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

asked.
    â€œFrank and I are going shopping in the jewelry district.”
    â€œAfter we catch some classes,” Frank added.
    â€¢Â â€¢Â â€¢
    After school Frank and Joe met at the van.
    â€œMan, believe it or not, it was nice to be a student for a little while,” Frank said.
    Joe climbed into the van. “I hear you,” he said with a nod. “History class almost took my mind off our girlfriends’ being in jail.”
    â€œThey’ll be out soon,” Frank said. “Robbery doesn’t require them to be held without bail. I figure they’ll be out by dinnertime.”
    The rest of the drive to the Jewelry Exchange was filled with talk of classwork and studying. The brothers even quizzed each other to stay mentally sharp. It was an invigorating exercise that helped keep their minds ready for whatever might come their way, on or off a case.
    â€œAh, here we are,” Frank said as he pulled into the store’s parking lot.
    â€œI hope we’re not underdressed,” Joe said as he looked at some of the people going in and out of the store’s front door. Everybody he saw was wearing either a suit or a fashionable dress.
    â€œOr underage,” Frank added.
    Once the two were inside the Jewelry Exchange, all three of the shop’s workers and most of its dozen or so customers turned a disapproving eye toward the Hardys.
    â€œMaybe the thief hit this place because he doesn’t like snooty people,” Joe whispered.
    â€œJust try to be casual,” Frank replied. “We’re here looking for a present for Mom or something.”
    The two brothers split up, Frank moving toward the standing glass cases on the left and Joe heading over to the counters on the right. Both noted the locks on the cases and cabinets; they were standard medium-security locks, most likely hardwired to an alarm system. Frank concentrated on getting the rhythm of the clientele, but all he could observe was that he and Joe were the only ones who looked out of place. However, the store was awfully busy, especially for having been robbed two nights earlier. It made Frank wonder how the stock could have been replenished so quickly.
    Joe moved toward the back of the store, near where he could see a door that probably led to some back rooms. The door was partially opened, only revealing a desk and door to Joe, whose field of vision was limited. Joe glanced down at a case of gold necklaces, so as not to appear to be staring at the door. When he chanced another look, he saw somebody move inside the office. Joe couldsee only the person’s pants leg, and he was sure that what he saw was not the standard slacks that someone would wear with a suit. The leg looked as if it belonged to work overalls.
    â€œMay I help you?” came a shrill voice from behind Joe.
    â€œUh, yeah,” Joe replied. He turned around to peer into the face of a thin, pale man with wire-rimmed glasses and a disapproving stare. “I was hoping to get something nice for my mother.”
    â€œWell, that is certainly possible, depending on what price range you were considering.”
    â€œI was thinking,” Joe began, but there was no way he could be heard over the sudden crash of glass and the wailing of the loudest alarm he had ever heard.

7 The Blind Eye
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    At the sound of the alarm, Joe immediately spun around to face the door. He glimpsed Frank out of the corner of his eye, but his vision was partially obscured by the half dozen or so patrons who were frantically heading for the exit. The first person to reach the exit slammed against the door with little result.
    An auto-locking mechanism, Joe thought.
    The alarm kept up its incessant wailing, so Joe knew the only way to communicate with his brother was to make his way over to him. He began to push past a couple of shoppers, when he saw that Frank was moving toward the door. Joe followed his brother’s gaze and realized what he was looking