Read Online London Art Chase by Natalie Grant - Free Book Online

sugar?”
    The cellist sniffed. “Both.”
    The receptionist gave the girls an apologetic look as she handed off the tea. Lulu begged to take a picture for the travelogue, while Miss Julia tried to explain the seriousness of the situation. Mia tossed in a comment now and again, but Maddie couldn’t focus on the conversation. If she were a painting now, she’d be a messy black storm. A woman came out of one of the offices talking on her phone.
    â€œIt should be ready in a day or two,” the woman said, and then nodded to the receptionist.
    Maddie noticed that the woman had paint under her fingernails, the way her art teacher always did. It made sense that artists would work at museums, but she thought it might be difficult too. Wouldn’t it be hard to be around art all the time and not be able to paint yourself?
    â€œYes, the Renoir,” the woman said as she passed through the door.
    Maddie frowned. The stolen painting had been a Renoir, and now this woman had mentioned one. Did that mean the museum had discovered the robbery? She stood up, meaning to stop the woman and tell her they’d seen the thief, but just then the security guard showed up.
    â€œThe director can see you now.” She motioned them toward one of the offices.
    Maddie didn’t think she should argue, not with the cellist, Miss Julia, Mia, and the security guard all giving her their most serious you’re-in-trouble-now faces. She’d have to wait and tell the director about the thief. If one of the staff knew about the robbery, surely the director did too.



THIRTEEN
    T he director’s office was very much like a principal’s office, with floor to ceiling bookshelves, and a no-nonsense desk behind which the director sat. He motioned to the seats across from him, and steepled his fingers on his desk as he eyed the girls one by one. Maddie had never been to the principal’s office because she was in trouble, but she had been there once with Mia and Mom to talk about class placement—whether the twins should be in the same classroom or each in their own. Even though that conversation had been important, she hadn’t felt scared or guilty, the way she felt now. In fact, she couldn’t remember ever having felt this badly before. She’d never, ever want to knock over an instrument on purpose. Even more importantly, she’d failed at stopping the thief, and all the commotion they’d made may have even made it easier for him to escape. Instead of helping, she’d made a giant mess.
    â€œNow what’s this I hear about running in the museum?” the director asked, after they’d all taken a seat.
    â€œWe saw a man steal a painting and . . .” Maddie started, thinking the director would be grateful for more information on the robbery.
    â€œWe don’t know if he was stealing,” Mia corrected.
    The director smiled the smile that adults wore when they were trying to be patient, but weren’t feeling very patient at all. “Girls, I don’t have time for stories. The point is that you were running—”
    â€œAnd you knocked over my cello!” the cellist roared. “That’s what this is all about.”
    â€œNow, I’m sure the girls are sorry they knocked over your cello,” the director jumped in, looking slightly alarmed at the volume of the woman’s outburst. “And I’m sure they’ve learned their lesson, haven’t you, girls?”
    Maddie couldn’t quite catch up with the conversation. Didn’t the director know about the robbery? Had she totally misunderstood the conversation the woman was having on her phone?
    â€œBut we—” Maddie started.
    â€œMaddie,” Mia said, giving her a stop-talking-now look.
    â€œGirls, don’t you think you owe everyone an apology?” Miss Julia said.
    â€œWe’re sorry,” Lulu said. “But we were—”
    â€œNo buts,” Miss