Lucy was checking her watch anxiously while looking thru the window of the café. She worked hard and arrived on time, as promised, and was worried about Tony, who didn’t come yet. Maybe something had gone wrong with his part of the plan.
In Paris, she had found two months ago an artist who painted six “Picasso” very well done. He made it appear legit. Old enough and with the proper materials. But it was too expensive, and the man had a conscience. So Tony decided to eliminate the artist. It was a pity because he was a good guy, too good. He would not play the game until the end.
So Lucy invited him on a boat trip on the Seine. He was excited because the woman was attractive and lovely, but Tony was there instead of Lucy when he got to the dock. Sheltering himself in the dark, Tony hit him on the head until he was unconscious, put him in the boat, rowed to the center of the river, and threw him into the water, where he drowned him
The next step in the plan was going to Berlin and find an auction house not too known, to try to sell the paintings.
Lucy offered her services as an expert in contemporary painting to the auction house. There are not so many experts in the field willing to work for an affordable wage, so she got the job.
Ten days later, Tony came with the paintings telling it was a heritage he had received from his grandfather. Lucy was the one in charge of establishing the pieces’ authenticity and put them a price of start for the auction: 360 million euros in total.
The auction catalog caused quite a stir in the world of art sales in the city.
Tony and Lucy only had to wait, collect the money, and flee.
They didn’t know that the police found the artist’s body in Paris and searched his workshop looking for clues.
Finally, de auction day arrived. Lucy went to work and tony to the auction, both acting as if they didn’t know each other.
The false Picassos reached a price of 150.000 million euros each. So Tony cashed 630 million euros. He immediately transferred the money to a bank account in England that, at his orders, forwarded the money to the Caiman Islands.
Satisfied, he went to a distant street in what it has been East Berlin to met Lucy in a cafe.
-Tony, I was scared! what take you so long?
-Easy Lucy, everything was smooth, but the paperwork took some more time than I expected.
-How much we collect?
-630 million
The two held hands and laughed.
-My love! We can now get married and live like royals all our life.
-I can wait to be out of here and enjoy our new life together.
They were so immersed in each other that they did not realize that someone was watching them from the street.
It was the buyer with his expert who had discovered the falsification and the police. With them was the agent of Interpol from Paris.
Well, that didn’t work out so well for Tony and Lucy. You wove an interesting tale.
I have a nephew who works in an auction house and some con artists tried to sell him a fake Picasso. The painting was good but they tried to make it look too old for a Picasso and my nephew discovered them. That inspired me this story. I didn’t want to do a Romantic tale
Very well done!
Thank you!