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Nile and Nicky decided to get some fresh air when the mahjong game between Andy and Joe reached new levels of accusing each other of hiding tiles in the sleeves or other places.
Nile had never been to Amsterdam so she turned and twisted to take it all in. It was there she noticed she had lost Nicky. It didn't take long for her to find him who had stopped at a gallery with an art vernissage. She went inside and found him looking with interest at a sketch of two young men in ancient ruins.
“You knew Rembrandt?” Nile asked in a low voice after reading the sign.
"Yes, I did know Rembrandt," Nicky replied. "But that's not a Rembrandt."
"How can you be sure of that?" Nile wanted to know.
"Because that is one of Joe’s sketches,” Nicky replied. "I've been looking at Joe's art for over a millennium and I can recognize Joe’s art anywhere. And the title is even more wrong."
Nile looked at Nicky. She didn't doubt that he was telling the truth.
"Again," Nile said. "How can you be sure it's one of Joe's sketches and not a genuine Rembrandt?"
Nicky looked over his shoulder at one of the co-workers getting nearer to them.
"I'll tell you in a moment," Nicky promised before he turned around and looked at one of the co-workers.
"I see you have excellent taste, Sir," The co-worker said with a smile. "One of the early works of Rembrandt.”
“Are you sure of that?" Nicky asked. "I mean, it doesn’t resemble anything I have seen of Rembrandt before.”
“I guarantee we have had our best people authenticating, that this is a true Rembrandt. And may I say that it is one of his finest. It’s called: “Young Man With Manservant"," The co-worker replied. "It is priced at 30 million euros!”
Nicky tried very hard not to look insulted when the prize was mentioned. To him, any art piece Joe had created throughout the years was priceless to him.
“Do we know who the people are on the sketch?” Nicky asked out of curiosity
“Sadly no but our experts say that they’re in some of the ancient Roman ruins, you find all over the world," The co-worker replied. "Let me know if you’re interested in buying it. Call if you want to know more.”
The coworker replied as he handed Nicky a business card. While Nicky had been talking with the co-worker, Nile had taken a lot of photos of the sketch. They left shortly after that and bought some french fries before sitting down on the bench.
"Back in the early 17th century Joe and I spent a winter in Leiden to earn some money," Nicky said. "I worked as a house teacher, while Joe was working as a drawing teacher and one of his students was Rembrandt."
"Really?" Nile asked. "Rembrandt was a student of Joe's?"
"Back then we didn't know that he would become a famous painter," Nicky replied. "He was just a big child at that time."
Nicky drank the rest of his water.
"It was also that winter when Joe drew two sketches with intention of turning them into paintings someday," Nicky continued. "The sketches were of me and Joe as young men. Because it was before the invention of the photograph, Joe used his imagination when it came to picturing how we might have looked and it turned out beautiful if you ask me. Joe called the sketches ‘Young Lovers In A Ruined World’. The first sketch was of me in Genova sitting on a rock in the ancient ruins with Joe sitting at my feet, while the other sketch was of Joe in Tunis sitting on a rock in the ancient ruins with me sitting at his feet. The Tunis sketch was lost in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake together with most of the things we had at that point. It was one of my most treasured sketches for years."
"And the other sketch ended up on the wall saying it is a Rembrandt," Nile said. "Did Rembrandt steal it?"
"I don't know if that was the case. We had to leave Leiden in a hurry because our safe house was discovered. In a way, it was just like what happened in Paris. And like in Paris we had to leave things behind and things often have a habit of ending up in other people's hands," Nicky replied. "But Joe was sure he had destroyed the Genova sketch days before it happened because he thought it didn’t have the same standard as the one of us in Tunis. Joe always says he is still working on capturing me perfectly on paper."
Nicky looked over at the gallery where he could just see the sketch thinking back on the winter in Leiden.
“Nicky?” Nile asked a bit nervous. "You aren’t planning on stealing the sketch?"
"Don't worry," Nicky replied. "But I know someone who might actually want to steal the sketch. Come, let's get back."
When they got back to the safe house, Andy was sitting on Joe's back holding a mahjong tile.
"I'll move when you admit that you cheated," Andy said. "So, admit it, Al-Kaysani."
"I did not cheat," Joe protested. "I would never do that."
"And how do you explain the tile that was found in your pocket?" Andy wanted to know. "Oh, hi. Where did you two go?"
"Fresh air," Nile replied. "And we found something that belonged to Joe."
Nile showed Joe a photo of the sketch. When Joe saw the sketch he started to wriggle like crazy in an attempt to get Andy off him, but Andy didn't move at all. She dug her heels into Joe's ribs and it proved once again why it was she was an excellent rider.
"I hope at least you'll do as I say, Nile," Andy said. "If you got something you want to save, save it in a cave."
"Do you mind moving, Andromache," Joe wanted to know. "I got to steal something that belongs to me."
"You promised never to steal again, Yusuf," Andy said. "Not after you almost got caught stealing another art piece of yours."
"That painting belonged to me just like the sketch does," Joe replied. "So, I'm not stealing what belongs to me."
"Instead of stealing the sketch and drawing unwanted attention to us," Andy said as she looked at Nicky. "Buy the sketch. What is the price, Nicky?"
"30 million Euros," Nicky replied. "But the way people looked at the sketch in the gallery, I would say the price has only gone up."
Nicky looked at Joe.
"I know how much you want the Genova sketch back," Nicky said. "But I agree with Andy. You can't steal it."
"And what do you suggest then?" Joe wanted to know. "If they sell the sketch it will go into private hands and never be seen again."
"I got it," Nile said. "Call Booker."
Everyone looked at Nile.
"Don't you remember that Booker is on a 400-year ban when it comes to dealing with art after selling a forgery to Joe?" Andy wanted to know. "And there's still 347 years left."
"I'm not saying that Booker should buy the sketch," Nile said. "We all know that besides Joe, there isn't anyone else in the world who knows as much about art as Booker does. Let Booker spread a rumour on the net amongst art dealers and lovers, that there are doubts about whether the sketch is a genuine Rembrandt or not. We all know what rumours can do and it should drive the price down, so Joe can buy it for less than 30 million Euros."
"That might work, Andy," Joe said. "Andy, let Booker do that. And in return for that favour, shave off 100 years of the ban."
"You can offer Booker 60 years," Andy replied. "Nothing more or less. A lesson has still to be learned."
"Thanks, Andy," Joe replied gratefully. "How can I repay you."
"With free baklava for the next 100 years," Andy replied. "And half of it better be Nicky's home-baked baklava."
Joe looked at Nicky.
"Only if you promise me not to destroy the Genova sketch," Nicky said. "I want it because I lost the Tunis sketch."
"I promise to make a new Genova sketch for you," Joe replied gratefully. "And I won't destroy the Tunis sketch."
Andy got up and Joe took a deep breath. He could feel how sore his ribs were.
"Call Booker and make the offer," Andy said. "And Joe. I expect a tray of Nicky's home-baked baklava tomorrow."
Andy left the living room and slammed the door to her room.
"When you have talked with Booker," Nicky said. "You got some shopping to do, Joe? I'm not doing all the work alone."
"Make the shopping list," Joe replied. "And I'll get what you need for the baklava. Even if I have to walk all the way to Turkey."
5 months later:
Booker had agreed on the 60 years and ten trays with Nicky's home-baked baklava as payment for helping Joe with getting his sketch back. Nile was sent to Paris by Andy to make sure that Booker didn't do anything else than spread the rumour, while Joe helped Nicky the best he could with the baklava baking.
Nicky took a deep breath before entering the gallery again, where he was met by the same co-worker as the last time.
"If I had known who you were, Signor Rossi," The co-worker said. "I would have believed you when you asked about the genuineness of the sketch, we once thought was a Rembrandt."
Nicky didn't know what Booker had done, but when Nicky had gotten the new passport with the name Gino Rossi and was told to show up at the gallery without Joe on Friday around noon, Nicky did it.
"Don't think more about it," Nicky replied. "I'm in a hurry, so if I wire you the 100.000 Euros, I can buy the sketch?"
"That was what I agreed with your client," The co-worker replied and Nicky wired the money and was handed the sketch. "Please tell your client that we won't make the same mistake again and that we hope your client will buy more art from us in the future."
"I'll tell him that," Nicky replied. "Have a nice day, Sir."
Nicky shook the co-worker's hand and left the gallery. On the way back to the safe house, he texted Booker and said there were no problems. Booker texted back and said he had deleted Nicky's face from the surveillance cameras and was looking for the tenth tray of baklava soon. When Nicky got back to the safe house, he handed Joe the sketch.
"This sketch doesn't do you justice at all," Joe said after having a closer look at the sketch. It made Nicky raise an eyebrow. "I won't destroy it. I promised you."
Joe hugged Nicky before kissing him.
"Thanks, for getting the sketch back," Joe said gratefully. "It means a lot."
"I know," Nicky replied. "Don't forget to thank the rest for helping too. And you better do it before you start on your art."
Joe kissed Nicky before calling the others. While Joe was talking with the rest, Nicky hang the sketch over their bed. Nicky took a step back and looked at the sketch with a smile.
"Hi babe," Joe said as he wrapped his arms around Nicky's waist. Nicky leaned back against Joe's chest. "What are you thinking about?"
"That you're wrong," Nicky replied. "That is still one of your best sketches ever."
"Not really," Joe replied. "The light hitting your face is all wrong. It doesn't capture your beauty."
Nicky just let Joe talk about what was wrong with the light, while he thought back on the winter in Leiden, where Joe had made the sketches