Artnapping. Hazel Edwards

      Chapter 1

      Priceless

      ‘Artnappers might steal it. So they’re guarding the Rembrandt,’ said the cabin attendant. He bent down to peer out through the plane window. ‘That painting from the Museum.’

      Kneeling at the window seat, the twins stared down. On the tarmac, two security guards watched a very large, thin box being loaded into the hold of the plane. A fork- lift driver raised the box to the level of the plane’s hold. The guards moved closer. The fork-lift driver backed a little and just missed the first guard’s foot.

      ‘Watch it!’ called the driver.

      ‘I am!’ said the guard. ‘But you’re not! That’s worth millions. And don’t run over my foot!

      ‘Your foot’s not worth millions!’ said the driver.

      From inside the plane, Amy looked across the silver-grey wing marked with the airline’s sign. Up close, she could see where bits joined, like a jigsaw. Looking down at the trailers piled with baggage parked alongside, Amy wondered where you’d hide the painting if you stole it. Men were busy loading the passengers’ bags and cases. The fork lift driver was reversing after placing the box in the hold.

      ‘Must be very valuable to have two guards looking after it,’ said Amy. ‘Rembrandt was a famous painter wasn’t he?’ Christopher was keen on drawing people, places and clues to mysteries.

      ‘VERY famous,’ agreed the attendant whose WILLIAM name tag was brightly polished .’And his paintings are very valuable now.’ William stowed their bags in the overhead lockers. ‘D’you need anything from these?’ As the twins shook their heads, he stretched up, his perfectly pressed shirt sleeves looking sharp as knife edges. Everything about William was perfectly polished, pressed or smelled of after-shave. His white teeth were like TV toothpaste commercials. Not a hair was out of place. Even his eyebrows looked combed. Apart from his smile, which was real, he could have been a robot, thought Christopher. William the robot cabin attendant, programmed to fly to Tokyo.

      ‘How valuable?’ asked Amy. Money interested her. Especially when she didn’t have much herself.

      ‘Priceless. That’s why the Museum employs those security guards. They go everywhere with that Rembrandt. Every transit stop, they’re last on and first off the plane,’ said William.

      ‘Does the painting need a ticket? ‘Amy and Christopher travelled half price because they were under twelve. They were also U.M.s which is why

      William had escorted them on board first. Unaccompanied minors were looked after by the airlines.

      William smiled. ‘Not exactly. Although there are documents that have to be checked. Museums loan art works to each other. There’s a special display in a Tokyo gallery soon. The guards have to make sure the artworks aren’t stolen in between.’

      Christopher noticed that he said artworks, with an ‘s’. Perhaps there were others on board besides the Rembrandt.

      ‘A bit stupid to pinch a painting when you’re in the air. Nowhere to hide it.’

      Amy giggled. ‘Unless you dropped it with its own parachute. Then it might hit a bird or snag on a tree.’

      Christopher had been thinking about the money. The guard had said millions.

      ‘If there’s only one of something, like that Rembrandt and it’s priceless, how much do insurance companies pay if it gets stolen or damaged? ‘

      ‘A good question,’ said William.

      Christopher worked out that William wasn’t programmed for that answer. A malfunction by the cabin attendant robot!

      ‘Now, move into your aisle seat Amy. You’re not in that window seat Christopher. We need to be able to get you out quickly,