Free Eye on Crime by Franklin W. Dixon

the store closes.”
    â€œGood thinking. It’s always a good idea to look for clues while the trail is warm.”
    Frank and Joe said goodbye and headed to the van. Twenty minutes later they were at the Golden Palace. The store was smaller than the Jewelry Exchange. It didn’t even have its own parking lot. It was in the middle of the block, separated from the store to its left by an alleyway.
    The brothers entered the Golden Palace, which was little more than a wide hallway with glasscases on one side and an office in back. The glass cases were all empty.
    â€œCan I help you?” asked an old man as he came out of the back room. “We’re not really open.”
    â€œThe door was unlocked,” Frank said.
    â€œI’ve had police in and out all day. Plus anybody who had something on pre-order who came to pick it up, not knowing we were cleaned out last night. You here to pick up something?”
    â€œNot anymore, I guess,” Joe said.
    â€œSorry. But you’ll get a refund or replacement as soon as the insurance settles or the stuff is recovered.”
    â€œThey got everything, huh? We shouldn’t have ordered from a place with so little security.”
    â€œHindsight is twenty-twenty, said the old man. “The security for this place is just that one camera.” He pointed to a camera on the ceiling above the glass cases. “Didn’t figure on needing more than that for a little place like this. And it did its job. Caught those thieves on tape.”
    â€œGuess it did,” Joe said. “Well, thanks.”
    â€œIs that an Eye Spy camera?” Frank asked.
    â€œSure is,” the man answered. “It worked like a charm.”
    The brothers left the store.
    â€œNot many clues there,” Joe said.
    The brothers stood outside the Golden Palace for a moment debating what to do next. Just then the front door to the store opened and the old mancame outside, struggling to lift a large plastic garbage bag.
    â€œNeed some help with that?” Frank asked.
    â€œSure could.”
    Joe took the heavy bag from the man. “Where does it go?”
    â€œThere’s a Dumpster in the alley. Thanks.”
    â€œNo problem,” Frank said. The man went back into the store. Joe headed for the alley, with Frank a step behind.
    â€œThis thing is heavy,” Joe said. “It sounds as though it has glass in it.”
    â€œMaybe from a case that was broken during the heist.”
    â€œCould be. Help me lift this up.”
    Frank took hold of the bag. The two heaved it higher to maneuver it over the rim of the Dumpster. Just as the bag cleared the top it ripped, raining glass, paper, and other debris on to the concrete.
    â€œAt least most of it stayed in the bag,” Joe said as he stooped to scoop up the garbage from the walkway. Frank bent down to help him.
    â€œWell, what do you know,” Frank said as he sifted through the garbage. “Our good deed with the garbage is going to leave us smelling like roses.”

9 Video Magic
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    â€œI think the smell of this garbage has made you lose your senses, Frank.”
    â€œWell, it certainly has made me giddy. Here, look at this.” Frank held up a small piece of stiff paper, no bigger than an unfolded chewing-gum wrapper.
    â€œLooks like a torn lottery ticket,” Joe said, refraining from touching the dirty piece of paper. “Or a movie ticket stub.”
    â€œClose,” Frank said. “It’s a ticket stub for the Monty Mania show.”
    â€œSo? There are probably hundreds of Monty Mania ticket stubs in garbage bags all over town. It’s a popular attraction.”
    â€œBut think about it,” Frank said. “This stub is from last night’s show. Now it’s here at the sameplace that Callie and Iola are accused of robbing last night.”
    â€œSo maybe we should put it back in the garbage. From where I’m standing, that ticket stub only makes