on the photos was the same. But the name was different. Excitedly, Amy shared this with Christopher. âA clue!â
They were back in their plane seats now. Even the honeymooners were happily showing gifts theyâd bought to take home. Still looking uncomfortable, Mr Kei fiddled with the silver chain to his briefcase.
âMaybe itâs someone else who lives at the same place? Or who works for him? Like Samuelâs a dealer. Perhaps heâs done some work for a wealthy collector like Mr Ng?â suggested Christopher as he doodled figures on his sketch pad. The Mr Wang doodle became a Mr Ng doodle.
âWilliam, is there a Mr Ng on board? Could you check your list?â asked Amy. She was longing to reach Tokyo and ask Tess some questions.
âWeâre not supposed to release names of passengers,â said William firmly.
When he bent across to serve the drinks, William looked very closely at the restless Mr Kei and the empty seat alongside where Brut had been sitting.
âDrink sir?â
âNo thanks William.â Mr Kei was very polite. He didnât seem to like to draw attention to himself.
Amy had been doing some thinking. She had bits of facts like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. They just needed to fit them together. She thought about Brut. What if Brut had taken Redâs bag because he wanted to check whether the Ming vase photo was the same vase as the one heâd stolen from the Amsterdam gallery? Or was it the original one taken from the family shrine.? Were they a pair and if so, who owned the photo? Who had the two vases? Were they together or had someone mixed them up?
The owner of the photo probably had an original Ming vase. Mr Wangâs name and address were on the FAST FOTO envelope. But officially there was no Mr Wang on the Tokyo flight. Did Mr Wang have a Ming vase? Or did it belong to Mr Ng? Did they have one each? Then the idea struck Amy. Perhaps Mr Ng the private collector and Mr Wang the drug dealer worked together? Mr Wang was known as Mr Big. Could Mr Wang also be Mr Ng? Perhaps thatâs where the money came from to buy the artworks. Drug-dealing!
Amy squirmed around. Tess was sitting a few rows away, but she couldnât see Gloria nor Mr Samuel. Perhaps they were in First Class? Amy took out her sleuthing notepad. She wrote WANG? Underneath she listed the people who might be Mr Wang. Then she showed them to Christopher who nodded and pointed to one name. âI think thatâs the one.â
âSamuel? Why?â
âBecause heâs a dealer who can easily sell artwork. And he travels a lot, buying for his business. No-one would suspect him. Anyway, I didnât like him.â
âNeither did I. But thatâs not a good enough reason.â said Amy trying to be fair.There was a whole plane load of people around them. Who was Mr Wang?
âIâve arranged for you to visit the cockpit, after your meal.â William said as he checked on them again.
After his airport meal, Christopher was full already, but Amy had eaten her green salad, chicken with spicy bits and her strawberry shortcake. She had drunk two orange juices as well. And eaten the mints on her tray. Then she thought sheâd burst!
âReady?â asked William.
âWhen we go through First Class,â Amy whispered to her brother. âLetâs see if Gloria is there?â
After the meal trolley had gone, William escorted them up the aisle to the captainâs cockpit. They walked past the wide, velvety First Class seats. They noticed Gloria in First Class sitting next to Samuel, but she pretended not to know them.
âExcuse me William, do you know a Gloria?â asked Christopher in what he thought was a whisper. But his voice was louder than he meant it to be. Williamâs face switched onto automatic smile.
âI know lots of people.â answered William. âThere could be one called Gloria.But then some people use more than one
They were back in their plane seats now. Even the honeymooners were happily showing gifts theyâd bought to take home. Still looking uncomfortable, Mr Kei fiddled with the silver chain to his briefcase.
âMaybe itâs someone else who lives at the same place? Or who works for him? Like Samuelâs a dealer. Perhaps heâs done some work for a wealthy collector like Mr Ng?â suggested Christopher as he doodled figures on his sketch pad. The Mr Wang doodle became a Mr Ng doodle.
âWilliam, is there a Mr Ng on board? Could you check your list?â asked Amy. She was longing to reach Tokyo and ask Tess some questions.
âWeâre not supposed to release names of passengers,â said William firmly.
When he bent across to serve the drinks, William looked very closely at the restless Mr Kei and the empty seat alongside where Brut had been sitting.
âDrink sir?â
âNo thanks William.â Mr Kei was very polite. He didnât seem to like to draw attention to himself.
Amy had been doing some thinking. She had bits of facts like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. They just needed to fit them together. She thought about Brut. What if Brut had taken Redâs bag because he wanted to check whether the Ming vase photo was the same vase as the one heâd stolen from the Amsterdam gallery? Or was it the original one taken from the family shrine.? Were they a pair and if so, who owned the photo? Who had the two vases? Were they together or had someone mixed them up?
The owner of the photo probably had an original Ming vase. Mr Wangâs name and address were on the FAST FOTO envelope. But officially there was no Mr Wang on the Tokyo flight. Did Mr Wang have a Ming vase? Or did it belong to Mr Ng? Did they have one each? Then the idea struck Amy. Perhaps Mr Ng the private collector and Mr Wang the drug dealer worked together? Mr Wang was known as Mr Big. Could Mr Wang also be Mr Ng? Perhaps thatâs where the money came from to buy the artworks. Drug-dealing!
Amy squirmed around. Tess was sitting a few rows away, but she couldnât see Gloria nor Mr Samuel. Perhaps they were in First Class? Amy took out her sleuthing notepad. She wrote WANG? Underneath she listed the people who might be Mr Wang. Then she showed them to Christopher who nodded and pointed to one name. âI think thatâs the one.â
âSamuel? Why?â
âBecause heâs a dealer who can easily sell artwork. And he travels a lot, buying for his business. No-one would suspect him. Anyway, I didnât like him.â
âNeither did I. But thatâs not a good enough reason.â said Amy trying to be fair.There was a whole plane load of people around them. Who was Mr Wang?
âIâve arranged for you to visit the cockpit, after your meal.â William said as he checked on them again.
After his airport meal, Christopher was full already, but Amy had eaten her green salad, chicken with spicy bits and her strawberry shortcake. She had drunk two orange juices as well. And eaten the mints on her tray. Then she thought sheâd burst!
âReady?â asked William.
âWhen we go through First Class,â Amy whispered to her brother. âLetâs see if Gloria is there?â
After the meal trolley had gone, William escorted them up the aisle to the captainâs cockpit. They walked past the wide, velvety First Class seats. They noticed Gloria in First Class sitting next to Samuel, but she pretended not to know them.
âExcuse me William, do you know a Gloria?â asked Christopher in what he thought was a whisper. But his voice was louder than he meant it to be. Williamâs face switched onto automatic smile.
âI know lots of people.â answered William. âThere could be one called Gloria.But then some people use more than one
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