Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Eve

Paris, June 1946

Georges slipped the guard a few notes to give us extra time to speak with Serge. Then he came back and sat next to me.

‘So, Monsieur Lavertu, you say that you were part of the Resistance? Unfortunately, all of France claims that they were in the Resistance, even the worst of collaborators. Who is there to vouch for you? We have limited time to put together our case and it seems those you helped came and went under false names and who knows where they are now – or if they are still alive? What’s most useful for our case is your claim that the painting you sold was a forgery, and you knew it to be such when you offered it to Hitler’s art dealer. While that doesn’t automatically negate the murder charge, it does cast some doubt on the prosecutor’s case. Most likely the police had an art expert examine the painting first before a judge approved the warrant for your arrest.’

‘Was that expert’s name Martin La Farge, by any chance?’ asked Serge. ‘The man who stole our gallery and won’t give it back?’

‘Are you saying you have enemies who might wish to frame you?’ asked Georges.

Serge sighed. ‘The art world is vicious. I am the only dealer who fought with the Maquis, I had my art stolen by other dealers, including Martin La Farge, and can prove it, and I am a Jew.’

‘Very well,’ said Georges. ‘I’ll see if I can persuade the judge to give us more time. I need you to tell me everything you remember about the circumstances of the forgery. I’ll ask Eve to write your testimony down. Let’s start with who painted the fake Botticelli.’

‘Kristina Bergeret did,’ said Serge. ‘But she had artistic qualms about copying another artist’s work. So she included in it, and other paintings she forged, what she called a “time bomb” – a clue that only she would be able to reveal after the war to prove the paintings were fakes.’

‘Well, then she will be able to vouch for you!’ I said, feeling suddenly more hopeful. ‘And she will be able to support your claim of having been involved in the Resistance.’ I turned to Georges. ‘We think Kristina is in Nice. I’ll send a telegram to her today and if she responds, I can go there straightaway.’

He nodded. ‘Yes, I think that is wise.’ Then he scribbled in his notebook before passing it to me. He had written:

Listen to this story very carefully. When you see Madame Bergeret, her version of events must match Serge Lavertu’s. If she has a very different recollection of events we can’t use her as a witness.