has been removed from its setting and put into a clasp that holds buttons, then sewn onto the costume.”
Benny’s mouth formed a big O. “You mean the jewels were in plain sight all the time — the buttons are the jewels!”
“That’s right,” Alex said. “Violet thought it was strange that Marcia was so careful of her costume, checking the stones to be certain they were secure.”
“When I saw Marcia without her crutches,” Violet said, “and then saw her study her costume, I became suspicious.” She glanced at Marcia. “You see, I was sewing in a corner in the back when you came into the dressing room today and leaned your crutches against the wall.”
Marcia’s expression was grim. “So you saw me walk and look at my costume.” She shrugged. “That doesn’t mean I’m a thief!”
“Don’t forget you used green ink!” Benny shouted. “That was another clue!”
“Yes,” Alex said, smiling. “But I wrote in green ink, too! And so did Ollie.”
“I knew you couldn’t steal anything!” Benny answered.
“Green ink?” Marcia repeated. “What are you talking about?”
Henry pulled papers from his pocket. “You used green ink on this map and also on the newspaper article.” He put a hand on Benny’s shoulder. “When Benny got your autograph, he realized that you and Alex and Ollie had pens with green ink.”
Sighing, Marcia dropped into a chair.
“We decided to play a trick on you,” Alex said.
Marcia stared at Alex. “Do you mean your costume wasn’t torn?”
“Not even a little,” Alex replied. “But we needed to look at yours. We suspected you’d sewn on the real jewels.”
The man in black stepped forward, smoothing his mustache. He cleared his throat and spoke in a deep voice: “Marcia Westerly, you’ve not only stolen Mrs. Murray’s jewels, but also robbed homes in Albany, Philadelphia, and Pittsburg!”
“Who are you?” Benny asked, surprised the man knew so much.
Janet O’Shea spoke up. “This is Adam Hooper, a detective I hired.”
Suddenly two policemen squeezed into the room.
“This is the thief!” Adam Hooper announced, pointing at Marcia. “We’re waiting for her explanation.”
“I’m Officer Mylansky,” the bigger of the two men said, “and this is my partner, Officer Greene.” He flipped open a notepad. “Who found the jewels?”
Adam Hooper sheepishly turned to the Aldens. “I can’t take credit. The Aldens pieced together the whole thing.”
Marcia’s mouth became a thin line, and she said in a cold tone, “Yes, the clever Aldens! If it hadn’t been for them, I’d have been on a plane tomorrow, and no one would have been the wiser. I’ve always wanted to have money. I was going to sell the jewels when I got out of this town.” She added bitterly, “The blizzard was against me, too! Snow closed the airport, or I would have left town the day after the robbery!”
“Did you really burglarize homes in those other cities?” Henry asked, disbelief on his face.
“Yes, I did!’ Marcia stood up, facing her accusers. “It was easy. My crutches gave me the perfect excuse.” She paused, glancing at the waiting officers. “The Murrays’ house was going to be my last robbery with the troupe. I knew I couldn’t stay on crutches forever!”
“No, you couldn’t!” Janet exclaimed. I was beginning to wonder when you were ever going to put on a pair of skates! To think I hired you!”
“I wondered about you, too, Marcia,” Jessie said, “when you didn’t know a simple skating term or who Valentina Markov was!”
Marcia gave a bitter laugh. “I guess I gave myself away in more ways than one!”
“Come along, Miss,” Officer Greene said, leading Marcia out of the room.
Mrs. Murray clutched the green dress, examining each gem. “Every diamond and ruby has been fastened on this dress.” Tears filled her eyes. “How can I thank everyone!”
For a moment all that was heard was the police siren fading into the distance,
Benny’s mouth formed a big O. “You mean the jewels were in plain sight all the time — the buttons are the jewels!”
“That’s right,” Alex said. “Violet thought it was strange that Marcia was so careful of her costume, checking the stones to be certain they were secure.”
“When I saw Marcia without her crutches,” Violet said, “and then saw her study her costume, I became suspicious.” She glanced at Marcia. “You see, I was sewing in a corner in the back when you came into the dressing room today and leaned your crutches against the wall.”
Marcia’s expression was grim. “So you saw me walk and look at my costume.” She shrugged. “That doesn’t mean I’m a thief!”
“Don’t forget you used green ink!” Benny shouted. “That was another clue!”
“Yes,” Alex said, smiling. “But I wrote in green ink, too! And so did Ollie.”
“I knew you couldn’t steal anything!” Benny answered.
“Green ink?” Marcia repeated. “What are you talking about?”
Henry pulled papers from his pocket. “You used green ink on this map and also on the newspaper article.” He put a hand on Benny’s shoulder. “When Benny got your autograph, he realized that you and Alex and Ollie had pens with green ink.”
Sighing, Marcia dropped into a chair.
“We decided to play a trick on you,” Alex said.
Marcia stared at Alex. “Do you mean your costume wasn’t torn?”
“Not even a little,” Alex replied. “But we needed to look at yours. We suspected you’d sewn on the real jewels.”
The man in black stepped forward, smoothing his mustache. He cleared his throat and spoke in a deep voice: “Marcia Westerly, you’ve not only stolen Mrs. Murray’s jewels, but also robbed homes in Albany, Philadelphia, and Pittsburg!”
“Who are you?” Benny asked, surprised the man knew so much.
Janet O’Shea spoke up. “This is Adam Hooper, a detective I hired.”
Suddenly two policemen squeezed into the room.
“This is the thief!” Adam Hooper announced, pointing at Marcia. “We’re waiting for her explanation.”
“I’m Officer Mylansky,” the bigger of the two men said, “and this is my partner, Officer Greene.” He flipped open a notepad. “Who found the jewels?”
Adam Hooper sheepishly turned to the Aldens. “I can’t take credit. The Aldens pieced together the whole thing.”
Marcia’s mouth became a thin line, and she said in a cold tone, “Yes, the clever Aldens! If it hadn’t been for them, I’d have been on a plane tomorrow, and no one would have been the wiser. I’ve always wanted to have money. I was going to sell the jewels when I got out of this town.” She added bitterly, “The blizzard was against me, too! Snow closed the airport, or I would have left town the day after the robbery!”
“Did you really burglarize homes in those other cities?” Henry asked, disbelief on his face.
“Yes, I did!’ Marcia stood up, facing her accusers. “It was easy. My crutches gave me the perfect excuse.” She paused, glancing at the waiting officers. “The Murrays’ house was going to be my last robbery with the troupe. I knew I couldn’t stay on crutches forever!”
“No, you couldn’t!” Janet exclaimed. I was beginning to wonder when you were ever going to put on a pair of skates! To think I hired you!”
“I wondered about you, too, Marcia,” Jessie said, “when you didn’t know a simple skating term or who Valentina Markov was!”
Marcia gave a bitter laugh. “I guess I gave myself away in more ways than one!”
“Come along, Miss,” Officer Greene said, leading Marcia out of the room.
Mrs. Murray clutched the green dress, examining each gem. “Every diamond and ruby has been fastened on this dress.” Tears filled her eyes. “How can I thank everyone!”
For a moment all that was heard was the police siren fading into the distance,
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