Caveat Emptor

Chapter 1

"DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!

"Barbara? Barbara what's the matter?" Janet Greer peered around the office door to see her friend glaring down at the back of her leg.

"Nine dollars and I don't even get a full day out them."

"I keep a spare pair in my purse, if you want I could go get them."

"Thanks, no, Jan, I'm wearing these now out of spite." Barbara Spence straightened her skirt, huffing her annoyance. "So, you popped in for a reason - besides my outburst?"

"Yes. The courier from Nice will be arriving on Air France's three-twenty flight. Mr. Galbraith wants you to meet him and set him up in the St. Jerome. His name is Tremblay, have you ever met him?"

"No, just heard of him."

"He uh, said a regular room would do." Janet grinned.

"No royal treatment, eh?" Barbara laughed and shook her head. "Guess that'll be underlined when he sees his escort has a glaring run in her hose."

****

Arthur Galbraith studied the computer image sent to his office by a potentially new client. It was a photo of a scroll, a draft of one page, supposedly intended for a codex of anonymous letters that dated back to pre Roman times. The client, one Edward Tewksbury, claimed he had been contacted as a potential buyer by a party in France, who expounded on the fact that he could provide letters of provenance.

After receiving the photo, Tewksbury had insisted on examining the actual letters before making any decision, and a compromise was reached. Arthur's company was approached to meet and accommodate the courier from a service hired by the seller, and conduct an independent investigation into the seller's claim of provenance.

Any record for letters of provenance, could not be found and Arthur was convinced the whole thing might be a scam. The investigation into its authenticity so far had only uncovered one watery appraisal from a questionable authority, not enough for such an unheard of discovery or the amount of money being sought.

He had advised Tewksbury accordingly and had been told that, on one in a billion chances, he still wanted to go the extra step and view the papers.

***

The courier stood silently, surveying the room he had been assigned by Galbraith Research Associates. His impression was that he was not considered with much regard, and the rather noticeable disregard for refinement provided by the company's representative.

"Is there anything I can do for you before I leave, Mr. Tremblay?" Barbara knew exactly what was going through his mind and she really hoped he would not make a scene.

"Well it certainly doesn't have the amenities of the Hotel Villeneuve-Loubet Plage on the Côte d'Azur, but then this is America."

What an insufferable prig! "I'm sure, with a simple phone call, the hotel will provide whatever you need. I'll leave you to settle in and you'll be getting a call from Mr. Galbraith about your meeting." Barbara tipped the bellboy and shared a rolling eye grimace, relieved to be out of there.

Back at the office Arthur looked up from the file he was reading as Barbara knocked on the door and entered.

"Everything okay?"

"Let's just say, mission accomplished. Apparently the colonies still haven't emerged from tents and campfires compared to France. He really is something else."

"He's good at what he does and I suppose his reputation has inflated his ego, but you won't have to deal with him anymore. I get that privilege."

"Lucky you. Just make sure your wardrobe is all intact and stain free." She grinned.