Chapter 58

“Considering what we’ve gotten for him, plus whatever else he owns, and I use the term loosely,” I replied, “they probably are. He’d want the room to be dust free, humidity and temperature at their optimum, and out of the sunlight. Though that last would be no problem with an underground vault.” I turned to Flo. “Did you actually see inside the room?”

“Yes. The walls were paneled in oak, I think. The paintings were hung, the other things—a few vases and statues—were on shelves.” She closed her eyes for a moment. “The floor was wood, the ceiling looked like plaster. It was just…a room.”

“Maybe in appearance,” Duff said, “but I’d be willing to bet that behind the décor is either solid concrete or steel.”

“Agreed,” I said. “Being underground he would want everything in there safe from flooding. Given that it has a steel door, and he’s got more money than he knows what to do with, I’m betting it’s literally a vault, just like in a bank.”