“I’m talking to you about it. I’m being very up-front.”

“We’re the only gallery in the family. And since I didn’t steal them, I have no idea who is calling the shots.”

“Okay. Let’s put that aside for a moment. If the guy hired out, who would he hire?”

“Obviously someone who could do stained glass. Or maybe he’d hire someone who would hire someone who could do stained glass.”

“Put a little distance between him and the theft.”

“Exactly. From the looks of the pieces, I’d say maybe it’s a hobbyist or an art student.”

Decker nodded but didn’t say anything. It very well could be a student who was hard up for money. “Do you know which institutions teach stained glass?”

“All the art schools I would imagine. What about Littleton in the Five Colleges? That’s in your own backyard.”

“It’s on my list. But as you so aptly pointed out, I may also be looking for a dealer. If you could give me a list of dealers with . . . how can I put it . . . questionable morals . . . maybe you’ve heard some rumors for instance?”

“You always hear rumors. We’re in a venal business.”

Decker laughed. “Anything that you could do to help me would be appreciated. In the meantime, I still have to run down the list of family members.”

“Even though you don’t think any of them had anything to do with it.”

“I have to keep an open mind. Maybe someone in the family teamed up with a dealer for quick cash.”

“I don’t see it. I can’t even see Melanie doing that. She isn’t capable of that much executive planning. Besides, her husband makes a fortune.”

“What does he do?”

“Hedge fund. They did very well last year. I should know. I have money with him. And I know that Rick got a huge bonus.”

“Okay . . . so let’s leave the family aside for a moment. I want to go back to art thefts. Is that a problem for you—people breaking into your gallery?”

“Not yet, thank God. My security is excellent!”

“What about thefts from other galleries in the area?”

“You mean like Mark Lugo?”

“Who’s he?”

“He lifted a Fernand Léger from a local gallery in the Carlyle. Wasn’t the first time he stole. He lifted a Picasso in San Francisco.”

“He was a dealer who sold the pieces for profit?”

“No he was a sommelier who kept the paintings in his apartment in New Jersey.”

“A sommelier?”

“Yes, and I bet he had an extensive wine collection as well. That one popped into my mind because it’s recent, but there are probably dozens of them. You can probably look up gallery thefts on the Internet.”

“Getting back to our case. What about other thefts from graveyards or mausoleums?”