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Authors: Ann M. Martin
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of the day-care center, which we had worked out during a short meeting the day before. The center would be run as a co-op. Store-owners who were interested in being part of it would get together to pay the rent each month, at least at first. Hopefully, once the center was running, it would make just enough money, through fees charged to parents, to cover the rent plus the salaries of the employees. The center wouldn't operate to make a profit. We agreed that the fees should be as low as possible, so it would be affordable for everyone. "This looks great," said Logan, after he had read through it. "I'll bring one over to Casa Grande and ask my boss to pass it around."
"I'll take one, too," said Jessi. "My boss is pretty excited about this."
Mr. Williams had plenty of copies of his letter, and we all took a few to pass out.
As my friends and I left the meeting, I noticed that Kristy looked a little down. "Is something wrong?" I asked her. "I mean, everything seems to be going well, don't you think?"
"Oh, things are great with the day-care center," said Kristy. "But right before the meeting we had our own meeting in security. I was so sure that the shoplifting would stop after we caught those kids, but it hasn't."
"That’s what Ms. Munro told me," said Mal. "She said stuff is still disappearing. Not from the bookstore so much, though. it’s mostly little things, like from the drugstore."
"That’s right," said Kristy. "Except it’s not only little things that are being stolen. What Ms. Munro may not know is that some big things have been reported missing, too. Things like computers and VCRs. They've been taken during the night, and somehow they're getting past the security cameras."
"Maybe they didn't catch all the shoplifters last week, after all," said Logan.
"No," said Kristy, looking miserable. "They're sure they did. They interviewed all those kids, and they're positive about it. The
thefts happening now are being done by someone else."
"What's security going to do?" asked Claudia.
"Keep on reviewing the tapes, I guess," said Kristy. "And they're going to put on more patrols."
I was glad to hear that. Knowing that major shoplifting was still going on made me nervous.
Back at Toy Town, I took over the cash register while Sarah slipped out for a quick break. April had stayed behind to talk to Ms. Snyder and Mr. Williams for a few minutes. When she came back, I asked her what she knew about the thefts.
"I heard about them," said April. "But nothing's been taken from here. Not big things, and not little stuff, either. As far as Toy Town is concerned, the shoplifting is over, thank goodness. But Cindy Snyder was just telling me that she heard some strange things have disappeared from Lear's — towels, she said, and a pair of boy's jeans that were on display. And she mentioned something about some sweaters, in kids' sizes. And three camcorders disappeared last night from that electronics store, and they can't figure out how they were taken. They were in a locked storage room." I shook my head. "It’s too bad," I said. "I
hope security can get to the bottom of this. I don't like the idea of thieves wandering around in the mall."
"You and me, both," said April. "Now, how about if we get some of this stock unpacked and priced?" She handed me a magic marker and a box of stickers, and showed me a price list that matched the contents of a large carton of merchandise. Then she went off to run the cash register.
For the rest of that week, I was a little nervous whenever I worked at Toy Town. I tried to get my tasks done and watch for shoplifters at the same time, but it wasn't easy. It didn't help that April had to bring Sandy on Wednesday, and I ended up watching him, too. Not that I really minded: Sandy and I were getting along very well by then. But still, it was hard to give him the attention he needed and also keep an eye on every customer in the store.
By the following week, I was feeling a little calmer.
"I'll take one, too," said Jessi. "My boss is pretty excited about this."
Mr. Williams had plenty of copies of his letter, and we all took a few to pass out.
As my friends and I left the meeting, I noticed that Kristy looked a little down. "Is something wrong?" I asked her. "I mean, everything seems to be going well, don't you think?"
"Oh, things are great with the day-care center," said Kristy. "But right before the meeting we had our own meeting in security. I was so sure that the shoplifting would stop after we caught those kids, but it hasn't."
"That’s what Ms. Munro told me," said Mal. "She said stuff is still disappearing. Not from the bookstore so much, though. it’s mostly little things, like from the drugstore."
"That’s right," said Kristy. "Except it’s not only little things that are being stolen. What Ms. Munro may not know is that some big things have been reported missing, too. Things like computers and VCRs. They've been taken during the night, and somehow they're getting past the security cameras."
"Maybe they didn't catch all the shoplifters last week, after all," said Logan.
"No," said Kristy, looking miserable. "They're sure they did. They interviewed all those kids, and they're positive about it. The
thefts happening now are being done by someone else."
"What's security going to do?" asked Claudia.
"Keep on reviewing the tapes, I guess," said Kristy. "And they're going to put on more patrols."
I was glad to hear that. Knowing that major shoplifting was still going on made me nervous.
Back at Toy Town, I took over the cash register while Sarah slipped out for a quick break. April had stayed behind to talk to Ms. Snyder and Mr. Williams for a few minutes. When she came back, I asked her what she knew about the thefts.
"I heard about them," said April. "But nothing's been taken from here. Not big things, and not little stuff, either. As far as Toy Town is concerned, the shoplifting is over, thank goodness. But Cindy Snyder was just telling me that she heard some strange things have disappeared from Lear's — towels, she said, and a pair of boy's jeans that were on display. And she mentioned something about some sweaters, in kids' sizes. And three camcorders disappeared last night from that electronics store, and they can't figure out how they were taken. They were in a locked storage room." I shook my head. "It’s too bad," I said. "I
hope security can get to the bottom of this. I don't like the idea of thieves wandering around in the mall."
"You and me, both," said April. "Now, how about if we get some of this stock unpacked and priced?" She handed me a magic marker and a box of stickers, and showed me a price list that matched the contents of a large carton of merchandise. Then she went off to run the cash register.
For the rest of that week, I was a little nervous whenever I worked at Toy Town. I tried to get my tasks done and watch for shoplifters at the same time, but it wasn't easy. It didn't help that April had to bring Sandy on Wednesday, and I ended up watching him, too. Not that I really minded: Sandy and I were getting along very well by then. But still, it was hard to give him the attention he needed and also keep an eye on every customer in the store.
By the following week, I was feeling a little calmer.
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