The Purloined Painting
“IT’S GONE!” cried Mr. Millen, the curator of Rill Art Museum. He quickly called the police. Soon, the police arrived.
“What was stolen?” a policeman asked.
“A valuable old painting,” Mr. Millen said in a calmer voice.
“The glass case doesn’t have any fingerprints on it,” the policeman said, “and it was opened by a key, not pried.”
“But only I, the security, and my friend Charles Chen who owns a Chinese restaurant next to the museum has the key to the glass case,” Mr. Millen said.
“Then we will question you three at the station,” said the policeman.
“Hey! Where is that old-n-valuable painting?” Mr. Millen’s son, Mark Millen asked when the police were ready to go.
“It was stolen,” replied Mr. Millen. “So the cops are going to question me, the security, and Mr. Chen.”
“Can I help?” Mark asked. He is eleven-year old and loves reading detective books.
He didn’t need to look for the solution at the back of the book. He could solve the mystery himself. What he was best at was proving who lied at questioning. Mr. Millen just wanted Mark to learn that in case this happens.
“Sure,” said the police. “Maybe you can help us.” Mark was even a little famous in the town. The police knew him too.
When they got to the police station, the police first questioned Mr. Millen.
“Where were you last night?”
“Sleeping in my house as normal as ever.”
“Where is your house?”
“Across the street.”
“When did you sleep last night?”
“Just nine o’ clock.”
They questioned the security who worked last night.
“When did you start to work last night?”
“At eleven o’ clock.”
“Did you ever hear or see anything strange last night?”
“I was walking around the museum when I heard some vehicle doors and a trunk slam. I didn’t see anything. I thought some people were on the street late.”
Finally they questioned Charles Chen.
“Where were you last night?”
“Sleeping in my house.”
“When did you get up?”
“Five o’ clock, because my restaurant opens at eight.”
The questioning was done. The police had no clue who was the thief.
So they asked Mark about it.
“I know, the thief is—
WHO?
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