The lieutenant governor finally piped up. “Detective Decker, the perpetrator of these horrible murders is not in the country. And as Mr. Kosovsky has pointed out, he has been dealt with. It’s not in anyone’s interest to continue on.”

“You mean it’s not in the interest of New York to continue because the first museum to get a Leonardo exhibit would be the Met. And that would be quite a coup for you, wouldn’t it?”

“Decker, what’s the point?” Radar said. “It’s over. You’re not going to get anyone’s cooperation. So unless you want to go rogue, just put a fork in it.”

“He’s not going rogue,” Rina said.

“Ah, the little lady seems to have a grasp on the situation,” Kosovsky said.

Decker started to boil, but Rina held him back with the palm of her hand. “I can’t control what my husband might do. What woman can? But maybe if you do me a favor, Mr. Kosovsky, I’m betting that Detective Decker might think twice before going to the press.”

“That wouldn’t be wise,” said Agent Blond.

Decker said, “I’m not wise, sir, just practical. And I’m not asking for money or anything illegal, God forbid.”

“Ho-kay,” Kosovsky said. “Let us hear what the little lady wants.”

“It is always wise to let the little lady speak,” Rina said. “I do believe that my husband is right. That you, Mr. Beckwith, must have some great bargaining tool that Russia really wants.”

“And what might that be?”

“Maybe like . . . the original Amber Room. That’s what Detective Decker and Detective McAdams have thought all along.”

Kosovsky tried to hide it, but he looked stunned. When no one answered, she said, “Well, maybe not all twenty-seven cartons. Maybe just a couple of them were magically ‘found’ in America in some unknown warehouse.” Rina made quotes with her fingers. “And as a gesture of goodwill, perhaps the U.S. government has agreed to return a carton or two to Russia in exchange for the willingness of the Hermitage to loan out a Da Vi . . . a Leonardo.”

The room was absolutely silent.

“But that’s just a theory,” Rina said.

Beckwith spoke first. “Mrs. Decker, you can hardly compare the value of a Leonardo with a box of amber from the original Amber Room.”

“Of course there is no comparison in rarity and value. Any Leonardo is priceless and even amber from the original Amber Room isn’t anywhere in that league. But I happen to know that your fearless leader, Mr. Kosovsky, was once the deputy mayor of St. Petersburg. To bring home part of a historical treasure would no doubt endear him to his people. The PR would be enormous.”

“You have still not told us what you want,” Kosovsky said.