The Mystery of the Shop Break-in by Aleksandra Hovde

Author:Aleksandra Hovde
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aleksandra Hovde
Published: 2024-08-14T00:00:00+00:00

They waited, holding their breath. Then, in one quick motion, the door swung open, and a figure slipped inside. Mr. Thompson flipped on the lights, and Scot sprang forward, barking loudly.

“Freeze!” Mr. Thompson shouted, raising the bat.

The intruder stopped dead in his tracks, startled by the sudden light and noise. Jenny’s flashlight beam landed on him, revealing a scruffy young man, maybe in his early twenties, with a dirty hoodie and a wild look in his eyes.

“Don’t move!” Jenny said, trying to sound as tough as she could.

The man slowly raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay! Don’t hurt me! I wasn’t gonna do anything bad!”

Mr. Thompson stepped forward, still holding the bat. “Who are you, and what are you doing here?”

The man swallowed hard, his eyes darting between Scot and Mr. Thompson. “My name’s Rick. I—I lost my job a few months ago, couldn’t pay my rent. I didn’t know what else to do, so I... I stole some stuff. I was just trying to get by, I swear.”

Jenny felt a mix of anger and sympathy. “Stealing isn’t the answer,” she said, her voice firm but not unkind. “You could have asked for help.”

Rick’s shoulders slumped. “I didn’t think anyone would care. I was desperate.”

Mr. Thompson slowly lowered the bat, his expression softening. “Look, stealing is never okay, but I can see you’re in a tough spot. If you return everything you took and work to make up for it, I won’t press charges. But you have to promise me you’ll turn things around.”

Rick looked up, hope flickering in his eyes. “You’d really give me another chance?”

Mr. Thompson nodded. “Everyone deserves a second chance.”

Jenny felt a sense of relief and pride in Mr. Thompson’s kindness. She was glad they had caught the thief, but even more glad that they could help him find a way out.

The sheriff arrived soon after, and after hearing the story, he agreed not to take Rick into custody if he made good on his promise. Rick thanked Mr. Thompson and Jenny profusely before leaving to return everything he had taken.

As Jenny and Scot made their way back to Lily’s house, Jenny couldn’t stop smiling. They had done it—they had solved the mystery and helped someone in the process.

When she finally slipped into her sleeping bag at Lily’s, exhaustion washed over her. Scot curled up beside her, letting out a contented sigh. Jenny felt a deep sense of satisfaction as she drifted off to sleep, already dreaming of their next adventure.

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