Ruby Heist

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His whiney sobs are so convincing you believe he is telling the truth! This poor man has been through so much. He definately needs a change of clothing. You offer to pay for his dry cleaning. [[Interview Corvez]] [[Interview Tomic]] You close the door quietly and leave him in his puddle of depair.

Birm sighs, drying his crocodile tears. “I hid it in a clock. It's in the face of it. Though I can't remember where. It might still be in the shop for repairs or it's returned to the owner. I don't recall his name. You'll have to look through my records in the shop." [[press further]] [[believe]]

The phone line crackles a bit, on the other end of the line is the head of the French Police department. She says that they have a lead on an old case, but not just any case. The missing paintings from the Spiderman of Paris, Vjeran Tomic’s heist in 2010. Though Birm, the clock maker who supposedly last had the paintings, claimed he destroyed them. They got an anonymous tip that the painting "Pastoral" by Henri Matisse, has not been destroyed and is still in Paris. She then says that’s all she can say over the phone, your tickets are booked. Do you accept the case? [[accept the case|sayyes]] [[don't accept the case|deskjockeyhell]]

The clockface is small. You unlatch the glass door and notice there is a whisper of something catching, like a bit of paper caught in a fan. You turn the big grandfather clock around carefully. It's heavy but you've been working out. You open the back to see a small tube of rolled up canvas hidden in the corner of the clock's frame. A small corner has come loose and is touching the clockworks. Huzzah! Triumphantly, you extract what you believe is a hidden treasure. You unroll it to find the beautiful painting by Matisse. [[Keep it for yourself|Secret it away]] [[Return to Paris Police|Turn it in]] <div class="museum-description"> <img src="https://arthive.com/res/media/img/oy800/work/2ed/169486.webp" width=100% height=100% > </div> //Pastoral Date: 1905 Henri Matisse//

Picasso's "Head of a Woman" In 2012, Picasso's "Head of a Woman" was stolen from the National Gallery in Athens, Greece along with Piet Mondrian's painting "Stammer Windmill" (1905) and other works. The paintings were recovered in 2021 from a riverbed near the city after a builder confessed to the theft, according to news reports. The "Head of a Woman" was a Cubist portrait of Picasso's lover Dora Maar, gifted to the Greek people in 1949, according to BBC News. https://bbc.com/news/world-europe-57644846

You enter the room and see a small man shaking in his seat. He's obviously terrified and might need a change of clothing. You wouldn't believe he's been in prison for over five years as he doesn't seem to have toughened up at all. You've heard, however, that Birm can be quite deceptive. Dramatic, even. You sit down across from him. "Birm. I'm aware that you are the last person to have had the paintings. I'm aware that you said that you destroyed them. Is this actually true?" You bluff. You say, "I spoke to the garbage man who was on those rounds. He always checks your garbage for bottles and doesn't recall seeing anything except those and some discarded baguette wrappers." Crying, Birm says, "I did throw them out, he must not have seen them, it was in a moment of panic, I couldn't hold onto them any longer, I'm a simple clockmaker, I didn't want to get involved in any of this. I don't even know why Corvez asked me to help." [[crying he sobs he threw them out|believe him]] [[seeing him peek at you through his tears to see if you believe him, you don't |disbelieve him]]

You open the door and Corvez is sitting there, sipping on his cafe au lait, waiting for me. "Ah, another one. What do you think you'll find this time? Everyone else has failed before you. I'm assuming you are looking for the missing paintings." You sit down across from him and ask him your first question. "How did you meet Tomic?" "We met in 2004, I was an antiques dealer and he was a small time thief, big time art enthusiast. I owned a gallery, you see. I ordered things from Tomic. You could say I asked him to steal for me. I would then sell the goods to a select few clients. We were talking one night and I said, I would love to own a Fernand Léger and Tomic had mentioned he'd been eyeing a few paintings and said that the Museum of Modern Art had a fairly unguarded collection. I told him it would be difficult to move them but I'd pay him handsomely. Unfortunately, the paintings he brought me were too high profile and I couldn't find a buyer, especially with the police investigating so quickly. I gave him much less than what I had originally promised." [[Why'd you stiff Tomic]] [[Who had them last?]]

Tomic rests his arms easily on the table, quite relaxed and ready to talk. He's done many interviews and finds this all quite amusing. "So, they brought in another expert to find the paintings again. Though, I like to believe they are still somewhere out there, I know that Birm panicked and probably destroyed them. He's a bit dramatic." [[How did you break in?]] [[What was your process of getting the paintings out]] [[What happened that night?]]

The false back of the chest in Auguste de Fontaine gallery room is difficult to find at first but seems obvious when you do. You tap gently and out pops a rolled up painting, but not just any paiinting. It's Modigliani's "Woman with a Fan" instead of the original piece you were searching for! Auguste de Fonatine peeks his head around the corner, "Ah, that chest was a gift from Corvez before he went to prison, I had no idea that was in there. I wonder if there are other art pieces scattered about in here. He was pretty devious to plant that on me." [[The Art World Rejoices]] <div class="museum-description"> <img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Amedeo_Modigliani%2C_1919%2C_Woman_with_a_Fan%2C_oil_on_canvas%2C_100_x_65_cm%2C_Mus%C3%A9e_d%27Art_Moderne_de_la_Ville_de_Paris.jpg" width=100% height=100% > </div> //Woman with a Fan Date: 1919 Artist: Amedeo Modigliani (1884–1920)//

After a less than thorough search, you decide to take a few steps back and gather your thoughts on the banks of the Seine with your new friends. [[French French Fries]]

You quickly tuck the roll into your trenchcoat's secret inner pocket. You can assume what you like, reader. It's all downhill from here.

<div class="museum-description"> <img src="https://images.metmuseum.org/CRDImages/ad/original/DP215410.jpg" width="750" height="450" > //The grand halls of The Metropolitan Museum stretch before you as you view Emanuel Leutze's 1851 "Washington Crossing the Delaware", their marble floors echoing with the footsteps of countless visitors who have come to admire the masterpieces kept safely inside...// </div> <div class="decorative-border"></div> You've been given the chance at a new case. As a respected Art Crime Detective, some of your solved cases were the recovery of Picasso's "Head of a Woman" and Piet Mondrian's "Windmill" but you weren't able to retrieve the Caccia sketch as the builder flushed it down the toilet before the police arrested him. If only they hadn't been so indelicate with their inquiries. <div class="decorative-border"></div> Your phone buzzes. Another case awaits... [[Answer the Call|Conversation1]] [[Review Previous Cases|HistoricalCaseFiles]]

With the treasured masterpiece tucked safely away, you call Bernard for backup and the Paris Police arrive to question Auguste de Fontaine to see if he had any prior knowledge of this. Your job is done. You found what you were looking for. Your reward will be substantial and you will be remembered forever as the Art Dectective who cracked the case. [[The Art World Rejoices]]

When you don't accept the case, she sounds very annoyed. Your boss comes by to tell you that you need to move your stuff to the desk in Archives. This is where you will work from now on. [[sent to archives to sit forever in the dust of old files|sit]] [[really? rethink decision|sayyes]]

// You get to the airport. It's a red eye flight, late departure/early arrival. Only coffee and pastries were going to get you through this. // When we land in Paris we are met by two detectives, Detective Camille Beaulieu and Detective Theodore Bernard. They are specialists in the field of stolen masterpieces. They are holding a sign with your name on it [[go with them]] <div class="museum-description"> <img src="https://www.artic.edu/iiif/2/8574f0a6-8713-bd6e-0f22-29af8894c36c/full/843,/0/default.jpg" width=100% height=100% ></div> //Street in Paris Date:1914 Artist: Maurice Utrillo French, 1883–1955//

You enter a bulletproof car, the kind that officials ride in. Detective Theodore Bernard sits beside you and Detective Camille Beaulieu sits in the front, the driver is an old man named Francis Laurent. Bernard is explaining that they couldn't tell you about all the case details on the plane because of how highly classified they are. They then start explaining the case briefly. [[Case information]]

You awaken to a bright light and a shout of surprise. Everyone is happy to see you. We will never know if you actually become an Art Theft Detective.

"All my bags are packed Ready to go I'm standin' here outside your door I hate to wake you up to say goodbye But the dawn is breakin' It's early morn The taxi's waitin' He's blowin' his horn.." Thanks John Denver for setting the mood. [[flight to Paris|flight]]

This is a dead end. Literally. You meet Death. He's chill, he brought curry and his favourite street cat. His intern Mort shakes his head at you while taking a seat. Your conversation goes something like this: "So, you chose this," Death makes a grand creaky gesture with his bony arm, sweeping through the air, "over jetsetting to Paris on a case that hasn't been completely solved?" As you open your mouth to speak, you realize you've been here for 40 years and that your sad excuse for an existance is coming to an end. I mean really, who sees Death for a casual cup of tea? "Well, I guess that's where the cookie crumbles." Death says while he nibbles at one of the cookies you gave him to go with his tea. The lights go out. [[Choose to start over|reborn]]

Your eyes narrow, you don't think this adds up. You think maybe you need to try a stronger approach. [[Press him for the truth]] [[Go interview Birm|Interview Birm]] [[Go interview Tomic|Interview Tomic]]

"I know there's more to this story than you are telling me," You say. You try a more convincing approach. [[Go out and get Bernard]]

It smells of people, sanatizer, sweat and despair. This is no Norweigan prison. It's crowded, hot and angry. You leave Bernard waiting outside the room and go into a little interrogation room and there, sitting in the chair is....... [[Interview Tomic]] [[Interview Corvez]] [[Interview Birm]]

You decide to go to the Museum and interview the guard who worked there the night of the robbery. You walk in and see it's..Francis Laurent?? The Driver?? Woah, why is he here? You sit down to ask him some questions. [[Why do you work two jobs as a driver and a museum guard?]] [[How old are you really?]] [[How did you not hear what was happening during the robbery?]] [[I'm kinda hungry, do you want fries?]]

You arrive at Headquarters for the Paris Police and are immediately treated to the best expresso you've ever had. Someone hands you a sticky pastry and you wait in a meeting room for someone to bring you to the Head of the Department of Art Investigations. [[See Head of Department]]

You hunt around the room and come across something that seems familiar. A logical place to look might be the chest and you hear a loud ticking that draws your attention. Which place should you search? Roll for Investigation [[Check the clockface]] [[Check the Chest]] <div class="museum-description"> <img src="https://www.artic.edu/iiif/2/d6d442e8-4c4c-75d1-4e1a-06e536fabd4d/full/843,/0/default.jpg" width=100% height=100% > </div> //Vuillard’s Room at the Château des Clayes Date: c. 1932 Artist: Édouard Vuillard (French, 1868-1940))//

Now that you all are eating fries and drinking wine by the Siene you proceed to ask Francis your burning questions. [[How did you not hear what was happening during the robbery?]] [[Why do you work two jobs as a driver and a museum guard?]] <div class="museum-description"> <img src="https://www.artic.edu/iiif/2/342fcf65-bbb3-a609-32d0-ef5462081ec0/full/843,/0/default.jpg" width=100% height=100% > </div> //Seine and Pont Royal Date: 1905–10 Artist: Henri-Eugène Le Sidaner (French, 1862–1939)//

He frowns. "You have no manners like the rest of the hoolagins of this generation." [[I need it for the file]] [[I apologize, let's move on]]

You move uncomfortably in your chair. "I'm sorry, that question was a bit presumptive. Let's move on..." [[How did you not hear what was happening during the robbery?]] [[Why do you work two jobs as a driver and a museum guard?]]

He sighs. "I'm..." A janitor walks by pushing an extremely squeaky mop bucket. You are unable to hear what he says. Not wanting this to take up anymore time you simply write down "unknown". [[How did you not hear what was happening during the robbery?]] [[Why do you work two jobs as a driver and a museum guard?]]

His face starts looking like an old lemon. "well you are a disrespectful little brat who doesnt know how to communicate with other people" [[Okay i think we're just hangry|I'm kinda hungry, do you want fries?]]

You go out and get Bernard. You say quietly, "Bernard, I need you in the room with me. I know he's lying and I want to put the pressure on." Bernard nods seriously, "Good Cop, Bad Cop? Just like in the movies? N'est pas?" [[Good cop. bad cop]] [[Go get coffee and let Corvez stew]] [[Repeat the same question until he confesses]]

You and Bernard are quite the team. You take the role of Bad Cop while Bernard takes the role of good cop. He offers Corvez another coffee and a danish he had in his pocket. It's warm, slightly flat, yet still delicious. This is definately going like in the movies. Scowling, you say, "That's enough of this tea party. We need answers and we need them now. If you don't spill the beans Big Guy, we will find all of your offshore accounts and donate them to charity. You better fess up." Corvez raises an eyebrow, "I don't know half of what you just said but it sounded good. I know you don't make much money and I feel sorry for you. I'll give you the name of someone whose artwork you might want to look at." He gives you the name of one of his former associates. Auguste de Fontaine, a famous art collector and suspected hobby pickpocketer. [[Go to Auguste de Fontaine's Chateau]]

As you get coffee with Bernard you bump into Francis, your driver. "Hi Francis, what are you doing up here?" "Ah hello, I was just visiting an old friend. I was about to go get some lunch, care to join me? I could answer your questions while we eat." [[French French Fries]]

You grab the nearest acoustic guitar and sing a loud nonsense song directly behind Corvez while Bernard glares at both of you. "Tell us where you hid them!!!!" "Where, oh where, did you hide them?" "What is it going to take? You must tell us where you hid them" "Hey, Corvez, wake up, where did you hide the paintings?" [[Where did you hide them]]

The head is this fabulously dressed, dark haired woman with paintings on the walls of her office. "I've been expecting you." She taps a well manicured finger on a stack of files. "These will give you all the background you need. We have been searching for the remaining paintings for years now and haven't found any new information. It's like tuer un âne à coups de figues, no? It would be useful, I suppose, to go to the prison to interrogate the suspects or you could check the museum." You meet Bernard outside the door. "Let's go, I have some inquiries to make." [[Prison Interrogations]] [[Go to Museum]] <div class="museum-description"> <img src="https://www.artic.edu/iiif/2/6cb22407-be79-bf0a-1a63-fdf2b99e035b/full/843,/0/default.jpg" width=100% height=100% > </div> //Terrace and Observation Deck at the Moulin de Blute-Fin, MontmartreDate: Early 1887 Artist: Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890)//

"Like I said, it took a few weeks. I scratched off the paint to discover the rusty screws, I removed one a night until finally all of the screws were off the window. I filled the holes with putty and paint and I'm surprised nobody noticed. I thought for sure the guards saw me once or twice. I certainly saw them (chuckles) and I made sure to avoid their rounds. I found the security of this amazing museum rather lax. It was the perfect setup and I was motivated." [[How did you transport and hide them]] [[What was your process of getting the paintings out]] [[What happened that night?]]

"I took the frames off the walls and moved them back over the window, climbing out, bringing them one by one out to lean against the wall across the street and behind a wall. I then removed them from the frames, I don't cut them, these are valuable! I rolled them up and put them in the trunk of my car. I pulled over and waited until the morning rush and disappeared into the traffic. While waiting, I sat in the back seat of my car admiring the beauty of these great works." [[How did you break in?]] [[What happened that night?]] [[How did you transport and hide them]]

"I was well prepared as I had taken weeks to meticulously set up the window extraction, I knew the guards' schedules, I had taken every precaution. This was going to be my finest hour. When opening the window, it popped, making a loud sound like a gunshot. I thought for sure I was going to get caught then, but nobody came! I crept in. One by one, I removed the paintings that Corvez had told me to get. See I was doing this for the money, but that all fell apart quickly after the heist." [[How did you break in?]] [[How did you transport and hide them]] [[What was your process of getting the paintings out]]

"I went to Corvez and gave him the paintings and he told me that he would be in touch soon. After weeks of waiting, I got barely half of what he promised. Believe me, when I was promised over $100,000 francs per painting, I was shocked at how little he could give me. I was also in hiding at that point as I'd been arrested previously for small burgleries and was afraid I might be identified as a suspect. I wanted to buy a boat and leave France forever and start a new life. Maybe as an artist." "I'm afraid that is all the information I can offer, the paintings were out of my hands at that point." He sighs deeply, with regret. [[Go to Museum]] [[Interview Corvez]] [[Interview Birm]]

You head to Auguste de Fontaine’s Chateau. After knocking on his door he answers, smiling. “I’ve been expecting you” He shows you to a little room that looks like a treasure trove of masterpieces. This could rival any public art gallery. [[Searching]] <div class="museum-description"> <img src="https://www.artic.edu/iiif/2/d4bc1723-7cbc-d36d-a9cb-f84553f2a6f6/full/843,/0/default.jpg" width=100% height=100% > </div> //The Poet’s Garden Date: 1888 Artist: Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890)//

You open the door to the little shop. It smells of wood, age and oil. It's dark. You try the light switch and it works. It's not well lit except at the back of the shop where you can see a file cabinet. There, you open the cabinet and spot two files, one marked 2010 and another marked, Outstanding accounts. You pull them out and fan the contents on the workbench. A puff of dust floats up and Bernard has to leave the room sneezing for a moment. You flip through the pages. You see a Journal of Sales and a Diary. You ask Bernard to check all the clocks in the shop. [[Check his journal of sales]] [[Check the clocks]] [[Check his diary]]

Here you locate the address for Auguste de Fontaine's Chateau. You hand Bernard a hanky and tell him it's time to go. You return the files, lock the door and tell Francis where to go. [[Go to Auguste de Fontaine's Chateau]]

Bernard does not find anything unusual in the clocks. He continues to sneeze as each clock puffs out more disappointment. [[Check his diary]] [[Check his journal of sales]]

You find an entry where he says something almost legible about the face of a clock that he repaired for Auguste de Fontaine. [[Check his journal of sales]]

He pauses a beat too long. "No, no of course not." You narrow your eyes. [[This is not on the record but were you an accomplice?]]

"No No of course not, that would break the code of the guard!" [[Believe Francis Laurent]] [[Disbelieve Francis Laurent]]

You nod, why would he lie? That was a silly question. [[Do you have a suspicion of where the paintings went?]]

You pepper him with more detailed questions. He begins to show signs of cracking. You might be close to a breakthrough! You lean in close enough to smell the remenants of an old cigar and coffee on his breath. You whisper..... [[You won't get charged for telling me, it's our little secret]]

He looks down "No, it is a tragedy indeed, those poor paintings..." You finish your conversation and he takes on a tour of the Museum and shows you his favourite painting. [[Prison Interrogations]] <div class="museum-description"> <img src="https://www.artic.edu/iiif/2/6752a744-3895-a97e-32b1-259490c43907/full/843,/0/default.jpg" width=100% height=100% > </div> //The Prison Date: 1918 Artist: Mstislav Valerianovic Dobuzinskij Russian, 1875-1957//

Huzzah! the Mystery has been solved! You have found the stolen art piece and returned it to the Art World, you've collected your due, you've returned home a hero and your life will never be the same again. Perhaps you can solve the next missing art mystery. <div class="museum-description"> <img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/View_of_Auvers-sur-Oise_Paul_Cezanne.png/1024px-View_of_Auvers-sur-Oise_Paul_Cezanne.png" width=100% height=100% > </div> //View of Auvers-sur-Oise by Cézanne//

Roll for persuasion [[Roll|Succeed]] [[Roll|Fail]]

He frowns, "Like I said, I was not involved." Francis gave you some useful information but not a ton. You decide to head to the Prison to interview the men responsible for these thefts. [[Prison Interrogations]]

He looks around carefully. "Alright, I had a part in it." You get highly useful information from Francis. He says that he stowed a painting away in the back of an old chest at Auguste de Fontaine's Chateau. It was the perfect cover. Corvez gave it to the man as a gift, as they were both art enthusiasts. [[Go to Auguste de Fontaine's Chateau]]

Your incredible guitar playing drives him mad. Bernard is barely holding it together, Corvez is crying out in pain. "YES YES I KNOW WHERE ONE IS!!" He gives you the name of one of his former associates. Auguste de Fontaine, a famous art collector and suspected hobby pickpocketer. [[Go to Auguste de Fontaine's Chateau]]

Corvez pauses "Birm. Of course. Isn't this in your case file?" "Yes," you say, "I just don't think they are complete. There's alot of moving pieces and I'm not sure everyone is telling the truth." [[disbelieve Corvez]] [[believe Corvez]]

"What can I say, no buyer, no money!" [[Who had them last?]]

You sigh, frustrated and defeated. You decide to go interview someone else. [[Interview Birm]] [[Interview Tomic]]

You look over at Bernard with a sour look on your face. "I'll go get the lie detector." Birm turns pale. "Wait wait, okay his name is Auguste de Fontaine. This is his adress" [[Go to Auguste de Fontaine's Chateau]]

You decide to belive him and take Bernard to go to Birm's clockmaker shop. [[Go to Clockmaker's shop]]

“So, our three criminals are Tomic, Birm and Corvez. Vjeran Tomic aka the Spiderman of Paris, he could parkour up the tallest buildings, jump and sneak his way into houses, take the goods and vanish. He was able to get the paintings out in record time the night of the heist, his way of breaking in was genius. Our next criminal is gallery and art dealer Jean Michel Corvez. He would “order” things from Tomic, the art heist was his final job for him. Though in the end, Tomic wasnt paid nearly what he was promised. Finally we have Yonathan Birn, the last person to see the paintings and have them in his possession. He claims to have destroyed and thrown them away but the case just doesn’t add up!” Bernard explains They then give you a choice; either you can go to the museum and talk to the guard that was working there that night, or go to headquarters and talk to the Principal Investigator. [[Go to Museum]] [[Go to Headquarters]]

"Well I had just gotten off a double shift and I was pretty tired so I decided to listen to Eric Satie and relax with my feet on the desk. My desk was on the opposite side of the museum where Tomic broke in but it wasn't my turn to walk the route that night. On other nights, when he was removing the glass from the window, I wasn't here." You lean in, give a sly wink and say: [[This is not on the record but were you an accomplice?]]

Because, life is exciting, just like breaking into the Musée d'Art Moderne. You know? [[Do you have another secret life?]] [[This is not on the record but were you an accomplice?]]

[[Goes to Mcdonalds with Francis|French French Fries]]

Roll for Investigation. [[Roll|Find it]] [[Roll|You don't find anything of note.]]

Roll for Investigation. [[Roll|You don't find anything of note.]] [[Roll|Find Modigliani's "Woman with a Fan"]]