Property of a Lady

Rupert Stone was, by all accounts (including those of close family members), a cruel man. When he fired Simon King days before the gallery’s gala opening, he was more focused on his coupe of securing Property of a Lady, the 15th century painting loaned to him from La Galleria in Florence. The heist of the century, Rupert thought to himself with a smug smile as he greeted the first arrivals.

As curator, every detail of the gala opening was personally overseen by Rupert. The event would be perfect, especially after throwing out Simon. A failed artist and an idiot, he thought. Simon’s usefulness in getting Rupert from the vision of the gallery to its reality ran its course. Tonight was Rupert’s night.

Straightening his tie, Rupert watched the early crowd flock to see Property of a Lady. A murmur became a hubbub became a racket. Rupert pushed his way through. The painting was a caricature of a thin, serious man. Cold eyes and an even colder heart. A part of Rupert, a part he would come to hate, admitted it was quite good. The card underneath the painting revealed the title and artist.

Thanks for the early retirement

- Simon