Chapter 22

Summary

• Four months after a major theft, the couple visits a private art gallery in Lucerne, Swiss Alps. Anne-Catherine feels it's a bad idea to steal from the gallery, which is small and closely monitored, and right across from the Lucerne central police station, but Breitwieser is captivated by a piece by Willem van Aelst and steals it anyway.
• They are caught and arrested shortly after leaving the gallery. Anne-Catherine could have escaped but chose to stay and plead for Breitwieser's release. They are both taken to separate holding cells, where Breitwieser reflects on his mistake and worries that Anne-Catherine could confess their crimes under pressure.
• On their way to court the next morning, Breitwieser learns that Anne-Catherine has not mentioned any other thefts. In court, he gives a dishonest confession, claiming it was his first offence and promising never to do it again. The court seems to believe them and they are released upon payment of bail, with their punishment to be determined at a later court hearing.
• Breitwieser's mother, unaware of his crimes, is contacted by the police and pays their bail. She is initially furious with him, but later hires an expensive Swiss attorney for him. The lawyer succeeds in portraying the incident as a non-violent youthful mistake, resulting in suspended sentences, fines of less than two thousand dollars each and a three-year ban from Switzerland for both.
• However, emotionally, things are more complex. Anne-Catherine starts fearing for their future, especially after realizing, several months before the Lucerne arrest, that she was pregnant and that their criminal lifestyle was incompatible with raising a child.
• After procuring an abortion during a road trip that she and Breitwieser's mother planned to keep the pregnancy secret, Anne-Catherine starts feeling that it may be time to find an alternate, more sustainable lifestyle. While both have discussed starting a family, she emphatically states they will never have a child while they possess stolen art.
• Breitwieser, though initially agreeing, feels emboldened by the fact that they were caught red-handed but experienced no significant punitive consequences. He views this incident as proof of their invincibility and sees no reason to rush a lifestyle change.