A/N: Thanks for the wonderful reviews Kenna, TXMedic, Jackie, Virtute and Mrs. Frank Hardy! I can't tell you how happy it makes me to read them! You all are awesome! Onto the mystery...
Chapter 7
Later that morning, Frank arrived downstairs with Nancy to find Joe and Emily a safe distance from the set, observing what was going on.
"What's up?" Frank asked his brother.
"Not too much. They've been moving props around, but it doesn't look like they're setting up the same rooms they did last night."
"No, it doesn't," Frank agreed.
"Then that means the Gauguin is still in a prop room somewhere," Nancy surmised. "We only need to figure out which one."
Frank smiled at her. "Let's go."
"We'll wait here," Joe told them.
Frank took Nancy's hand and they sauntered through the set area and down the hallway. They stopped to watch men unloading props from several rooms. Nancy stopped one of the crew and asked, "Wow, how do you keep all this stuff organized?"
The guy paused in front of an outdoor furniture set. "Oh, it's all put away according to which room on the set it belongs in."
Nancy nodded. "I see. So what did you do with all the stuff from the living room you had out there last night?"
"It's in this storage room." He gestured with his head to a closed door behind him as he walked off, a small wicker table under his arm.
"Genius," Frank whispered, kissing her lightly on the head.
"Not genius yet," Nancy countered. "We've got to figure out how to get in there."
"Well, I don't think we'll be able to do it while they're unloading everything. Let's get Joe and Emily, have a quick bite to eat, and then come back."
"Now, that's genius," Nancy said, squeezing his hand.
OOOoooOOO
An hour later, the four of them gathered back near the prop room waiting for an opportunity to enter the place where the suspected Gauguin was being stored. Emily was filled with nervous excitement. She knew that if the painting was real, the art world would be turned on its ear. And if they actually found that Van Gogh…
"Should we all go in?" Joe asked, interrupting her thoughts.
"No, I'll wait here and stand guard," Nancy said.
"You don't want to come in?" Frank asked. Emily thought he sounded surprised about that. Come to think of it, she was, too. Why on earth wouldn't Nancy want to check out the prop room?
Nancy shook her head. "Someone has to keep watch, and Emily definitely needs to be there, and so should you and Joe if you have to carry anything out."
Frank smiled at her.
"What?" Nancy asked.
"That's just not the Nancy I know. Usually you like to…er…lead the cavalry charge.
Nancy rolled her eyes. "Not when there's someone else who is clearly better equipped to do it. And there is." She gave Frank a gentle shove. "Now get going, we have work to do."
"Now that's the Nancy I know," Frank said, leaning in a for a quick kiss.
They all walked over to the set, waiting amidst all the other on-lookers, to check out what was happening. When it appeared that the crew was done retrieving props for the day's shooting, Frank gestured to Emily and Joe. They casually followed him, strolling over to the closed prop room door. Emily watched, a bit nervously, as Frank picked the lock. He stepped inside and Joe hurried Emily through the door in front of him.
The space would normally have been an exhibit hall for business conferences, but now it was filled with floor to ceiling shelves holding a wide assortment of props from the TV show.
"Okay, what do we do now?" Joe asked.
"Find that painting," Emily declared.
Joe pointed to an index card labeled "living room accessories" tacked onto the end of a long aisle of metal shelving units. "It's got to be down here somewhere."
They wandered down the row, each stopping to rummage through the myriad of items being stored there, when Frank suddenly called out, "Over here."
Joe and Emily rushed to his side. Frank removed the Gauguin from one of the shelves and stood the painting on its end. "It's not very big."
"No, this particular work is only around twenty-two by fourteen inches," Emily said. "They have it matted though, which is kind of weird." She looked at the painting critically. "I don't think it's real. It almost looks like a giclée with some added brush strokes or something."
"I guess that means 'fake,'" Joe said over her head to Frank.
"Wait a minute." Emily began pulling the painting away from the frame.
"What are you doing?" Joe asked.
"Something's not right here." Emily continued to tug at the frame.
"Here," Frank said as he knelt down next to her. "Let me help." He gave the frame a good tug and it came away completely from the painting. The Gauguin, which was loosely placed under the gilt edge of the frame, slid to the floor, but what lay underneath made Emily gasp.
"Oh my word!" she exclaimed, all the color draining from her face.
"What? Honey, what is it?" Joe knelt down beside her, his face full of concern.
She stared at a painting that had been underneath the Gauguin, still firmly attached to its wooden stretcher. "That's it," she said in a strangled voice. And she knew it was. Instinctively. A painting by one of the world's great masters. One that had been missing for over thirty years. A wave of dizziness washed over her.
"That's what?" Joe wanted to know.
"That's the Van Gogh. 'Still Life: Vase with Oleanders.'" She clutched at Joe and looked up at him with wild eyes. "The one that was stolen."
"During the war?" Joe was incredulous.
Emily nodded, feeling like she might faint.
"How do you know it's real?" Frank asked.
She reached forward with a trembling hand and reverently touched the canvas. "I don't for sure," she admitted. "But there's one thing I can check that might help."
She carefully turned the painting over to examine the stretcher. "Van Gogh detested the paint shops in the south of France and ordered everything from the firm of Tasset on Rue Fontaine in Paris. He also preferred mounting his own canvases rather than buying ready-made ones."
Emily squinted at the inside edges of the canvas. "No stamp from Tasset on here, but that could have faded or been cut off the edge." She fingered the corners of the stretcher. "This looks like handmade tacking. And, here." Along the wooden bar crossing the middle of the stretcher was a faintly penciled "Van Gogh". She gazed at the painting. Could it be? "Still not proof...but just look at these brush strokes. The colors. The feeling behind it. I would bet my life that it's real." She sighed. "The man was a genius."
"I always heard he was crazy," Joe said.
"He was," Emily acknowledged. "The two sometimes go hand in hand."
"Well, how do we get this out of here?" Frank asked. "I can't very well just walk out the door with it."
Emily reached for her large straw tote bag and fished a beach towel out of it. "Here." She delicately wrapped the painting and slipped it inside her bag. "There you go."
Joe smiled at Frank. "Isn't she amazing?"
Frank chuckled. "Yes, she is. Which sometimes makes me wonder exactly what she's doing with you," he added in a teasing tone.
Joe made a face at his brother, then paused for a moment as he heard Nancy's voice from the other side of the door. "Someone's coming."
Frank held up his hand to indicate silence as the three of them snuck over to the prop room door. Emily watched nervously as he opened it a crack and peered through. She could hear Nancy right outside, obviously trying to distract someone from entering the room.
"I just love your work, you know," Nancy gushed.
"Really? Well, I just love it when beautiful young women love what I do," Dirk Benson replied.
Ewww, Emily thought. Nancy definitely had her work cut out for her.
"You're right, Joe. He is an ass," Frank whispered over his shoulder.
Joe nodded in agreement.
"If you'll wait here for a second, little lady, we can continue this conversation after I retrieve something from the prop room," Dirk told Nancy.
"Oh gosh, that'll seem like forever." Nancy batted her eyelashes at him.
"It'll only take a second, I promise." Dirk gave her a sexy growl.
"Did he just growl at her?" Joe whispered.
Emily stepped quietly over to the door and slid under Frank's arm to watch Nancy. "I have to see how she gets out of this," she whispered, peeking through the crack.
As she looked into the hallway, she could see Nancy staring up at Dirk with a starry expression in her eyes. "Oh, Mr. Benson, please don't make me wait for you!"
With that pronouncement, Nancy flung her arms around Dirk Benson's neck and pressed her lips to his. Dirk seemed startled...only for a moment, and then returned the kiss with fervor, his arms going around Nancy, holding her tightly, as his hands roamed up and down her back.
"Brilliant," Emily whispered then nudged Frank. "Go on, what are you waiting for?"
Frank stood firmly rooted to the ground like he was in shock, not taking his eyes off Dirk and Nancy.
"Go, Frank!" Joe ordered in a low voice, shoving him into the hall. Emily hurried around the corner and then watched as an exasperated Joe grabbed Frank's arm and dragged him over to where she was standing. She thought Frank looked somewhat shell-shocked at what he'd just seen. Then she watched as his posture visibly stiffened and his eyes grew dark.
"I'm going to stop this right now," Frank said firmly and he started back toward Nancy. He didn't get very far, as Nancy came flying around the corner and almost smacked into him. His arms reached out to steady her and she stepped into them for a hug.
"I was worried for a minute," Nancy said. "I didn't know if you guys could hear me in there."
"Thanks, Nancy," Emily spoke up. "I know how...distasteful...that must have been."
"To say the least," Nancy said with a chuckle. "He's a bit on the smarmy side. And why was he going into the prop room in the first place? I mean, what would an actor need in there? And if he did need something, the union rules dictate that a stage guy would have to get it. So, what gives?"
"I don't know," Frank answered in a quiet tone.
Nancy shook her head. "Something's going on with that guy. I think he might be in on all this. When he was hugging me back there, I thought I felt a gun in his front pocket."
"You sure it was a gun?" Joe cracked.
Emily gave him a sharp elbow to the ribs.
"I think we need to keep a closer eye on Mr. Dirk Benson," Nancy said.
"Well, we did hit the jackpot," Emily told her, her eyes still glistening with excitement. "So, it was worth sacrificing yourself."
"You mean the Gauguin was real?" Nancy asked.
"Even better than that," Joe promised. "Let's go upstairs and we'll fill you in."
"Come to our room," Nancy said. "I want to brush my teeth."
OOOoooOOO
In his hotel room, Frank remained uncharacteristically quiet the entire time Emily and Joe were explaining to Nancy about the Van Gogh. Thoughts of Nancy standing in the hall wrapped in the arms of that jackass actor kept invading his thoughts. That kiss hadn't been friendly or quick either. It had been "involved". He looked up as Emily took the canvas from Nancy and bent down to place it back in her beach bag, while Joe paced back and forth.
"Okay, well let's notify the agency and see what they want us to do next," Joe suggested. "I'm not really comfortable having to keep a priceless painting safe."
"I agree," Nancy said. She looked at Frank. "What do you think?"
"Yeah, sure," he replied in a monotone voice.
"Um, I'll make the call from one of the payphones downstairs," Joe said. "Just in case."
Nancy nodded. "How about if we meet up with you for lunch?"
"Sounds good," Emily stood up. "See you in a little while."
OOO
Joe stepped into the hallway with Emily, leaned against the wall outside of Frank and Nancy's door, and crossed his arms in front of him. His brother was being an ass. And totally blowing this relationship. And as much as Nancy sometimes got on Joe's nerves…he knew she was perfect for Frank.
"Man, he can really be clueless sometimes," Joe complained.
"You mean the way Frank's acting right now?"
"Yeah." Joe paused. "I want to talk to him for a minute. Is that okay?"
"Of course," Emily responded. She touched him lightly on the arm. "Don't let him blow it with Nancy."
Joe leaned in and kissed her. "I won't. See you back in the room."
"I'll be there," she said with a smile and headed off down the hall.
OOOoooOOO
Back in Frank and Nancy's room, Nancy turned to him from her position on the bed. "Spill it, Hardy," she ordered. Something was definitely bugging him. She thought he was acting like he was jealous of Dirk. But that didn't even make sense to her. What she'd done with Dirk was all an act.
"What?"
"You know what. You're mad at me. And I have a sneaking suspicion it's because of Dirk Benson."
"I'm not mad at you." Frank plopped down in one of the mahogany chairs.
"Oh, really? Then what are you?"
"I'm upset."
"And the difference is...?"
"The difference is...I just didn't like it," Frank said and shrugged.
"Didn't like what? Me saving your butt? Or me having to be mauled by that low-life pretty boy?"
Frank spoke very softly. "You looked like you were enjoying it."
Nancy rose from the bed. "Oh my gosh! You did not just say that, Frank Hardy!" She marched over to him and poked her finger into his chest with her next words. "Enjoyed it? You thought I enjoyed having that butt-head shove his tongue down my throat? Are you insane?"She threw her arms into the air before Frank could manage to respond. "I seriously can't believe you think that!"
She walked over to the hotel room door and paused before she flung it open. "Look, I did what I did because you were trapped in that room. And I used the only thing I had in my possession at the time to do it. The fact that I'm a female and he's a total womanizer. And you know what? It worked. You, Joe and Emily are safe. Not to mention a priceless Van Gogh."
Nancy shook her head. "I need some air." She stormed through the doorway, almost knocking Joe over.
"Maybe you can talk some sense into him!" Nancy said angrily as she took off down the hall.
OOOoooOOO
Frank slumped down in the mahogany chair next to the table, trying not to sulk as Joe re-entered the room. Great. He was not in the mood for his brother right now.
"Wow, that's got to be some kind of record. How long were you two together? Fifteen, twenty minutes?"
"Shut up," Frank said.
"Okay," Joe replied. He grabbed a chair from in front of the desk, turned it backwards and straddled it. "I take it this is about Dirk Benson?"
Frank didn't respond.
"You know, Frank, it's not like you caught her cheating with someone. She did it strictly to save your ass."
"She did the same thing in LA," Frank said dully. "Remember? Robert Wagner? I catch the criminal and that clown takes all the credit."
"I don't recall Nancy kissing Robert Wagner," Joe said. "I do, however, remember you saying something about kissing Jaclyn Smith."
"That was not the same thing. She kissed me," Frank clarified.
"Oh, and you didn't return the kiss at all," Joe said. "You just stood there, right?"
"Well...no. But she started it. This is totally different. Nancy instigated the kiss. And it looked like she was enjoying it," Frank insisted.
"Yeah, and it just sucked kissing Jaclyn Smith. No damn fun at all."
Frank looked up at Joe. "You think I'm being an idiot?"
"I do."
"What if it were Emily?"
"I'd want to punch his lights out," Joe assured him. "But I wouldn't be mad at Emily."
Yep, I'm an idiot, Frank thought. And Nancy was right, what choice did she have? There wasn't any other way for her to stop Dirk. He sighed heavily. He had totally screwed up with her…once again.
Frank nodded at his brother. "You're right."
Joe held his hand up to his ear. "I'm sorry, would you mind repeating that?" he asked with a grin.
Frank chuckled. "I said, 'you're right', Joe. And you'd better make a note of it, because you won't be hearing it too often."
"I just wanted to make sure I got it." Joe stood up. "Now would you please go find Nancy and make up with her so that I can tell Emily I've done my duty?"
"Yeah. I don't think it's going to be very easy though. She's plenty furious with me."
Joe sighed as he turned the chair back around. "Have you not learned anything from me over the years?"
Frank gave him a questioning look.
"Why do you think this hotel has a jewelry store downstairs? Ordinarily, I'd say a dozen roses would do it, but you managed to mess this up to the jewelry level on your first fight. That takes some talent."
Frank rolled his eyes. "Yeah, it was a stellar performance on my part."
"Don't worry bro. You'll be able to sweet talk her back into your arms in no time. She really is crazy about you, you know." Joe clapped him on the shoulder. "Jewelry store. And don't pick out something on your own. Ask for help. From a woman sales clerk, not a man."
Frank managed a smile. "You have this down to a science, don't you?"
"Sadly," Joe replied.
"Well, since I consider you the voice of experience in matters like this, I will take your advice. The jewelry store it is."
Joe pointed his finger at Frank. "Ah, you're learning." They both stepped out into the hall. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to get back to my woman." He grinned and gave Frank the thumbs up sign as he walked off.
Frank sighed deeply, the knot of dread in his stomach growing larger by the minute. He prayed he hadn't lost her for good. Because if he had, he knew he'd never get over it.
