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No Celebrity Endorsement Implied

Soon, the budding artist is called back to the junkyard, this time to investigate a new crime. Bennie the Junkman has been found dead, apparently the victim of one of his own traps. But Monk realizes that not all is as it seems; Bennie's death wasn't accidental. Someone else, most likely the accomplice from the earlier crime, had broken into the junkyard and killed Bennie. Clearly there was something of value buried amongst the piles of junk - but what could it have possibly been? The answer could lie in Bennie's logbook, in which he kept a record of the items that came in and out of his junkyard. When Monk notices that the last page of the book has been ripped out, Captain Stottlemeyer and Lieutenant Disher set out to find Hector, in the hopes that he might be able to fill in the missing pieces.

Back at his apartment, Monk is paid a visit by a stranger. Petya Lovak introduces himself as a Russian art dealer and a passionate admirer of Monk's work. He backs up the claim by buying Monk's two finished paintings on the spot, promising to return soon for Monk's new work, and urging Monk to keep at it.

It's advice Monk takes to heart, and soon he has also taken over Natalie's living room in pursuit of his art. Stottlemeyer and Disher are baffled by Monk's work, and shocked that he seems to be blowing off the investigation to work on the paintings. When Lovak shows up and buys two more paintings - and even tries to buy a hideous portrait of Natalie -  they grow more bewildered. Is it possible that Monk actually be a good artist? Lovak sure seems to think so. He soon turns up again, this time at the community college's art show. Lovak ignores the work by other artists, but buys more of Monk's paintings – again, all except the portrait of Natalie, which she refuses to sell because it had been a gift from Monk.

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