been+desperate+too%2C+or+the+heist+went+sideways.+Leaving+a+guard+tied+up+to+give+testimony+is+just+sloppy.+Frankly%2C+if+not+for+that+guard+we+wouldn%E2%80%99t+even+be+here+right+now.+It+would+have+been+months+or+possibly+even+years+before+anyone+figured+out+that+this+painting+here+was+a+fake.%E2%80%9D++The+man+with+snow+white+hair+and+experienced+older+eyes+smirked%2C+as+he+casually+slipped+his+hands+into+his+suit+pockets.+%E2%80%9CNot+bad.%E2%80%9D++Audrey+beamed%2C+%E2%80%9CMy+dad+taught+me+everything+I+know.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CAnd+he+did+a+spectacular+job.%E2%80%9D+The+man+nodded+looked+down+at+his+daughter.+%2A%2A%2A++The+rest+of+the+day%2C+and+the+one+after+that+was+spent+tracking+down+files+and+records+from+every+auction+throughout+the+past+year.+This+was+the+part+of+the+job+that+Audrey+detested.+Sitting+in+her+father%E2%80%99s+office+researching.+It+was+mind+numbingly+boring+as+she+scrolled+down+the+screen+on+her+laptop%2C+scanning+for+names%2C+numbers%2C+purchase+receipts+and+more.++Surely+this+would+be+an+open+and+shut+case%2C+and+yet+as+she+tried+to+follow+the+money+it+was+proving+to+be+far+more+difficult.+Either+the+thief+knew+how+to+cover+his+or+her+tracks%2C+or+they+lived+off+the+grid.+Perhaps+they+lived+under+an+alias%3F+Were+they+rich%3F+Poor%3F+Simple+or+refined%3F++Audrey+did+so+love+the+mystery%2C+but+always+felt+better+with+tangible+evidence+that+let+her+stretch+her+legs+and+do+something--sitting+around+and+staring+at+a+screen+was%2C+in+a+word%2C+boring.++Sighing%2C+she+set+the+laptop+away+from+her+on+the+nearby+coffee+table+and+irritably+rubbed+her+eyes+before+absently+reaching+over+and+palming+her+ever+loving+fidget+spinner.+She+found+the+weighty+spinning+in+her+hand+to+be+quite+calming%2C+and+she+let+her+mind+drift+for+a+moment+or+two+as+she+leaned+back+on+the+deep+seated+sofa+in+her+father%E2%80%99s+office.++%E2%80%9CHave+you+tried+Mrs.+Redvers%E2%80%99s+office+again%3F%E2%80%9D+her+father%2C+Clarence+Richardson%2C+asked+from+his+perch+behind+his+dark-stained%2C+heavily+lacquered+desk.++She+nodded%2C+%E2%80%9CI+did.+Apparently+she%E2%80%99s+going+to+be+%E2%80%98out+of+the+country+on+business%E2%80%99+for+the+next+several+days.+Her+assistant+assures+me+that+he+won%E2%80%99t+be+able+to+do+anything+to+help+until+then.++%E2%80%9COf+course+we%E2%80%99re+still+expected+to+have+her+property+back+soon+%E2%80%98or+else.%E2%80%99%E2%80%9D+Audrey+mimicked+the+detestable+older+woman%E2%80%99s+tone+as+she+sighed+and+looked+over+at+her+father.+Sighing+she+took+up+her+iPhone+and+started+scrolling+through+her+contacts+list.+%E2%80%9CI+suppose+I+can+start+calling+auction+houses.+I+doubt+someone+like+Mrs.+Redvers+will+be+forgotten+easily.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CIndeed%2C+she+wouldn%E2%80%99t%2C%E2%80%9D+Clarence+agreed.++%E2%80%9CBut%2C+seriously+dad.+How+do+you+want+me+to+play+this%3F+Am+I+passing+my+findings+off+to+the+authorities%2C+or+do+you+want+me+to%E2%80%A6+you+know%E2%80%A6+do+it+your+way%3F%E2%80%9D++The+older+man+was+quiet+for+a+time+as+he+leaned+back+in+his+chair+and+raked+his+fingers+through+his+full+white+hair.+Audrey+could+see+him+weighing+the+options--and+reputation+of+the+agency.+He+was+the+newest+partner%2C+having+only+retired+from+the+field+six+months+ago%2C+and+happy+to+pass+his+legacy+on+to+his+daughter.+Of+course%2C+having+his+one+and+only+child+out+in+the+field+was+something+that+seemed+to+make+him+uncharacteristically+cautious.+Audrey+found+it+more+than+a+little+annoying.++It+was+several+minutes+before+he+responded.+It+was+clear+that+his+mind+was+made+up+when+he+steepled+his+hands+together+atop+his+desk%2C+each+finger+firmly+pressed+against+its+opposite.+%E2%80%9CWe+can%E2%80%99t+afford+to+make+a+woman+like+Mrs.+Redvers+our+enemy.+She+isn%E2%80%99t+nobility%2C+but+she+has%E2%80%A6+unsavory+connections.+Do+it+my+way%2C+but+Audrey%2C+you+swear+to+me+that+you+will+be+smart+and+stay+safe.+You+are+my+one+and+only.%E2%80%9D++Audrey+smirked%2C+as+she+put+the+phone+to+her+ear+in+what+would+likely+be+a+long+string+of+calls.+She+looked+over+to+her+father%2C+and+offered+her+father+the+same+tiny+smile+that+she+had+given+him+since+she+was+a+little+girl.+%E2%80%9CAlways.%E2%80%9D++%E2%80%9CAnd+don%E2%80%99t+worry%2C%E2%80%9D+he+added%2C+%E2%80%9CI%E2%80%99ll+take+care+of+everything+with+the+ol%E2%80%99+Scot+detective%E2%80%A6+just+like+I+always+have.+Just+do+anything+you+must+to+get+that+painting+back+to+our+biggest+client.%E2%80%9D+%2A%2A%2A+++As+expected%2C+once+she+had+a+name%2C+her+job+got+not+only+easy%2C+but+terribly+fun.+It+was+only+days+later+that+Audrey+found+herself+in+the+ever+stunning+English+countryside.+James+Thackery.+The+man+was+no+one%2C+and+painstakingly+easy+to+find.+For+as+glad+as+she+was+to+find+him%2C+she+couldn%E2%80%99t+help+but+be+a+little+disappointed+in+him+as+well%3B+thieves+should+be+more+of+a+challenge.+Besides%2C+the+chase+was+easily+the+best+part.++Oh+well.++At+least+she+would+get+the+chance+to+break+into+the+man%E2%80%99s+veritable+fortress.+Now+that+would+be+a+fantastic+challenge%3A+stealing+from+a+thief.+Lockpicking%2C+bypassing+security%2C+and+slipping+in+and+out+unnoticed+with+a+relatively+large+object.+The+man+had+clearly+needed+a+small+team+to+get+it+from+the+museum%2C+and+she+was+going+to+do+it+all+over+again%E2%80%A6+by+herself.++Thackery+wouldn%E2%80%99t+even+know+what+hit+him.+It+was+going+to+be+glorious.++It+was+early+evening%2C+and+Audrey+was+beginning+to+feel+the+buzz+as+she+slowly+sipped+at+a+tall+glass+of+amber+beer.+She+looked+at+her+laptop+as+she+studied+the+maps+of+the+area%2C+as+well+as+the+property+that+was+said+to+belong+to+the+so-called+%E2%80%9Cmaster%E2%80%9D+thief.+Of+course%2C+the+man+was+clearly+good%2C+but+she+was+certain+that+she+was+better.++Much+better.+Oh+yes%2C+this+was+going+to+be+fun.&amp;hash=e5d9008934e1c2c3c65b4bc9ebea4359" 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<i>Claiming what is His</i></span></span><br/>
nicarush and MerlotBeauty​</div><br/><br/>The young woman was dressed far too rebelliously with her distressed, cut-up denims and plain gray t-shirt to be anyone of consequence. In fact, she was the sore thumb in an expensive looking room with honey oak parquet pattern zig-zagging along the floor, and soft sage walls that faded out of importance in the face of the timeless, priceless art on display around the room.<br/><br/>And yet all eyes were on her as she stood apart, and stared at the humble portrait in front of her. Carefully, she drew her gunmetal gaze into the finer details of the painting. One by one she switched off her other senses--refusing to listen to the pensive din of stone-cold investigators and frantic curators. The museum air was cool, and she ignored the goosebumps rising on her bare, sun-kissed arms as the AC unit kicked-in. Nothing else existed other than what was right in front of her very eyes.<br/><br/>Audrey LaBelle had been standing before the moderately sized portrait for over twenty minutes inside the grand room where the museum was hosting a large display of recovered World War II art and artifacts. The pieces in the room were part of the greatest collections ever found. They represented decades of cold-case investigations and research. Then again, nothing else inside the room mattered at the moment.<br/><br/>They all had been standing there, waiting for her. To say something--anything--of value to the ongoing investigation. The constables, Interpol agents, museum curators, and well, everyone was looking to her expertise to give everyone greater insight to the investigation. No one else in the room seemed seemed to matter except the woman staring at the painting.<br/><br/>“It’s a forgery.” Casually, she held her thumbnail between her teeth and took comfort in the sound of her Converse shoe squeaking on the smooth wood floors as she twisted her food about back and forth. She was not someone who was good at staying entirely still, and sadly, she left her fidget spinner on her kitchen counter this morning.<br/><br/>“It’s the face in the portrait that gives it away. The brush strokes imply a more modern technique. Finer lines, more of a photographic quality. Van der Helst was a master of portraits, but still an artist of his time.<br/><br/>Audrey turned to the small congregation standing behind her. “I think the bigger question here isn’t whether or not this painting was stolen, but why it was stolen. This particular piece is only worth-”<br/><br/>“It’s value isn’t the case here, Miss Richardson. My property has been stolen, and I want it back.” An older woman stepped apart from the small crowd of men. Her startling green eyes were about as warm and friendly as a clear sky on a winter’s day. Her pale skin, and displeased visage, even colder. Already Audrey knew she would not like working with this woman.<br/><br/>Of course, the older woman, Yvonne Redver, was impeccably dressed with her silky gray skirt-suit and three inch black heels. Her gray-white hair fell in a neat, classic style atop her shoulders. As she crossed her arms across her chest, she pursed her bold red lips and looked down the line of her delicate nose at the younger woman.<br/><br/>“What I am saying, Ms. Redvers, is that this particular piece seems hardly worth a thief's time. It is not even close to being the most expensive or most interesting piece in the room. Even with its unique history, there are several paintings that are far more valuable on the Black Market.<br/><br/>“The painting stolen for a very specific purpose. It holds personal value to the person who took it. In fact, whoever took this has means. Opportunity. Resources. They took their time, they’re smart, and had a plan, not to mention the skills to break into one of London’s top museums. This person is a professional thief, and has done it many times before.<br/><br/>“Frankly, I think this will be an open and shut case.” Smirking, Audrey looked up at the tall woman, not intimidated in the least that she stood a full head over her. “And for the record, my name is LaBelle. You may call me Ms. LaBelle.”<br/><br/>“You are an insolent little girl, and I will address you however I choose, and since your father answers to the name Richardson, that is exactly what I will call you,” Ms. Redvers smiled, or rather bared her pearly whites--it was only slightly reminiscent of a purebred alpha bitch.<br/><br/>Audrey matched that… grin… with one of her own. She wasn’t afraid of this woman. “And yet, I’m the one who is going to find your painting, and then you will be the one to pay me handsomely for it.”<br/><br/>“Nae, lassie, doona be gettin’ ahead of yerself.” Constable Ruskin interjected, “you’ll nae be dooin’ the job of th’ law. Yer here to consult only.”<br/><br/>She was proud of herself when she didn’t roll her eyes. Consultant her ass. Audrey opened her mouth to speak, and was utterly unsurprised when she was interrupted by the older “noble” woman.<br/><br/>“I don’t care who finds my property. Do your jobs, or I’ll sue you, the museum, and the city!” Mrs. Redvers turned abruptly, then and with a nod was gone from the room, her footfalls echoing against the wood floors, with her entourage of security falling in line alongside her<br/><br/>And suddenly the room got much warmer and more comfortable. Audrey looked at the Constable and simply shrugged. He smiled back at her, the man being akin to an uncle given how long he had worked with her father.<br/><br/>“Wee’ll, lass, what doo ye’ think? What’s th’ art worth?” he asked, jumping back into the investigation at hand.<br/><br/>Audrey shrugged as she turned back to the forgery. “Not much,” she admitted, “I’ll have to check the museum records to know its exact value, but there’s nothing at all remarkable about it. The man in the portrait is no one of historical significance, and in fact no one particularly knows who it is. No one really cares either. Van der Helst was a master of portraits, but again, the only thing that makes this painting worth anything now is that it a surviving piece from World War II; the Nazis stole this one just as they did so many during that period.”<br/><br/>“So what do your instincts tell you, love? How do we proceed?” Audrey smirked at the older man’s drawling tone. He was testing her; evaluating her skills as well as her logic. It was as adorable as it was annoying. In the end, however, she knew it was just her father’s way.<br/><br/>“The theft was personal. Probably desperate too. We’ll want to check Mrs. Redver’s records of when she purchased the piece, and from where. Auction is most likely, and if that is the case we can trace it back and see who else was bidding on it.<br/><br/>“I expect that whoever wanted this has been after it for awhile, and I’ll bet they haven’t gone too far. No one in the states would care about art recovered from World War II, let alone a random portrait. I suppose it is possible that the painting is on its way to the Netherlands, but I somehow doubt it.<br/><br/>“The thief may have been desperate too, or the heist went sideways. Leaving a guard tied up to give testimony is just sloppy. Frankly, if not for that guard we wouldn’t even be here right now. It would have been months or possibly even years before anyone figured out that this painting here was a fake.”<br/><br/>The man with snow white hair and experienced older eyes smirked, as he casually slipped his hands into his suit pockets. “Not bad.”<br/><br/>Audrey beamed, “My dad taught me everything I know.”<br/><br/>“And he did a spectacular job.” The man nodded looked down at his daughter.<br/><div style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 18px">***</span>​</div><br/>The rest of the day, and the one after that was spent tracking down files and records from every auction throughout the past year. This was the part of the job that Audrey detested. Sitting in her father’s office researching. It was mind numbingly boring as she scrolled down the screen on her laptop, scanning for names, numbers, purchase receipts and more.<br/><br/>Surely this would be an open and shut case, and yet as she tried to follow the money it was proving to be far more difficult. Either the thief knew how to cover his or her tracks, or they lived off the grid. Perhaps they lived under an alias? Were they rich? Poor? Simple or refined?<br/><br/>Audrey did so love the mystery, but always felt better with tangible evidence that let her stretch her legs and do something--sitting around and staring at a screen was, in a word, boring.<br/><br/>Sighing, she set the laptop away from her on the nearby coffee table and irritably rubbed her eyes before absently reaching over and palming her ever loving fidget spinner. She found the weighty spinning in her hand to be quite calming, and she let her mind drift for a moment or two as she leaned back on the deep seated sofa in her father’s office.<br/><br/>“Have you tried Mrs. Redvers’s office again?” her father, Clarence Richardson, asked from his perch behind his dark-stained, heavily lacquered desk.<br/><br/>She nodded, “I did. Apparently she’s going to be ‘out of the country on business’ for the next several days. Her assistant assures me that he won’t be able to do anything to help until then.<br/><br/>“Of course we’re still expected to have her property back soon ‘or else.’” Audrey mimicked the detestable older woman’s tone as she sighed and looked over at her father. Sighing she took up her iPhone and started scrolling through her contacts list. “I suppose I can start calling auction houses. I doubt someone like Mrs. Redvers will be forgotten easily.”<br/><br/>“Indeed, she wouldn’t,” Clarence agreed.<br/><br/>“But, seriously dad. How do you want me to play this? Am I passing my findings off to the authorities, or do you want me to… you know… do it your way?”<br/><br/>The older man was quiet for a time as he leaned back in his chair and raked his fingers through his full white hair. Audrey could see him weighing the options--and reputation of the agency. He was the newest partner, having only retired from the field six months ago, and happy to pass his legacy on to his daughter. Of course, having his one and only child out in the field was something that seemed to make him uncharacteristically cautious. Audrey found it more than a little annoying.<br/><br/>It was several minutes before he responded. It was clear that his mind was made up when he steepled his hands together atop his desk, each finger firmly pressed against its opposite. “We can’t afford to make a woman like Mrs. Redvers our enemy. She isn’t nobility, but she has… unsavory connections. Do it my way, but Audrey, you swear to me that you will be smart and stay safe. You are my one and only.”<br/><br/>Audrey smirked, as she put the phone to her ear in what would likely be a long string of calls. She looked over to her father, and offered her father the same tiny smile that she had given him since she was a little girl. “Always.”<br/><br/>“And don’t worry,” he added, “I’ll take care of everything with the ol’ Scot detective… just like I always have. Just do anything you must to get that painting back to our biggest client.”<br/><div style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 18px">***</span>​</div><br/>As expected, once she had a name, her job got not only easy, but terribly fun. It was only days later that Audrey found herself in the ever stunning English countryside. James Thackery. The man was no one, and painstakingly easy to find. For as glad as she was to find him, she couldn’t help but be a little disappointed in him as well; thieves should be more of a challenge. Besides, the chase was easily the best part.<br/><br/>Oh well.<br/><br/>At least she would get the chance to break into the man’s veritable fortress. Now that would be a fantastic challenge: stealing from a thief. Lockpicking, bypassing security, and slipping in and out unnoticed with a relatively large object. The man had clearly needed a small team to get it from the museum, and she was going to do it all over again… by herself.<br/><br/>Thackery wouldn’t even know what hit him. It was going to be glorious.<br/><br/>It was early evening, and Audrey was beginning to feel the buzz as she slowly sipped at a tall glass of amber beer. She looked at her laptop as she studied the maps of the area, as well as the property that was said to belong to the so-called “master” thief. Of course, the man was clearly good, but she was certain that she was better.<br/><br/>Much better. Oh yes, this was going to be fun.