two hours ago.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And did you notice anything unusual at that time?”
“No, sir.” Theo wanted to mention the fact that a stranger had been in his locker on Monday, but he was suddenly in a hurry. He was terrified that someone might see him with two cops and the principal.
“You can open it now,” Hamilton said.
Theo punched in the code—58343 (Judge)—and pulled open the door. Nothing appeared to be missing, but something had certainly been added. On the left side, leaning against some textbooks, were three slender objects Theo had never seen before.
“Don’t touch anything,” Hamilton said as he leaned down and in and breathed on Theo’s neck. Vorman and Mrs. Gladwell huddled close, and for a few seconds no one moved or said a word. Finally, Hamilton asked, “See anything unusual, Theo?”
With a dry mouth, Theo managed to say, “Yes, sir. Those are not mine.”
The slender objects were Linx 0-4 Tablets, the hottest and lightest personal computers dominating the marketplace. With stunning graphics, unlimited memory, a million applications, and a price tag of $399, the 0-4 was cheaper, yet far more sophisticated than its current competition. Detective Vorman, wearing surgical gloves and treating the 0-4s like rare diamonds, placed them side by side on Mrs. Gladwell’s desk. Big Mac had been called and was on his way to identify his stolen property.
“Please call my mother,” Theo said to Mrs. Gladwell. “Or my father. It doesn’t matter.”
“Not so fast,” Hamilton said. “We have some more questions.”
“I’m not answering any more questions,” Theo said. “I want my parents here.”
“If Theo says he didn’t steal these tablets, then I believe him,” Mrs. Gladwell said.
“Thank you so much,” Hamilton said.
“How did you know they were there?” Theo asked.
“And once again, young Theo, please, we’ll handle the questions,” Hamilton said. His tone and attitude had been lousy to start with; now, with the evidence in hand and the crime apparently solved, he was becoming unbearable.
“Can I call his parents?” Mrs. Gladwell asked.
“Sure you can,” Theo said. “They don’t run this school. They can’t tell you what to do.”
“Knock it off, kid,” Vorman said.
“I beg your pardon!” Mrs. Gladwell said. “Don’t talk to my student in such a manner. Theo is no criminal. I believe whatever he says.”
Theo walked to a spot beside Mrs. Gladwell, who was seated at her desk, and removed his cell phone. Using speed dial, he called the offices of Boone & Boone. Elsa answered, and Theo, staring straight into the angry eyes of Detective Hamilton said, “Hey, Elsa, it’s me, Theo. I need to talk to Mom.”
“Something wrong, Theo?”
“No. Just let me talk to Mom.”
“She’s in court, Theo. She’ll be tied up all morning.”
“Okay, then let me talk to Dad.”
“He’s not here. He’s in Wilkesburg closing a land deal. What’s going on, Theo?”
Theo did not have the time to chat with Elsa, and she could not help him anyway. The detectives were fuming and Theo figured he was almost out of time. He canceled the call to Elsa, punched another number for speed dial, and said, “Ike, it’s me, Theo.”
Ike replied, “Good morning, Theo. Why are you calling me at ten thirty?”
Theo said, “Ike, I’m at school and there are two detectives here accusing me of stealing computers that someone put in my locker. Can you get down here?”
“That’s enough, kid,” Hamilton growled. Ike did not respond but his office line went dead.
Theo slapped his phone shut and returned it to his pocket. Technically, this was a violation of school rules. Only eighth graders were allowed to have phones on campus, and a few of them did. Their use was strictly controlled. All cell phones had to be turned off during classes and could be used only during recess and lunch. Under the circumstances, though, Theo doubted if Mrs. Gladwell would be upset with
“Yes, sir.”
“And did you notice anything unusual at that time?”
“No, sir.” Theo wanted to mention the fact that a stranger had been in his locker on Monday, but he was suddenly in a hurry. He was terrified that someone might see him with two cops and the principal.
“You can open it now,” Hamilton said.
Theo punched in the code—58343 (Judge)—and pulled open the door. Nothing appeared to be missing, but something had certainly been added. On the left side, leaning against some textbooks, were three slender objects Theo had never seen before.
“Don’t touch anything,” Hamilton said as he leaned down and in and breathed on Theo’s neck. Vorman and Mrs. Gladwell huddled close, and for a few seconds no one moved or said a word. Finally, Hamilton asked, “See anything unusual, Theo?”
With a dry mouth, Theo managed to say, “Yes, sir. Those are not mine.”
The slender objects were Linx 0-4 Tablets, the hottest and lightest personal computers dominating the marketplace. With stunning graphics, unlimited memory, a million applications, and a price tag of $399, the 0-4 was cheaper, yet far more sophisticated than its current competition. Detective Vorman, wearing surgical gloves and treating the 0-4s like rare diamonds, placed them side by side on Mrs. Gladwell’s desk. Big Mac had been called and was on his way to identify his stolen property.
“Please call my mother,” Theo said to Mrs. Gladwell. “Or my father. It doesn’t matter.”
“Not so fast,” Hamilton said. “We have some more questions.”
“I’m not answering any more questions,” Theo said. “I want my parents here.”
“If Theo says he didn’t steal these tablets, then I believe him,” Mrs. Gladwell said.
“Thank you so much,” Hamilton said.
“How did you know they were there?” Theo asked.
“And once again, young Theo, please, we’ll handle the questions,” Hamilton said. His tone and attitude had been lousy to start with; now, with the evidence in hand and the crime apparently solved, he was becoming unbearable.
“Can I call his parents?” Mrs. Gladwell asked.
“Sure you can,” Theo said. “They don’t run this school. They can’t tell you what to do.”
“Knock it off, kid,” Vorman said.
“I beg your pardon!” Mrs. Gladwell said. “Don’t talk to my student in such a manner. Theo is no criminal. I believe whatever he says.”
Theo walked to a spot beside Mrs. Gladwell, who was seated at her desk, and removed his cell phone. Using speed dial, he called the offices of Boone & Boone. Elsa answered, and Theo, staring straight into the angry eyes of Detective Hamilton said, “Hey, Elsa, it’s me, Theo. I need to talk to Mom.”
“Something wrong, Theo?”
“No. Just let me talk to Mom.”
“She’s in court, Theo. She’ll be tied up all morning.”
“Okay, then let me talk to Dad.”
“He’s not here. He’s in Wilkesburg closing a land deal. What’s going on, Theo?”
Theo did not have the time to chat with Elsa, and she could not help him anyway. The detectives were fuming and Theo figured he was almost out of time. He canceled the call to Elsa, punched another number for speed dial, and said, “Ike, it’s me, Theo.”
Ike replied, “Good morning, Theo. Why are you calling me at ten thirty?”
Theo said, “Ike, I’m at school and there are two detectives here accusing me of stealing computers that someone put in my locker. Can you get down here?”
“That’s enough, kid,” Hamilton growled. Ike did not respond but his office line went dead.
Theo slapped his phone shut and returned it to his pocket. Technically, this was a violation of school rules. Only eighth graders were allowed to have phones on campus, and a few of them did. Their use was strictly controlled. All cell phones had to be turned off during classes and could be used only during recess and lunch. Under the circumstances, though, Theo doubted if Mrs. Gladwell would be upset with
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