He had researched there, written there and curated exhibitions there that had proven very popular with both the public and the press critics who reviewed such events. He had never stolen anything from the museum, though, and had never dreamed that he would. But he was about to do it now and couldn’t help but muse on how very strange it felt to be on the verge of committing a crime serious enough not only to ruin his professional name but to put him behind bars for a couple of years. The artefacts he was after were not on public display. That was a blessing. It made the theft an easier proposition practically. And it meant that it would take longer for the theft to be discovered and for the police to be alerted and begin their dogged and meticulous process of recovery. The theft would be discovered, that was inevitable. It might remain undetected for a few weeks or even months, but eventually someone would realize that something irreplaceable had gone.
