CHAPTER X.

By the time that Jeremy returned to the Branigan home on Beechnut Street, his comics were

already back in his room. The surprise showed on his face, and he might have been even

slightly impressed, if only for a moment. He looked at his little sister, who seemed to be waiting for something.

"'Where's the rest of it?' he said at last.

Abigail sighed.

"'Oh, no,' she said. No thanks are necessary. I was only doing my job.'

"'Doing part of your job, you mean, Jeremy said.

Where's the rest of my stuff?

Well, it wasn't in a dusty storeroom in the back of the shiny slug comic shop, Abigail said.

But these were.

It cost 25 to get them back.

You owe me $5.

$25? Jeremy was outraged.

"'Why should I pay twenty-five dollars to get my own comic books back?'

"'Because they weren't yours anymore,' Abigail said simply,

"'and that is how much the man who owned them wanted for them.

You should have called the police, Jeremy declared.

Abigail did not like where this was going.

You didn't hire me to call the police, she said.

You hired me to get your things back.

Here are some of your things.

...