Manof Chpt 57

Chapter 57

Drollet was not happy when he returned to the table. He sat down heavily and consulted his notes.

"It is as I feared," he started." "When I heard the name Stefan Di Palma something flashed in my mind. I had heard that name before but wasn't sure where. My assistant has been scouring our files. He just told me that Stefan Di Palma is a pseudonym for Stefano Cuesta Reyes. He is the son of Carlo Cuesta Reyes a known criminal from Barcelona who was expelled from Spain after the war.

"He has been living here with his petty criminal son under an assumed name. I am afraid we are dealing with a man who has a criminal past that might surprise you. He was once involved in a furniture forgery scheme with a lady known as Marina Costa Ramon, who now goes by the name of her first husband, Jose Alvarez. Does that ring any bells for you?"

A Shocking Statement

Bruce and Marie Claude were shocked.

"Does that mean, Carlos Diaz, my ex husband was involved in criminal activity?"

"No. Not to my knowledge. What she did was before she met your husband. Marina was a street urchin, a survivor, an opportunist. She was never found guilty of a crime but she had been involved with Reyes who calls himself Di Palma. It is evident that he's living here in the area and it seems now that his son, who had been often arrested for shop lifting and pickpocket around the flea market of Barcelona, is here too."

Bruce was amazed. "Do you think there is any connection between the robbery here and this man or his son?"

"In this business, as you probably know, anything is possible. It is now imperative that I talk to Dr Biot. If he can identify his assailants, we might be closer to the solution."

"But if Biot's assailant was Di Palma or Reyes or whatever his name was, with or without his son, it may have nothing to do with the robbery here," Marie Claude added.

(A quiet corner of the village of Sarlat, France)

"Besides," said Bruce, "we talked to Biot yesterday. He didn't say he knew his assailants."

Drollet thought.

Links Where One Least Suspects Them

"That is so true, but I have learned that links are often made where we least suspect them. Biot is an art expert. Reyes is a known criminal once involved with Marina Alvarez who gave you Carl Hellstrom's name. He too is an art dealer with a questionable past. All we have to do is link the robbery with Reyes or his son or with Biot and their colleagues and we are closer to unwinding a mystery. If Marina gave us Hellstrom's name, he may be involved too. You never know.

"We are not there yet, it seems but I have a feeling that Marina Costa Ramon has put you on the right track. We'll just have to keep following our leads even if it takes us back to Barcelona. I will start by returning to the hospital to talk to Dr. Biot. Maybe the solution is closer than we think."

"Or maybe it is all coincidence," added Bruce.

"I agree," said Drollet, dryly, "but you know, better than most, monsieur that we have to follow all clues and leave no stone unturned as you Americans say."

(Click here for Chapter 58)


	Chapter 57 Drollet was not happy when he returned to the table. He sat down heavily and consulted his notes. "It is as I feared," he started." "When I heard the name Stefan Di Palma something flashed in my mind. I had heard that name before but wasn't sure where. My assistant has been scouring our files. He just told me that Stefan Di Palma is a pseudonym for Stefano Cuesta Reyes. He is the son of Carlo Cuesta Reyes a known criminal from Barcelona who was expelled from Spain after the war. "He has been living here with his petty criminal son under an assumed name. I am afraid we are dealing with a man who has a criminal past that might surprise you. He was once involved in a furniture forgery scheme with a lady known as Marina Costa Ramon, who now goes by the name of her first husband, Jose Alvarez. Does that ring any bells for you?" A Shocking Statement Bruce and Marie Claude were shocked. "Does that mean, Carlos Diaz, my ex husband was involved in criminal activity?" "No. Not to my knowledge. What she did was before she met your husband. Marina was a street urchin, a survivor, an opportunist. She was never found guilty of a crime but she had been involved with Reyes who calls himself Di Palma. It is evident that he's living here in the area and it seems now that his son, who had been often arrested for shop lifting and pickpocket around the flea market of Barcelona, is here too." Bruce was amazed. "Do you think there is any connection between the robbery here and this man or his son?" "In this business, as you probably know, anything is possible. It is now imperative that I talk to Dr Biot. If he can identify his assailants, we might be closer to the solution." "But if Biot's assailant was Di Palma or Reyes or whatever his name was, with or without his son, it may have nothing to do with the robbery here," Marie Claude added. (A quiet corner of the village of Sarlat, France) "Besides," said Bruce, "we talked to Biot yesterday. He didn't say he knew his assailants." Drollet thought. Links Where One Least Suspects Them "That is so true, but I have learned that links are often made where we least suspect them. Biot is an art expert. Reyes is a known criminal once involved with Marina Alvarez who gave you Carl Hellstrom's name. He too is an art dealer with a questionable past. All we have to do is link the robbery with Reyes or his son or with Biot and their colleagues and we are closer to unwinding a mystery. If Marina gave us Hellstrom's name, he may be involved too. You never know. "We are not there yet, it seems but I have a feeling that Marina Costa Ramon has put you on the right track. We'll just have to keep following our leads even if it takes us back to Barcelona. I will start by returning to the hospital to talk to Dr. Biot. Maybe the solution is closer than we think." "Or maybe it is all coincidence," added Bruce. "I agree," said Drollet, dryly, "but you know, better than most, monsieur that we have to follow all clues and leave no stone unturned as you Americans say." (Click here for Chapter 58)