To Catch a Thief

Chapter 1 - I'm Sexy and I Gnome It

The Asian Art Museum has been theft-free since it's opening in 1966... until today. The three-story stone rectangle is a beacon of Asian culture to the people of the area and houses approximately 18,000 works of art from all major Asian countries. Over a third of the art is part of a donation by a lone Gotham billionaire, most of it bequeathed to them in his will. It's one such piece, the Seated Buddha from the late Han dynasty, whose absence is drawing the attention of the police and insurance investigators alike.

Alex Danvers stands on the second-story, pillar-lined balcony, their gaze sweeping the streets below. As an art recovery specialist, Alex is often called in by the insurance company to try and regain a lost piece and mitigate paying a claim. The prior gallery owner had a reputation for excellence, a hard earned one. When their parents' business was going belly up after their father's death, Alex had the option of fighting to keep it afloat or combining their knowledge of art and their degree in criminal science to create a new, more profitable business venture. They chose the latter.

Ever a professional in a dark suit, Alex straightens from peering over the railing and tucks their tie back into their suit. There's no sign of any repelling device, but this is one possible path of escape that the daring thief could have taken on this otherwise sunny afternoon. However, it isn't the possible second-story escape that has the thief categorized as daring. No, the theft took place during daytime business hours, and an alarm never even sounded. The entire thing was so wily that it was a school field trip that first discovered the occurrence and reported it to security.

"Hey, I got here as fast as I could. I thought the cops were going to strip-search me even with my credentials. What happened here?"

Alex turns, sighing heavily at the sight of their sister. The elder Danvers sibling pushes back the long red hair on the top of their head, fully revealing the shaved sides. "It was a robbery."

"Yeah, I figured." Kara smiles easily. She's a tall girl with a medium but muscular frame, and about two inches taller than her already taller than average sibling. Where Alex is serious, Kara is bubbly, always ready with a smile or joke. She's everyone's best friend with bright blue eyes behind her round glasses, and long hair that looks like it was touched by sunshine, much like her personality. "What did they get?"

"Follow me." As they walk through the museum, guards and police, all on high-alert, nod and let Alex and company pass without objection. They're close to the middle of the museum when Alex speaks again. "It was a Seated Buddha from the later Zhao dynasty. The museum can't even give me an estimate on its value."

"Damn." Kara's tone is, if not admiring at least appreciative of the theft. "Where'd they take it from?"

"Right here." Alex gestures a good twenty feet in front of them toward a pillar that stands about three-feet high. It's surrounded by police who are taking pictures and collecting other physical evidence.

"From here and the cops just got called? Why didn't the guards notice it was gone this morning?"

"Because it wasn't," Alex shoots an incredulous look over their shoulder, "or so the guards swear."

"You're not actually saying the piece was stolen while the museum was open, are you?"

Alex shrugs and continues to approach the scene of the crime. "It gets better."

"How? This is pretty damn wild already."

"Behold." Alex holds one hand forward, gesturing toward the pillar in question. As if by magic, a channel through the swarm of police opens, and the view is clear. The Seated Buddha is gone, but the pillar isn't empty.

Mouth hanging agape, Kara stares at the pillar before closing her mouth with an audible snap. "Is that a... garden gnome?"

"Yup." The 'P' pops.