The Triceratops Pops Mystery Read Online Free

thief.”
    Eric went on, “I’m sure they have his address on their computer records. They probably have his telephone number, too, his credit card number, his date of birth, and lots of other things about him.”
    Cam closed her eyes and said, “ Click. ”Then she said, “He rented Jungle Jake Returns. ”
    â€œ Jungle Jake Returns !” Eric asked, “Why would anyone want to watch that?”
    Barry said, “He probably rented it just to fool our security system.”
    Cam, Eric, and Barry went into the store. Barry explained to the clerk there why they needed to know who had rented Jungle Jane Returns.
    â€œI can’t tell you that,” the clerk said. “Our computer records are private.”
    â€œTake a look at my badge,” Barry said. “I’m an Ernie’s security guard. I believe the man who rented that tape is a thief.”
    â€œI can’t just give you his name. I have to check first with my boss. Wait here. I’ll be right back,” the clerk said. Then he walked quickly to the back of the store.
    â€œLook at all the tapes they have here,” Eric said. “Some of these were in movie theaters just a few months ago.”

    â€œErnie’s has tapes, too,” Barry said, “lots of tapes.”
    â€œThis is where you find the most popular tapes,” Cam said. She pointed to a slot in the front of the store. “People return the tapes here. As soon as the clerk checks them in, you grab them. When I come here with my parents we always look here first.”
    Someone outside the store dropped in a tape. It slid down a small tunnel and into a wooden box.
    â€œThere’s a tape now,” Cam said.
    Eric looked into the box. “I saw that movie. It was good.”
    Another tape slid down the tunnel.
    â€œYuck!” Eric said. “It’s an exercise tape.”
    Barry looked at his watch.
    â€œI can’t wait here all afternoon,” Barry said.
    â€œThey sell candy here, too, and popcorn,” Cam said. “I love to eat popcorn while I watch a movie.”
    Barry looked at his watch again.
    â€œI’m going back there,” he said. “I’ll speak to his boss myself.”
    Just then another tape slid down the tunnel. Cam looked into the box.
    â€œIt’s Jungle Jake Returns! ”

Chapter Nine
    B arry turned and ran out the door. Cam and Eric followed him.
    A man wearing sunglasses, a green shirt, blue pants, and sneakers was walking from the store. When he saw Barry, Cam, and Eric coming toward him, the man started to run.
    â€œThat’s him!” Cam shouted. “He’s the thief.”
    The man was carrying a large shopping bag. He bumped into people as he ran. But he didn’t stop.
    Cam, Eric, and Barry were careful not to run into people. Because they were being careful, the man was getting away.
    Then the man turned to see how close they were. And he ran right into the man in the bear costume.
    â€œAhhh!” the man screamed when he saw the bear. He dropped the shopping bag.
    â€œ Grrr! ” the bear growled.
    The man grabbed at the handles of his shopping bag. But it was too late. Cam, Eric, and Barry had caught up with him.
    When the man dropped the bag, the watermelon broke. Inside the bag was the broken watermelon, and lots of CDs and watches.
    Barry asked, “Did you steal these watches from Benders?”
    The man said, “I bought them.”
    â€œShow me the sales slip,” Barry said.
    The man didn’t have one.
    Barry held onto the man’s arm and told Cam and Eric to get the police.
    They found two police officers in a car patrolling the parking lot. Cam told them about Barry, the thief, and the stolen CDs. The officers got out of their car. They followed Cam and Eric into the shopping mall and arrested the thief.

    â€œWe’ll have to take the watches and CDs, too,” one of the officers said. “We’ll need them