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

“No,” Lou said slowly. “It’s…It’s something to think about, but not tonight. We’d better finish our drinks and head home. Tomorrow’s going to be a bitch.”   7


The collectors that Gideon made certain Lou and Rory invited to the opening had accepted. Those included the two who were known to collect art from the Delft School—and they knew full well the reason behind their being there. They were, according to Gideon, eager to stop Hanks and would let him know if the forger approached them.


The news story in the Post the morning of the opening garnered a few interesting comments on the gallery’s new website. Most people seemed to be fascinated by Rory’s turn-around from forger to art consultant, teaching new gallery owners how to spot potential forgeries. A few were dubious that Rory could be trusted, wondering if he would try to foist off a forgery of his own on the gallery.


Chapter 22