Elton Smith had a special talent for painting, but he preferred to devote himself to the restoration of valuable works of art. Although he was not famous, it generated better financial returns. His work was done with passion and devotion. However, in this restricted field of work, he was able to obtain, with tenacity, a select clientele. The same would lead him to other instances ......
He had already been a restorer of works of art for years when his fame reached the royal palaces. One day the English Royal Household entrusted him with a job, which consisted of restoring a Renaissance painting. Mr. Smith went to the Palace, examined the work and was sincere, did not give the Queen much hope, and made it clear to her:
-Your Majesty, I sense that it is a painting that has been passed down from generation to generation, but it would take a long time to restore it to its original beauty. I don't know how long exactly, it could be 3 years. The only thing I offer is that I would try, because of the great value it represents for the royal family.
His Majesty accepted the offer and told him to start as soon as possible.
This was done. After 4 years the work was completely restored. The payment received for fees was excellent; moreover, the Queen in gratitude granted him the title of Lord. From now on he would be Lord Elton Smith.
The artistic talent continued to run in the Smith family. Already, in the fourth generation, a group of descendants moved to Surinam and Argentina, where they were known as excellent restorers and painters. In England there remained some sculptors and, some swindlers of fine lineage. Tom Smith belonged to the latter group. Something unthinkable for the late Lord Elton Smith, an honest and honest man.
Tom was known as "the full moon impressionist hound" because he stole French paintings of that era. His greatest misdeeds were always carried out during the full moon.
Tom fondly recalls that during the full moon, his mother, Eve Marie, was transformed. She was blissful; she would transfer all her energy into making sketches for her future paintings. She knew that the full moon brought good luck and prosperity into her life. Tom was always captivated by this and was marked by it........
Middle-aged and very attractive, he remained single. His friend and psychologist, Jackie Jones, was his confidant; although no one suspected anything. .....
This time he would have to be more cautious in carrying out his colorful pranks, as he called them. The police were very close and he knew it. He had never been caught, he always got away with it.
He moved to France. He already has in his possession one of the famous paintings, by Pierre Renoir, the Moulin of the Galette. But he had to figure out how he would get it out of the country. He came up with a plan. He had very good employees. Fine artist Deborah, daughter of Philip Harrison, was one of them.
Her father, Tom's faithful servant, was arrested and sentenced to prison for art forgery. Philip could not stand the confinement and died in prison, of a fulminant heart attack. Deborah is left an orphan with no family but Tom. He receives her in his house and takes care of her as if she were his own daughter. She would be in charge of making the contacts to get the work out of the country without arousing suspicion.
To do so, they would have several meetings to mislead the police. But, in the meantime, a spectacular woman appears in his life and captivates him, as no other had done before...... He had to be cautious. He finds out and it turns out to be Caroline Reynolds, an undercover detective, who was aiming to catch, in the midst of his misdeeds, the elusive Tom. He doesn't care. He had never felt the way he felt about that woman.......
The audacious Tom decides to continue the relationship. They take a trip to the Cayman Islands. Tom carries among his belongings fake paintings to throw Caroline off the scent. They arrive at Paradise Mansion, owned by Tom. Caroline is stunned. Passion is unleashed..... One night, Caroline, to test Tom's character, decides to light a bonfire on the beach; she would burn one of the paintings..... Tom doesn't even flinch. He smiles. The next day they would return to Paris. They would continue their passion without realizing that they were both falling in love.......
He speaks to Jackie in Paris. He tells her everything. She warns him to be careful, to think well..... and they say goodbye. They don't know when they will see each other again. Tom plans to pull off a heist that week at the Louvre Museum.
In the meantime, Caroline goes to the Police Department; fulfilling her mission she supplies them with some information about Tom's plan. At the same time she thinks about the proposition ...... of eloping together after the hit. She starts to collect her belongings from her workplace. At that moment, his dear cop friend, Albert Eisenhower, hands her some compromising photos of Tom with Deborah. She sees them. She hides her anger....... She leaves the office. She decides to go to Tom's house.
The butler Paul greets her, tells her to wait as he is in a very important meeting. She is furious, she goes to the master bedroom. There she finds them together.....sale running. Tom goes after her to explain but she doesn't listen to him.
Although Tom is clear about his feelings, he takes precautions...... He senses that Caroline would betray him; he decides to change plans, on the day of the theft he would return the original painting to the Museum.
Caroline heads back to the Police Department. She supplies the entire plan Tom has. The Special Department plans the ambush on the famous con man. They all leave for the Louvre Museum. The opening of an exhibition of impressionist art was to be held there. They all take their positions. They see on the screens when Tom enters the museum with a briefcase. They coordinate...., they lose track of Tom. The fire alarm sounds. In the Museum everything is closed to protect the works of art. The police run....... directly to where the famous work is located. They see nothing. Suddenly the drizzle of water, falling to put out the fire, falls on the painting and.....slowly the original painting is uncovered.....Everyone sees on the screens what has happened. Caroline realizes her mistake, Tom planned everything perfectly. She slyly leaves the premises, thinking that she still has time to meet Tom. Outside is Detective Eisenhower, he wishes her luck.
Caroline takes a cab, instructs him to go in a hurry. She arrives at the airport. She sees the butler. He greets her and says:
-Mrs. Caroline, Tom told me to deliver this to you personally.
She receives a leather briefcase. She thanks him. I lost it..... she thinks. She opens the briefcase and .....! surprise! it contained the original painting Dancers rehearsing, by Edgardo Degas. A work that she liked very much because it reminded her of her ballet studies. Without thinking about it, she ran to deliver it to the Police Department. There she is again congratulated. She says goodbye .....
She decides to go to the airport again. Impulsively she buys a ticket to Hungary, quickly boards the plane. Halfway across the plane, she looks up at ........ and there is Tom. She gets up, insults him but.....Tom gives her a passionate kiss......From another seat a voice with an Italian accent is heard, bravo, bravo, bravissimo......Everyone applauds.
Full moon impressionist hound © 2021 by María del Carmen Sánchez