"Are you feeling alright?", "It was fun for me, not sure about the <horse, car, spaceship, fill in yourself, a means of exportation> though.", "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?", "If it gets any colder, my hair will freeze off"
Vin shook his head. "Who painted this one, Ez?" he asked in a soft voice.
Ezra looked up from the bank books he was going over and sighed. The picture showed a chestnut horse standing in about two feet of snow. Behind him the sun was setting, coloring the sky varying shades of pink and purple. "I did," he answered succinctly.
"Yeah, but who painted it the first time?" Nathan asked, looking up from the crate he was demolishing.
Ezra's eyes narrowed. He knew the man was referring to his skills at making exact duplicates of anything painted. "I do, occasionally, paint original works, Mr. Jackson," he said patiently.
"Oh," the taller man said. "Sorry."
Ezra shrugged and went back to his work.
"Musta been cold," Vin commented, pointing at the snow.
Ezra sighed and looked up again. After a moment, he smiled and closed the register. "It was rather cold outside, but I was inside with a roaring fire. It was actually fun for me," he stated softly. "I'm not sure about the horse though."
Vin chuckled and opened his mouth to say something, when the door of the art gallery opened and Chris, Buck and JD entered the small shop.
JD shook his head as he unwrapped the scarf from around his neck. "If it gets any colder, my hair will freeze off!" he complained.
Ezra frowned and said, "Mr. Dunne, I don't believe that is possible."
JD scowled and said, "You know what I mean, Ezra!"
"It's colder than ole Guy Royal's heart," Buck complained.
Gwen smiled and nodded. "Well, then boys," she said. "Get to work breakin' down these crates, that'll warm ya up."
Chris frowned. "Why should we break down the crates? It's Ezra's gallery."
Ezra sighed. With exaggerated patience, he said, "Mr. Larabee, I am an artist. These hands are delicate instruments, I cannot risk them being damaged with such harsh treatment."
"Hire workers," Buck replied, shrugging.
Ezra smiled and answered, "And if said workers overhear us scheming against Mr. Royal and report back to him…"
"Right," Chris said. "So we'll break down your crates for you, but what are you going to give us in return?"
"My undying gratitude and thanks for a job well done?" Ezra said hopefully.
Chris shook his head. "We're gonna need something a little more than that, Ezra."
"What do you want?" Ezra asked, almost dreading the answer.
"I need you to test the security system we just set up down at the City's Art Museum," Chris answered evenly. "Tonight."
Ezra paled and the small thief said, "But, Mr. Larabee, the last time I tested your security measures for an exhibition at the Natural History Museum, I ended up being locked in the exhibit hall over night!"
"Yeah, well," Chris said. "We need the security tested and you need these crate broken down. I figure it's an even trade."
Ezra frowned and stood. "You are a cruel man, Chris Larabee. An unspeakably cruel man."
"And you have some preparations to make, Ezra," Chris said evenly.
As Ezra turned to make his way to the small living space he kept above the gallery, Josiah was coming down the steps. The older man froze and said, "Are you all right, son? You look like your going to you own execution."
"I'm fine," Ezra answered softly. "I just…Mr. Larabee is a most cruel man, Josiah." Without another word, Ezra bounded up the steps.
Josiah turned to the black-clad man and asked, "You need him to test your security again?"
"Yup," Chris answered, grinning broadly.
Josiah chuckled and replied, "Well, at least he can take a break from balancing the gallery's books."
Chris smiled. "He's in for a surprise when he tries to get past that security system."
"Why?" Gwen asked, glancing at her brother.
Vin smiled and shrugged. "JD rigged up a force field to catch anyone trying to take a paintin' down off the wall. It'll keep him pretty close to whatever he tries to take until we show up to reset it."
"Oh," Gwen said, shaking her head. "You guys are mean."
"How long you gonna make him wait?" Josiah asked, eyes narrowed slightly.
Chris shrugged and pointed around the gallery at the many empty crates that needed to be broken down. "Got a lot of crates to break here. Could take us quite a while and he'll have ta wait 'til we're done with this."
Josiah grinned and shook his head. "Ezra will someday learn, that where you are involved, Chris, you always get the better end of any bargain."
Chris shrugged and picked up a hammer to attack the nearest crate. "Someday," he replied, chuckling softly. Soon the others had joined him in laughter and got to work while they waited for the call from the thief, asking them to come pick him up.
End