Feel free to print off "Love in the Art World".
Take a copy with you to an exhibition opening, or display it on your coffee table for your art world visitors.
Siobhan McTaggart appears ill-suited for her job as Field Inspector for
Revenue Bath. On first impression, Inspector McTaggart is a baffled, badly
dressed, profoundly miopic and very sweet woman. Despite these apparent
deficiencies, Inspector McTaggart is extremely good at her job. She has
weeded out more tax evaders and closed more tax loopholes than any of her
predecessors. But what she has not told her superiors at Revenue Bath, and
indeed has never told anyone, is that her success is due to one particular
skill: Inspector McTaggart is telepathic.
When last we saw the Inspector, she was inspecting a painting at Galerie
Garbo. All the while she was watching gallerist Gabby Garbo out of her mind's
eye. She did not like what she saw.
"Enjoying the show Inspector?" Gabby had approached her silently
but oddly, thought Gabby, did not startle the Inspector.
"Why yes, Ms. Garbo. But, honestly, how you are able to sell this kind
of art, is a mystery to me. I mean, a 10 x 10 foot painting of a murderer
would not appeal to many people I should think." The Inspector squinted
innocently at Gabby.
"You would be surprised at my success... but then, I forget with whom
I am speaking. Revenue Bath knows how successful I have been. And that is
why you are here, is it not Inspector?"
"Not exactly, but I do have one little question, Ms. Garbo. It is about
the estate of one Mr. Bradley Carlisle. It seems he was one of your artists
up until last month. He did extremely well here for six months; made well
over a million. Before he was murdered...." The Inspector paused but
continued when a reaction was not forthcoming.
"My question is, Ms. Garbo, if you paid him, where is the money?"
"I'm sorry inspector, I paid him but I don't know what he did with
it. I have a call to make. Excuse me." Gabby scuttled hastily back
to her office and closed the door.
Inspector McTaggart had her answer. With a parting glance at the murderer,
she left the gallery.
Gabby waited until the Inspector was good and gone before picking up the
phone. She had matters more urgent than the Inspector's silly speculations.
She dialed the number of the president of the Commercial Association of
Dealers (CAD).
"Betty, it's me Gabby. To get back to it, an estate that has been purchased
with money obtained fraudulently, any way you look at it, is an opportunity
for others to profit. Liquidation of the estate means selling fast to pay
creditors. And you can sell to me as easily, quickly and legally as anyone.
If I get it at 50% of wholesale that's between you and I. This is a private
deal.... no one needs to know, let alone the artists. Droit de suite, moi
de sweet."
A knock was heard at Gabby's office door. Without waiting for a welcoming
reply, Domenic di Maiolo stormed in. Domenic was as raw as they come: a
face chiseled from stone and a heart as big as a prairie province.
