by Dayna Rubin
“You smoke?”
“No, but yeah…maybe.”
“Don’t you know if you smoke?”
“Well, I could, now…”
“All right…let’s go outside,” he said in a fatherly tone. “It’s time for my break anyway. I’m Russell. Been here for years…don’t think I’ve ever met you, but you’re wearing a uniform, so you must work here.”
They walked along for a few minutes silently as thoughts of the encounter filled her mind.
He opened the exterior door to a courtyard for employees only and pulled a pack of cigarettes from the pocket of his shirt hidden under his sweater vest.
He offered her one; she accepted and with a shaking hand, brought it to her mouth. He took it from her, lit it, then gave it back to her. He then lit his, studying her behind kind, yet inquisitive eyes.
Natanya hadn’t tried her cigarette, holding it out from her like a dirty diaper; she looked out upon the myriad of glass triangles protruding from the ground next to Russell.
“What’s your real name?” Russell asked, his cigarette reduced by half in the time it took her to decide whether she wanted to sit down.
“Huh?” Natanya wondered how she could be so incredibly translucent. She frowned as she reviewed everything she had said, examining each word to see where she had tipped him off.
“I know you’re not Wendy.” He took a drag off his cigarette. “Do you want to know how I know?”
Natanya managed to nod, her throat began to restrict and the cigarette smoke didn’t help, so she was unable to reply.
“Wendy is my age, African American, and has been my wife for forty years.”
“Oh…right, well, of course.” She laughed in spite of herself. Sighing, she continued, “I’m new and I don’t have my own yet…really new.” Natanya coughed out the words with the smoke after taking a drag off the cigarette, no longer nervous about hiding anything from him.
Russell laughed in return. “Okay…If that’s how you want to play it. I don’t know what you kids are doing these days. I was young once, thrived adventure and excitement from fighting the establishment. Now, I’m content to come here a few hours a day, and watch the faces light up when they connect with a piece of art. This is heaven to me…my nameless grace.”
“Natanya nodded, “So…you’re not going to ask me why I’m wearing your wife’s name tag?”
“No…she’s only on staff for a few hours a week…she doesn’t need it right now.”
Natanya smiled at him as he took her cigarette and placed it in the receptacle with his.
“As long as you don’t tell her I’m still smoking.”
She followed him back into the building as he held the door open for her.
“It’s a deal.” Natanya did in fact feel better. There was no sign of the angry patron, the man they gave the original Vermeer to, the man who may have possibly encouraged Philippe to take him more seriously.
“This Tsun Jae. Come to Photograph Archives. This Tsun Jae, come to Photograph Archives.” Her monotone voice came out of the two-wave radio clear and strong, startling Natanya.
“I’m being called to join my friends…um…I mean the other employees…”
“Then you should go,” Russell said easily. “Spend your days in goodness with a mind at peace and keep an open, loving and innocent heart.”
Natanya had been temporarily comforted by his presence and was reluctant to part company. Hearing his beautiful and poetic words touched her deeply.
“I should go…okay…nice meeting you, Russell.” Natanya awkwardly lunged forward to hug him on impulse, having felt a connection with him.
“Go,” he said knowingly, a mysterious glint in his eyes.
Natanya walked away at a fast clip, anxious to let them know she had encountered one of the guys with whom they exchanged the painting for the album.
Natanya descended to the archive section of the library where she met Gage, Dauphine and Tsun Jae halfway up.
“You’ll never guess what just happened!” Natanya began to say as soon as she saw them approach.
“Tsun Jae not find anything yet.” Tsun Jae strode past her without acknowledging what she had said.
“The men Philippe and I had met with to exchange the painting…” Natanya tried to relate what had happened as she turned to follow everyone from the direction she had just come from.
Dauphine and Gage were right behind her, also intent on discovering the whereabouts of the hidden location.
“We didn’t have any success down below, so Tsun Jae has an idea of where it might be,” Gage said to Natanya as he grasped her elbow in a friendly manner, bringing her along with him.
“Gage…One of the guys who Philippe and I…”
“Come on, Gallery is getting busy,” Tsun Jae said to them as they continued to move upward within the museum.
“What were you saying? One of the guys who has the original painting…”
“Shhh…” Tsun Jae’s small face scrunched up, her finger to her lips, she kept up her fast pace.
“He was here!” Natanya finally burst out.
“No, really?” Dauphine asked, slowing to be closer to hear what Natanya was saying.
“Yes, he was viewing a Vermeer.”
“They put another one up so quickly?” Dauphine said in disbelief.
“Yes, they procured another painting…another Vermeer. Hard to believe the guy would come in to the Gallery looking for answers, but he did! There I was just starting to get a good look at it when suddenly he was beside me, asking all kinds of questions.”
“What happened?” Gage asked.
Tsun Jae backtracked to where they had slowed down to a mere stroll as they listened to Natanya.
“What take you so long? The Gallery, it getting busy now.”
“I want to hear what happened to Natanya, Tsun Jae. If this guy is still here in the building, it could be dangerous. For everyone. Go ahead.” Dauphine encouraged.
“Um, yeah, so then Russell came from nowhere, he’s one of the staff here…”
“Yes, I know Russell,” Tsun Jae said.
“The guy had grabbed my arm and was getting really upset…and then Russell showed up, which must have scared him off.”
“Did he just leave?” Dauphine asked.
“Yes…well, I think so…” Natanya said as she looked around her.
“You don’t seem sure,” Gage said, his voice betraying his concern.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Combinations of Curved and Straight Lines
Pascal asked for a legal pad so he could jot notes down for Philippe as they perused the castle when they exchanged their passes for Vendor badges.
The Butler’s pantry they walked through to arrive at the Dining Hall had a liberally scaled buffet equipped with multiple doors. Once in the Dining Hall they were cleverly reflected in a majestically framed beveled mirror.
“Pascal, jot this down…Hall of Mirrors to start them off, an array of different types…for the children,” Philippe said as they began their tour of the castle.
“A mirror was considered to be the most sought after symbol of French Splendor,” Pascal offered as they walked.
The color-saturated hues of the Provencal style were softened by walls sun-kissed by soothing café au latte and sumptuous caramels. Impeccably tailored draperies adorned the full height of windows reaching grand heights although narrow; they served to add to the overall grandeur of the stately room.
The boudoirs contained quiet old pieces complimented by intriguing hardware. Heroic-sized four-poster beds with gauzy fabric cascaded from the canopy, and wrapped around the posts to pool onto the rough-hewn wood floors.
The library shelves were carved from solid cherry, gleaming from a recent polish. The cabriole legs of the wing back chairs resided regally beside the stately marble fireplace, upholstered in a mixture of camel and tobacco, with a hint of crimson to add a touch of sophistication. The masculinity of the room was enhanced
by the black wrought-iron chandelier centering the room; matching sconces decorated the walls, once candle burning, but retrofitted for today with the adaptation of electricity.
The courtyard was opulent with unpretentious gardens of billowing groupings of fragrant roses that adorned the gazebos and lined the pathways. The wrought-iron tables were positioned precisely to amply shade their temporary visitors.
“How are we doing perusing the castle grounds? More ideas for the children?” asked a member of the Chateau’s staff.
“Yes,” Philippe said easily as he slipped comfortably into his role as Marketing Representative.
“Had you thought of any outdoor activities for the children?” Philippe inquired.
“We had a maze which was open to the public, but we have since closed it due to constant staffing irregularities, and it took too long for people to walk through it.”
“I see. I’ll have my assistant make a note of that. We can work through several solutions for you, modifications, if you will, that could allow you to reintroduce it to the public.”
“I’m sure Francis will be happy to hear that, as it brought many visitors. We currently have it cordoned off from guests.”
“I see you also have part of the castle cordoned off as well,” Warren said as they strolled along. “We may be interested in seeing all areas of the castle, as it may eventually be accessible to the public.”
“Sure, I don’t see the harm in showing you. Come on, I’ll take you down there.”
They walked to the stone steps descending to the lower side of the castle. The staffer took out her keys, taking a few moments; she finally found the correct one. “I don’t think I’ve ever taken anyone in here, but it’s going to be repaired one of these days, so you should probably incorporate it into your plans.”
“Yes, absolutely,” Philippe agreed.
“There’s not much in here. It’s the servants entrance…meets up with the entrance from the side of the castle that faces the water.” They walked single file down the narrow hallway. “The servants weren’t allowed in the main part of the castle, so all the hallways behind the rooms were used by them to easily access the rest of the castle, virtually unseen.”
“I see…how much of the castle is blocked off?” Warren asked.
“It’s only this hallway…”
“Where does this hallway lead?” Philippe asked.
“Up to one of the turrets…it’s in a dilapidated state…it’s not safe right now, but it doesn’t mean it won’t be.”
Warren and Philippe exchanged a knowing glance as they mounted the small stone steps ascending to the turret. Once outside the door to the turret, they found the worn wood door was swollen. Even with all of them pushing on the door, it was difficult to open.
They nearly fell into the room as the door burst open. There, before them was the same Lamp of the Eternal Flame as found within the Mespelbrunn castle.
“We close in about an hour…and…I go off shift in a few minutes…” The staffer said as she hesitated in the doorway of the turret.
“Did you want to let us look around and we’ll check back with Francis when we’re done?” Philippe suggested.
The staff member lingered for a moment longer before deciding, “Yeah that would be great. If you need anything, just let one of the staff know.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Color Pure and Bright
“Reviewing the way the National Gallery was designed, the history of the Gallery listed in the public brochure says that I. M. Pei relied on the triangle shape for his design. We’ve looked everywhere possible and we still can’t find anything. Is it possible that the paintings could have been hidden somewhere within the main section of the Gallery, but then later moved when the East Gallery was created?” Gage asked.
Tsun Jae considered the question, then exclaimed, “Grandfather not speak to us because Grandfather not really there in room with us.”
Natanya gasped while Dauphine nodded, “I thought there was something we were supposed to glean from that experience.”
Gage lowered his head as he viewed Tsun Jae over the rim of his glasses speculatively. “When were you going to reveal this information?”
Tsun Jae shrugged in response but didn’t answer.
“Does it matter, Gage?” Dauphine answered for Tsun Jae. “We were given a clue. He designed the East Wing. So, it must be hidden in the East Wing. Get it? When he said ‘it is time’…he was talking about us linking these two thoughts. Look, he designed the East Wing and he showed us the illusion of him being present when he wasn’t!” Dauphine exclaimed.
Gage looked at the excited faces of the group, completely unmoved from the new development. “Well, that narrows it down…” He took hold of the railing, and then turned his eyes up to the skylights overhead, linked together in a symphony of angles.
“Gage!” Dauphine nudged him, “If we know how he made himself appear when he wasn’t really there, then we’ll know how they made the room disappear.”
“Or just the paintings…”
“Tsun Jae? How did he do that?” Natanya asked directly.
“Light used with prisms within the glass to throw the image to another place. Has to hit on face of prism or won’t work.”
“So, where was he? We saw him move…we looked into his eyes…” Natanya’s own eyes were wide with wonder.
“So it seemed. Grandfather in his own bedroom, not in garden.” Tsun Jae appeared to be concentrating, “I know where it might be.”
They all looked to the skylights…in wonderment…” Right, of course…” Natanya pushed herself from the support of the railing to follow Tsun Jae.
Tsun Jae was once again on the move. Not bothering to tell anyone where she was going, she descended the multiple levels of stairs quickly.
Gage lingered, looking around him. He seemed reluctant to leave without testing out the theory of light bending an image and throwing it to another location.
They found themselves in the connecting tunnel bridging the East Wing with the Mall. The lights illuminated the ceiling, the water cascaded down one of the walls, and the moving walkway encompassed the rest of the space.
Tsun Jae moved to the side of the conveyor, walked in the dark area near the wall that curved up, her arms spread to either side of her as she walked.
They had all stepped onto the moving conveyor, watching as Tsun Jae bypassed the walkway, and sidled between the lighted wall and the conveyor. The darkness of the tunnel made it difficult to see Tsun Jae as she crept along on the ledge slightly elevated above the mass of cables for the conveyor. She had both arms stretched out, partially obscuring the lights as she stepped in front of them.
They had all been propelled forward on the moving conveyor, and as the distance increased, they watched Tsun Jae slowly move forward, both arms spread out like an angel. And then…she disappeared from view.
Natanya let out a tiny scream. Dauphine turned around and ran backward; trying to gain momentum against the fast moving walkway, and Gage hopped the railing, falling into the slightly recessed area housing the cables until he found the elevated ledge.
He hoisted himself up onto the ledge, and found the narrow strip near the curved wall. He had to tuck in his head and shoulders to match the incline of the wall in order to walk along the ledge, but managed to hold the awkward position long enough to find himself in a small dark corridor. Tsun Jae was nowhere in sight. Just as he was going to continue to edge forward, he heard Tsun Jae from below.
“Be careful, no floor…you have to change course.”
“Are you okay?” Gage stopped to inquire of Tsun Jae. Her voice reached him, but he couldn’t see her.
“Tsun Jae be fine. Have to find way out of hole. You keep trying.”
Gage realized he couldn’t trust his eyes alone to guide him as the ledge still appeared to extend forward in the dim light, but as he thrust his foot farther forward, it met with nothing but air.
He pulled his foot
back and felt along the wall for another way. He backtracked a few paces, then a few more paces, poking his foot forward to the edge of the ledge, finding the ledge led into a different direction, he let go of the wall and eased himself forward, balancing on the much narrower ledge.
Dauphine’s voice was the first to reach him, “I’m right behind you Gage. Which way do I go, I can barely see you.”
From the direction of her voice, he could sense when she was nearing the space along the wall where the ledge moved across instead of along the wall.
“Don’t continue to follow the ledge along the wall; it juts out to bring you to the other side like a bridge.”
“Okay…” Dauphine felt along the ledge with her feet, then let go of the wall and began the course across the narrow corridor.
“I’m right behind you guys…” Natanya called out as she walked along the ledge. Dauphine instructed Natanya to follow the same route, just as Gage had told her.
Gage continued to feel around with his feet as he moved forward, the goal of the opposite wall his primary objective. But the ledge didn’t take him to the opposite wall. He kept inching along but he didn’t seem to get any closer.
The ledge broadened until it formed a platform. The area was completely black now. Gage’s arms were outstretched as he searched for something solid; his feet did the same, as he appeared to be performing a strange dance in the dark.
The sound of a ventilating system, or something like it reached his ears. He strained to hear anything else and called out to Dauphine and Natanya, but heard nothing in reply.
He then called out to Tsun Jae, but didn’t receive an answer. He continued his seemingly never-ending journey. Then unexpectedly, he slammed into a wall.
The platform turned into a corridor once again, and he could feel trenches in the wall a little lower that held cables.
Gage could see a light at the end of the corridor and he slowly made his way toward it. How or if he would reach it seemed to be the question at this point.
