All-Round Appraiser Q: The Eyes of Mona Lisa Page #4

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You were a threat...

...to our plan.

By degrading your abilities...

...we could have you disqualified.

Why?

You and the entire world have been taken in...

...by the Louvre.

We didn't steal the Mona Lisa.

We returned it.

Returned it?

There it is.

The Mona Lisa that is now

in the museum vault...

...is the real one.

103 years ago, the Mona Lisa was stolen.

It was said to have been

safely returned to the Louvre.

But that was a lie.

Now we've set that right.

I'm sure you know...

...about the theft of the Mona Lisa

in 1911.

A former Louvre employee...

...named Vincenzo Peruggia

was commissioned to steal it.

He concealed it in his apartment and waited.

His client was a man who posed as a Marquis.

This man never appeared to take the Mona Lisa.

He had a different motive.

He wanted the Mona Lisa to have been stolen.

As long as it was missing...

...he could go on

selling counterfeit versions.

Finally Peruggia lost patience,

tried to sell it, and was caught.

The painting was returned to the Louvre.

Or so they said.

The one he tried to sell was a fake.

The real Mona Lisa remained

where he had hidden it...

...and went to his children.

That is the truth.

And who can prove that?

A descendant of the man who stole it.

You mean...

...the fake Richard Bret?

He's related to Peruggia?

You saw the back of the Mona Lisa...

...on the pillar?

'H29,' it said.

The real one has something else entirely.

Just a minute.

Let's check again.

Open it.

What them?!

The back of the real Mona Lisa says '1503'.

It bears the salamander crest

of the Valois dynasty...

...and the motto of Francois I.

That is the truth,

published in an Italian newspaper...

...on August 7th, 1910.

Couldn't the Marquis have planted

that story to sell more fakes?

I'm afraid not.

The article came

more than a year before the theft.

The original was still in the Louvre...

...and no one dreamed it would be stolen.

There was no point in writing a fake article.

The Marquis could have been

planning the theft...

...and bribed a journalist to write one.

Why would he need to do that?

When that article appeared, the Louvre

had never said what was on the back.

The Marquis wouldn't have known

what was there until it was stolen.

He'd need to spread false information

about what was on the back.

The Louvre would have noticed.

Why didn't they say anything?

They wanted to keep it a secret

to guard against forgeries.

Forgers who saw the fake article

would put '1503' on the back.

The Louvre would know at once

this was a forgery.

So they kept quiet.

But once the painting had been stolen...

...everyone believed that phoney article.

The Marquis took in the whole world

with his scheme.

No!

You two as well.

No! You don't understand!

Ms Ryusenji, I'm appalled you would do this.

The Mona Lisa...

...where is it?

Mr Ogasawara? Where are you?

I'm chasing after the Mona Lisa!

The Mona Lisa?

What's happened?

Mr Ogasawara?

Mr Ogasawara?!

What's wrong?

Where are you?!

So it's you...

We're going to burn the fake...

...and set history right.

That's the real one!

They're going to burn the Mona Lisa!

They're crazy!

Misa! Where is the Mona Lisa?

We are not mistaken!

Can you trace that call?

There's not enough time.

We're ready. What about him'?

I have an idea. Bring him.

I left him 20 minutes ago.

The call was 47 seconds.

I'm chasing after the Mona Lisa!

That sound...

That music...

It's masking.

Sorry?

It's to mask the sound of a high-speed motor.

Like in a high-speed elevator.

A high-rise, at least 40 storeys,

within 20 minutes of here!

How do you know?

Trust her.

Hey, look...

This is the world's greatest painting!

We have no choice.

The call lasted 47 seconds.

That's time to go up 40 floors.

He'd gone after the thieves 20 minutes before.

How far can you drive in that time?

20 minutes?

Can we check them all?

That'll take time.

The button...

That man helped you...

...and you fell in love.

The Teiko Hotel!

The Teiko Hotel isn't that high.

We'll find it from there.

Let's go.

But...

What's going on?

One button...

...on her Savile Row jacket

is slightly different.

They're all buffalo horn, but one of them...

...has been replaced.

Only a very prestigious hotel

would be able to do that.

The only hotel in Japan

whose laundry could do it...

...is the Teiko.

So they were here last night.

Check the guest-room garbage.

Why?

They keep it for 24 hours as a special service.

But...

Do as she says, please!

Where's your garbage?

Garbage?

Yes.

Find their room number!

Here!

This is the end.

We need a clue here. Hurry!

Sit here and witness history.

'Kachidoki'...

'Kachidoki'...'Kachidoki'...

'Kachidoki'...

These receipts say 'Kachidoki'.

'Kachidoki'?

Is there a high-rise around here by that name?

Where's that map?!

The map!

Here!

'Kachidoki'...

Here.

Call it in!

Go!

There!

Oh, no!

Let's go!

Hurry!

Hurry!

Through there!

Lock!

Please!

H's open!

Mr Ogasawara!

Mr Ogasawara!

The Mona Lisa...

It can't be!

The Mona Lisa!

Hey...

Ms Rinda...

...do you remember the 12 Mona Lisas

from that last test appraisal?

This...

...was put there so I'd know which was which.

This is a fake from that test.

It's got...

...the letters we put in the eye to fool you.

That isn't the one I took from the museum.

What?!

That means...

...he's got the real one.

What do you mean?

He used your hatred of forgeries...

...to deceive you.

He burned this picture...

...to getaway with the real one.

So...

...where's the Mona Lisa?

Where is it?!

Excuse me.

Hey!

Ow!

Careful!

I'm OK.

Look!

'Port of Yokohama'...

Everything gels X-rayed there.

They can't hide a picture.

Yes, they can.

HOW'?

The way the Louvre did.

They'll pay a huge ransom.

We're ready.

Time to go.

Riko?

It's over.

This last four years...

...may have all been a fake...

...but for me it was real.

I still believe that.

You probably don't understand.

I can't appraise someone's heart...

...but I'm certain your love of art...

...is genuine.

Here they are!

We'll find the real one.

Get those posters out.

Wail! I can't have you damaging it.

Leave it to us. We're in a hurry.

Let us find it.

It won't take long.

The two of us will pick it out.

Just open the crates, very carefully.

I don't deserve to do that.

We'll return the real Mona Lisa.

Isn't that...

...what you wanted?

Please.

I think it's that one, too.

Take it out. Carefully.

That's it!

Someday...

...let's work together again.

Didn't Mr Asahina invite you

to be a curator again?

No, thanks.

I prefer having my own office.

You got your Omega out of hock.

Thanks to you.

Good photographs, and a good article.

The first time my editor's said that.

Good.

Oh, I almost forgot...

I'm still wondering...

...what 'Q' stands for.

I've thought about it. I think maybe...

...it means...

...'Queen'?

Not telling.

What's so funny?

I'm just glad to see you back to your old self.

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