Stealing

Chapter 6. Stealing and stealing

Mrs DeSoto smiled at Tammy. "We are going to look at the exhibition this afternoon? Good. Claudio is... I don't know what happened, but he has never reacted like that. I was afraid he was disappearing into his own head. And now he has been working, painting as I have never seen before. So, Tamara, after you managed to get around my security systems with such ease, not to mention making me lose face in front of my collaborators.... No, I am not upset. They have been saying behind my back that I had become arrogant and that was probably true. So, thank you for showing me that I am fallible.

"Now, I need someone like you to help take down a few fellow directors who are getting insufferable. But I also need your input on security technology. Donna can give you details, but in short the things Neville is developing have interesting applications. Pete's programming is promising and Clifford believes these can be integrated into really valuable security networks. They talk about absolutely secure networks, telephone and data transmission, Artificial Intelligence to build up databases that will revolutionise research and management information. But these engineers run away with things and lose touch with reality. Would you be interested in testing and challenging them?"

Tammy frowned. "Well, I don't know much about computers and technology..."

Mrs DeSoto held up a hand. "Yes, I know, except for stealing them. Now, I am convinced you can learn to steal data from them, and that is what we are trying to prevent. What you can do, I'm sure, is to provide new thinking, unexpected approaches to breaking into systems. Will you help me?"

Tammy nodded. "It sounds interesting, a challenge. But you know I am not free, I am a military officer, however irregular."

Mrs DeSoto nodded to Donna, who spoke up. "I had some initial talks, very informal, of course, with a few people. I believe something along the lines of a reserve commission can be arranged. But you have not asked what your compensation would be?"

Tammy shook her head. "I am sure it will be adequate, but I have learnt never to sell the skin before I had stolen the bear, you know?"

Donna burst out laughing. "I think we have a deal then? Welcome aboard. Now lunch will not be up to Maria's standards, but I am sure you will find it satisfying."

***

Mrs DeSoto acknowledged the greeting by the Director of the gallery, Nicole Braveman, then Donna introduced them.

"Elizabeth is a high-powered executive and an associate of Mrs DeSoto, but does not want to be seen or photographed at the moment."

Nicole compared her own formal red and dark outfit to Elizabeth's stark office suit and nodded. Her gaze went to the second woman, dressed in a flowing multi-coloured garb.

"Sunitra runs a number of Yoga studios. She is a leading enlightenment consultant and friend of the family. And so is Tammy."

Nicole spared barely a glance at the slender girl, clad in a basic black dress and dancing pumps, but turned to Mrs DeSoto. "So sorry you could not make it to the opening last night, it was just the most tremendous success. The media went berserk and almost everything is already sold."

The hallway was stark. trimmed with dark wood. A reception desk at one end was littered with papers and a stack of catalogues, and the walls held three canvases of trotting mustangs. Mrs DeSoto frowned.

"I know this one. But the others seem different, more....

Nicole laughed. "One of the leading art critics called them 'triumphant' and I must agree. I believe these two were painted more recently. Allow me first to show you some press cuttings."

Tammy stared around her with a feeling of detachment. She could not really be here. This was not the world where she lived.

The Director leafed through a sheaf of clippings. "Listen to these headlines: 'Amazing new trend.' 'Ortez is back, and better.' 'A new direction in art.' 'Magnificent resurgence' "After five years of drought, life from the desert." And then there is this quotation: 'Many of us had given up on Ortez. His first years were promising, even brilliant, but for five years nothing worth mentioning came from his brush. But now this: a unique, unreal portrayal of his beloved desert, a mix of harsh realism and impressionist fantasy with an underlying spiritual basis."

Mrs DeSoto snorted. "Lots of words, no substance."

Nicole shook her head, the long dark hair swirling. "I must beg to disagree, Madame. I remember his first exhibitions, and now this. I have never seen anything like this. Let me show you around. He had us change the lighting to get just the colour temperature he wanted. Such a perfectionist. He must have worked like a maniac to produce all this."

Mrs DeSoto nodded. "Maniac. That would be a good description."

The first wall was devoted to three enormous canvases. At first sight they were monochrome, a lemon blue sky, distant ridges, but a closer examination brought out the detail of rocks, small flowers, shrubs, glowing with an unworldly light.

"I was told that he had made up all the pigments himself, from material he sourced in the desert. A common feature in all of them is this figure. Someone speculated that it was a muse, someone who had entered his life, had inspired him."

Tammy's hand went to her throat as she noticed a slight, ethereal figure, almost transparent, at the focus point of each canvas.

"A similar trend is carried on here. These rocks, I believe at sunset, are these not just the most unreal colours? As if there is a fire within. And there is the figure again, almost hidden in the shadows. Then there are these of the rain in the distance. I'm told this is a rare occurrence, but there, isn't that remarkable"

Tammy remembered the smell, the sensation of the cool, moist wind from the distant thunder storm. Claudio had explained that it brought moisture and the promise of life. She stood there, re-living that afternoon while the others walked through the display. Elizabeth asked whether the small stickers on the canvases meant anything.

"Yes, the red ones were sold outright, the green show where people had taken an option. These big canvases went to an Insurance company, for their new headquarters."

Tammy was drawn to a smaller canvas in the center of the largest wall, but it was Sunitra who asked: "And the blue tag?"

"That one is reserved by the artist. And it is a total enigma. See the detail here, but don't touch, please. He only completed it a few days ago. Do you see it? The desert, the light, the flowers, the plants, and there, hidden, underlying, a face."

Tammy could not breathe. Elizabeth turned to her and said: "Tammy..."

But it was Sunitra who helped her to sit down.

Nicole's face lit up. "Oh my.... It is you! It is...."

Weakly Tammy asked: "You said it is reserved? Can I buy it?"

She shook her head, smiling triumphantly. "No, that will not be possible."

Mrs DeSoto was not used to being denied. "We will meet any price."

The Director removed the canvas, turned it around. "It's for you."

There was a label.

"Reservado para Tamara, que me robó el corazón."

In the limousine Tammy broke down.

"It has never... Nobody has ever given me anything like this. I do not deserve it, I did not give him anything, and now, twice..."

Sunitra held her, but her voice was calm and penetrating.

"Tammy, listen to me. Do you remember what I told you? Look, I know where you have been. Where people tread on others, where people have to fight to get ahead. Am I right?"

Tammy nodded, wiping her tear-streaked face.

Sunitra went on: "And then there are people who use others, who deliberately subject people to humiliation, to menial work, who climb on others so they can progress. People who tie others with chains of dependence, or servitude, even of love, to exploit them. You knew people like that. Don't you?"

Tammy nodded, mutely. Sunitra went on. "But then there are people who rise above, who give freely, who seek only to make others better, and in doing so receive the greatest joy and satisfaction there is. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

Tammy sobbed. "I do, I hear what you are saying. But I did not give anything, I don't understand...."

Sunitra caressed her face. "My love, you gave yourself, your presence, your understanding without reserve. You gave him the most sincere gift, the priceless gift of inspiration, of renewing his artistry. Can you not accept the most sincere declaration of thanks and love I have ever heard of?"