CHAPTER 26
"An appraiser determines the value of a painting, right?" I asked.
"Sure," Duke said, "if it's a le-gi-ti-mate painting."
"Exactly!" I flipped my omelet over to cook the other side. "And how does he do that?"
"Beats me, but it's startin' to look like a triple Bloody Mary morning over here…"
I laughed. "Don't blame me for your bad habits, Marmaduke. Did you figure it out yet? Or should I tell you?"
"Wait, don't tell me…to determine the value, he first has to be sure it's the genuine article."
"Right!" I said. "And so…"
"And so he can spot a forged painting. But we already know the picture is a forgery! Just tell me already, I give up," Duke sounded bummed.
"You were so close," I said, splashing Tabasco liberally over my beautiful omelet--speaking of a work of art. "Here'
