CHAPTER 47
We finally landed at Pulkovo International Airport, just south of Saint Petersburg.
The Saint Petersburg in Russia wasn’t as warm and sunny as the Saint Petersburg in Florida, but after all the ice, igloos, and glaciers, we were totally pumped to be south of the Arctic Circle again.
Our armed escorts ushered us through the cool, modern terminal.
Straight to Inspector Gorky.
“Welcome back, treasure hunters,” said Inspector Gorky with a fake smile. “Did you happen to find the motherland’s four missing masterpieces in an ice-sculpture garden protected by mutant polar bears?”
Given his major ’tude, maybe Inspector Gorky should change his name to Inspector Snarky.
“We were wrong about the North Pole,” admitted Mom.
“No!” said Inspector Gorky with heavy sarcasm. “What a surprise. And where is your husband, the renowned art historian and treasure hunter Professor Thomas Kidd?”
“We’re not sure,” I said.
“He’s on his own secret mission,” added Beck.
“And where might that be?” asked the Russian detective. “Somewhere in New York or London, where he’s talking to shady art dealers who would love to sell our national treasures to the highest bidder?”
“Inspector,” said Storm brusquely, because that’s how she says everything, “for the last time, Dad did not steal Leonardo da Vinci’s Madonna Litta, Caravaggio’s The Lute Player, Giorgione’s Judith, or Rembrandt’s Danaë!”
“Really?” said Inspector Gorky. “Then why have you memorized the artists and titles of the four paintings still missing from the Hermitage Museum?”
“I have a photographic memory. It’s what I do. I memorize stuff.”
“Dr. Kidd has been on another continent, tracking down the Enlightened Ones’ secret treasure trove,” explained Mom. “We have reason to believe it is nowhere near Russia. We also now suspect that they were not the ones who stole the art out of the Hermitage.”
“Oh, really?” said the inspector. “And why do you think this?”
“Because, while we were in flight, my husband texted me.”
Gorky arched an eyebrow. “You had Wi-Fi in the rear end of a cargo plane?”
“No,” said Beck. “We had satellites. Mom and Dad used to work for the CIA, remember?”
“You can see it on this,” said Mom, unstrapping her high-tech wristwatch.
Inspector Gorky put on his reading glasses, squinted, and scrolled through the block of text on the watch screen, which was about the size of a postage stamp. We all held our breath while we waited for him to finish.
Finally, he looked up and nodded. At least the fake smile was gone.
“Otlichno. Very good. Reading this, I am convinced that the Enlightened Ones are not our thieves. Neither is your husband. In fact, I now suspect someone here in Russia is our culprit. Therefore, since one who sits between two chairs may easily fall down, that is where we must focus our investigation.”
“Another Russian proverb,” said Storm. “It means if you keep trying to follow two paths, you’ll end up going nowhere.”
“Da. I have decided to follow only one. Yours. Find our treasures, Kidd Family Treasure Hunters. Find them soon!”
With that, he handed Mom back her watch.
And the sixth clue!
