Page 102 of The Chase
“We don’t have a search warrant yet,” admitted Ford.
“Ah,” said Tobias. “Then it’s a no.”
Mitchel sat back down.
“It’s okay,” I said, “I’ve nothing to hide.”
Tobias beamed. “Other than that priceless Michelangelo she has stashed away in her bedroom!” He roared with laughter.
I let out a feeble laugh.
Trying to fathom Tobias’s motive for dutifully playing the boyfriend card, I reasoned he was the kind of friend who came through when you needed him.
Oh my God...
I’d locked my flat door and somehow he’d gotten in...
Yet, he was my greatest alibi in all of this.
“Michelangelo.” Ford grinned at Tobias’s joke. “Wouldn’t that be something.”
“Do you have the name of the owner?” Tobias asked flatly. “The person who dropped off the painting?”
I frowned, remembering Nigel mentioning it had turned up in Venice and wishing I’d paid more attention.
“That’s confidential, for now,” said Ford.
“The provenance would likely prove this painting belongs to your estate, Zara?” said Mitchel.
“The last time I saw it I was ten.” There were more questions than answers.
Tobias smiled brightly. “It’s a good thing it wasn’t the real thing.”
“What makes you say that?” said Mitchel.
“Didn’t Zara tell you?” Tobias shook his head woefully. “The original was destroyed in a fire. Some idiot’s gone and stolen a fake.” He breathed in a sigh of relief and his gaze rested on the pizza. “Who wants the last slice?”
19
A chill of fear slithered up my spine.
Tobias was at the front door talking with the police. Their hushed tones possibly hinting at their realization of the distress they’d caused me. I heard the sound of the door closing and the latch being placed.
The kitchen door opened and Tobias strolled in. He eased my glass out of my hand and went ahead and poured more pinot into it and then refilled his own. He gave it back and then took his place against the counter, leaning casually and finally peeling off that scarf and throwing it aside. He picked up his wine and his focus zeroed in on me.
“None of this makes any sense,” I said. “No one would risk being arrested for stealing a fake. How did they even know it was at Christie’s? God knows how they knew it was real.”
He blinked at me inquisitively.
The wine failed to quench my throat’s dryness. “Tobias, what were you thinking?”
He didn’t react, just continued to look calm and in control, his beautiful face staying as focused as when the police were here.
This silence raised the tension.
“What happens when they find out we’ve only known each other a few days? You acted like we’ve been together for years.”
There was no way we’d managed to fast-forward to the kind of place where we looked like we’d been together any length of time.
