"I hate to say it, but maybe you're right," Karyn said. "Maybe someone stole it."
"But who?" Jon asked.
"Too bad you don't have a security camera."
Jon's eyes lit up. "I have something almost as good."
"Really? What?"
"Not what. Who. It's Mrs. Crawford."
"That old woman across the street?"
"Yep, that's her."
"She has a camera?"
"No. But she sits at her front window every morning. Maybe she saw something."
They left the house and walked across the street. Then they knocked on Mrs. Crawford's door. A moment later it opened, revealing an older woman of maybe 70 years old.
"Hi, Mrs. Crawford," Jon said.
"Oh. Hello, Jon."
"Did you see anyone lurking around my house this morning?"
"Lurking? No, I don't think so."
"Oh. That's okay, I just ..."
"Well, there were those three boys, but they weren't lurking."
"Huh?" Jon asked. "What three boys?"
"Uh, one was a jogger. Brown hair, very handsome."
Karyn slapped Jon's chest. "Ow," Jon yelled out.
"That's Chris Morgan," Karyn said.
"How do you know that?" he asked.
"He runs every morning. But I guess you wouldn't notice. Or want to notice."
Jon shook his head, then turned back to Mrs. Crawford. "What about the other two boys?"
"Oh, those two scared me."
"Really? Why?"
"All dressed in black with strange hair."
"Strange hair?"
"Yes, so long that it covered their faces."
"It's Derek," Jon said.
"Derek? Who's Derek?" Karyn asked.
"Whoa. Now I know he stays to himself, but I can't believe you don't know about him. He's that emo kid."
"Oh. Well, yeah. I know who you're talking about. I just didn't know his name was Derek. But who's the other emo kid?"
"I don't know." He turned back to Mrs. Crawford again. "Thanks. You were a big help."
She smiled, they said their good-byes, and they left.
"So it's either Derek or Chris," Karyn said. "We should check them both out."
"Good idea. But it would go faster if you take Chris' house and I take Derek's."
"Why do you get Derek's?"
"Do you know where it is?"
"No."
"I do. And I'm sure you wouldn't miss this chance to meet Chris."
"I'm not in love with him, Jon."
"Really? You could have fooled me."
"Just go," Karyn said, irritated by Jon's comment, even if it might have been a little true.
Jon smiled and started walking in the direction of Derek's house, as Karyn started walking in the direction of Chris' house, which was closer. But, of course, Chris and Derek weren't home. Instead, just then, they were walking onto the school grounds.
