Mousetrap

Chapter 3: On the Prowl

Henry had dreamed about what working for Klaus had been like ever since he found out Neal had been a member of the Leopard's crew. Finally he was getting a taste of it.

They were staying in an upscale furnished apartment in Prague because some things never changed. No matter what the job entailed, Neal and Klaus both liked a certain degree of comfort. In Neal's case, Henry suspected it was a reaction to the cheap dives they'd frequented during their years on the road. Neal countered that it was the prudent solution. They brought their meals in and minimized their time outside. The apartment had an office that Klaus had converted into a studio. Basic art supplies were in place. To maintain the cover, Neal purchased pigments and brushes at an art supply store.

Henry had expected Klaus to assume the leadership role, but Neal told him this was a kinder, gentler version of the man who'd mentored him in Geneva. Klaus was relaxed and congenial. He also acted younger with a barely contained exuberance at running a heist once more.

Henry admitted freely he was lost for many of the discussions. Neal and Klaus lived and breathed art. Movements, artist critiques, new trends—all were on the table. They spent so much time debating one abstract painting that Henry began to wonder if it was a deliberate head fake.

But that was all right. He could sit back and wait for the appropriate moment to lob his shots. Like the time over Czech chocolate cake—and who knew pureed beets were the secret to such a deliciously fudgy cake—he asked Klaus, "During your years on the prowl, were you doing it for the challenge? You didn't need the money."

He caught Klaus off-guard. Neal kept silent, keeping a neutral expression on his face.

"You're right about that," Klaus said. "Although selling stolen paintings isn't as lucrative as you might imagine. The underground price is usually a pittance of a work's true value. But the intellectual challenge is similar to a game of chess, something I'm told you excel at. What Neal and Marcel are helping me learn is that thwarting a heist or recovering stolen paintings can be equally if not more appealing."

A pat answer but hopefully an honest one.

"I didn't make a fortune from my years as the Leopard," Klaus added. "But I had a steady income as a financial advisor for my family's business. Now I use those investing skills for Chantal and myself." He turned to Neal. "The profits I made in Geneva I gave to Chantal as part of the divorce settlement."

"I suspected as much," Neal said, looking at him with sympathy. "That was a wise investment."

She owned the building where her bistro was located. The site alone—on a narrow side street on the Left Bank close to the Seine and Notre Dame—meant that it must have cost millions. Neal lost the money he'd made during his years with Klaus in Adler's Ponzi scheme.

"As for my years with Ydrus"—Klaus shrugged—"Anya paid me a salary. She retained the profits from art sales."

"How about Rolf?" Neal asked. Henry was glad to hear the question. Far better that it came from Neal. This conversation was developing exactly as he'd hoped.

"I don't know anything about his finances." Klaus winced. "That sounds like a hedge, but it's the truth."

He seemed so sincere Henry wanted to believe him. "He probably has homes in several cities," he prompted, interested in how Klaus would respond.

"Safe houses? As you know, Rolf was extremely private. I don't even know where he lived during our years in Geneva. For all I know, he lived in hotel rooms," he added bitterly and fell silent for a moment. "I remember once after we sold a Rubens, he said he'd put the money to good use, but he didn't elaborate."