The Art Flogger

By C. Edgar North

Linda DuPont has a successful career as a Fine Art Auctioneer on cruise ships until she marries the love of her life and settles on the island of Cozumel, Mexico. There she partners with her husband successfully growing a tourist diving operation and art gallery, boosting local artists and raising three children. Tragedy strikes when her husband, Dan dies. She sells the business and moves to Bellingham, Washington to be close to family. Eventually, she establishes as a famous art auctioneer in demand across America. She is approached by a Texan billionaire to help sell some of his art collection unaware that he is a king pin in a Colombian drug cartel. As the DEA begins to investigate art sales linked to cocaine dealers, she is eliminated as a loose end.

• Language: English
• Publisher: C. Edgar North
• Release date: Sep 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005562489

C. Edgar North

C. Edgar North is a pen name for Glen Witter. He is retired from an eclectic career as a "workforce development" consultant on projects in over 30 countries for development banks, NGOs, aid agencies and private sector clients. He is writing fiction under the C. Edgar North pen name to maintain a separation from his many non-fiction publications. Inspiration for his books evolve from his many experiences in 30+ countries citing geography and enlarging some already larger-than-life characters encountered in his travels. His experiences as a volunteer firefighter and paramedic, in marine and mountain search and rescue and as a deckhand/diver with a fishing fleet also contribute. Favorite sport is scuba diving (wreck diving) with underwater photography. Second favorite sport is fishing. He is also a golfer (frustrated) and was a downhill skier until his knees blew out. So far, his fiction works are: Nighthawk Crossing; Blood, Fire and Ice; Nighthawk: African Ice; Nighthawk: Chief Hazel; and Nighthawk: The Deacon and The Art Flogger Although the plots are fictitious, technologies inserted tends to be accurate.

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THE ART FLOGGER

Copyright by Glen Witter writing as C. Edgar North

August 2, 2019

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 or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The Art Flogger is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.

Special thanks to Ryan Hiebert for editing.

Cover design by Bookbaby

Distribution by Bookbaby

Cover picture of Old Okanagan Homestead (a.k.a. Summerland Homestead Early Autumn) courtesy of Evelyn Briscall.

ISBN 9781543990096

Contact: [e-mail]

Part 1: Business and Passion

Part 2: The Sea Gypsy

Part 3: Trap Line Dave’s Christmas

Part 4: Nostalgia

Part 5: Cozumel

Part 6: New Beginnings

Part 7: Tall, Dark and Handsome

Part 8: Alex

Part 9: Loose Ends

The Art Flogger

Part 1

Business and Passion

Chapter 1

Linda DuPont, M.A. Fine Arts, was perfect for the job. As the art gallery manager aboard the Emerald Star, one of the fleet’s largest cruise ships, she earned high praise from the Director of Art Marketing at fleet headquarters for consistently achieving the highest sales volume and customer satisfaction rating. Eventually, she became the fleet’s de facto trainer, tutoring others to emulate her skills in the black arts of motivational auctioneering and formulating the prescribed business model for the fleet art galleries.

She had all the right attributes: a smooth, outgoing sales personality; great ‘bottom-line’ management sense; comfortable and entertaining at the microphone in front of an audience; highly knowledgeable about art and art history due to her M.A. in Fine Arts from Syracuse University and three semesters studying art and art history in Europe; able to simplify art appreciation for her audience; and a damn good auctioneer who knew how to ‘milk’ her audience. It didn’t hurt that she was a beautiful thirty-something platinum blonde who could effortlessly charm seniors – both men and women alike.

It helped that the cruise line had set up all the art galleries as ‘Profit Centers’ and paid their gallery managers an overriding commission on sales. Linda was motivated by the high income she was able to earn and cruise ship life was fun for her. She was single, never had any interest to marry, and liked playing the field. She was also bi-sexual, super confident and preferred to be in control. The cruise ship crew and the occasional passenger provided lots of variety for her sex life.

Ms. Dupont loved European Renaissance, Impressionist and Modern art and spent her off-ship leaves touring the world centers of art. She aspired one day to move up to Fleet Art Buyer but, right now, she was earning more as a gallery manager.

Once, her boss asked her how she became so ‘street wise’ with her ability to read and sell to an audience. She told him it had to be in her genes. Her dad sold used cars, her mom sold time shares, and she had travelling sales people and carnival hucksters in her family tree running back six generations at least.

She recounted her two favorite uncles, Duffy and Mack, who taught her the art of reading and milking a crowd. The two ran bingo games in a carnival and held glitz auctions in small towns when the carnival was down for the winter. They had two specialties: the ability to cheaply source glitzy but junk merchandise for the prizes at their bingo games and auctions, and a keen sense of how to arouse a crowd into a buy-buy-buy frenzy.

Duffy and Mack took a shine to Linda when she was growing up. Both single, older brothers to her mom, they doted on her. She thought the world of them as they always had a fancy present for her when they visited and kept her entertained with their stories of carnival life and their best auctioneering victories – ‘fleecing the sheep’, as they liked to call it. She remembered one story of how they bought (For pennies on the dollar Linda) new but damaged sewing machines from a supplier. The machines had hairline cracks in their bases, hidden by the fancy cases they were in (Go for a red case, red always excites a mob). The winner of the sewing machine at a bingo game was the envy of all their fellow players. Little did they know that the machine would seize up after a few hours of use.

When the boys were nearby with the carnival or an auction, mom and dad would take her along to see Duffy and Mack in action. She remembered, as an eight-year-old, being in the bingo tent watching them call numbers and dole out the prizes. Linda vividly remembered the excitement of the crowd – especially the expressions on the faces of the big winners. She also remembers her uncles telling mom and dad they cleaned up on that game, taking in over two thousand dollars to their cost of two hundred bucks worth of ‘schlock’. She could still see Uncle Mack crouching down to her level, asking her if she noticed the excitement of the crowd build as the prizes got more valuable.

One of the auctions that stood out in her memory took place when she was a young teen. It was late fall. The carnival had gone into hibernation in Florida but Duffy and Mack ran an auction circuit hitting the more rural agriculture towns across five states. They had set up in a small town fifty miles from Linda’s home just after Thanksgiving as it gave them an excuse to visit Linda and Mom and Dad for the holiday. Linda’s dad had agreed to be a ‘stooge’ for them when they ‘salted’ the crowd. Uncle Duffy told Linda and Mom to stand on the other side of the room and pretend not to recognize Dad. He’s got to dress down, Duffy said. Work jeans, dirty boots and shoddy jacket – also a scruffy wallet.

He’s got to fit in as one of the locals, Uncle Mack pointed out.

On auction day, Linda and Mom stood in a back corner. They could see Dad in the middle of the room about three-quarters back (You gotta be mid or near the back of the crowd, Linda, as that generates excitement. Never in front, as people may get suspicious). Duffy, a fat five foot four, nearly bald guy with a blotched complexion from too much carnival food, took to the podium and grabbed the mike. Mack, a string bean six-footer tall with greasy black hair and equally bad complexion, would serve as his assistant, presenting the items from the large display and collecting the money.

Duffy tapped the mike to ensure it was on before speaking. Welcome folks, we bring this auction of quality goods to you just in time to do your Christmas shopping. You’ve had ample time to browse the merchandise. Pretty good huh? You can really delight your love ones at Christmas with this selection. How about a beautiful sewing machine? Or a new time piece? Let me remind you, all sales are for cash and all sales are final – no refunds. We even have that on a sign, right over there, see? Am I clear?

That created a little talk among the crowd which was quickly overshadowed with Duffy speaking loudly into the mike while Mack held up a high quality power drill. Here’s the first item: a brand new ¾ inch Milwaukee power drill, still in the box. I’m sure every man would like a quality drill like that. How much am I bid for a genuine Milwaukee power drill?

Dad was the first to shout. One dollar! Someone next to him snickered. Duffy hit his gavel on the pad and shouted. Sold! Sold for one dollar to that gentleman in the rear. Come forward sir. The crowd fell silent. The quick sale and bargain price had grabbed their attention. Dad worked his way through the crowd, pulled out his wallet to extract one dollar, and paid Mack before collecting his drill. As he walked back deep into the audience, men crowded around him looking at his prize and asking if the drill was genuine. Dad obliged by opening the box and showing it off.

Duffy let that go on for a moment or two then went on to the next item, a 7 ½ inch Black & Decker power saw, which Duffy let go quickly for a mere ten dollars to a man who was obviously a local with lots of friends in the crowd.

Mom nudged Linda and whispered in her ear. See how excited they are with the loss-leaders? When they start pulling out their wallets before the next item comes up, you know they’re excited, ready to buy anything because the last two items were bargains. Watch, there may even be a feeding frenzy where the bidding will go beyond the fair retail value. You can’t see from here but Duffy is looking for people getting a glassy look in their eyes – that’s a sign they’re getting into the buying fever.

Next item was a sewing machine in a red case (Remember Linda, red for a feeding frenzy) which was bid up to forty dollars above the Montgomery Ward catalogue price. Mack then made a big deal of holding a good-looking black leatherette watch case high before carefully opening it to reveal a bright red silk lining nestling a woman’s gold watch while Duffy prattled on about it. What am I bid for this Italian genuine imitation gold-filled watch? (Only tell them the truth Linda as few will pay any attention when the fever is hot"). The two-dollar watch sold for fifty dollars.

The auction was over in less than an hour with all the merchandise sold (Short and quick-paced, Linda. Don’t give them time to think. Get out before they get off their high. If an item isn’t attracting interest, let it go cheap to generate excitement or drop it and quickly go on to the next one).

Linda was hooked when Duffy came up to her and asked, How’d you like to control a crowd like that? Look at this roll of cash. We just made over two thousand bucks in an hour.

When she turned eighteen she spent her summer holidays working for Duffy and Mack on the carnival circuit assisting in the Bingo tent. They called her their ‘apprentice’. The brothers would take her along when they visited their suppliers and she began learning the art of bargaining (Get to know your opponents’ needs, Linda. Be patient. Read their faces and body language. Don’t show emotions. Play to their needs).

They were generous to her and very encouraging that she get a good education. After all, she was quite bright. She remembered Duffy or Mack saying, You could go far Linda. You’ve got the smarts. Do something with it. When she decided to go to college, they supported her idea to go for a degree in Fine Arts. Her dad didn’t think too much of that choice (It’s a useless degree, Linda) but Mom, Duffy and Mack thought it was a good idea (Art sells, Linda).

Chapter 2

Aboard the Emerald Star

She had her business down pat. Advertising was through the ship’s daily newsletter and TV channel, billboards, brochures and, of course, the sales staff in the gallery. From the moment the cruise ship cast off her gallery was open and displaying some of the many pieces of art on sale. Each bore an exorbitant retail price many times above their actual cost. If a customer entered the gallery and just had to have the piece, the sales staff would be pleased to sell it to them at full retail, then up-selling to include framing costs (huge profit) and shipping. The customers just browsing were invited to the next day’s art appreciation lesson and auction, where it was hinted they just might be able to purchase a piece at auction at less than the retail sticker price. They would be treated to free champagne and could even enter a draw for a valuable piece of art.

Many browsers were impressed to see SOLD stickers on some of the art pieces so early in the voyage. Little did they know they were placed there as part of the sales strategy (If you like it, buy it before someone else does). In reality, there were likely copies in the back room, on other ships in the fleet and at the head office warehouse. If a buyer really insisted, the item just might have the sold sticker removed toward the end of the voyage after the gallery manager made a ‘special deal’ with the first purchaser.

Running the auction was an art form in itself. Her target customers were those who had discretionary funds but had not been involved much in the world of art appreciation and art collection. Many on the cruise had never been to an art auction, thinking it was a bit ‘too fancy’ for them. They tended to be seniors, hard-working types who had earned retirement or were still involved with their farms or businesses. From Linda’s point of view, they were a near-captive audience with time to kill and looking to be entertained. They were relaxed, in a party mood and, for many, experiencing a luxurious atmosphere to which they were unaccustomed. When at sea, she offered free daily art appreciation classes, each with a different theme. She was an excellent lecturer – knowledgeable, entertaining, and able to simplify. Her beauty helped. Husbands allowed their wives to drag them along as Linda was both gorgeous and personable as well as entertaining.

Of course, she used the classes to weave in subtle promotion of the afternoon’s art auction, inviting all present to attend and receive free champagne while reviewing the lineup of art selected for the auction. They were encouraged to register as potential purchasers. Each would receive a numbered bidder’s card that would make them eligible for a draw for a fine picture valued at fifteen hundred dollars.

Champagne always flowed freely at the pre-auction viewing. Linda and her assistants circulated, discussing the art pieces and making everyone feel welcome. She was a stickler for starting and ending on time. After half an hour of free champagne and viewing the art to be auctioned off, she began the auction five minutes after her first announcement reminding those present needed to register and receive a bidder’s numbered card in order to qualify for the raffle. The raffle prize, in this case, a framed landscape winter scene, was placed on an easel in front of the room under spotlights. Linda warmed up the crowd by asking for their opinion of the painting and got strong positive participation. Many wanted that piece. She was pleased.

Linda then went into her routine of ‘getting the arms moving’ by asking everyone to raise their bidder’s card to show them to her. She then outlined how the art auction functioned, carefully explaining that she had three types of art present and would announce each type as it was placed on the easel. Some of the art was one-of-a-kind and would include the frame and free shipping. There would be a selection of limited edition prints and some unlimited editions as well. In these cases, there might be multiple copies available for shipping from the cruise line’s warehouse or the ship’s collection. Additionally, although these multiple print items were displayed in a suitable frame at auction, the frame was not included but could be purchased separately. Of course, shipping was always available.

She made a point to announce that the audience would always be given the suggested retail price on an item and, if appropriate, the minimum bid price as some items had reserves below which they would not be sold. Once that was explained, she asked if they were ready for the draw, then went into a quick explanation about the prize and its creator. She then asked if everyone would hold their bidder’s card high so that she and her staff could read them when the number was drawn. This elicited a sea of hands holding bidding cards up (get the arms moving, Linda). The draw quickly took place and a winner identified.

During the congratulations, Linda made sure to point out the picture was valued at fifteen hundred dollars. Setting the tone for the auction, she reiterated how valuable the prize was at a fifteen hundred dollar retail price and those disappointed could order one.

From the stage, she had the perfect vantage to read her audience. Their eyes and body movements signaled that auction fever had begun. The audience was warmed up. Now, it was time to start the sales.

An assistant, dressed in black suit (black does not compete with the art, Linda) quickly removed the prize, replacing it with the first sale item. Linda described the artist and the print. She noted it was a limited edition print with a retail value of seven hundred dollars and a minimum bid of three hundred dollars placed on it. She started the auctioneer’s prattle at three hundred, quickly getting bids and building the price up to four hundred fifty. Her assistants went among the audience shouting out the numbers of the bidders. Heads swung as members of the audience looked at a new bidder. When she noticed a slight slow-down, she called sold! at four hundred fifty. The piece was quickly replaced on the easel with the next item.

Midway through the auction she put up a piece and declared there was no base price on it. She solicited comments from the audience on what they thought the retail price would be and got an average price of fifteen hundred dollars. She then asked who really liked the piece and saw two hands.

Am I bid a dollar? asked Linda. The two hands were quickly raised higher. She slapped the gavel down and shouted, Sold! Sold to the two bidders for one dollar. That got the audience’s attention. Some spouses were elbowed in the ribs and she could see many in the audience turning to their spouses as if saying, Why didn’t we bid? That livened the bidding on the ensuing items. She managed to present over sixty pieces of art in less than an hour, keeping the auction fast-paced. If an item garnered no interest within a few seconds, it was quickly replaced. By auction’s end, she had sold forty three pieces, manly unlimited reproductions, and all way above their actual cost. Five even sold for over four thousand dollars.

Linda met with her staff after the auction for a critique of the day’s events and to plan the next. She always began with a total of the day’s sales and income above the floor bids placed on all the art, but she kept her own counsel when it came to just how much true profit margin they cleared – which was huge. Her bidding floor margins – where bidding started – were usually about half of the suggested retail price. Only Linda, as Gallery Manager, knew the real wholesale cost of each piece, which was significantly lower. For example, an item with a suggested retail price of seventeen hundred dollars carried a bidding floor of nine hundred but its cost to the cruise line might be only seventy bucks. Even if it sold at nine hundred dollars, the profit margin was huge – and Linda got an overriding commission. The day’s sales