Image: All Rights Reserved,

New York: Henry Holt and Company

c2008

Marvin released a long breath. So far, so good. Now he just had to show James the address label. From his new position, he could see Denny examining the drawing on the table in front of Christina. It was framed identically to the original, but even through the glass, Marvin had no trouble recognizing it as his own work.

“I just don’t understand it,” Christina said. “I was so careful. I checked the drawing a dozen times. I don’t know how I could have confused them.”

Karl crouched next to Christina, his hand on her shoulder. “They looked so much alike,” he said gently. “The museum wouldn’t fire you over one mistake.”

She raised her eyes despairingly. “Denny, tell them. That drawing was worth at least half a million dollars. On loan from another institution! And I put it at risk needlessly, for my own stupid purposes.”

Karl shook his head. “No, that’s not fair. You were trying to recover the one that was stolen – Justice. It was a good plan.”

“It was, Christina, and we all gave it our blessing,” Denny said. “But I’m afraid this won’t do much for relations between our two museums. The truth is, we were both responsible for the drawing, and we’ll both pay the price for this…. disaster.”

Extract from the book Masterpiece
By Elise Broach
All Rights Reserved.
New York: Henry Holt and Company, c2008.
Call No.: J English BRO

Extract contributed by Fa’izah Ahmad, Librarian

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