Officer Lou Hernandez is surprised when he's asked to help Gideon Monahan catch an art forger. He's not too happy, however, when he meets the man he'll be working with. Lou thinks Rory Kinley is a supercilious pain in the ass. Rory, on the other hand, sees no reason why Lou has been brought into this. After all, he's just a cop, albeit one who is good at going undercover.<br><br>The art forger they're after -- Nate Hanks -- cons collectors, saying he has an undiscovered painting by a famous artist. He's killed one of his marks already to keep from being caught.<br><br>Lou and Rory will have to set aside their differences as they set up a sting to stop Hanks. When they do, they discover they may not be as incompatible as they thought. The question becomes, will their growing feelings survive what's to come -- or be destroyed in the process?

It Takes a Forger

“I’ll talk to a couple of artists I know and see what I can come up with,” Rory said.


“Now comes the big problem.” Lou looked between the two men. “How to get the word out we’re running a side business, so that Hanks finds out.”


“As I said earlier, you’ll contact the collectors I know, once I’ve set it up, not just the two who are interested in Vermeer or other Delft School artists. That would smack of a setup. They are all eclectic collectors. We…” Gideon nodded, smiling. “I have a Carrà among my confiscated pieces—an excellent forgery with provenance papers that say it’s the real thing. We’ll use that as bait.”


“Your contacts would be interested in a futurist painter?” Lou asked.


“For the right price, yes. As I said, the men I’m thinking of collect a broad spectrum of artwork.”


“Okay, then. You find us a building, I’ll talk with Clay, and Rory can…” Lou shrugged.


“He can find the building, while I talk to my friends,” Gideon replied.


Chapter 7