London Art Chase by Natalie Grant

them.
    â€œWe’re catching him, we’re catching him!” Lulu shouted.
    â€œShhhh!” both Maddie and Mia hissed.
    â€œYou cannot follow a strange man through the streets of London,” Miss Julia said.
    â€œBut he’s a thief!” Maddie whispered.
    â€œ Especially if he’s a criminal,” Miss Julia said. “We need to leave this situation up to the police.”
    â€œWe’re keeping our distance. He has no idea we’re following him,” Maddie said. “And you’re with us, so we’re safe.”
    Mia pointed. “Look, he’s turning onto another street!”
    The girls hurried around the corner so they wouldn’t lose sight of him. Miss Julia had no choice but to follow, grumbling under her breath. Now that Maddie was all-in, she knew she’d have to prove this guy was a thief, or face her parents’ anger. The only way they’d forgive her for running Miss Julia all around town was if it was for a very, very good cause—such as saving a famous and beautiful painting. For one tiny moment, Maddie allowed herself to think about how she would feel once she found the painting and the thief was caught. Rather than being the one who was always last to join in, the one who never said the most interesting thing, the one just off-center, she’d be the one who’d spoken up and taken action.
    The man turned one last corner, and headed up a set of stone steps into what looked like an office building. Trafalgar Square was just at the end of the street, and in the distance, Maddie could see the National Gallery.
    â€œLook where we are!” Mia said.
    â€œI know! This is the direction he was walking yesterday.” Maddie held out her arm to stop everyone so they wouldn’t get too close and be spotted.
    Once the man was inside, she said, “Come on! Let’s go see.”
    Miss Julia didn’t say anything. She followed along silently, her lips pressed together in a thin line, as though she was holding back all the things she might say.
    Mia and Maddie raced each other up the steps, with Lulu right at their heels. A sign above the door read, National Archivist, Ltd .
    â€œLike the National Gallery?” Lulu asked, dancing around in excitement. “We found our thief!”
    â€œBut wait,” Mia said. “An archivist is someone who takes care of paintings and documents and old things, right?”
    â€œYes . . .” Miss Julia said, her brow furrowing.
    Maddie paused, less sure than she’d been all the way across town. If her thief worked here, maybe Mia had been right all along, and he hadn’t been a thief at all.
    â€œWe should definitely go inside,” Mia said, and Maddie knew she was doing the twin-thing, listening in on Maddie’s thoughts. “We should ask questions and get to the bottom of what’s going on here. You still want to know, right, Maddie?”
    â€œRight,” Maddie said, but her voice came out more like a question than a for-sure answer.
    â€œLet’s go!” Lulu said, and pushed through the doors before anyone could stop her.
    Mia looped her arm through Maddie’s, and they followed Lulu inside.



TWENTY-ONE
    I nside the building, it was at least fifteen degrees colder and at least twice as dark as it had been on the streets outside. And it hadn’t been warm or bright outside. Maddie’s teeth started to chatter.
    A dim desk lamp lit the receptionist’s desk and cast grim shadows across her face as she looked up with surprise. “May I help you?”
    Kids must not come here very often, Maddie realized. She looked at Lulu and then at Mia, but clearly, no one knew what to do next. They couldn’t exactly demand to see the man with wire-rimmed glasses.
    Miss Julia shot Maddie a say-something look. Seeing that no one was going to help her out, Maddie stepped up to the desk.
    â€œWe, uh, came to see the man who just came