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‘It was their opinion that if a dispute over ownership were to result in litigation, not only would we lose, but it would be extre will be placed in secure storage until the board h I have no reason to believe they will disagree with our legal advisers and instruct me to return the Rubens to Mr Faulkner’

Souests continued to adain William only turned ahen the lid of the crate was finally nailed down A cold shiver went down his spine when he turned to see Beth deep in conversation with Christina Faulkner He wondered if Christina was telling her the truth about what had happened that night in Monte Carlo

Mr Booth Watson didn’t acknowledge Sir Julian as they passed each other in the corridor

‘No prizes for guessing who he’s about to have a consultation with,’ said Grace ‘What’s the speculation in the robing room?’

‘Faulkner’s looking at six years at least, possibly eight, but it doesn’t help that the tabloids keep referring to him as a modern-day Raffles, rather than the common criminal he is’

‘But it’s the judge who’ll decide the length of his sentence, not the press,’ said Grace

‘That’s assu the jury doesn’t acquit him You can be sure he’ll have a well-honed story by the time he appears in the witness box, and will deliver it with conviction’

They left the prison at the same time as Booth Watson entered the interview room

‘Gooddown into the chair opposite his client ‘I do wish you’d stayed put in Melbourne and watched the rest of the Test match, as I recommended’

‘But if I had,’ said Faulkner, ‘my entire art collection would now be on the other side of the world’

‘Not if you’d allowed ot off the Christina’

‘Who’s Warwick?’

‘The young detective who visited your wife in Monte Carlo, caeht’

‘Then you’ll be able to run rings around Warhen you get him in the witness box’

‘If he ever gets into the witness box He certainly wouldn’t if I was advising the other side I’d let an old pro like Hawksby take the stand, not Warwick So for noe’ll have to forget hi a bit frayed at the edges’