Best Kept Secret

‘These are just the export documents to verify what’s in the crate. All you have to do is present them to customs, and then
Sotheby’s will take over.’
    Sebastian had never heard of Sotheby’s, and made a mental note of the name.
    ‘And Bruno rang last night to say he’s looking forward to seeing you once you’re back in London, and hopes you’ll stay with him at Eaton Square. After all, it must be a
better alternative than a guest house in Paddington.’
    Sebastian thought about Tibby, and would have liked to tell Don Pedro that the Safe Haven guest house was the equal of the Majestic Hotel in Buenos Aires. ‘Thank you, sir,’ was all
he said.
    ‘Bon voyage, and just make sure that Sotheby’s picks up my package. Once you get to London, let Karl know you’ve delivered it and remind him that I’ll be back on the
Monday.’
    He stepped out from behind his desk, gripped Sebastian by the shoulders and kissed him on both cheeks. ‘I look upon you as my fourth son.’
    Don Pedro’s first son was standing by the window in his office on the floor below when Sebastian left the building carrying a thick envelope worth eight million pounds. He watched as
Sebastian climbed into the back of the Rolls, but didn’t move until he’d seen the driver ease away from the kerbside to join the morning traffic.
    Diego ran up the stairs and joined his father.
    ‘Is the statue safely on board?’ Don Pedro asked once the door had been closed.
    ‘I watched it being lowered into the hold earlier this morning. But I’m still not convinced.’
    ‘About what?’
    ‘There’s eight million pounds of your money hidden in that statue, and not one of our team on board to keep an eye on it. You’ve left a boy, barely out of school, responsible
for the entire operation.’
    ‘Which is exactly why no one will take any interest in the statue, or him,’ said Don Pedro. ‘The paperwork is in the name of Sebastian Clifton, and all he has to do is present
the manifest to customs, sign the release form, and then Sotheby’s will take over, with no suggestion that we are in any way involved.’
    ‘Let’s hope you’re right.’
    ‘When we arrive at London Airport that Monday,’ said Don Pedro, ‘my bet is that there will be at least a dozen customs officers crawling all over our luggage. All they’ll
discover is the brand of aftershave I prefer, by which time the statue will be safely at Sotheby’s awaiting the opening bid.’

    When Sebastian walked into the embassy to pick up his passport, he was surprised to find Becky standing by the reception desk. ‘Good morning,’ she said. ‘The
ambassador is looking forward to meeting you,’ and without another word, she turned and walked down the corridor towards Mr Matthews’s office.
    Sebastian followed her for a second time, wondering if his father was on the other side of that door and would be coming back to England with him. He hoped so. Becky gave a gentle tap, opened
the door and stood to one side.
    The ambassador was staring out of the window when Sebastian entered the room. The moment he heard the door open, he turned, marched across and shook Sebastian warmly by the hand.
    ‘I’m glad to meet you at last,’ he said. ‘I wanted to give you this in person,’ he added, picking up a passport from his desk.
    ‘Thank you, sir,’ said Sebastian.
    ‘Can I also just check that you won’t be taking more than a thousand pounds into Britain? Wouldn’t want you to break the law.’
    ‘I’m down to my last ten pounds,’ Seb admitted.
    ‘If that’s all you’ve got to declare, you should sail through customs.’
    ‘Except that I’m delivering a sculpture on behalf of Don Pedro Martinez that’s to be collected by Sotheby’s. I don’t know anything about it, except that according
to the manifest it’s called
The Thinker
, and it weighs two tons.’
    ‘Mustn’t keep you,’ said the ambassador as he accompanied him to the door. ‘By the way, Sebastian, what’s your middle name?’
    ‘Arthur, sir,’ he said as he stepped back into the corridor. ‘I was named after my grandfather.’
    ‘Have a pleasant voyage, my boy,’ were Mr Matthews’s last words before he closed the door. He returned to his desk and wrote three names on his pad.

40
    ‘I RECEIVED THIS communiqué yesterday morning from Philip Matthews, our ambassador in Argentina,’ said the cabinet secretary, handing
out copies to everyone seated around the table. ‘Please read it