Eye on Crime by Franklin W. Dixon Read Free Book Online

Why?”
    â€œWell, you get an A! You just helped with some stellar addition and problem solving.”
    â€œYou’re losing me here, Frank.”
    â€œBaseball season! That’s the key.”
    â€œOkay, baseball. Got ya. Baseball is going to get Iola and Callie cleared of robbery.”
    â€œIt might,” Frank said. “Remember when Con asked us about our chances against Shoreham?”
    â€œYeah. Small talk. Con’s great at small talk.”
    â€œAnd at giving us clues. He knows you saw what was in that file, or at least he figures you might have seen something. He wanted us to know that what is happening with the girls really is connected to the robbery at the Jewelry Exchange.”
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œSo he’s given us a place to start. Find out what happened at the Jewelry Exchange and we can clear the girls.”
    â€œIn fact,” Joe said, catching on to Con’s clue,“he gave us two places to start. He wanted us to be concerned specifically with Rojas and Wingfoot. Maybe he figures we can get to them in a way that the cops can’t.”
    Frank slowed down as he made a left turn into Bayport High’s parking lot. “So we have two places to check, the Jewelry Exchange and the alleged thieves,” he said.
    â€œGreat”—Joe laughed—“now even the police are giving us homework.”
    â€œI wonder if we can get extra credit,” Frank said as he pulled the van into a parking space. He cut the engine and hopped out, grabbing his books from the backseat. The brothers headed into the main building just as the bell rang.
    â€œWell, we made it back in time for lunch. We’re sure to ace that class,” Joe said. “Let’s find Chet and Tony and fill them in on what happened at the police station.”
    Frank and Joe made their way to the cafeteria. When they entered the large room, it was already teeming with a mass of students. Joe craned his head, surveying the crowd. He spotted Chet and Tony sitting at a table by the window. The two were alone, sitting in silence, picking at their food. Even Chet’s legendary appetite had deserted him.
    â€œFrank and Joe Hardy to Long Face Central,” Joe said as he approached the table. He sat down next to Chet.
    â€œNot much to celebrate,” Chet said.
    Frank sat on the bench next to Tony. “Not right now,” he said. “But we’re working on it.”
    â€œSo you got some information from the cops?”
    â€œIf you call getting threatened with obstruction of justice information,” Joe said.
    â€œJoe’s understating our success,” Frank quickly added.
    â€œSo what did you find out? Did you see my sister? What did they say?”
    â€œIn order,” Frank said. “Little, but it may be important. Yes. And not much before Chief Collig cut them off.”
    â€œDetails,” Tony said. “We had English literature this morning, so you can use long sentences.”
    Some tension left the table with Tony’s comment. After some chuckles, the group huddled closer together.
    â€œCallie and Iola were arrested for robbery,” Frank revealed in a low voice.
    â€œMy sister?” Chet yelled. Joe held up a silencing finger, indicating that he preferred the whole school not be let in on the facts.
    â€œR-robbery?” Chet stammered in a quieter voice. “What did they steal?”
    â€œAllegedly steal.” Tony corrected his frenetic friend.
    â€œWe’re not certain,” Joe said, “but we think they’re suspects in the Jewelry Exchange heist.”
    â€œLike the girls are into jewelry?” Tony soundedincredulous. “I mean, they are girls and all, but flashy gold and sparkling diamonds are not their speed.”
    â€œThat’s for sure,” Frank agreed. “When I gave Callie a charm bracelet for her birthday, she said she was afraid to wear such a nice piece of