Nick nodded. “It could be more if the provenance of the painting can be established. A painting created after the same expedition, of about the same size and condition, sold for more than $1.4 million dollars at a recent auction. Albert Bierstadt may have been all but forgotten at the time of his death but, since the 1960s, his work has become highly sought after.”
“Where is the painting now?” Hannah asked.
“It is still in New York City. Before it was transported, Pat requested that it stay with Liliana until she completed her report. Have you spoken to Pat today?”
“I saw him at the hospital,” Brett said. “He was shocked and excited to know the painting was a Bierstadt. Ida’s still in the Intensive Care Unit. I don’t know what Pat will want to do with the painting.”
“There is no rush,” Nick assured him. “Liliana is storing the painting in a secure, temperature-controlled environment. It will be safe with her.”
Hannah gave Nick a hug. “Thank you for going to all this trouble for Pat.”
“It was not just Pat I did this for. I wanted to see the smile on your face when you discovered the painting was a Bierstadt. But there is no smile, Hannah. What is wrong?”
She bit her bottom lip and gripped the report even tighter. “I’m tired, Nick. It’s been a stressful few weeks.”
“Mia said you have been working on a celebrity wedding?”
“I don’t know about celebrity, but it will be big.” She glanced at Brett. “We should probably go now. Pat will want to see the report.”
Nick gave her another hug. “You come and see me, Hannah. We have much to discuss.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I will. I’ll give you a call next week.”
“Make sure you do.” Nick shook Brett’s hand. “It was good seeing you again. Please pass on my best wishes to Pat and Ida. It must be a difficult time for everyone.”
Brett nodded. “I will. Thank you for the report and for seeing us this late.”
“I would do the same for any of my friends.” Nick walked them to the front door. With a worried frown, he turned to Hannah. “I will be waiting for your call.”
“I won’t forget.” Hannah waved goodbye and tightened the belt on her jacket. Now all she had to do was make it home before she burst into tears.
***
Brett turned into Hannah’s street. The journey to her home had been just as silent as going to Nick’s gallery. He didn’t know what to say, how to salvage anything from a night he’d sooner forget.
“Thanks for coming to the gallery with me,” Hannah said quietly. “And I’m sorry…about everything else.”
His hands gripped the steering wheel. “You’ve made your choice. I hope everything works out for you.”
“I won’t know unless I try.”
He took a deep breath. “I know painting is important to you. I’m just disappointed that you didn’t see a future for us. We could have had something special.”
He looked across the cab.
Hannah was staring out the side window. Even in profile, she was the most beautiful women he’d ever met.
“If you decide that living in a big city isn’t for you, you could always come back to Bozeman.”
She looked down at her hands. “I’ll miss you, Brett. More than you probably realize.”
“I’ll miss you, too.” He blinked through the tears in his eyes. With a glance in his rearview mirror, he pulled into Hannah’s driveway. He stared through his windshield at the dark house in front of them. “Was Claire coming straight home?”
Hannah pulled her phone out of her pocket. “That was the plan. I tried calling her before we left the hotel, but she wasn’t answering. I’ll call her again.”
Brett unbuckled his seatbelt and waited for Hannah.
“There’s still no answer.”
