The Mysterious Masterpiece

Everyone called them 'Three Musketeers'-indeed, they were; there wouldn't be a single day when they didn't show up at Thomas' Cabin at the outskirt of the town and talked over almost everything- from education to politics; sports to tv series....Tom, Paul and Mina, all of them were studying in Harvard; Tom was a book-worm while Mina was managing her studies coupled with a number of extra-curriculars; among them Paul was a little bit different, more like a 'Sherlock Holmes' type of guy who used to say

" Mystery follows me wherever I go", " You mean we go, right?", Mina used to say mocking him and the bibliophile used to smile holding either a science magazine or a news paper.

*********

On a bright Sunday morning, Mina called the other two in her house;

"I've got something to show you, come at once" she said but didn't reveal much.

When they got to her house, she took them upstairs and unlocked a room,

"This is my new studio",

the room was stuffed with many beautiful paintings some of which were drawn by Mina herself;

"Did you call us only to show the paintings that we have already seen?" Tom yawned;

"Obviously not, hold on", Mina said; in the mean time, Paul approached Mina's study table and picked up a card,

"The Hamilton House Art Shop", he read out loud; Mina and Tom both looked at him;

"Did you find mystery in that card?", Tom asked;

"The card tells me that Mina is going to show us a newly bought painting";

"You're amazing Paul, but how?" Mina looked astonished;

"Well, it's very easy; you don't leave things on the table if not used recently; that means you went to the shop; and as far as I know; you never return with an empty hand from an art shop";

" Oh detective, you never miss a thing, but where is the masterpiece?", Tom enquired;

"Wait a minute", Mina went to the wardrobe and opened it; she took out a frame wrapped with a finely decorated paper",

"Here it is";

" I wonder if I've seen a woman who keeps paintings in the wardrobe", Tom jokingly said;

"Yeah, that's me, now focus here".

Mina unwrapped the paper and made it visible in front of them; it was a painting of a mother and a child; the boys kept staring at the picture,

"Spectacular, mesmerizing, splendid", Tom kept on praising; Paul was looking over it silently; even Mina who was seeing it for a second time couldn't resist her bewilderment.

"It's amazing, no doubt", Paul remarked;

"Doesn't it remind of those famous Italian painters?" Mina eagerly asked;

" Da Vinci, Raphael, Giotto, Botticelli", Tom murmured; "Yeah", Paul said;

"Are you guys saying that this painting has a touch of Renaissance?",Tom rolled his eyes;

"Definitely, watch it carefully, the way the painter has tried to depict humanism through the mother and the child is proving my words", Mina said;

"Not only that, the artist also seems to be an ardent follower of 'High Renaissance' painters", Paul remarked;

"So it seems", Mina agreed;

"I don't have much knowledge of art, Mina why don't you lend me some books?",Tom said;

"Sure".

********

One week passed, though none of them forgot about the painting; everyday when they gathered in their meeting place, they discussed it;

"I'm now becoming more interested in art", Tom said, Mina laughed loudly as if it was a joke;

"You and art? poles apart, you only look good with your chemical apparatus", Mina continued laughing;

"Come on, I mean it", Tom insisted.

Paul was silently drinking coffee, he seemed to be a little lost;

"What's up, Paul?", Mina asked;

"Nothing, I was just thinking about that painting, it looks like it has hidden so many mysteries, so many questions", "The Sherlock Holmes inside is bursting out, isn't it? you don't even spare a painting", Tom laughed shaking his whole body;

"May be", Paul's short answer came;

"Anyway guys", Mina said, "Aren't you forgetting something?";

"What?", the boys simultaneously asked;

"What's the date tomorrow?";

"23 rd of August" Tom said;

"And?"

"And, and, oh...oh ...Happy..", Tom tried to speak but Mina lifted her right hand and stopped him,

"It's tomorrow, dear; don't wish me today",

"What a fool I'm, I didn't remember your birthday", Tom sighed;

"Me neither", Paul added,

"Well, my parents are throwing a party tomorrow, come within 5.30 and don't forget!".

**********

The party was good, it had reunited many old friends; Mina was too excited to display her new collection and it was the best opportunity. When the painting was shown,there was a pin drop silence in the hall and a glow of pride in Mina's face; suddenly Paul rose from his chair and headed towards Mina.

"Can I take it once?" he asked;

"Yeah, why not?"; Paul stared at the painting for a moment and then turned it; everyone was watching him curiously; he slowly moved his fingers over the wooden frame; suddenly he stopped and frowned;

"Something wrong?" Mina asked;

Tom came and stood beside Paul;

"Strange", Paul said to himself;

"Will you please tell us something", Mina became impatient; "Can you see the rectangular shape here", Paul pointed towards a particular spot;

"What are you talking about? I don't see it", Mina replied;

in the mean time, some of the gusts started to round up where Paul, Mina and Tom stood. Mina brought her eyes close to the spot;

" Yeah,yeah....I can see it, but I didn't notice it before"; "That's very usual, who cares about the back of an extraordinary painting?" Paul said,

"But what does that shape mean?",

now asked Tom; Paul didn't answer; his eyes were moving around the room looking for something;

now, they became fixed on the knife lying on the table beside Mina's birthday cake. He promptly went to the table and grabbed the knife; then came back to the frame and started to apply it over the rectangular shape;

"Has he gone mad?" Tom asked looking at Mina;

"Wait, let's see what he does"; Paul continued cutting;

at last the corners of the shape started to become loose; "Whoa, is that a tiny hole?",

Tom almost screamed; everyone leaned towards it; the shape had now turned into a clearly visible cavity;

"I don't understand why is there a hole?",

Mina's curiosity knew no bound;

"A hole can be used to keep things", Paul plainly answered; "Are you kidding? why someone should keep something in the back of a painting which is to be sold?";

"Moreover, it seems empty", Tom said;

"Is it?"; now Paul put his fingers into the hole, his eyes lightened up,

"There's something"; everyone stood still; Paul took out his hand clutching something; when he opened, everyone saw to their utter astonishment that he was holding a necklace; "What's that?", Mina burst into surprise;

"Wait, wait....why this necklace seems so familiar?" Tom started to rack his brain;

"oh..yes..yes...last month, there was a news of robbery in the town; victim was a rich businessman; his wife's necklace was stolen; they posted a photo of that necklace in the newspaper",

there was a buzz in the room; some of the guests suggested not to waste time and inform the police; Mina was looking devastated; Tom and Paul sat beside her;

" Why did I bought this painting?" , She covered her face with hands;

" If you wouldn't have buy it, we would never know the fate of the necklace", Paul tried to encourage her;

"Oh, stop flattering me, it's your eyes and brain which did everything and also Tom's great power of memory";

"so it turns out that we all are heroic", Tom said laughing; Mina and Paul also couldn't help laughing amidst of the crisis;

"Three cheers for us", Tom loudly said;

"Hip Hip Hurray", Mina and Paul joined him and all the three rolled with laughter.