'Diego,' he said, switching his attention to his eldest son, 'go back to Sotheby's and find out who was the under-bidder for lot twenty-nine, because they must have known that my money was no longer in the statue, otherwise they couldn't have risked raising the stakes so high.'
Don Pedro paused for a moment before he began jabbing a forefinger at Diego's chest. 'But your most important task will be to build a team that will allow me to destroy whoever is responsible for this theft. Start by instructing the sharpest lawyers available, because they'll know who the bent coppers are as well as the criminals that never get caught, and they won't ask too many questions as long as the money is right. Once all these questions have been answered and everything is in place, I'll be ready to do to them what they've done to us.'
44
'A HUNDRED AND twenty thousand pounds,' said Harry. 'A phone bidder, but The Times doesn't seem to know who the buyer was.'
'Only one person could have paid that much for the piece,' said Emma. 'And by now, Mr Martinez will realize he didn't get what he bargained for.' Harry looked up from the newspaper to see his wife trembling. 'And if there's one thing we know about that man, he'll want to know who was responsible for stealing his money.'
'But he has no reason to believe Seb was involved. I was only in Buenos Aires for a few hours, and no one other than the ambassador even knew my name.'
'Except for Mr . . . what was his name?'
'Bolton. But he came back on the same plane as me.'
'If I was Martinez,' said Emma, her voice breaking, 'the first person I'd assume was involved is Seb.'
'But why, especially when he wasn't?'
'Because he was the last person to see the statue before it was handed over to Sotheby's.'
'That's not proof.'
'Believe me, it will be proof enough for Martinez. I think we have no choice but to warn Seb that - '
The door opened and Jessica burst into the room.
'Mama, you'll never guess where Seb's going tomorrow.'
'Luis, brief me on what you found out when you were in Bristol.'
'I've spent most of my time turning over stones to see if anything would crawl out.'
'And did it?'
'Yes, I discovered that although Barrington is well respected and popular in his constituency, he's made several enemies along the way, including his ex-wife, and - '
'What's her problem?'
'Feels Barrington let her down badly over his mother's will, and she also objects to being replaced by a Welsh coalminer's daughter.'
'Then perhaps you should try to contact her?'
'I have already tried, but it's not that simple. The English upper classes always expect someone they know to make the introduction. But while I was in Bristol, I came across a man who claims he knows her well.'
'What's his name?'
'Major Alex Fisher.'
'And what's his connection with Barrington?'
'He was the Conservative candidate at the last election when Barrington defeated him by four votes. Fisher claims Barrington cheated him out of the seat, and I got the feeling he'd do almost anything to get even.'
'Then we must assist him in his cause,' said Don Pedro.
'I also discovered that since losing the election Fisher's been running up debts all over Bristol, and he's desperately searching for a lifeline.'
'Then I'll have to throw him one, won't I?' said Don Pedro. 'What can you tell me about Barrington's girlfriend?'
'Dr Gwyneth Hughes. She teaches maths at St Paul's girls' school in London. The local Labour Party has been expecting an announcement about their future together ever since his divorce went through, but, to quote a committee member who has met her, she couldn't be described as a "dolly bird".'
'Forget her,' said Don Pedro. 'She won't be any use to us unless she gets ditched. Concentrate on his ex-wife and, if the major can arrange a meeting, find out if she's interested in money or revenge. Almost every ex-wife wants one or the other and, in most cases, both.' He smiled at Luis before adding, 'Well done, my boy.' Turning to Diego, he asked, 'What have you got for me?'
'I haven't finished yet,' said Luis, sounding a little aggrieved. 'I also came across someone else who knows more about the Barrington family than they do themselves.'
'And who's that?'
'A private detective called Derek Mitchell. He's worked for both the Barringtons and the Cliftons in the past, but I have a feeling that, if the money was right, I could persuade him to - '
'Don't go anywhere near him,' said Don Pedro firmly. 'If he's willing to double-cross his former employers, what makes you think he wouldn't do the same to us when it suits him? But that doesn't mean you shouldn't keep a close eye on the man.'
Luis nodded, although he looked disappointed.
'Diego?'
'A BOAC pilot called Peter May stayed at the Hotel Milonga for two nights at exactly the same time Sebastian Clifton was in Buenos Aires.'
'So what?'
'The same man was seen coming out of the back door of the British Embassy on the day of the garden party.'
'That could just be a coincidence.'
'And the concierge at the Milonga overheard someone who seemed to know the man address him as Harry Clifton, which just happens to be the name of Sebastian's father.'
'Less of a coincidence.'
'And once his cover had been blown, the man took the next plane back to London.'
'No longer a coincidence.'
'What's more, Mr Clifton left without paying his hotel bill, which was later picked up by the British Embassy, proving not only that father and son were in Buenos Aires at the same time, but that they must have been working together.'
'Then why didn't they stay at the same hotel?' asked Luis.
'Because they didn't want to be seen together, would be my bet,' said Don Pedro. He paused before adding, 'Well done, Diego. And was this Harry Clifton also the under-bidder for my statue?'
'I don't think so. When I asked the chairman of Sotheby's who it was, he claimed he had no idea. And although I hinted, Mr Wilson is clearly not a man who can be tempted by a backhander, and I suspect if he was in any way threatened, his next call would be to Scotland Yard.' Don Pedro frowned. 'But I may have identified Wilson's one weakness,' continued Diego. 'When I hinted that you were considering putting The Thinker back up for sale, he let slip that the British government might be interested in buying it.'
Don Pedro exploded, and delivered a tirade of expletives that would have shocked a prison warden. It was some time before he calmed down again, and when he finally did, he said almost in a whisper, 'So now we know who stole my money. And by now, they'll have destroyed the notes or handed them over to the Bank of England. Either way,' he spat out, 'we'll never see a penny of that money again.'
'But even the British government couldn't have carried out such an operation without the cooperation of the Clifton and Barrington family,' suggested Diego, 'so our target hasn't moved.'