"well", said Jim, "on the way home from the Jenkins place last night.
jean heard a noise behind us when she turned around she saw a man,
he hid behind a tree when she saw him looking,
then this morning he followed, us again but we ran and lost him."
"what did he look like jean", asked captain Greg.
"from what I could see", jean said ,"he looked about my dads age which is 40,
and kind of tall about 6 foot maybe and thin, his clothes were a mess
he kind of of look like a homeless man."
after she had finished ,captain Greg said, " that's the same way the man in
Simmons county described him, it must be the same guy."

the captain Greg said ,"I have an plan if you guys want to help,"
"we sure do said the twins," with such excitement
"ok", said captain Greg, "this is what I want you to do.
early tomorrow I want you to take the box back to the Jenkins place
and put it right back where you found it. then just leave
if my guess is right, that man will follow you, and we will be waiting for him."
"wow cool", said jean," yes" said captain Greg," but you must be careful
he is a dangerous man, so you ask your parents and give me a call
and let me know,
we will said Jim ,ok said captain Greg we will talk later.
and then they left for home.

all the way home the twins were so excited,
this was going to be an adventure of a life time."
said Jim, "I know", said jean "but do you think mom and dad will say yes."
"I think they will", said Jim, "when they hear the whole story I think they
will let us help captain Greg, catch that man"
"well I hope so", said jean, "me too said Jim".

when they arrived at home, they talked to their parents about captain Greg's plan.
mr. Taylor called captain Greg, and they talked for a while, then he told the twins
"captain Greg says they will keep you safe, so I guess it will be ok for you to go."
jean who had been holding her breath afraid he would say no.
ran over to her dad and hugged his neck and said.
"oh thank you so much daddy, you won't be sorry I promise."
mrs Taylor tried not to show that all this worried her
smiled and said, "Jim you keep and eye on your sister."
" I will mom don't worry we will be ok."
"ok" said Mrs. Taylor, "now lets eat supper"
so they ate supper and bathed ,then got ready for bed.

the next morning Jim and jean got up about 7 am and quickly ate breakfast.
then they hurried off to me captain Greg and his men, then they all left to
go to the old Jenkins place., where Jim and jean took the box and put it back
where jean had found it. then ran off to a ditch where captain Greg and his men were hiding.
and sure enough just like captain Greg had said .the man came out of the woods
and went over to where the box was ,as he knelt down to pick it up ,one of the officers
said, " stand up and put your hands in the air", the man dropped the box and did what he was told..
the officer slowly turned him around and captain Greg said," well, look who we have here.
if it isn't Rick tanner," "you know him", said Jim.
"I sure do," said captain Greg," this man is wanted in 3 states for murder,
Texas, Kansas and right here in Florida."
"what will happen to him now", ask jean,
"he will go to jail for a long time jean, thanks to you and Jim."
they all went back to the station and Rick tanner was booked on murder charges.
in all 3 states  and one charge of grand theft ,in Florida
jean and Jim was given a 50 dollar ,reward for finding the cross and Rick tanner.
the cross was returned to the church in Simmons county.
and jean and Jim were made honorary detectives by captain Greg.
on the way home jean said wow this has been a great week Jim ,
I can hardly wait to see what tomorrow brings
me either said Jim and they laughed together ,
as they walked home dreaming about the next big case.

the end

written and copyrighted by
Gloria jean Collins

1969

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