Page 27 of All I Want for Christmas

‘But you still think it has to pre-dateHer Children?’

‘Absolutely. You wouldn’t create something at that level, a national masterpiece, and then turn it around and doodle a portrait on the back.’

‘No. That makes no sense,’ Freja agreed. ‘So then, at least your window is getting smaller. This all means it had to have been painted between mid-1920 and summer 1922.’

‘Yeah – except even with that tight timeframe, there’s so much material to get through. My main problem is going to be getting through it all in the time we’ve got. In three days,I’ve only managed eleven boxes. I have moved all of three feet, with nothing to show for it.’

‘How much is there?’

‘Well, right now that stack is looking a mile long,’ Darcy panted. ‘There are dozens of boxes to go, which is not helped by the fact that I can’t work late.’

‘Why not?’ Freja frowned.

‘I can’t stay in the gallery past seven. Not allowed. That’s when the night patrol team comes in and all the security systems are activated.’

‘Oh damn. Hadn’t thought of that.’

‘Yeah. I got in for seven yesterday morning, which is when Viggo always gets there and opens up. At least I can build in a little more time that way.’

‘And there I was thinking you had got lucky after all.’

‘Ha bloody ha.’ Darcy had regaled her flatmate with all the details of her disaster date the other night with Erik. They both knew perfectly well that luck was not on her side.

‘Well, if your back’s up against the wall, then I reckon you’ve only got one option open to you.’

‘Which is?’

They were approaching the bridge that reconnected to the rest of the park and Darcy felt her reward getting closer. Eight kilometres down, two to go. They had plans to go to the flower market after this and watch the newMission Impossiblethis afternoon, before they both went for dinner with Tristan in the evening. Freja had had to plead with Darcy to agree to it. He wanted to ‘bond’ with her, Freja said – which, to Darcy, suggested an alarming leaning towards commitment.

‘You’re going to have to ask for an assistant.’

‘Freja, I’m looking for a nameless face in a photo, a facelessname in a letter – that means trusting someone elsenotto miss the single clue that will unlock it all.’

‘Ah yes, trust. Your favourite quality.’

Darcy rolled her eyes at the tease. ‘Besides, Viggo’s being amazing. And I do trust him; no one knows the archives better. He’s doing what he can to help but he’s got a full workload too.’

‘Surely he can prioritize helping you while you work on this?’

‘Not really. The retrospective is going to mean an uptick in visitor numbers for the Madsen Collection too so they’re frantically pulling togethertheirnew exhibition. They’ve loaned a bunch of Triers to the National so they’ve got a lot of blank walls that need filling.’

‘You know, hearing all this drama makes me glad I chose to pursue a career in the sedate world of genomics.’

They crossed the bridge and exited the park, on to the home straight for their coffees.

‘So, dare I ask how’s it going with our Last Man Standing?’

‘Aksel the Vet?...Oh, it’s going, I guess,’ Darcy panted. ‘We’re currently politely discussing climate change and the increase in tsunamis since the 1990s.’

‘Wow, tsunamis, huh?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Just you be careful. A guy like that – one minute you’re discussing tidal waves and the next, he’ll be sorting your recycling.’ They stopped at a pedestrian crossing, jogging on the spot as they waited for the lights to change. ‘Has he made any suggestions about meeting up yet?’

‘Not yet. I’m beginning to think he just wants someone to talk to. You know – if only they could talk?’

‘Ugh, just cut to the chase and ask him directly if he wantsto have a drink. There’s no point in wasting any more time. You don’t need someone to talk to; you’ve got me for that.’

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