“What’s your name?” demanded the younger guard.
“What’s yours?” the elegant intruder countered.
Thinking that it might help to normalize the situation, the guard told her first.
“Charlie. My name is Charlie.”
She glanced at the Captain. “And you?”
“I don’t have to tell you my name,” he said angrily.
She shrugged seductively. “I’m Cosette.”
Charlie looked at the Captain. “The police should already be here. What should we do? If she didn’t steal it, we have to protect her.”
The Captain looked at the Rose Lady. He was momentarily distracted by the sheer beauty of the piece. “Police?” he mumbled distantly.
“What should we do with Cosette?” Charlie repeated.
“Right,” said the Captain, returning to the moment. “Take her down to the basement archives. I’ll deal with the cops.”
“Come on,” Charlie told her, and began to hurry away.
Cosette hesitated.
“This way,” he called back to her without turning his head.
They left the Captain in the gallery with the statue as Charlie led her deeper into the museum. When they arrived in the archives, he was breathing heavily. He was not used to this much action. Cosette looked as if she could have gone on far longer without difficulty.
Charlie stood with his hands on his knees. “Your father stole the Lady?” he gasped.
“And a great many other works, too,” she answered.
“Why are you returning it?”
She spoke without hesitation. “She needed to come home. My father loved her dearly. And for a while that was enough. But she needs more than one man and his little girl can provide.”
“You broke in.”
“Did you expect that it was something that I could make an appointment for?” she countered. “Hello, Director? I’ve got the most famous stolen artwork in the world here. Should I come by around one?”
“I guess you’re right,” said Charlie.
“Of course I’m right, rookie.”
Charlie swung his head up. “What did you call me?”
He studied her closely for the first time. He squinted slightly. There was something about her jaw-line. “We left him alone,” he whispered.
“Yes we did,” she said.
Charlie started to run out of the room.
“Wait!” she ordered. Her voice was surprisingly authoritative.
He stopped.
“She’ll still be there. My dad would never stoop to stealing the same thing twice.”
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