Free Stealing Magic by Marianne Malone Page A

that Ruthie’s mother might use when Ruthie was being less than truthful. “Is something wrong?”
    Ruthie stood there in the dim light of the corridor not sure what to say. She was a terrible liar!
If only Jack were here
, she thought,
he’d have some convincing story ready
.
    “No, nothing’s wrong.”
    Dora continued to look at the climbing strip. “Yes, it should be removed. It’s collecting dust.” She used a fingernail to pull it off the wall some, but the duct tape held fast. “Anyway,” she said, working away at the adhesive, “the references to the key in the archive really got me to thinking. You know, I just have the feeling it’s a key to something important and no one seems to know anything about it. Maybe it’s been lost.”
    Ruthie could feel the blood rushing to her face; she might as well have had the word
guilty
written across her forehead. Dora noticed. “Ruthie, are you sure you didn’t come across something when you were doing your research?”
    Ruthie stayed mute and frozen while Dora looked at her.
    “Ruthie?”
    The hum from the diorama lights seemed to blare inthe silence. “I don’t think you’ll believe me if I tell you,” Ruthie said.
    “Try me,” Dora said.
    And so Ruthie began. “I do know something about that key.…”
    She only meant to tell her a little. But Dora looked so interested and listened so patiently that the whole story of the key, the magic and the shrinking just spilled right out.
    When she was finished, Dora was thoughtful for a moment. “It’s quite a story! It’s hard to believe.… I shouldn’t believe it.… But I want to because of what I’ve learned in my own research. Mrs. Thorne left some big hints about magic.”
    Ruthie was more than relieved. It would have felt horrible if Dora had thought Ruthie was just some nutty kid who made things up.
    “Your secret is safe with me,” Dora vowed.
    “We’re going to return the key. We just don’t know where to put it yet,” Ruthie clarified.
    “I hope you’re keeping the key in a safe place.”
    “We are. Jack has it.” Ruthie remembered how she’d felt when they had confided in Mrs. McVittie, reassured and grateful that she had someone else to talk to about it all.
    Dora smiled at her. “I’m glad you decided to tell me.”
    Ruthie noted a different feeling when they returned to the gallery. She had revealed something important to Dora—something huge—and now she wondered if theywould still be teacher and student. Ruthie very awkwardly asked if they could continue this lesson.
    Dora checked her watch. “Yes, we can work for about another half hour, and then I have an appointment.”
    “With Lydia?” Ruthie asked.
    “That’s right. Did Jack tell you?”
    “Yes. And I’m supposed to go to his house this afternoon too.”
    “Then why don’t we go together?” Dora suggested. “How perfect!”
    “Okay.” Ruthie looked down at her drawing, which was less than perfect so far. Maybe if she hung around Dora enough, some perfection would rub off on her.
    “It’s so nice to see you again.” Lydia welcomed Dora—and Ruthie—into the loft.
    “Your work came to mind immediately when my client suggested a trompe l’oeil painting,” Dora enthused. Then she saw Jack in the doorway of his room. “Hello again. What a wonderful loft. And, Jack, you have your own house!”
    Ruthie always loved to witness people seeing Jack and Lydia’s loft for the first time. It had originally been a factory space, and Lydia redesigned everything for them to live there. They had a great view of the city through really tall windows. The loft was a big L-shaped space; one leg was Lydia’s studio, and the other leg was their living area, in which Jack had his own two-story “house,” with adoor and windows looking out to the rest of the loft. He’d painted and decorated it as he pleased. It was fantastic.
    “Show her what it’s like inside,” she prompted Jack. Dora followed Jack as he led a tour