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

don’t understand why no one knows about the painting yet. I mean, there’s a gap on the wall where it used to hang. Anyone walking by would see that it’s missing, wouldn’t they?” Maddie asked.
    Miss Julia guided them through the crowd and toward the front doors, away from the concert.
    Mia’s face lit up. “I know! We should go look for ourselves. Maybe the man wasn’t a thief at all. If the painting is back on the wall, we wouldn’t have to worry.”
    â€œDo you think we could?” Maddie asked.
    â€œMiss Julia, can we go upstairs and look at Maddie’s painting before we go?”
    Miss Julia checked her watch. “With all of this running around, it’s already six o’clock. Your mom’s concert is in an hour. We need to get you back to the hotel and change clothes. And we need to eat dinner. I’m sure we’ll be late as it is.”
    â€œPlease, can’t we just go look? Quickly?” Mia asked. “Maddie is really worried.”
    Miss Julia looked as though she was considering allowing them, but then she shook her head. “Girls, like the director said, this isn’t your problem to solve. If a painting is truly missing, we need to let the museum deal with the situation. Anyway, I’m pretty sure there are alarms and other ways for the staff to know if a painting goes missing. You must have misunderstood what you saw.”
    Mia put an arm around Maddie and gave her a quick squeeze. “I’m sorry, Maddie. I tried.”
    â€œCan I have a bologna sandwich for dinner?” Lulu asked, bouncing up and down on her toes.
    â€œWe’ll see what’s on the room service menu,” Miss Julia said.
    Maddie dragged her feet the whole way out of the museum. Down the steps they went, and out into the wind-blown square. Flags snapped overhead.
    A swift blast of wind caught Miss Julia’s hat and blew it halfway into the square. They chased after it as it skittered along just out of reach.
    â€œWow, this wind!” Miss Julia said, after she’d jammed the hat back onto her head.
    â€œCome on, Maddie, don’t be upset.” Mia gave Maddie another concerned look. “The cello will be fine.”
    Maddie opened her mouth to argue that the cello wasn’t the point, the painting was, when something caught her eye. Rather, someone.
    She squinted, her heartbeat speeding up. “I think . . .”
    â€œWhat?” Mia asked.
    â€œThe thief! He was wearing a brown jacket with elbow patches, and he had gray streaks in his hair near his ears. And he wore glasses, the kind with the thin rims, right?”
    â€œYes . . .” Mia said.
    â€œWell, I think that’s him!” Maddie said, pointing. “And he has a package under his arm. A package the size of a painting. Look, Mia!”
    Mia stood on her tiptoes, trying to see over people’s heads. “I don’t see him.”
    â€œOver there, just past the lion, leaving the square.” Maddie was practically shouting now, willing Mia to see what she was seeing.
    â€œI don’t—” Mia began.
    Maddie took off running, not waiting to hear the rest.
    â€œMaddie Glimmer!” Miss Julia shouted, using the kind of voice that makes a person stop in her tracks.
    Maddie stopped, but only after battling with herself about whether she should. She’d lost sight of the man. And even if she did spot him, like the director said, what would she do if she caught him, anyway?
    Miss Julia took Maddie’s hand with a firm grip. “Maddie, you know better than to run off. You all do. I realize you’re excited, but I need for you—all of you—to make better choices.”
    â€œDid I make good choices today?” Lulu asked.
    â€œMostly,” Miss Julia said, raising a stern eyebrow before relenting and breaking into a smile.
    â€œIf there had been a thief, I bet we could have caught him,” Lulu said. “Remember