The Stolen Da Vinci Manuscripts by Joshua Elliot James Page A

snap the visor down
and ride two cars behind him – as before I am among many scooters
and bikes. He is heading to the opposite end of the island from the
hotel district, as I expect, and enters a bed and breakfast
accommodation driveway – ‘The Paradise Inn’ - I would never have
thought of looking for him here in a hundred years. Good
choice.
    He scans around him as I ride by, but is not
worried by what he sees, so I continue to the end of the street
where I turn left and park - the only thing going for me is the
element of surprise, but I have to use it carefully. There are no
nearby stores, so another camouflage act is out of the question and
it is about an hour to dusk – I am forced to wait again or I can
bust in on him and take my chances - I don’t like that idea, but it
could be my best option as I cannot see what he’s doing from here.
I’m torn – I hate the thought of him coming back out with the books
without me knowing and meeting Hamilton to get the deal done, but
what if Hamilton plans to do the right thing?
    I cannot sit here too long without being
reported by one of the neighbors and be arrested for loitering, so
I have to make a decision.

Chapter 5: Facing Gavin
     
     
    “Fancy meeting you here…” I declare when
Gavin opens the door and I knee him in the groin.
    I decided on the direct approach.
    He writhes on the floor in pleasing agony and
adopts the fetal position to avoid a second blow. Silly man… I
deliver a kick to his kidneys which would fell a sumo wrestler and
consider where the next blow should land. Poor Gavin – he doesn’t
know what to do and rolls to his knees making my choice obvious –
an instep to the solar plexus, which lays him flat and gasping for
breath.
    When able, he raises an arm in defeat.
“Please – no more.” He begs feebly.
    I let him recover and stagger to a chair.
“How…?”
    “Did I know where to find you?” I finish. “I
thought you knew me well enough to know that I’d track you
down.”
    “But here?”
    “I followed you from Raffles.”
    “I didn’t see anyone following – I was
watching carefully.”
    “On a scooter. It doesn’t matter – here we
are.”
    “Yes, here we are – now what?”
    “What have you done Gavin – why?” I ask. “I
don’t understand.”
    “Why did I take the books? It was an impulse
– a moment of weakness where I saw a way to punish you for
rejecting me – for not marrying me. Then I regretted it and wanted
out, but I was already in too far.”
    “Where are they?”
    “In the closet.” He gestures.
    “All of them?”
    “Yes.”
    “Good, I will get them back to Roberto.”
    “No!” Ne blurts.
    “Why? They belong to him.”
    “No – I…I sold them.”
    “You what?!!”
    “To Hamilton.”
    “Is that why you met at Raffle’s?”
    “Yes – he wired the money to my bank account
from there.”
    “How much?”
    “Twenty million – pounds.”
    “You jerk – they are worth a hundred times
that. You will return the money immediately.”
    “He’ll have me killed before he takes the
money back – he wants the books more than you know.”
    “I know how much he wants them – we had a
little chat earlier.”
    “You went to see him…Oh my Lord – I’m done
for.”
    “That would be what you deserve - give me the
books.”
    “You know I can’t do that.”
    “It seems to me you’re in no position to do
otherwise.”
    “Arcadia – have a heart.”
    “I did, until you broke it – it’s ironic, I
was just starting to like you again.”
    “I’m so, so sorry.”
    “Too late for that.”
    I remove the curtain sashes and use one as a
gag and the other to tie him to the chair. He is still begging as I
force the sash between his teeth and step back.
    “Don’t come after me and don’t tell Hamilton
where I’m going or I’ll kill you myself.”
    His eyes plead with me but to no avail. I
take the books and turn my back on him for the last time. My
luggage has never been packed so