around here have me a little concerned. My store is the only one in the whole mall that hasn’t been hit.”
“Well, this is the sturdiest safe on the market,” Tony said. “I don’t think you’ll be having any trouble.”
“I hope not,” Bob said.
Tony leaned against the counter. “Do the police have any leads on these robberies?”
“It doesn’t sound like it,” Bob replied. “Whoever it is must be a real pro.”
“Did they check out that guy from the game store?” Tony asked. “What’s his name again? Carter?”
“Yes,” Henry said. “Carter Malone. But I don’t know that anyone’s really considered him a suspect.”
“I don’t know. I’ve seen him prowling around here at night,” Tony said. “I asked him what he was doing and he said he was just taking a walk. But who walks around the mall after it’s closed?”
“Apparently, Carter does,” Bob replied. “I’ve seen him, too. But that doesn’t mean he’s a robber.”
“Did you see that sign in the parking lot the other day?” Tony asked. “It said CARTER and ROBBER. Maybe someone knows something the rest of us don’t know?”
“Or maybe someone’s trying to frame Carter,” Henry said.
“Could be,” Tony admitted. “But I have to tell you, I was playing a game with him the other day and there’s something a little different about him. Plus he sure knows a lot about safes. More than the average person should know.”
“Well, the police are looking into it,” Bob said as he wiped the counter. “Did you kids need something?”
“We need some throat drops for our housekeeper,” Jessie said.
“I better let you get back to work,” Tony said to Bob. He picked up his toolbox, then went out through the back of the store.
Bob led the children over to an aisle that contained cold and flu supplies. “These should do the trick,” he said, pulling a bag of red drops off the rack.
“Thanks,” Henry said. “Well take them.”
The children paid for the throat drops, then left.
Violet seemed especially quiet.
“What are you thinking about, Violet?” Jessie asked.
Violet frowned. “I don’t know. I was just thinking that every time Tony puts in a safe at this mall, that store gets robbed.”
Henry thought back to when the jewelry store and Queenie’s store were robbed. “Hmm. You’re right, Violet.”
“What are you saying?” Jessie asked. “Do you think Tony is the thief?”
“He would certainly know all the combinations to the safes,” Benny pointed out.
“And he could’ve stolen keys when he brought the safes into the stores,” Henry added.
“But he seems like such a nice man,” Violet said. “I hate to think of him robbing his customers.”
“Still, he’s probably our best suspect at this point,” Jessie said. “Maybe we should keep an eye on the drugstore tonight? See if he, or anyone else, tries to sneak back in and rob the store after closing.”
“That’s a good idea, Jessie,” Henry said. “Let’s talk to Grandfather about that when we get home.”
Before heading home, the children decided to stop in at the Game Spot and see how their mural looked now that the paint was dry. When they arrived, they found Queenie and Raina decorating the store for next week’s big Word Master tournament. Carter was seated at the main table. His brown jacket was draped over a chair. He was too engrossed in the papers in front of him to pay any attention to the children.
But Queenie greeted them cheerfully. “Well, hello there. I wasn’t expecting to see you children today.”
“We thought we’d stop in and take a look at the mural,” Jessie explained.
“I’m glad you did,” Queenie said. She set the Word Master flyer and the stapler down on a chair. “It turned out so nicely! I spent the morning getting the table and chairs arranged and putting the pillows down. And now I think the Kids’ Korner is officially done.”
They all walked to the Kids’ Korner. Red, blue and green
“Well, this is the sturdiest safe on the market,” Tony said. “I don’t think you’ll be having any trouble.”
“I hope not,” Bob said.
Tony leaned against the counter. “Do the police have any leads on these robberies?”
“It doesn’t sound like it,” Bob replied. “Whoever it is must be a real pro.”
“Did they check out that guy from the game store?” Tony asked. “What’s his name again? Carter?”
“Yes,” Henry said. “Carter Malone. But I don’t know that anyone’s really considered him a suspect.”
“I don’t know. I’ve seen him prowling around here at night,” Tony said. “I asked him what he was doing and he said he was just taking a walk. But who walks around the mall after it’s closed?”
“Apparently, Carter does,” Bob replied. “I’ve seen him, too. But that doesn’t mean he’s a robber.”
“Did you see that sign in the parking lot the other day?” Tony asked. “It said CARTER and ROBBER. Maybe someone knows something the rest of us don’t know?”
“Or maybe someone’s trying to frame Carter,” Henry said.
“Could be,” Tony admitted. “But I have to tell you, I was playing a game with him the other day and there’s something a little different about him. Plus he sure knows a lot about safes. More than the average person should know.”
“Well, the police are looking into it,” Bob said as he wiped the counter. “Did you kids need something?”
“We need some throat drops for our housekeeper,” Jessie said.
“I better let you get back to work,” Tony said to Bob. He picked up his toolbox, then went out through the back of the store.
Bob led the children over to an aisle that contained cold and flu supplies. “These should do the trick,” he said, pulling a bag of red drops off the rack.
“Thanks,” Henry said. “Well take them.”
The children paid for the throat drops, then left.
Violet seemed especially quiet.
“What are you thinking about, Violet?” Jessie asked.
Violet frowned. “I don’t know. I was just thinking that every time Tony puts in a safe at this mall, that store gets robbed.”
Henry thought back to when the jewelry store and Queenie’s store were robbed. “Hmm. You’re right, Violet.”
“What are you saying?” Jessie asked. “Do you think Tony is the thief?”
“He would certainly know all the combinations to the safes,” Benny pointed out.
“And he could’ve stolen keys when he brought the safes into the stores,” Henry added.
“But he seems like such a nice man,” Violet said. “I hate to think of him robbing his customers.”
“Still, he’s probably our best suspect at this point,” Jessie said. “Maybe we should keep an eye on the drugstore tonight? See if he, or anyone else, tries to sneak back in and rob the store after closing.”
“That’s a good idea, Jessie,” Henry said. “Let’s talk to Grandfather about that when we get home.”
Before heading home, the children decided to stop in at the Game Spot and see how their mural looked now that the paint was dry. When they arrived, they found Queenie and Raina decorating the store for next week’s big Word Master tournament. Carter was seated at the main table. His brown jacket was draped over a chair. He was too engrossed in the papers in front of him to pay any attention to the children.
But Queenie greeted them cheerfully. “Well, hello there. I wasn’t expecting to see you children today.”
“We thought we’d stop in and take a look at the mural,” Jessie explained.
“I’m glad you did,” Queenie said. She set the Word Master flyer and the stapler down on a chair. “It turned out so nicely! I spent the morning getting the table and chairs arranged and putting the pillows down. And now I think the Kids’ Korner is officially done.”
They all walked to the Kids’ Korner. Red, blue and green
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