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Jobo sighed expansively. ‘Oh, that’s all right then. I’m so glad I talked to you, Triumph. You know what I think, don’t you? The painting’s a hoax – someone’s just trying to scam the dealers. Well, I’m not going to be taken in,’ he said, his tone light. ‘Sorry I disturbed you.’
For several minutes after they had concluded the call, Jobo sat in his office with the door open, gazing at his private gallery, his own personal assembly of freaks. He might have found out nothing, but he knew that his call would have immense repercussions. The American would realise that the news was out, and that it had travelled as far as Japan. There was no doubt that Triumph Jones had earned his sobriquet and his impressive cu
What would happen next was anybody’s guess, but the Titian was up for grabs and at least three dealers were after it. With such a coterie of egos nothing – not even Angelico Vespucci’s portrait – could remain hidden for long.
18
At one time there had been some sort of order to Joh
Concerned for Gaspare’s safety, Nino was pleased that the dealer had to stay in hospital for further tests. Nothing serious, the doctor reassured him – ‘just to be on the safe side’. He didn’t know how true the words were. Back at the Kensington gallery, Nino discovered where the thief had broken in and had the window repaired, changing the door locks as an added precaution.
But when he visited Gaspare in hospital that afternoon, Nino was unprepared for the dealer’s refusal to involve the police.
‘Keep them out of it!’ he snapped. ‘I don’t want anyone to know about the painting. No one knows about the break-in – and no one will.’
‘You were attacked—’
‘For the painting!’ Gaspare remonstrated. ‘Now they’ve got it, why would they bother to come back? There’s no danger for us.’ He pointed to the newspaper which reported Sally Egan’s death. ‘We have other things to think about. That girl, for instance. Why was she killed in that way? Not another coincidence, surely. She must have some co
Nino shrugged. ‘Why? It’s rare, but victims have been ski
Gaspare cut him off.
‘But why would it happen now? Just when the painting of The Skin Hunter’s come to light? No. There’s a co
‘Yes, I did, and he gave me his research, all his notes, everything he’d ever found out about Vespucci.’
‘Really?’ Gaspare replied, wary. ‘What’s in them?’
‘I du
Picking up the newspaper, Gaspare read the headline again.
‘First Seraphina, now this woman … You think they had something in common? I do. I’m sure something co
‘Like Vespucci?’
Gaspare nodded thoughtfully. ‘We need to go back to where it all began – in Venice. We need to know about Vespucci’s victims. See if they had any co
Nino paused, thinking back.
‘You told me that Vespucci got away with the murders because there was another suspect—’
‘But I don’t know who. No one does.’
‘Unless he’s named in Joh
The old man leaned forward in his hospital bed, suddenly alert. ‘Read them!’ he said urgently. ‘Read them!’
‘And what do we do about the painting?’
‘Forget about that for now! It’s gone. It could well have been stolen to order – that’s not unknown in the art world. It might be on its way to New York or Berlin as we speak. God knows how many dealers went after it—’
‘But how would they know about it?’
‘Seraphina?’
‘She only told Joh
‘And how many people did he tell?’ Gaspare asked perceptively. ‘What kind of a man is he?’
‘Scared. He was very close to Seraphina.’
‘D’you think he could have stolen the Titian?’
‘No,’ Nino said confidently. ‘Joh
‘He believes that?’
‘Oh yes,’ Nino said emphatically. ‘He believes it – and it scares the shit out of him. I reckon the reason he gave me his notes was to get them off his hands. I’d say that Joh
‘But Vespucci’s victims were women—’
‘That makes no difference – logic doesn’t come into this. Joh
‘And?’
‘I think he also believes that if the legend is true, Vespucci will come after me now, not him.’
19
There is a passageway from Kensington Church Street that leads through an archway to a scruffy path around the back of the church. Over the years the figure of Christ has hung in a shrine there, crucified and on view to the passing traffic. At times yobs have thrown paint over Him, others have laid flowers at His feet, and at Christmas tinsel is wound gently around the brutal crown of thorns. He has stood under the wind, under the snow, and hung His head when summer sun cracked His painted face. And He was still standing as Nino cut through the passageway, heading for the convent gallery.
Unlocking the back door and turning off the repaired alarm, Nino made himself a drink and then moved to the drawing room on the first floor. In Gaspare’s absence he flicked on all the lights, spreading out Joh
Painstakingly Nino began to sort out Joh
Angelico Vespucci b. 1510 – not known where he died. Last heard of February, 1556. His list of victims is open to debate, but there are records in the chapel of the Mazzerotti church. (The priest was so difficult, I had to donate to the renovations before he would even talk to me and then he was evasive. No one wants to talk about Angelico Vespucci. They pretend he never existed, until you come along with proof or asking questions. He’s like Venice’s dirty little secret.) Anyway, their records list the deaths of Larissa Vespucci, Claudia Moroni …