Daniel Silva - The Kill Artist

He told the driver to drop him at Royal Hospital Chelsea. He walked along the river through the gathering darkness and waited at the foot of Battersea Bridge.

He checked his watch: four-twelve.

He lit a cigarette and waited.

Three minutes later, at precisely four-fifteen, a handsome young man in a black leather jacket appeared at his side.

“Mr. Taylor, I presume.”

“Let’s take a walk.”

“I’m sorry to drag you all the way to London, Kemel, but you wanted to know about every potential approach.”

“What was her name?”

“She called herself Dominique Bonard.”

“French?”

“Claims to be.”

“You suspect she’s lying.”

“I’m not sure. I can’t be certain, but it’s possible she was going through my things this morning.”

“Have you been followed recently?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

“Where’s she from?”

“She says she’s from Paris.”

“What’s she doing in London?”

“She works at an art gallery.”

“Which one?”

“A place called Isherwood Fine Arts in St. James’s.”

“Where do you stand with this woman?”

“I’m supposed to see her again in two hours.”

“By all means, keep your date with her. In fact I’d like the two of you to develop a very close relationship. Do you think you’re up to the job?”

“I’ll manage.”

“I’ll be in touch.”

St. James’s, London

The security buzzer groaned early that evening while Julian Isherwood was working his way through a stack of bills and sipping a good whiskey. He remained at his desk-after all, it was the girl’s job to answer the door-but when the buzzer howled a second time he looked up. “Dominique, there’s someone at the door. Would you mind? Dominique?”

Then he remembered he had sent her down to the storeroom to return a batch of paintings. He stood, walked wearily into the anteroom, peered into the security monitor. Standing outside was a young man. Mediterranean of some sort, good-looking. He pressed the button on the intercom. “Sorry, closed. As you can see we show by appointment only. Why don’t you ring in the morning? My secretary will be happy to set aside some time for you.”

“Actually, I’m here to see your secretary. My name is Yusef.”

Jacqueline stepped out of the lift and came into the anteroom.

Isherwood said, “There’s a fellow named Yusef downstairs. Says he’s here to see you.”

Jacqueline looked into the monitor.

Isherwood said, “Do you know him?”

She pressed the buzzer that released the door lock. “Yes, I know him.”

“Who is he?”

“A friend. A good friend.”

Isherwood’s jaw fell, and his eyes opened wide.

Jacqueline said, “If you’re going to be uncomfortable, perhaps you should leave.”

“Yes, I think that’s wise.” He walked back into his office and put on his jacket. When he returned to the anteroom, the Arab was kissing Jacqueline on the cheek. She said, “Yusef, I’d like you to meet Mr. Isherwood. He’s the owner of the gallery.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Yusef. I’d love to stay and chat, but I’m afraid I’m running late for an appointment. So if you’ll excuse me, I really have to be going.”

“Do you mind if I show Yusef around the gallery?”

“Of course not. Delighted. Be sure to lock up, Dominique, darling. Thank you. See you in the morning. Pleasure meeting you, Yusef. Cheers.”

Isherwood clambered down the stairs and hurried across Mason’s Yard to the sanctuary of the bar at Green’s. He ordered a whiskey and drank it very fast, all the while wondering whether it was truly possible that Gabriel’s girl had just brought a terrorist into his gallery.

Gabriel sat on a bench on Victoria Embankment, watching the gray river moving sluggishly beneath the Blackfriars Bridge, holding a copy of the Daily Telegraph. On page thirteen, hidden behind an advertisement, was a coded field report for Shamron. The bodel appeared ten minutes later. He walked past Gabriel and headed up the steps toward the Temple Underground station. He wore a hat, which meant he was not being followed and it was safe to proceed. Gabriel followed him into the station, then down the escalator to the platform. When the train arrived, the two men entered the same crowded carriage. They were forced to stand side by side, which made the exchange-Yusef’s keys for the newspaper containing Gabriel’s field report-quite impossible to detect. Gabriel got off at Paddington Station and headed back to the listening post.

Jacqueline said, “There’s something I want to show you.” She led Yusef into the lift, and they rode up in silence. When the door opened, she took his hand and guided him into the center of the darkened gallery. She said, “Close your eyes.”

“I don’t like games like these.”

“Close your eyes.” Then she added playfully, “I promise to make it worth your while.”

He closed his eyes. Jacqueline walked across the room to the lighting control panel and placed her hand on the main dimmer switch. “Now, open them.”

She brought the lights up slowly. Yusef’s mouth fell slightly open as he surveyed the surrounding paintings. “It’s beautiful.”

“It’s my favorite place in the world.”

Yusef took a few steps forward and stood before one of the paintings. “My God, is that really a Claude?”

“Yes, it is. In fact, that’s one of his first river scenes. It’s very valuable. Look at the way he depicted the sun. Claude was one of the first artists to actually use the sun as the source of light for an entire composition.”

“Claude was born in France, but he lived almost his entire life in Venice, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Actually, you are mistaken. Claude lived and worked in Rome, in a small flat on the Via Margutta near the Piazza di Spagna. He became the most sought-after landscape painter in all of Italy.”

Yusef turned away from the painting and looked at her. “You know a great deal about painting.”

“Actually, I know very little, but I work in an art gallery.”

Yusef asked, “How long have you been working here?”

“About five months.”

“About five months? What does that mean exactly? Does that mean four months or six months?”

“It means nearly five months. And why do you want to know? Why is this important to you?”

“Dominique, if this relationship is to continue, there must be complete honesty between us.”

“Relationship? I thought we were only sleeping together.”

“Maybe there can be more between us, but only if there are no lies. No secrets.”

“Complete honesty? Are you sure about that? Can there ever be complete honesty between two people? Would that be healthy? Isn’t it best to keep some things secret? Have you told me all your secrets, Yusef?”

He ignored this question.

“Tell me, Dominique,” he said. “Are you in love with another man?”

“No, I am not in love with another man.”

“Are you telling me the truth?”

“Of course I am.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because of the way you made love to me last night.”

“You’ve made love to many women? You’re an expert in these matters?”

He pulled his lips into a modest smile.

Jacqueline said, “What is it about the way that I make love to you that has convinced you I am in love with another man?”

“You closed your eyes while I was inside you. You closed your eyes as if you didn’t want to look at me. You closed your eyes as if you were thinking about someone else.”

“And if I were to admit to you that I was in love with another man? How would you feel about this? Would it change anything between us?”