The Kids From B.A.D.
	Stories by Allen Morgan
	detective story collection
	no illustrations
	six stories - 128 pages

The Case Of The Stolen Wallet (part 9)

Greg just stared at Sally, but the guilty look on his face answered her question. Everyone else looked surprised.

"But why?" asked John. "Why did you do it? You don't need the money. You said your dad just gave you lots."

"My dad hardly gives me anything," said Greg. "I only get a couple of dollars allowance and it's never enough. All that gum and candy I give away costs a lot, you know, but I've got to keep buying it. Everybody expects me to have it and if I stopped giving it away they wouldn't like me anymore."

"But why did you take the wallet?" asked Mike. "You don't need fifty dollars to buy candy."

"I needed that for the walkie-talkies," explained Greg. "I wanted to be in your club and I figured you guys wouldn't let me in unless I had some good stuff to bring. Where else would I get the money unless I stole it? It was the only thing I could do."

Everyone was staring in amazement. It was hard to believe; after all, Greg was one of the biggest wheels in the whole school. Now he was almost crying.

"Please don't turn me in to the principal. He'll suspend me from school and everybody'll know. And he'll call my father. Dad'Il kill me. Please don't tell anyone. I won't ever steal again."

The detectives had another meeting off to one side. Jessica was included too this time. Now that she was in the clear, John felt kind of bad about suspecting her before.

"After this is over we'll all go back to my house and swear you in to the club," he told her. "You did a great job and you get promoted to full detective right away. Badge and everything."

Mike and Ben agreed. Jessica beamed, and so did Sally.

"But what are we going to do about Greg?" Jessica asked.

That was a tough question. They knew they should turn him in to the principal, but at the same time they all felt a little sorry for him. One by one they each stole a glance over at Greg. He didn't look like a real crook at all. He just looked frightened and lonely.

"If only we could think of some way to give him a second chance," said Sally, and the others nodded.

"But it's too late now," Ben pointed out. "He's already done it."

"And once it's been done it can't be undone," said Mike.

"Maybe it can," John said suddenly. He called Greg over and looked him straight in the eye. "Are you on the level about not stealing again?"

"I sure am," Greg answered. "From now on I'm going straight."

"Well, we're going to give you one more chance," John told him. "But you have to sign a full confession telling everything that you did, and give it to the detective club."

"What are you going to do with it?" asked Greg.

"Nothing," said John. "As long as you keep your word, that confession stays with us. But if you fall out of line... "

John left the rest unsaid but Greg understood. He nodded grimly. "That's okay with me," he said. "I'm not going to break my word."

"Good," said John. "Then we won't take you in, but you'll have to put the wallet back. That way Kimberley won't be out any money and everything will be back to the way it was before."

"And tell her I stole it?" asked Greg.

"Not if you're lucky. If you are, you'll be able to steal it back in the way you stole it out before."

Sally went around to the front of the school and looked in Miss Kimberley's window while Greg wrote out a confession. In a few minutes she came running back with good news.

"The classroom's empty. Kimberley's gone out somewhere but her coat's still there, so she hasn't left the school yet."

"That means her door will be open," said John. "Come on."