The Dark Lady

him.
    “The auction is suspended for sixty seconds,” announced the auctioneer. His gaze sought out the olive-skinned little man. “Mr. Venzia, would you approach the podium, please?”
    “Now, what can this be about?” mused Rayburn.
    Venzia walked over to the podium and was soon engaged in an animated conversation with the auctioneer and two assistant directors of the Odysseus Gallery. Within seconds it was obvious that he had lost his temper, and a moment later he stalked out of the main gallery, his face livid with rage. “Mr. Venzia's bid of 400,000 credits has been disallowed,” announced the auctioneer. “Are there any further bids?” He looked around the room. “Very well. The painting is sold to Mr. Malcolm Abercrombie, for 375,000 credits.”
    There was a rustle of appreciative applause, and Abercrombie walked forward to sign for his purchase.
    “It doesn't make any sense!” muttered Rayburn. Suddenly he turned to Tai Chong. “I want to take another look at it.”
    “Be my guest.”
    “Can I take Leonardo with me?”
    “I think you'd better,” she replied. “After all, he's the one who made our appraisal.”
    “Come on, Leonardo,” said Rayburn, stalking off to the small side gallery that had temporarily been turned into a receiving room, and I quickly fell into step behind him.
    When we arrived we found that Venzia had gotten there ahead of us, and was arguing with Abercrombie, who was obviously uninterested in the little man.
    “But you got it on a fluke!” Venzia was protesting.
    “It's hardly my fault that you didn't have enough money on deposit here,” said Abercrombie gruffly, tightening his grip on the painting as if he half expected Venzia to reach out and try to grab it.
    “Three hundred fifty thousand credits should have covered that painting and half a dozen other Kilcullens as well!”
    “It didn't,” said Abercrombie.
    “I want to know why it didn't!” persisted Venzia. “You and I both know that the damned thing isn't worth sixty thousand credits.”
    “If you know that, why did you try to bid 400,000 credits?”
    “I have my reasons,” said Venzia.
    “They don't concern me,” replied Abercrombie calmly.
    “Look,” said Venzia, “I'll pay you half a million credits for it right here and now.”
    “You don't have half a million credits.”
    “I don't have half a million credits on deposit !” snapped Venzia. “My bank will vouch for it.”
    “Your offer doesn't interest me,” answered Abercrombie with some show of irritation. “Now go away before I have the security staff escort you out. I have work to do.”
    Venzia glared at him for a moment, then turned on his heel and stalked off toward the main entrance.
    Suddenly Abercrombie noticed Rayburn and looked directly at him.
    “Are you going to start accusing me of cheating, too?” he demanded.
    “Not at all, Mr. Abercrombie,” said Rayburn, stepping forward. “I just stopped by to congratulate you on your purchase.”
    “It went too damned high,” said Abercrombie gruffly, ignoring Rayburn's extended hand.
    “It went about seven hundred percent higher than we anticipated,” agreed Rayburn. “Why did you buy it?”
    “Because I wanted it,” said Abercrombie. “If you've got any other questions, make them quick. I've got to arrange to have the painting shipped to my home.”
    “Do you mind if my colleague takes another look at it?”
    “Your colleague?” repeated Abercrombie. He jerked a thumb in my direction. “You mean that ?”
    “This is Leonardo,” said Rayburn. “He's our Albion Cluster expert.”
    I made a formal obeisance toward him and began approaching the painting.
    “That's close enough,” said Abercrombie ominously when I got to within about ten feet of him.
    “Is something wrong, Friend Malcolm?” I asked.
    His cold blue eyes stared directly into mine. “I don't have much use for aliens. Never did, never will.”
    “Then I shall content myself with examining the painting from here, Friend Malcolm,” I said.
    “I'm not your friend,” said Abercrombie.
    I studied it for a moment, and then Rayburn said: “Have you changed your mind, Leonardo?”
    “No, Friend Hector,” I replied. “I have not changed my mind.”
    “And now, if you're through,” said Abercrombie, “I'm in a hurry.”
    “We're through,” said Rayburn, turning to me as Abercrombie supervised the wrapping of the painting. “You're sure you've never seen anything by Kilcullen