False Impression

“Window, aisle, center, anything you like.”

“Why’s that?”

“Not many people seem to want to fly today, and it’s not just because it’s the thirteenth.”

“JFK has reconfirmed our slot at seven twenty tomorrow morning,” said Leapman.

“Good,” said Fenston. “Phone me the moment the plane takes off. What time do you touch down at Heathrow?”

“Around seven,” replied Leapman. “Art Locations will be waiting on the runway to load the painting on board. Three times the usual fee seems to have concentrated their minds.”

“And when do you expect to be back?”

“In time for breakfast the following morning.”

“Any news on Petrescu?”

“No,” Leapman said. “Tina’s only had one call so far, a man.”

“Nothing from—”

Tina entered the room.

“She’s on her way to Amsterdam,” said Joe.

“Amsterdam?” repeated Jack, tapping his fingers on the desk.

“Yes, she missed the last flight to Heathrow.”

“Then she’ll be on the first flight into London tomorrow morning.”

“We already have an agent at Heathrow,” said Joe. “Do you want agents anywhere else?”

“Yes, Gatwick and Stansted,” said Jack.

“If you’re right, she’ll be in London only hours before Karl Leapman.”

“What do you mean?” asked Jack.

“Fenston’s private jet has a slot booked out of JFK at seven twenty tomorrow morning, and the only passenger is Leapman.”

“Then they probably plan to meet up,” said Jack. “Call Agent Crasanti at our London embassy and ask him to put extra agents at all three airports. I want to know exactly what those two are up to.”

“We won’t be on our own territory,” Joe reminded him. “If the British were to find out, not to mention the CIA—”

“At all three airports,” Jack repeated, before putting the phone down.

Moments after Anna stepped onto the plane, the door was locked into place. She was guided to her seat and asked to fasten her seat belt, as they were expecting to take off almost immediately. Anna was pleased to find the other seats in her row were unoccupied, and as soon as the seat-belt sign had been turned off, she pulled up the armrests in her row and lay down, covering herself with two blankets before resting her head on a real pillow. She had dozed off even before the plane had reached its cruising height.

Someone was gently touching her shoulder. Anna cursed under her breath. She’d forgotten to mention that she didn’t want a meal. Anna looked up at the stewardess and blinked sleepily. “No thank you,” she said firmly, and closed her eyes again.

“I’m sorry, but I have to ask you to sit up and fasten your seat belt,” said the stewardess politely. “We’re expecting to land in about twenty minutes. If you would like to alter your watch, the local time in Amsterdam is six fifty-five A.M.”

9/14

22

LEAPMAN WAS AWAKE long before the limousine was due to pick him up. This was not a day for oversleeping.