The Madonna of the Veil

By Xlibris US

A news item announcing the finding of a Hitler Album stimulates Emilys interest in the world of lost and stolen art. While studying the subject on the Internet, she recognizes Raphaels sixteenth century masterpiece, The Madonna of the Veil, as part of the art collection in the villa of Franco, the drug lord, in Columbia. She is determined to confirm that his art collection includes stolen paintings and, in the process, uncovers a cache of artifacts thought to be from the Nazi looting of European museums during World War II. Her resolve to acquire the artifacts and return them to the original owners entices her to invest in Francos opiate drug operation.

While shes negotiating for the paintings, her young daughter Susan stumbles into a sophisticated art-reproduction operation that replicates original oil paintings, including the carbon-dating test. Her task team works their way through the confusing underground market in art spurred by insurance companies fighting fraudulent loss claims and uncooperative museums.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 6, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499078138

Book preview

Copyright © 2014 by Clifford Lueck.

Library of Congress Control Number:          2014917473

ISBN:          Hardcover          978-1-4990-7811-4

                    Softcover            978-1-4990-7812-1

                    eBook                 978-1-4990-7813-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 10/02/2014

Xlibris LLC

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www.Xlibris.com

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Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

To Carl, avid supporter,

enthusiastic positive critic and big Brother.

Chapter One

The setting sun flashed across the windows of the luxury yacht as it made a slow turn before dropping anchor. The outgoing tide pulled the anchor-chain tight as Jack waited for the boat’s profile to materialize. He felt a slight chill when he recognized the Santa Gabriela: the drug runner, the boat where he spent a month captive of the smugglers, but also the rescue vessel that brought him out of Cuba.

Jack fingered his cellphone. Charles – I think we have company. Can you see what’s anchored off shore?

Wait a second. What am I looking for?

The yacht. Do you see it?

Yeah, why? Charles answered.

Recognize it?

No.

"I think it’s the Santa Gabriela."

Really?

I’m not dead-sure. That’s why I called.

Where are you?

North of your place, maybe two hundred yards.

Charles brought binoculars to the beach and they exchanged sightings with the ship facing nearly bow-on toward shore. I can’t be sure, Charles said.

"I’m not sure either but before it swung around it looked like the Santa Gabriela."

I hope you’re wrong. How long has it been?

Nearly two years. I thought we were done with this business.

Yeah. Where’s Emily? Charles asked.

She and Susan went ahead. They’re a mile or so down the beach.

Did she see it?

I don’t know, Jack answered. That’s probably them coming, he said pointing off in the distance. He called Emily to check the yacht from her angle to see if she recognized it. She did not.

Emily had a restless night wondering whether the drug shipments would begin again. Her shallow dreams relived the struggle with the drug smugglers using her rental properties as drop sites and her frustration with the CIA and ICE agencies. Charles’ surveillance work was gratifying. She recalled the harrowing flight and drive to Cartagena, the flirting with Mr. Franco the drug-lord, and the ultimate release of the Santa Gabriela and rescue of her mother. She smiled over the high-speed escape coming out of Cuba as she slid off into a deep sleep.

Jack was up early to check on the yacht. The tide had reversed, swinging the ship around. There was no question it was the Santa Gabriela. The dread in his voice when he gave Emily the news did not match her response. Good, maybe something exciting will happen for a change, she answered.

Jack was shocked at her cavalier response. When he questioned her reaction, she dismissed him – she was busy, making Susan’s breakfast. He watched her for a moment wondering why she was not as concerned as he felt over the potential of another episode with the drug cartel. When he pressed her, she stopped him with an order not to jump to conclusions. Nothing happened and maybe nothing will happen. They can park the stupid boat anywhere they want for all I care, she said, slamming the wooden spoon on the stovetop.

Jack recognized Emily’s sour mood. She was difficult at times. Some days nothing was right and she moped around, negative about everything. He felt the strain on their relationship during those times of indifference. Women, he said to himself. Maybe that’s just the way they are.

Her periods of moodiness and indifference to Susan bothered him. He could see the hurt in Susan’s face when Emily withheld her affection. Susan responded with hostility toward her mother that further increased the tension between the two.

Emily’s struggle for recognition and affection from her own mother, Margaret Robinson, followed a similar pattern. At times Emily felt the indifference of her mother and learned to suppress the yearning to be mothered. She had difficulty living with her mother when she was present but she also missed her when she was absent. When Emily spoke of their relationship, she was critical and reiterated the negatives of her mother’s self-indulgent narcissistic behavior.

Although Susan bridled at times with her grandmother’s discipline and control, she missed her. Susan was a smart kid. She seemed to be a step ahead of both her mother and grandmother when working the relationships. Jack was amazed at Susan’s extra-ordinary intuition for a nine-year-old. But then he didn’t know other kids like he knew Susan.

Naomi Peterson called Emily to come to the bank. Juan, the captain of the Santa Gabriela, was asking to withdraw the frozen assets held per Emily’s instructions as a Director of the Nassau Sovereign Bank.

Greetings and an exchange of pleasantries were extended and Emily thanked Juan again for his hospitality and the exciting boat ride from Columbia. He pointed out that her demands to stop using Nassau as a drop off point for drugs was accepted by the cartel and his instructions were to retrieve the money in the frozen accounts. We have demonstrated commitment to stay out of Nassau for two years. It is time now to release the money, Juan said. Naomi reported the frozen accounts totaled $31 million.

Emily asked for assurance that they continue this practice. Mr. Franco gives his word as a sacred commitment. They will do that. No drugs through Nassau.

Walter Gorman, the bank President winced when Emily agreed to release the accounts. The withdrawal would draw down the bank’s assets to a precariously low level, potentially jeopardizing the bank’s stability. Emily signed a release and Juan gave Naomi a bank account number and routing for a wire transfer. The receiving bank was in Cartagena, Columbia. As Naomi was working the details, Juan asked Emily for a private conversation.

When Mr. Gorman and Ms. Peterson left the office, Juan said he was asked to convey a personal invitation to Emily to come to Columbia for a visit, at her convenience. "Mr. Franco has such high respect for you that he wants to spend time to enjoy your company. The Santa Gabriela will be provided to bring you."

Emily was floored by the offer. Her mind was awhirl with the motive behind the invitation and whether Mr. Franco’s interest was more than time together. She felt some physical attraction to him at their first encounter when she flaunted her sexuality. She now realized her flirting might have been stimulating to both parties.

I’m flattered at Mr. Franco’s offer, Emily said. Do I have time to think about it?

Of course.

Can I bring my daughter with me?

Yes, if you desire, Juan assured her.

Can I get back to you? I’ll need time to think it over.

You have an invitation. Whenever you decide.

Juan left her with a contact phone number and an email address. They left the bank together and without thinking, Emily invited Juan to her home to have a drink and talk about their adventure together. She had a yearning to hang on to the moment and enjoy the euphoria he created with the invitation from Mr. Franco. She really wanted to know more about him and his motive. Juan hesitated, leaning toward accepting Emily’s offer then politely declined, suggesting it would not be appropriate as Mr. Franco’s messenger. But he looked forward to having her on the Santa Gabriela in the future.

Emily was in deep thought on her drive home. She stopped at the overlook on the beachfront road and peered toward the anchorage where the yacht was last seen. She couldn’t see the boat but she knew it was there, probably just around the next bend. The whole idea intrigued her. Could she be so spontaneous as to take a cruise on a private yacht to visit a drug-lord? She wondered about his intentions. He likely has his pick of young women. Why me? Was it a mistake to flirt like that?

What if he kept me prisoner? How could I do this? I can’t tell anyone what I’m doing. They’d object. What about Susan? If there were danger involved I wouldn’t want her exposed. Maybe it’s just a dumb idea. A dream. Why am I even considering it? It’s a dumb idea. These are dangerous people.

She pulled the car around and accelerated toward her home putting the subject out of her mind. Or so she tried.

Jack was chattering up a storm during their evening stroll. Emily was mostly silent nodding on occasion confirming Jack’s statements as necessary to maintain the semblance of a conversation. She kept her eye on Susan moving well ahead of them in the wet sand as the tide was receding. They both noticed the Santa Gabriela anchored as before but did not comment on it.

Crossing paths with Charles and Naomi was not unusual. Charles mentioned the presence of the yacht as soon as the two couples met. His comment, I guess we know why it’s here, surprised Jack.

How’s that? Jack asked.

They came for their money in the bank. Didn’t Emily tell you?

Jack was puzzled looking at Emily. She gave Naomi a less than subtle can’t you keep your mouth shut glare. Emily stammered before acknowledging that she was asked to remove the hold on the drug cartel’s money inferring that Juan probably withdrew the money. She wondered why she didn’t tell Jack what happened knowing that Charles would know from Naomi and he would blab to Jack. She was careful not to mention Mr. Franco’s invitation.

Susan interrupted the enclave with an announcement that she found ‘a giant sand-dollar.’ Jack took it from her outstretched hand brushing some of the remaining sand away, complimenting her on her find. Susan explained this was the largest in her collection and it must be valuable. But it’s not for sale, she added.

The following day the Santa Gabriela was gone. Other than the bank’s problem with their asset base, the drug business seemed to be history to everyone except Emily. She could not get the invitation out of her mind.

Life seemed to have slowed down. The routine was routine, more than ever. Jack did not excite her and their relationship was like a long time married couple going through the motions. When she tried to focus on Susan, she found her attention waning there as well. Susan had some issues with school, others more philosophical in nature. She recognized she had a bright child on her hands and strove to answer her questions as best she could. Susan’s imagination put an overlay on her questioning that Emily found difficult to penetrate to get at the core of her inquiry. She hoped they were communicating but she was never sure Susan was satisfied. Many of the answers led to more questions often followed by – why? Emily knew, because that’s the way it is, did not satisfy her, but she eventually ran out of answers and in frustration shut down the conversations.

One day when Emily was idly searching the Internet she ran across a news item mentioning the finding of a Hitler Album. The article referenced a recent discovery of one of the picture albums compiled during World War II by the Nazis documenting art objects stolen for Hitler’s museums in Germany.

Curious, she went to the website and leafed through the pages of photos of sculptures, manuscripts, and paintings cataloged in the album. The items were interesting and she studied them wondering about their history. Going back to the original webpage, she learned that many of the thousands of art objects taken across Europe were never recovered.

She did a double take on an oil painting that looked vaguely familiar, however, if this painting was stolen in 1944, nearly fifty years before she was born, how could it be familiar? She paused at a photo of a statue of a woman with a young child. Again, she had the feeling she had seen it before.

Oh, my God, she said as her memory recalled the images. These are in Franco’s villa in Cartagena. He has stolen art. She couldn’t believe it. There it is, she was sure, hidden away from the world in his personal collection.

That explains why he was anxious to show me around. He wanted to show off his art. That statue is in his garden. That picture is in the front entryway. I was impressed by the quality but my mind was focused on the negotiations, not his art. How did he get these?

For the first time in a long time, Emily’s adrenaline was pumping, excited over the discovery. She felt she personally discovered a trove of treasures lost to the world.

She copied the photo of the oil painting and sent an email to David Marchant with a question: Do you recognize this painting? Before she hit send, she added: How’s mother doing? I haven’t heard from her lately.

The reply was nearly instant. Yes, I think so. Mother’s fine as are the girls. I’ll call you later when I have a break. David Marchant.

On Emily’s afternoon trip to pick up Susan, she stopped at the bank. Naomi listened to Emily’s dissertation of her discovery and conclusion that some of the lost Nazi art treasures were hidden at the drug lord’s estate in Columbia. She said David Marchant confirmed the finding and he was going to call later today to talk about it. When Naomi asked what she planned to do next, Emily said she might have to go down there to confirm they are the originals and not reproductions. Naomi questioned her qualification to evaluate the art without any background in the field. Emily dismissed her comment with a flippant, I guess I’ll have to bone-up before I go.

When they left the bank, Susan had a million questions starting with, When are you going? Emily realized she had started Susan on a subject she was not ready to share and tried to close the conversation. It ended with Susan asking if she could go along. Emily realized that Susan’s sense of security suffered when her mother left her for any period of time. Leaving Susan for a number of weeks would take some major reassurance beforehand.

David Marchant married Emily’s mother, Margaret Robinson, a short six-months earlier. Emily was not totally comfortable with him as a stepfather but his supportive involvement has been positive toward building a relationship. Emily missed her father and was protective of his image and their past relationship. She was conscious of this and was working toward accepting Mr. Marchant in her life as her stepfather. In many respects, David Marchant had similar characteristics to her own father, David Robinson, and she tended to focus on those favorable assets. Mr. Marchant knew Emily’s father from their involvement in the CIA.

Emily’s mother was enamored with David Marchant and they seemed to have a growing commitment in their evolving relationship. Emily was anxious to see how her mother was getting on with Mr. Marchant’s three daughters, Patricia, Valerie and Christine. Patricia was older than Emily by a few years with Valerie close in age. Christine was the youngest, in college, and living at home with her new stepmother. Since the marriage, Mr. Marchant signed on with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency) as a contract employee. His long-term employment as a CIA agent made him invaluable for his work with Immigration and Customs.

David Marchant’s phone call confirmed Emily’s recognition of the painting in the entryway of the villa in Cartagena. David did not have access to other items as did Emily and could not comment on the sculpture in the garden. He mentioned that the women and child might be a Madonna with Christ adding that during his wait in the library he noticed some old manuscripts and documents. He gave little thought to them assuming Mr. Franco was a collector of first editions or rare books. They speculated whether the items in the villa were originals, and were they some of the missing items confiscated by the Nazis.

Emily thought she should go back to Cartagena and determine the extent of the cache and its authenticity. David argued that she was not qualified to judge the items and would be limited to compiling a list with photographic evidence. What then? What would you do? Ask him to please send them back for the good of humanity? He felt her effort could be dangerous and urged her to let it go. How do you know Mr. Franco will see you? he asked. When she mentioned her invitation, David scowled, comparing it to her initial trip to confront a drug baron she knew nothing about or the environment she would encounter.

David told Emily that he shared the email photo with his daughter, Patricia, an Associate Professor in the School of Fine Arts of Yale University. She identified the photo as a Raphael oil titled: The Madonna of the Veil. It’s a recognized master lost in World War II and assumed destroyed by allied bombing. The painting was taken from a private villa in Florence, Italy by the Nazi SS in 1944 and transported to Austria. It was never found.

Patricia became emotional when her father explained the discovery. Mr. Marchant inadvertently triggered his daughter’s passion for these lost artifacts. Now he had two daughters feeling they had to go into the lion’s den to see these items first hand – to save them for civilization.

The phone call did not bring the subject to a fruitful conclusion but opened up more issues. As was typical of Emily in the past, she was determined to satisfy her urge. Her stepfather strongly disagreed. Emily decided to visit her mother and spend some time with Patricia to educate herself on the lost art including the nuances of identification of old artist’s work. She thought Patricia could educate her in the basics to give her sufficient skill to judge the authenticity of some of the paintings.

Jack was not receptive to Emily’s ambition to go to Columbia. The innuendo of the invitation to spend time together struck Jack as a blatant proposal of seduction. With their current shaky relationship, and Emily’s restless nature to seek adventure, he saw the trip as a potential disaster for their arrangement. He muddied the water with issues about Susan if she left her with him that could possibly further traumatize the child. Emily proposed taking her along as a deterrent to sexual advances by Mr. Franco. They disagreed on taking Susan but it gave Emily an excuse to visit her mother in Connecticut and talk to Patricia. They had not visited since her mother’s wedding and Susan could spend time with her grandmother. Spring break gave her the opportunity to schedule the flights without Susan missing school.

Emily’s stepsister, Christine, met them at the Westchester County airport in White Plains for the ride to their home in Darien, Connecticut. The women had limited contact and did not have time to get acquainted the week of their parents’ wedding. Christine gushed over seeing Susan again and exchanged polite greetings with Emily. Emily sensed a less than enthusiastic welcome for her visit.

On the ride up the Merritt Parkway, the conversation was stilted until Emily asked how her mother was fitting in with her new family. Christine rolled her eyes, glanced at Susan, and then said, OK. We’re getting to know each other. Christine noted Emily’s smile, her signal that she understood everything was not wonderful.

The recently purchased home was impressive by anyone’s standards. Emily was familiar with the multimillion-dollar beach properties in Nassau but this sumptuous estate exceeded her expectations. It was apparent that her mother used a large chunk of her inherited wealth to finance their new home. David Marchant’s modest income and previous conservative life style was not consistent with this mini-mansion. Christine knew this was her stepmother’s project and expressed concern that her father may have married this rich widow for her money.

Margaret Robinson-Marchant greeted her daughter warmly welcoming her to their new place in Connecticut. Susan stood back waiting for recognition until her grandmother opened her arms inviting her in for a hug. Margaret embraced her warmly while she complimented her recent growth spurt and her pretty outfit. The two moved off into the family room for a one-on-one update. Christine watched Emily’s smile fade as the pair disappeared. Come on, I’ll show you your room, she said, picking up one of the suitcases.

While Emily was emptying her modest clothing into the spacious closet, Christine began her questioning. The focus was on her new stepmother of course, and she pressed Emily for as much insight as she could glean from her. Christine acknowledged that she missed her real mother and anticipated a warmer caring relationship from her stepmother than she was getting. She wondered whether her expectations were realistic. Emily dodged the questions with some platitudes about the adjustment period necessary to get acquainted, resisting the urge to dash the hopes of her new stepsister of gaining a replacement mother. Emily sensed Christine’s need for mothering and felt her reach to Emily. Although Emily expected some issues to be surfaced, she didn’t anticipate being drawn into this new family and its issues. Her interest in this visit was to spend time with Patricia and learn about the missing artifacts. She changed the subject asking about Valerie and Patricia.

Valerie did not live at home but shared a condo with a girlfriend in Norwalk. She was busy with her job and an active social life and didn’t spend more than an occasional visit with a rare overnight stay. Valerie committed a ‘stop-by’ this week, if her schedule allowed.

Mr. Marchant was on assignment out of the area and wasn’t expected back until midweek. His work schedule was unpredictable and the family adjusted to his absences. Valerie had little need or interest in establishing a relationship with her new stepmother and limited her drop-ins to spend time with her dad.

Valerie had a close relationship with her younger sister, but resisted filling the role of ‘mother’ suggesting that Christine finish college this next year and move on with her life. Our mother is dead and no one will replace her. We still have Dad, she stated emphatically. You need to move on. Valerie had dealt with the loss of their mother better than had Christine. Emily comforted Christine by suggesting that her sister’s advice was easy to give to someone but not necessarily easily implemented. Emily was getting more drawn to Christine as they talked.

The dinner was light but well prepared for the four ladies. Susan was chattering continuously with her grandmother throughout the meal pleasing Emily with the free flow of communication. Later in the evening Christine suggested calling Patricia to set up a meeting for Emily. Patricia had a class to cover at mid-morning but could see her in the afternoon if Emily could drive to New Haven. She suggested meeting at the Yale Art Gallery where Patricia had access to the archives.

Emily’s objective was to have Patricia educate her on how to identify the lost art objects, particularly the oil painting in the Hitler Album identified as Raphael’s The Madonna of the Veil. Patricia hesitated then said somewhat sheepishly that she was mistaken, and after researching this particular painting, found