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It seemed to some as if the schoolchildren who had been locked in the Is and blank canvases, and walked out into the autumn air, and faded like s the children board a waiting school bus, an older driver at the wheel

Many people tried in vain to gain a statehtsbury Institute, but no one could uncover where the school was located--there certainly was no record of any such institution in London Not in all of England Souards had said, but after three weeks of failed atteotten for a bigger story on another day

No one saw thethele line No one but he noticed that the portfolios they carried were a tad too thick

No one but his driver heard hiory Wainwright was not a foolish man He swore this to his wife and to his therapist His mother assured him of that fact every Sunday when he visited her for tea No one who truly knew hiht that he was personally responsible for Henley security--he eelthe Angel had gone ht was fairly certain that the powers that be at the Henley would be inclined to disagree

Perhaps that is why he did not tell a soul that his security card had so in the chaos of the fire Perhaps that is why he did not say a lot of things

If it had been another painting, perhaps all el was tooedition of the London Times was not exactly what the public had expected Of course, the color picture of the lost Leonardo loo that a headline about the robbery at the Henley do above the fold And it was only a ht knew, before the old stories about the Angel would resurface His only surprise was that it had taken less than twenty-four hours for the press to turn the story fro of the Henley’s--and society’s--loss, to a retelling of the Henley’s shaht’s fault that Veronica Miles Henley had purchased the Angel soon after the end of World War II Wainwright hadn’t taken the painting fro official who had been of great service to the Nazi party Gregory Wainwright wasn’t the judge who had ruled that, since the Angel had been purchased in good faith fro in a public exhibit, it should not be forcibly removed from the museum’s walls

None of this wassimply is not done Or so hisall of it The Henley was being villified, and Ro made out as some sort of hero--a Robin Hood who headed a merry band of thieves

Still, if there was one thing that Gregory Wainwright could be grateful for, it was that the journalists never heard about the boy

Wainwright re it over and over again

"Our guards assure me that the room in which you were found had been completely evacuated prior to the fire-protection procedures taking effect," Gregory Wainwright said as he sat across fro ation room of Scotland Yard The detectives had assured hi down the real thief to take much time with the boy; but the Henley’s director had felt otherwise

"I’ to sue," was the boy’s only answer

"How exactly did you get into that exhibit?" the uy before you I told the guys before hiuys who found me, I was in the exhibit when the sirens sounded I tripped on ot up, I was locked in"

"But I was in that room I personally can attest to the fact that our doors only lock when a rooed "Maybe you’ve got a security probleht was not in the mood to say so "Maybe ood at that stuff You know she works for Interpol"

The woory Wainwright could see He had, after all, an eye for frah the Henley’s doors every day He knew tourists and collectors, critics and snobs, but he could not truly grasp the woen deprivation ed

"So probleory Wainwright winced slightly as one of the richest men in the world was referred to as "soan to stand "I understand if there are waivers or docun, but I can assure you, you have no grounds to hold h quite an ordeal"

"I’o anywhere until he has been cleared of--"

"Cleared?" the boy snapped Gregory Wainwright could not be sure if it was indignation or fear, but there was no e in his tone

"I was under the i of the museum," the mother said

The boy held his arms out wide "Search me Go ahead Just tellhand on her son’s shoulder, but her look at Wainwright seemed to say that that was an excellent question

"We have no interest in prolonging this ht," the wos to do today If I could offer some advice, I’d remind you that in matters such as these, time is essential If you don’t recover her within one week, you will likely never do so"

"I know," the director said, pressing his thin lips together in a tight line

"And, of course, even if she is recovered, fifteenth-century paintings do not do hen they are shoved into duffel bags or thrown into the trunks of cars"

"I know," the director said again

"And I’m sure I do not need to tell you that what happened to my son today was no accident?"

For the first time, it seeaped, looking from mother to son as if he didn’t have a clue what to say

"Soht," she said, and then laughed a very soft laugh "But I feel silly telling you this" Her dark red lips curled into a soft s ant palht of hand"