Read Online Artnapping by Hazel Edwards - Free Book Online

ups? ‘Gloria touched the heavily carved sword.
    â€˜For role-playing,’ corrected Red. ‘In our games, we play different roles.Thanks for getting it back. For my new SCORNFUL SAMURAI game, we needed a sword. One of the characters was a samurai, a Japanese warrior. Usually we just make do with balsa wood or toy ones. But I was offered the use of this, just for my demo. game in Tokyo. Then I had to promise Grandad to return it to the actual Japanese family. They wanted it to go to the Samurai Sword Society. They’re collecting all the old samurai swords.’ Red ran his hand gently over the carving. Then he polished it with the end of his red cape.
    â€˜What was it doing in Australia?’ asked Gloria.
    â€˜My grandfather brought it back, as a war souvenir.’ Red kept polishing. ‘Is it his, or does it belong to the Japanese family?’
    Red looked a bit embarrassed. ‘These swords are very special to the families. Keep them for hundreds of years. So Grandad thinks it should go back to the family now. ‘
    â€˜So why were you hiding it? Scared security would say it’s a weapon? They should have held it until you reached Tokyo, wouldn’t they?.’
    Red went redder. ‘My new game is set in ancient Tokyo. We practised it at home. I took photos of the costumes. That’s when Grandad gave me the sword. But then we entered for the Confest in Tokyo. I wanted to use the real sword once and then give it back. The game is a sort of display for my game-creating. I need lots of orders to pay for our expenses.’
    â€˜That sword could get damaged, just playing around,’ Samuel had arrived and was playing the expert. ‘Must be shown at security.’
    Red shook his head. ‘We’re very careful. It was wrapped up in my pyjamas. My red ones. And put in my bag.’
    Samuel exploded. ‘But these samurai swords are worth thousands if sold through a dealer or at auction.’
    â€˜Dollars or yen?’ asked Christopher quickly.
    â€˜Both. Perhaps even more. You can’t just heave it around in an airline bag.’ Samuel liked playing the art expert . ‘It would be safer sold through my shop.’
    â€˜I thought it would be safer with me. We took some photos last night too. As evidence.’ Red was beginning to look worried. He stopped polishing.
    â€˜Evidence of what?’ asked Gloria.
    â€˜That the sword had been returned from Australia. And from my Grandad. We’ve got one of him standing in front of his country town sign. So the Japanese family would know where it had come from.’
    Amy remembered the photo that the wedding tour group had received by mistake. ‘Now I suppose we’ll have to pay a fortune in duty to get it into Japan. We haven’t got much spare cash. Used it on buying film, even though I get cut rates at FAST-FOTO. And Grandad’s only on a pension. So we were going to smuggle it back to Japan in my hand luggage.’
    For someone who planned strategy games, Red was not very practical. Amy told him about not having to pay duty on antiques. He sighed with relief.
    â€˜Wouldn’t the Sword Society ask you how you smuggled the sword back into the country? And the family?’ asked Christopher.
    â€˜Probably,’ Red shrugged. ‘Too late then. Not my problem.’
    â€˜Look after your belongings .’ said Gloria.’ Anyone could have stooped down and taken the photos, if they’d known what to look for. That’s what BRUT did, but he took the whole bag because he was in such a hurry. Tess saw him. She thought he was stealing the antique sword and took off after him.’
    â€˜Why was Tess interested in the sword?’ asked Amy. That was another piece of the jigsaw she needed to fit together. ‘Did she think he was just a thief?’
    â€˜Ask her yourself,’ suggested Gloria.’ She’ll be getting off in Tokyo.’
    That was another clue, thought