Author’s Note: This is a plot bunny story , inspired by a question during the chat called “If You Could…Part One” at Winterfest 2022. The question was: If you could…where might you accompany Mouse on a finding and taking expedition?

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She found him standing by his desk, so deep in thought he hadn’t noticed her presence until she called his name.

He pivoted at the sound of her voice, then gestured toward an object he’d been studying intently. “Catherine, you must see this.”

As she reached his side, he opened the ragged flaps of a dirt-stained cardboard box. “Look.”

The terse tone of his voice set her on edge. She peered into the box. “Oh, no, Vincent!” Her eyes grew wide as her voice shrank to a whisper. “How did something like this end up here?!”

“Read the note.”

She took a scruffy piece of paper from his outstretched hand and read aloud. “Found this for you! Took it. Neat, right?”

There was no need for a signature.

She reached toward the gilded frame nestled in crumpled newspaper, then snatched her hand back as if some predator had tried to bite her. “You didn’t touch it, did you?”

He shook his head. “No. I was afraid I might damage it.”

“Or leave fingerprints!”

His discordant chortle betrayed his frayed nerves. “I don’t think the police have my fingerprints on file. Or Mouse’s either.” He frowned. “Although that is a possibility…”

“Well, they certainly have mine!” She clenched her fists and took a deep, shaky breath. “We have to figure out a way to get it back to the museum — but not before we come up with a plausible story.”

He shook his head. “That’s not going to be easy.”

“No, it’s not.” She could feel a headache building. “How did he manage to do this? The Met’s security system is state-of-the-art!”

“That may be, but to Mouse it would have been nothing more than a puzzle to be solved.”

She rolled her eyes. “Which he evidently had no trouble doing. It’s all over the newspapers, you know. Major art theft from the high-security underground vaults at the Met.” She collapsed onto his bed.

He sat next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. “I know. I saw an article in one of the issues of the Times Peter brought to Father yesterday. I thought little of it until this package turned up.”

“Well, I suppose we should consider it lucky the painting was being cleaned when Mouse found it. At least he didn’t just snatch it off the wall in the gallery.”

“And let’s hope he doesn’t realize it’s only one in a series.”

She shuddered. “Never mention that to him, or the next thing we know, he’ll be on a train to Philadelphia.”

“Or a plane to London or Amsterdam.”

They shared a shaky laugh that quickly faded to an uneasy silence.

She felt as if she might be sick. “We’ve managed to save Mouse from the repercussions of some of his other escapades, but I don’t know if it’s possible this time. Not without incriminating someone else. And I think we both know who that someone else would be!”

“We will not let that happen, Catherine.” The conviction in his voice and words should have reassured her.

“How? I can’t just stroll into the museum and hand it over to Lost and Found. And we certainly can’t let Mouse get his hands on it again!” She felt her heart pound as her breathing grew shallow. “We can’t risk a chance that the trail will lead the authorities to the truth. We need an idea that will work – and we need it now!”

“Have ideas. Lots of ideas. Good ones!”

As they stared at the figure in the chamber entrance, Vincent jumped to his feet. “Mouse! How long have you been listening to our conversation? You know that’s not acceptable behavior.”

“Sorry, Vincent, Catherine. Didn’t want to interrupt. Heard what you said though.” He loped into the chamber and headed for the box.

“Don’t touch it!” Catherine cried. “Just leave it alone!”

With obvious effort, Vincent kept his voice calm. “And what did you hear, Mouse?”

“Don’t like the present. Don’t want it.” He inched closer to the desk.

The couple exchanged a look. “It’s not that we don’t like it,” she began. “It’s beautiful, but –”

He continued their shared thoughts. “It wasn’t yours to take or to give. It belongs to the museum, and because of that, it belongs to everyone. It must be made available for all people to enjoy. It cannot be hidden away just for the pleasure of a few.”

Mouse appeared to be mulling over their words. “Got it. Like the present. But it needs to go back.” He snatched up the box. “Take it back right now!”

“No, Mouse!” Catherine bolted off the bed and grabbed the back of his leather jacket just before he could scamper away. “Leave it with me. I’ll see that it’s returned to the museum.”

Mouse hesitated, then handed it over. “Okay good, okay fine.” He grinned at her. “Mouse good at finding and taking. Catherine good at putting back.”

“Let’s hope so,” she muttered under her breath.

A brief announcement rang along the pipes, bringing an even wider grin to the young man’s face.

“Almost dinner time! Need to feed Arthur!”  With a clatter of booted feet, he raced from the chamber.

Vincent sighed. “Catherine, thank you for promising to help him. But I’m worried about you. How will you manage to return the painting safely?”

“I have absolutely no idea, but I’ll figure something out.”

She placed the box carefully back on his desk, then took his hand, urging him forward. Together they took one last look at the treasure within.

“You know why he chose this one for you, don’t you?”

He squeezed her hand. “Yes. After all, it has my name on it.”

They smiled at one another. Despite what loomed ahead, they would take a moment to savor the sunflowers.

Two Cut Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh; Paris, Summer 1817