- The team focus on the art world and specifically Meredith Gates, an art collector and dealer who is an expert on the works of Mondrian. The plan is to produce a forged Mondrian that would show he experimented with cubism long before Picasso. Having found their forger, they must now provide him with period-specific materials while at the same time setting the trap for Gates. What they do not realize is that they too are being set up and may end up with nothing.—garykmcd
- After being in hospital, Danny discovers a famous art collector, Meredith Gates, who has an exhibition in London. Her most prized pieces are those by Mondrian, and the gang comes up with the idea to make a fake Mondrian to sell to Meredith. However, so that Tip Jones, the art forger (or "cloner"), can design the masterpiece, he needs many materials from all over the world, including an existing real Mondrian to help him - but can the team steal one from the exhibition? Will the gang manage to convince Meredith that it was actually Mondrian who invented cubism before picking it up from Picasso? And how will the team resolve the "jinx" that has been plagued upon them when nearly all their money is going into this painting?—Robert Cathles
- Danny overhears art collector, Meredith Gates (played by Orla Brady), talking big figures and - ever the hustler - pays her gallery a visit. His grifting instincts are right - Meredith's an ideal mark. She's unscrupulous, greedy and selfish, and a huge fan of artist Pier Mondrian, having just bought one of his paintings for £250,000. Mondrian famously went from picture-postcard paintings to abstracts some time after Picasso. As Danny explains to the team, IF a Mondrian painting were discovered in the Abstract style pre-dating Picasso, it would turn the art world on it's head.
"We fake the right painting, and all we gotta tell her is how many noughts we want on the cheque."
It's an interesting proposition, but Mickey has other things on his mind. While he was in prison, Ash and Albert roped a mark and conned him out of £50,000. Only thing is, the mark was broke and now his factory's about to go into receivership. They're jinxed and - according to grifter lore - the jinx will only be lifted if they put things right. They need to find £50,000 NOW. Mickey decides not to tell Danny, and goes along with the art con for a while - to see if it has legs.
Certain his scam's a winner, Danny introduces Mickey to art journalist, Bea Watson, as someone with an interesting art 'discovery'. Mickey tells her there's no story, but this just intrigues Bea more.
"She wasn't interested until she thought I wasn't interested. Now she's intrigued."
Art forger, Tip Jones, is a renowned conman, known for his inimitable forgeries but, disappointingly, Mickey, Albert and Danny find him in a vegetative state following an operation gone wrong. Ever-astute Albert isn't so quick to believe and whispers in Tip's ear he's got a job needs doing. It'll pay £100,000. Suddenly Tip's alert. He agrees to paint a new Mondrian pre-1902, but he's going to need an original work, if they want it done properly. Using a combination of flirting, good timing, glue and toilets, Mickey and Stacie manage to steal a Mondrian without anyone even realising it's missing. Tip begins work on the 'new find'.
Meredith Gates (played by Orla Brady) still needs to be hooked. Thinking he's a fellow art collector, she meets Danny at his 'import/export warehouse'. Gates agrees to match his £250,000 if the new Mondrian painting's proven to be genuine in initial tests.
It all goes to the wire, and there are a few surprises along the way. They just have to lift the jinx, and preferably without Danny realising.
"He hasn't sussed that we're just following a different set of rules to everyone else."
What will he do when he does suss though?
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