Free The Jigsaw Puzzle by Jan Jones

divorce?’
    â€˜Extremely. It helped that Alice didn’t want any suggestion of mud attached to her future MP status. My demands were met almost before I’d made them.’
    Leo’s mouth twisted. ‘Lucky you.’
    Penny felt a clenching sensation in her stomach. ‘I’m sorry. I’d forgotten your separation wasn’t voluntary. Do you ever see your little boy? What’s his name?’
    â€˜Daniel. Yes, every month. It’s not enough.’ He frowned suddenly.
    â€˜What is it?’
    â€˜Nothing. An almost memory, but it’s gone. Anyway, if it wasn’t for Daniel, I’d never want to see Kayleigh again.’ He frowned again. ‘There is something.’ He banged his fist against the wall. ‘Why can’t I remember?’
    â€˜There’s no point getting dramatic over it. Go and ask Alice about her past painters. Take your mind off things.’
    Leo took a deep breath. ‘You’re right. Thanks, Penny.’ He started off in the direction of Alice’s voice, then looked back with an impish smile. ‘I’m quite glad about Julian,’ he said, and vanished.
    Penny stared after him. What was that supposed to mean? She pushed the immediate – rather disturbing – answer away and went to find Rosamund. It had occurred to her that there was something more concrete she could ask.
    Ten minutes later she had the facts. The harbour painting by Ted Edwards had been in a private house in north London. She had the address and she knew when Alice had collected it. Leo could only have seen it there. Would it jerk his memory back to know the name and address of the owner? There was only one way to find out.
    She sat him down at the kitchen table with tea before telling him. And felt a huge whumph of satisfaction as relief flooded into his face.
    â€˜You’re right,’ he breathed. ‘Penny, you’re a total star. I can’t remember the rest of that week, but I did go to Professor McGregor’s house. I was interviewing him about an energy-saving device he’d just patented. There were a number of us there, so I had to wait before seeing him. Edwards’ painting was hanging in the hallway outside his office along with hoards of others. I think the professor used cheap art to cover all the damp patches.’
    Then his eyes unfocussed, his brow creased and he grabbed her hand, hauling her across to the new wing.
    â€˜Hey, the tea will get cold,’ protested Penny. ‘I’ve already seen the painting.’
    â€˜I haven’t,’ said Leo in an odd voice. He stared intently at the painted canvas, at the squashed, naïf waterfront houses and the jostling boats. ‘It’s not the same.’
    Penny felt a wave of pure exasperation. ‘You said you nearly remembered it. You said you recognised the nick in the frame. It was there at Professor McGregor’s house.’
    His eyes were alight with excitement. ‘I did and I do and it was. But this isn’t it. Penny, the paintings have been switched!’

Chapter Four
    Penny stared at Leo. ‘You think this painting is a forgery? That’s impossible. The whole exhibition has been authenticated.’
    â€˜When? After the break-ins or before?’
    Penny spread her hands helplessly. ‘I don’t know. Ask Rosamund. Leo, we can’t say anything about this today. Julian is showcasing a prestigious Art Deco conversion. Alice had the brainwave for the retrospective exhibition. Shouting fake right now would look like sour grapes from a spurned ex-wife. Why do you think this isn’t the original canvas? You’ve only just remembered where you saw it before.’
    Leo jabbed his finger at the painting. ‘The boats in the foreground. Look at the brushstrokes in the oil paint. Most of them had the strokes going horizontally, like planking along the sides of the boat, but this red-hulled one had vertical