“Does that also mean we’ve lost the Van Gogh?”
“No,” said Fenston. “Ruth Parish has already confirmed that the painting is on its way from London. It should arrive at JFK this evening, when Leapman is going to pick it up.”
Tina sank down into the chair, feeling deflated.
“And make sure you’re in by six tomorrow morning.”
“Six A.M.?”
“Yes,” said Fenston. “And don’t complain. After all, you’ve had the whole of today off.”
“So where do I report?” asked Tina, not bothering to argue.
“I’ve taken over offices on the thirty-second floor of the Trump Building at 40 Wall Street, so at least for us it will be business as usual.” The line went dead.
“He thinks you’re dead,” said Tina, “but he’s more fussed about losing his Monet,” she added, as she snapped her cell phone shut.
“He’ll find out soon enough that I’m not,” said Anna.
“Only if you want him to,” said Tina. “Has anyone else seen you since you got out of the tower?”
“Only looking like this,” said Anna.
“Then let’s keep it that way, while we try and work out what needs to be done. Fenston says the Van Gogh is already on its way to New York and Leapman will pick it up as soon as it lands.”
“Then what can we do?”
“I could try and delay Leapman somehow while you pick up the painting.”
“But what would I do with it,” asked Anna, “when Fenston would be certain to come looking for me?”
“You could get yourself on the first plane back to London and return the picture to Wentworth Hall.”
“I couldn’t do that without Victoria’s permission,” said Anna.
“Good God, Anna, when will you grow up? You’ve got to stop thinking like a schoolteacher and start imagining what Fenston would do if he were in your position.”
“He’d find out what time the plane was landing,” said Anna. “So the first thing I need to do—”
“The first thing you need to do is have a shower, while I find out what time the plane lands and also what Leapman’s up to,” said Tina, as she st
ood up. “Because one thing’s for sure, they won’t let you pick up anything from the airport looking like that.”
Anna drained her coffee and followed Tina out into the corridor. Tina opened the bathroom door and looked closely at her friend. “See you in about—” she hesitated “—an hour.”
Anna laughed for the first time that day.
__________
Anna slowly peeled off her clothes and dropped them in a heap on the floor. She glanced in the mirror to see a reflection of someone she had never met before. She removed the silver chain from round her neck and placed it on the side of the bath, next to the model of a yacht. She finally took off her watch. It had stopped at eight forty-six. A few seconds later and she would have been in the elevator.
As Anna stepped into the shower, she began to consider Tina’s audacious plan. She turned on both taps and allowed the water to cascade down on her for some time before she even thought about washing. She watched the water turn from black to gray, but however hard she scrubbed, the water still remained gray. Anna continued scrubbing until her skin was red and sore, before turning her attention to a bottle of shampoo. She didn’t emerge from the shower until she’d washed her hair three times, but it was going to be days before anyone realized that she was a natural blonde. Anna didn’t bother to dry herself; she bent down, put the plug in the bath, and turned on the taps. As she lay soaking, her mind revisited all that had taken place that day.
She thought about how many friends and colleagues she must have lost and realized just how lucky she was to be alive. But mourning would have to wait, if she was to have any chance of rescuing Victoria from a slower death.
Anna’s thoughts were interrupted by Tina knocking on the door. She walked in and sat on the end of the bath. “A definite improvement,” she said with a smile, as she looked at Anna’s newly scrubbed body.
“I’ve been thinking about your idea,” said Anna, “and if I could—”