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Aug-30-2009 20:21

A Heist Caper in 12 Acts

Aug-30-2009 20:41

After losing at rock paper scissors, Security was the one to go in and rescue Harry. She absolutely refused, however, to stop Missy's renewed gnawing on tender parts until Harry started singing. Harry couldn't begin fast enough. He was still babbling details about the heist when he reached the shore, Missy trailing in his wake and still trying to knock his feet out from under him so she could have another go. The group then trudged back to the office to interrogate Harry properly, giving him not-so-gentle reminders along the way that he'd better talk or he was tiger-bait.

Aug-30-2009 20:44

Intro -- Nabbing Dennis Smith

Dave had put the word out among the medical community of New York that he would be VERY interested to hear of any cases of hand injuries involving sepsis or tetanus infections. And to sweeten the deal, he'd throw in a very good bottle of scotch. A few days later he got a call from an old army buddy who was now Chief of Medicine at a hospital on the south side of town and was looking to cash in on the scotch. A case had come in that was just what the doctor ordered, as it were. If Dave would pose as a specialist, he would have the opportunity to question the man at his leisure.
Dave arrived to find that the patient was a 30 year old housepainter with a nasty gash across two fingers that was rapidly turning septic. The patient also showed early signs of tetanus. Two for the price of one; the museum needed to clean the backs of their paintings better.
Dave's buddy, Dr. McDonald, led the way into the room and informed the doctor working on the patient that the specialist was there and would take over. The other man left without a word, as did Dr. McDonald. Dave pulled up a chair to the man's gurney and started asking him questions about how he'd gotten his wound. He received stony silence in return.

"Can you at least tell me your name?" Dave inquired. Nothing. Rising to his feet, Dave continued, "Ok, if you can't give me any information, I can't do anything for you. Your hand is septic and within 48 hours will turn gangrenous." Turning and heading for the door, he finished his pronouncement in his most clinical tone of voice. "Given the tics on your face, you also have tetanus, which you may know as lockjaw. Even if they get the sepsis under control, the tetanus will finish you off within 72 hours." Reaching for the door handle, "Have a nice lif..."

"Why do you need to know how I got this?" the man breathlessly asked.

Aug-30-2009 20:51

Taking his seat again, Dave answered him in a still grave tone. "It will help me determine what I need to do. Do I have to excise tissue or consider more serious measures like amputation?"

Gulping down air at this, the man thought for a moment and replied back, "I got it while painting a house."

Dave got up and headed for the door again. "Goodbye."

"Wait, wait!!!" The man was almost frantic at this. "I'll tell you. I got it when I tried to take a painting off the wall. I was trying to pick up some cash by working for the Met for a couple days."

"What's your name?" Dave was hoping the information would keep flowing.

"Dennis Smith." Dave had seen the list of employees for the Met and knew no Dennis Smith was on it.

"How long ago did you injure your hand?"

"Three days ago." The time frame fit both the timeline for the robbery and the extent of the sepsis that Dave could see at first glance.

"Let me have a look at your hand." In examining it, Dave found that the wound was an angry red, the hand was swelling, and the man's temperature was elevated and rising perceptibly over several minutes. He excused himself to check the patient's chart and secure the drugs he would need for treatment. As he reentered the man's room, he was smiling broadly. "I have good news and bad news, Mr. Smith. Which do you want first?"

"The good, I guess" the man mumbled.

"I can save your hand and your life. We have a new type of antibiotic that works wonders."

"And the bad?"

"It's made from bread mold. But that's not the worst."

"There's worse?" the man wanted to know.

Pulling a large syringe with a large-bore needle off the tray he carried and pressing the air out of the tip, Dave answered him with a smile. "Oh yes. "You'll be able to enjoy the next twenty-five years of your second chance at life from a beautiful federal prison." Sticking the needle in with glee, "Enjoy!"

Aug-30-2009 20:52

Intro -- The List

Dave arrived back at the office to find that most of the agency was still out. He’d met Cocci at the front door and she’d briefed him about what the cops at the district station had found out, which wasn’t much. Most of it anyway, they’d already found out. But at least now they knew they were on an even playing field, sort of. She’d also heard that there had been a tiger attack at the local park; Breit must be up to her old tricks. Maureen was also back at her desk and reported that the guards that had been taken to the hospital had said that they’d seen nothing, heard nothing, and knew nothing. Strike two. But in their absence the Met had finally sent over a list of the stolen paintings and of their current and former personnel. The names on the paintings list were a renowned bunch indeed.


Kaleidoscope of Western Art

a Daguerreotype of Lincoln by Matthew Brady
The statue “Venus de Milo” from the Louvre
Botticelli’s Venus Rising from the Sea
Rembrandt’s The Night Watch
one of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers
Da Vinci’s sketch of The Vitruvian Man
Monet’s Impression Sunrise
Degas’ Dancer With a Bouquet of Flowers
Rodin’s the Kiss
An Imperial Easter egg ‘Lilies of the Valley’ by Faberge
Renoir’s Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette
Calder’s mobile entitled “Lobster Trap and Fish Tail” (borrowed from the MOMA across town)

Dave looked up from reading the list to see Breit and troupe lugging their latest prize through the revolving doors. The man was soaking wet and squawking his innocence loudly; Dave presumed that this must be the Mr. Harry Faulkner they’d gone looking for.

Aug-30-2009 20:53

Breit stopped to talk for a minute, issuing instructions to the rest of the group as they trudged by. “Let Cocci have the first crack at him. Take him down to one of the vaults in the basement. We don’t need to have the neighbors hear the screams.” Cocci’s eyes lit up and she joined the troupe, showering them with questions about things she could and could not do to the hapless prisoner. As in, “Can I let Remi put a few holes in him? Please??? (at the negative response) Does this mean I get to try the ham from the ceiling technique?” The voices trailed away.

Half an hour later, it turned out Harry wasn’t as tough as he thought he was. Remi didn’t even have to come out of the closet before Harry was spilling all he knew. Yes, the paintings were destined to be spirited out of town before the local authorities could put things together and get the right equation. The first was supposed to be auctioned off at noon the next day to the highest bidder at a location that was to be decided two hours beforehand. Harry had only been in charge of the original heist and transporting the first work to the auction site. Now that he was permanently out of action, a new gofer would undoubtedly be found by the head boss, whom Harry had only met once in London. All other communications and orders had been conducted through his favorite contact, the Priest. Enrico would probably be stopping by there sometime this evening to go over the plans for tomorrow.

The team from Wish turned Harry (and Dennis Smith) over to the cops. Cocci and Security were assigned to stake out the cathedral to watch for Enrico and whoever would try to get the next set of orders to him. Breit and Dave would take over at 10 o’clock the next morning. The others would beat the bushes some more. Hopefully something would break before then.

Aug-30-2009 20:54

Intro -- The Leak

At eight the next morning Dave stepped out the door of the apartment to go to work only to find a newspaper sitting at his threshold. Normally this wouldn’t mean anything, but they had the paper delivered to the office, not the apartment. Never one to overlook the entertainment value of a newspaper, Dave picked it up, cracked it open, scanned the headlines, and whistled a long one.

“Oh darling” he called to Breit. She rushed out of the bedroom trying to put an earring on without benefit of a mirror.

“Yes dear?”
“Remember how the mayor was almost shi, er, having kittens, yesterday that the news of the theft NOT get out?”
“Yesssss.” She read the headline for herself, trying to whistle a long one too at the end.

THEFT OF 12 FROM THE MET. MAYOR WANTS HEADS., screamed the headline.

“Oh boy, he will shi, er, have kittens at that one. Wonder who at the World Herald spilled the beans. I know I didn’t call them.” Breit replied.

“I know, sweetheart. Looks like we are no longer the only game in town…”