They parked and locked the caddy and had to walk several blocks. It seemed that there had been quite a few arriving before them and that was the closest they could get to the museum. There were still people milling around the steps, smoking when they entered the front door.
"We can't be too late," Nancy commented as they passed the cameras and the magnetic doors. "Did we remember our tickets?"
Robbi reached into her purse and produced the passes. "Tah-dah."
"Whew, it's sure been an ordeal getting here. I hope I can do this, not knowing much about art and all."
Robbi pulled out her notes, courtesy of Amy. "That's what these are for. Now let's go. You really don't have to be an expert to enjoy art."
Nancy had her trusty Canon camera with the 30-200 zoom lens confiscated at the door. Apparently it was against the rules to take photos at a private exhibit. "There goes your one and only chance to become rich and famous," Robbi snickered at her.
They passed in successfully with Nick's tickets and started up the escalator. There was no shortage of armed guards about. "Do you think they are expecting trouble?" Nancy eyed the sidearm on the guard she just passed.
"Who knows. Like they said when we volunteered, we have no idea what this is about or who is putting it on."
They made it to the third floor where the exhibition was displayed in three rooms. Turning right off the escalator they were faced with the champagne fountain. Nancy headed to the refreshments and Robbi grabbed her. "Remember why we are here? There's plenty of time for that."
"Okay. Did I tell you that I don't usually drink. I bet they have some expensive stuff for this."
"All the more reason for us to avoid it. I don't usually drink either and I've never had champagne. Now, while we're here we can do some snooping around and see if we can find that book. Who knows, it just might be here. Nick was a dues-paying member of the ROM, after all." Robbi headed towards the exhibits and Nancy looked back to the champagne. "Nancy."
"All right. I'm coming." Nancy dashed over and grabbed a flute. She filled it in the fountain and quickly followed Robbi. "Slow down. I don't have much experience walking in these things." Just then she faltered and almost spilled some champagne on her new dress.
Robbi had stopped to admire the Brabant family crest. It was a shield, quartered, with the first and third red with white/silver crescents, and the second and fourth white/silver. There was an animal in the center, in black, a lion reared on its back legs with its tongue extended.
"I always thought how Nick looked like a proud lion when his hair is mussy. Amy says he reminds her of a kitten when he grins. I never noticed."
Nancy had caught up with her partner by that time and was giggling at the last remark. Robbi turned to see her with a half a glass of champagne in her hand. Nancy caught her expression. "This is real good stuff. You should try it. I bet you'll like it.
Robbi turned back to the crest that hung on the wall and leaned across the rope sectioning it off to see if she could see anything behind it. She turned to see a guard watching her closely. Robbi smiled at him, then backed away. "This isn't going to be easy. They're watching everything like hawks."
"The book wouldn't be behind that anyway. That was probably hung there recently."
They moved on to the long hall that formed the second exhibition room. Here hung the portraits. The first on that they came to of note was "Portrait of a Lady," Oil-tempera on wood by Rogier Van Der Weyden. Robbi quickly looked through her notes to see what Amy had to say. She read aloud, "He turned sharply away from van Eyck's quiet world of color and light toward monumental pictures whose dramas are played in human terms. Known more for his religious works."
"Isn't that Janette?" Nancy pointed to the woman who was described as being drawn sharply with clear precision.
Robbi looked closer. "That is Janette. She's a beauty, isn't she. It's not hard to see how she could seduce Nick."
"She sure has a lot of style. I wish I could be that stylish."
They look at each other and simultaneously said, "Nyah."
"That would make us Ravenettes, wouldn't it?" Robbi gave a shudder at the suggestion and they moved on.
"This is really good stuff, Robbi. You need to try some."
"I think I will." They walked back to the champagne fountain where Robbi filled a flute for herself and Nancy got a refill. "I thought you never drink."
"This is so good. I don't think a second glass will hurt anything." She began to feel to slow warmth of the alcohol spreading through her.
Robbi took a cautious sip. "You're right, this is some good stuff."
They made their way back to the hall of portraits and stopped in front of one titled "Adam and Eve" by Jan van Eyck. The realism was evident in this nude but chaste couple, Eve looking pregnant and holding some fruit.
"That is truely gorgeous. Definitely not the nude of Nick," Nancy commented.
"I think you are right." Robbi moved on to the next painting, another van Eyck. This one was "Portrait of a Man." "The brochure says that the scrupulous detail reveals a subtle insight into the model's dark character. Amy says this painter was one of the greatest painters who ever lived and one of the first and best painters of individual portraits."
Nancy started to giggle. Pointing at the portrait, she managed to choke out, "Isn't that... "
Robbi looked up from her notes. "Yes. Shh. We don't want to attract the attention of any Cousins. For all we know, he's here himself. You don't want Lacroix mad at you, do you?"
"Have you recognized anyone from any of the other factions? Remember, we were supposed to keep an eye out, especially for the NatPack."
"I haven't seen anyone that resembles any of those pictures I looked at. That's not saying much though."
A sobering thought which stopped her giggling for a second then it started again when she looked back to the painting. Her companion grabbed her pointing finger and pulled her on to the next portrait. They looked at and admired several others while they sipped their drinks. On mutual agreement, they return to the fountain and got refills, the search for the missing book all but forgotten.
They continue down the hall and stood in front of a painting by Hieronymous Bosch entitled "Garden of Delights." "There can be no doubt that the delights in this 'garden' are those of carnal desire... " Robbi read from the pamphlet. She looked over to Nancy whose eyes were zeroed in on the left of the three panels. Turning to see what her friend was looking at, she was thoroughly shocked. Quickly she turned her eyes.
"Wow, I heard that Nick posed in the nude, but I didn't expect this. Boy, does he have a nice... "
Robbi broke in and covered Nancy's eyes and mouth. "Don't look. We can't look."
"I can't even take a picture." Nancy pulled Robbi's hands from her face.
Robbi started to giggle, "I bet they have prints of it in the shop downstairs. I know it's not the same thing." Her eyes fell on her companion's feet missing the heels she had come in the door with. "What did you do with your shoes?"
"I kicked them off over there somewhere. I didn't want to fall and break my tushy." They both started giggling at the mental image her statement brought to mind.
"I can just see you in a tush cast or a maybe a tush sling. Now that's funny." She started to giggle all over again. "This stuff really tickles my nose. I don't think we should have any more." She set the flute she was carrying on a nearby display case and turned back to Nancy.
"Now, what are we going to do about this? We are sworn to protect Nick's honor. We can't allow this painting to be on diplay for all of Toronto to see."
"Oh, I suppose you're right. Even if he did pose for it willingly, he probably regrets it now. We must defend our knight! We can hire a Merc! Yeah! Maybe Cath and Perri will okay us hiring a Merc to steal it for the sake of Nick's honor. I can just see us all with that painting in the loft when Nick finally arrives back home!" She licked her lips with the deliciousness of her plan.
"Calm down, Nancy. Don't get overheated. We don't even know if Nick will be coming back to Toronto." The look on Robbi's face turned to an evil grin. "I do believe you've got something there." She looked back at the place where she had set her drink and it was gone. Making a decision, she headed back to get another glass with Nancy close behind.
Arriving at the champagne fountain and getting another glass each, they looked around at the others who were milling around the refreshment area. Nancy elbowed Robbi, "Hey, that looks just like Janette. Do you suppose it's her?" She pointed at a woman with dark brown hair wearing black silk and velvet.
"I don't know. I've never met her before, but it sure does look like her. Lets go find out."
The pair of Knighties approached the woman they believed to be Janette and overheard the conversation that was going on between her and another woman.
The Janette-like person said, "That is disgusting Kelly!" She addressed a woman with short light brown-dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. She wore a floor length sleeveless red dress with black heels.
"Hhmm?" Kelly jumped. "Oh, Jill, where have you been? Wanna drink?" She offered Jill a glass.
"No. And I think you have had quite enough yourself, come on." Jill grabbed Kelly by the arm. But before they could make it out of the room, they were intercepted by the two roving Knighties.
"Hi, my name if Robbi Egersdorf and this is Nancy Taylor. We couldn't help but notice how much you look like a certain... "
Nancy broke in. "... vampire we know."
Robbi looked at her partner in shock that she would mention the V word in public without giving it a second thought. She turned back to the women they had approached and continued. "Yes, as Nancy so aptly put it. You look so much like a Janette duCharme that we know."
"Yes, I've been told that before. My name is Jill Kirby and my companion here is Kelly Gritten." She gestured to the woman who stood beside her.
She was holding some kind of red drink. Before Jill could stop her, she blurted out, "We're NatPackers. Would you like a drink?" She shoved it close enough to Nancy for her to get a whiff of the tomato juice and amaretto.
She wrinkled her nose. "No, thanks, I've got something to drink. Thank you. We're Knighties, by the way," she said proudly and held up her flute of champagne, then took a sip.
Robbi elbowed Nancy in the ribs and smiled a sheepish grin. "So, have you heard from Natalie lately?"
"Have you heard from Nick?" Jill retorted.
"Well, no. Not personally."
"Have you seen at least seen her lately, since... " Nancy let the rest of the statement hang.
"We haven't seen her since...well, for quite a while." Kelly answered, a far away look in her eyes.
"We've been so worried. No one has heard from her in so long. Do you know what's happened to her?" Robbi continued the interrogation.
"Has something happened to her? Perhaps she went on vacation. Sunny beaches. Well-tanned beach volleyball players. Sipping drinks in the sun. Maybe she'll send us a postcard one of these days," Jill quipped
"Is she all right?" Nancy inquired with genuine concern in her voice.
"Wouldn't you be all right if you had a well-tanned volleyball love slave? Of course, I'm not saying that's where she is...but you never know." There was definite bite in Jill's voice.
This isn't getting us anywhere at all. We were supposed to be discreet and not raise their suspicions. I guess all it took was to mention the word "Knightie" to put up their hackles. "Come on Nancy. We need to get back." Robbi took Nancy by the arm and headed for the escalators and down.
The pair of Knighties had just stepped into the taxi that would take them back to the loft. Both had decided, intelligently, not to drive the caddy after drinking all that champagne. "I sure hope Perri and Cath aren't mad."
"What they would be mad about would be us driving the caddy back and wrecking it," Nancy reminded Robbi.
"Cut the chatter and tell me where you're going," The taxi driver cut in.
"I hope you know Nick's address, cause I can't remember it." Nancy turned to her companion with pleading eyes.
"Gee, I can't remember so well. Driver, do you know a former homicide detective by the name of Nick Knight?" Robbi questioned the driver.
"Look lady, if you don't know where you're going get out. I have plenty of other paying customers waiting for my services."
"Just a minute," She made a quick intake of air. "I just remembered, I wrote the address in my trusty address book. Unlike Nick, I know where mine is." She reached into her purse and pulled out a small yellow book covered with flowers. "Ah hah. K, where are you K. Here you are, Nicholas Knight 101 Gateway."
The driver turned around and immediately headed for the address that had been provided him.
----------------
Robbi paid and accidently, without realizing, gave the driver a twenty as a tip thinking she was handing him a one. This made the driver understandably happy.
While she was paying, Nancy had opened the door and sort of fell out. Her buddy scooted across the seat and didn't look where she was going. They both ended up on the pavement in a tangled mess. Neither of them could help it and they started to giggle uncontrollably.
From the loft above, Cath looked out the window. "What's all the commotion?" Spying what she hoped wasn't her stray Knghties, she, Perri and a couple others ran for the lift.
"Thanks, driver. You can go now." Perri got rid of the taxi driver who was trying to get paid again.
She turned back to the two women who had been helped to their feet. They sobered noticeably. "I suppose you had a good time," she said with her arms crossed in front of her.
They both shook their heads affirmatively. Both started to speak at the same time and no one could understand a word being said.
Cath held up her hand and there was silence again. "Let's get you upstairs and get some coffee into you and maybe you can tell us what happened.
"By the way, where's the caddy? You didn't wreck it, did you?" Perri inquired as she stood by Cath. She could feel her heart jump up into her throat. Boy, would Nick kill two particular Knighties if he found out.
Nancy shook her head guiltily. "We didn't want to drive in our condition."
"Wise choice. Give me the keys and tell me where you left it and I'll send someone to fetch it." Perri took the keys from Robbi. She picked a couple of the Knigties who were watching to go get the caddy and bring it back before something happened to it.
----------------------------
Time: About a half hour later
A small group of Knighties had formed around the pair as they drank the coffee that had been offered them and related their story. "We can't leave that painting on display. Nick's honor is at stake," Nancy pleaded. "We have to hire a Merc to steal it and bring it to us."
"What if someone recognizes him?" Robbi commented, hoping to add weight to their case.
"Then we could have it all for ourselves. I could take it home for safe keeping," Dotti Rhodes chimed in with a wicked grin on her face.
Sandra disagreed with them, "Shame on you for wanting to steal something!"
Perri let out a sigh, "I don't think this is a very good idea. Remember why we are here and what we need to do. This would be too distracting. This is the Nineties for heaven's sake, no one will give it another thought."
"I have to agree with Perri on that one. It wouldn't be very honorable to steal the painting," Cath added.
There was scattering of disappointed groans from the group.
"Don't despair." She held up a hand. "Everyone that wants to go to the exhibit can go tomorrow. It will be open to the public. Sandra, you can organize that." Cath turned back to the pair of returnees and asked, "Did you recognize anyone from the other affiliations?"
"Yes. We talked to a couple from the NatPack. One looked an awful lot like Janette," answered Nancy.
The pair of Knighties related the conversation they had had earlier with Jill and Kelly.
The Knightie leaders sat in silence, pondering the new information. "That's not a whole lot to go on. What do you think?" Perri turned to Cath.
"Well, I'd say they know where Nat is, but it seems she's not in Toronto. If she were, they would have seen her sometime lately. That is, of course if they were telling the truth, which I'm sure parts of it are out and out lies. I'm only gonna say seems, 'cause she might just have contact with a certain few NatPackers, even though all of them might know where she is."
"Mind games again." Perri laughed and Cath nodded her head.