Ephemeral Truths [Verity]

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

When Verity arrives for her daily shift, Schön's demeanor in answering the door suggests this might not be just another day at the office. "Ah, good morning. I wonder if you might feel like a small change in the routine?"

Comments

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"You find the fake," Schön assures her, "and I'll find the flaw."

And then they're turning out of the hallway and into a room where two virtually identical paintings stand on easels. An aging, friendly-looking woman stands between them, and smiles when she sees Schön; her graying hair is tied back in a bun, and her cream-colored blouse is loose and light. To one side stands a plump, red-faced man whose neck is a little too large for the collar of his very expensive suit, and whose hair can't decide whether it's blond or ginger, but is determined to stand up in one impertinent, curly tuft at the top of his forehead, a determined island against the encroaching bald spot.

"Schön," the woman greets, opening her arms. "Margaret," he replies, returning her embrace lightly and kissing her cheek. "Allow me to introduce Ms. Verity Willis, my expert on forgeries." That last prompts a bitter harrumph from Mr. Suit.

[brave_heart_verity]

The only delay in her knowing which one is which is that she's watching Schön greeting the woman, and keeping an eye on Mr. Suit. That hair. Poor man. She hangs back until introduced, when she quickly offers a hand for shaking to ward off anything requiring closer contact. "Nice to meet you. You might want to sit down."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Margaret gives her a puzzled look, but at a nod from Schön goes to lean against a table. Mr. Suit folds his arms across his chest, lifting his chin and glaring down his nose at Verity, daring her to... something.

Schön stays by Verity's side, casting her an inquiring glance. He'd very much like to hear her diagnosis.

[brave_heart_verity]

Once Margaret's settled, she turns to Schön with her own questioning look. "You told me one of them would be real," she hisses, like she's trying to keep it between them but knowing the others will hear it.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"No," he points out gently, quietly, "I said at least one was a--"

"PREPOSTEROUS!" Mr. Suit explodes, throwing up his meaty hands. "She hardly glanced at them! You can't mean to take the word of this, this child, after the most cursory examination? Margaret, you have been ill-used, and you, you, Mister Freund, your charlatanism is exposed at last."

Schön simply gives Verity a look that says without words, "you see why I wanted to embarrass this guy?"

[brave_heart_verity]

Well, fair enough, that is how he put it. She should have listened better.

Mr. Suit isn't making a great impression on her. He's getting one of those looks from her. With the eyebrows. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that there's been a lot of disagreement about which one of these is the 'real' one? Experts lining up on both sides?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"There has," Mr. Suit confirms grumpily. He has apparently taken every disagreement personally. "I have been studying the Flemish masters my entire life--I could spot a fake when you were just a bottle of wine on in your father's pantry. What makes you so knowledgeable?"

At the slight against Verity, Schön's lips tighten, eyes narrowing. He's quite prepared to verbally flay the man, if Verity doesn't do it first.

[brave_heart_verity]

Oh, he did not just bring her father into this. Her eyes narrow and her tone is as ice-cold as the magic she's been studying when she replies, "The fact that I know what I'm talking about."

She continues to pin him with her look for a long moment before she turns and gives Margaret a perfectly pleasant smile. "They're very pretty. What are you going to do with them?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Margaret is normally used to these little arguments between big-ego art experts, but this one got real personal, real fast, and her British manners are struggling to keep up. "Ah, the original we were going to feature as one of the centerpieces of our Flemish masters exhibit. You're quite certain they're really both...?" She seems more concerned that the museum may have been taken for a ride than doubting Verity's abilities.

[brave_heart_verity]

Poor Margaret. There's a reason Ver suggested she sit down. Her own work done, she moves to lean against the table beside Margaret while the gents duke it out. "I'm sorry, I know this must be a disappointment. I'm sure you'll find something else to put in the exhibit, apparently you've got quite a few choices back here."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Margaret sighs, but rallies admirably. "We can manage," she agrees.

"Marge, you can't mean you're going to listen to this--this child?!" the big man demands. "Schön just trots her in from nowhere, and that's it?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"I'm sure. I'd love to come see the exhibit when it opens. When's the big day?"

Yeah, the suit isn't even worth her attention anymore. Schön can handle it, he said so. She just needed to tell him if anything was real. "Do you end up with a lot of forgeries in storage? I've always wondered where they go when they've been found out."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Schön is, indeed, running interference on Mr. Suit, pricking his pride to get him to point out the details that make him say one painting is true, and the other false. With that laid out, he can find the faults in the other. It might be something subtle, like the non-contemporary wood grain in the wood on which the canvas was stretched, or something. It'll take a while.

Margaret, meanwhile, gives a nervous laugh. "Oh, I hope we don't have many forgeries in storage! They generally go to the police, so they can catch the people who made them, and sold them. We hope."

[brave_heart_verity]

But he's the one who knows how to do that. So, unless he calls her over...

"Oh, I thought maybe they'd get returned to you eventually since it's the museum's property. It might be kind of fun to do a show that's all known forgeries. Very meta, you know?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Well, a piece that's donated is the museum's property. Some pieces are on loan, or are being offered for the museum to acquire. That's actually the case with these two, in fact."

[brave_heart_verity]

Ah, well. She doesn't know art, and she's not surprised the idea isn't worth considering. "Someone wanted you to buy them? For big bucks, I'm guessing." She glances over at Mr. Suit again before asking quietly, "Does he have more than his reputation on the line?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Suit caught that. He's been keeping an ear out for such intimations (for some reason) and thunders, "how dare you? I am an impartial third party!" Which is such a lie.

[brave_heart_verity]

Well then. Verity doesn't say it out loud, but Schön knows that twitch and the lingering look of pain afterward.

"Margaret, shouldn't someone call the police?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

He does indeed know the look, and so keeps a wary eye on Mr. Suit. The man's reputation will go down in flames, now.

Margaret sighs. "Yes, I'm afraid I'll have to." Oh, look, Mr. Suit's ruddy complexion is suddenly draining to gray.

[brave_heart_verity]

"It'll be okay, Margaret. But the sooner it's done, the sooner they're gone."

Although, now she's wondering just how well her old ID from a world that doesn't exist anymore is going to work for her here...

Almost worth it to see someone like Mr. Suit go down. "Schön, have you worked out the... bits you needed to?"

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

She nods and, gathering herself, excuses herself to go use a phone. Mr. Suit is still blustering, but he's losing wind fast, and at Verity's question Schön turns to her with a smile. "Indeed. Shall we be on our way? I promised you a chance to take in the exhibits, I believe."

[brave_heart_verity]

Part of her wants to do the good-citizen thing, wait for the copsbobbies, give a statement, make sure Mr. Suit doesn't take off...

But that's not an option for either of them, is it? "Let's, please. Sorry if this has been disappointing for you." He knows how she can get around art, so she'll be taking a firm hold of his arm now. "It's a pity the forger--or forgers--are wasting their time with this instead of making their own art. It's really pretty."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

They've been the catalyst, setting the story in motion. Mr. Suit is far too attached to his status and various holdings to run effectively, so he'll be caught whether he runs or not. Schön gives Verity's hand on his arm a reassuring pat. "Oh, no, this hasn't been disappointing at all. The truth came out, after all, and who could mind that? As to the forgers, work of this caliber is often the work of people seeking stimulating challenges while at the same time needing money enough to support their lifestyles."

Out to the public galleries, then, and the art on display? Or would Verity like to browse the back rooms a little more?

[brave_heart_verity]

She knows when to go out.

"You mean, people who're bored and need to prove they're cleverer than everyone else?" She sighs, and has to admit, "This is a better use of their talents than trying the whole world-domination thing, I guess."

Poking around in the forbidden places is tempting, and he shouldn't mistake her turning toward the public galleries for her not feeling that temptation. But if they were to get caught there, while the place is full of police? How bad would that look? Maybe Margaret will give them a private tour another time to say thanks. She can wait for that.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Verity always did have sense.

"Indeed," he both confirms and agrees. "It's amazing how well some of them respond to more legitimate outlets for their creativity, once somebody finds them one."

A tour some other time can almost certainly be assured, especially as Schön has now seen her interest in those forbidden back rooms. For now, though, there is a museum full of art to appreciate, and Verity has a companion who can offer some little tidbit of insight about virtually every piece there.