London Art Chase by Natalie Grant

Author:Natalie Grant
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Published: 2015-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

SEVENTEEN

Mom moved pillows on the couch to make a little nest for them and then found a box of tissues. Maddie took one and pressed it against one eye and then the other, soaking up her tears. Mom pulled her close.

“Now, what’s all this, sweet girl?” Mom asked.

“No one will listen to me,” Maddie said. “I want to talk about how important this is and no one is taking me seriously.”

“Well, I’m here and I’m listening,” Mom said. “I want to hear what you have to say.”

“I know what I saw, Mom. Someone stole a painting and I don’t think anyone is even looking for the thief.”

“What if what you saw . . .” Mom started, as though she was weighing every word carefully. “What if it was odd, but not a robbery?”

“You didn’t see him, Mom. We watched him reach up and take the most beautiful painting in the whole museum off the wall. And he looked over his shoulder like he was afraid someone might see. It seemed so suspicious.”

“So, then what happened?”

Maddie pictured his retreating back as he’d hurried through the employees-only door. “He went into an employees-only door, and Mia wouldn’t go in because that would be breaking the rules. So we ran downstairs to see if we could cut him off . . .”

“And that’s when you ran into the cello?”

“It’s not funny, Mom,” Maddie said, catching the smile in Mom’s voice.

“I know it’s not, sweet girl. But I can just imagine the look on your face when you came around that corner, not expecting a cello, of all things.”

“I know everyone wants me to let it go—Miss Julia and Mia and the museum director. But then I saw him later, walking away with a painting-sized package wrapped in brown paper. That’s not what happens with famous paintings, is it?”

“Sweetheart, I don’t want to argue with you about this. Maybe you’re right. Maybe you did see a robbery. But don’t you think news of a stolen painting would have already been broadcast everywhere? Wouldn’t we have heard about a theft at a famous place like the National Gallery and also about a citywide search for the thief? Or if it was a theft, and somehow the museum staff hasn’t yet realized it happened, they still must have security footage from cameras and access to investigators who can figure this out much better than we can. It’s not our job to find thieves.”

Mom was trying to make her feel better, Maddie knew, but she felt like everyone was handling her. No one was taking her seriously. She pushed one finger after another into the pillow on her lap, watching each of the indentations slowly disappear.

“I just . . . I have to prove—”

“Maddie, unfortunately, I don’t think we can prove anything. The man is gone, and we wouldn’t be able to find him even if we tried.”

“But, Mom . . .”

“Sweetheart, I don’t want this to ruin your time in London. We’re on a very special trip, and I want you to have fun.

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