"You can't keep guarding that thing forever--" Tina injected.
"How the heck are you gonna do your job and stand here pretend-
ing to be a likable human being? Besides, we didn't see you helping
to solve that Heckyll-Jeckyll case. You tossed it all on us, sayin'
it was a waste of your 'talents'. I-"
     "Listen--" he raged, but this mood would not be appropriate for
his onlooking future clientele. A broad smile came upon his face, as
his patted Tina on the top of her head. This was not the time nor
place to create a scene. "Alright...alright...Little Debbie solved the
case in record time. Nice, clean, no loose ends. I was totally wrong
to let her go at alone. So, might I ask: what brings you here? Could
you answer me that?" The two girls glanced to one another in a 
confused manner.
     "Well..." Debbie said, hesitantly. "That was a brilliant strategy
having Jack 'Hammer' guard the gem during closing hours. But I still
feel the gem isn't completely safe."
     "What she's trying to say is that you're a worthless pile of
rotting flesh who cannot go into a room with slamming into the door
first; that you have the brain of an empty mason jar, your breath
smells like a dead carp, and you're about as useless as a sack of
moldy bread...nothing personal." However, although he was quite
use to  Tina's insults, he caught her message quite clear.
     "OOOh..." he said. "I get it. You two don't think I can't handle
the job...Well, let me tell you: I'll guard this thing morning, noon,
and night. Now, I know what're getting to. I'll steal the thing, my-
self before I let you help me! Now, if you please..." Seeing that
he was now resolved to guard the gem even more so, Debbie decided
it best to leave the matter alone. Quietly, she and Tina left him.
     "...Big dummy..." he could hear Tina mumbling as they walked 
away. 
     The two had gone outside, now certain of their bad mistake.
     "Now you went an' did it," Tina said to a thoughtful Debbie.
"We've just dared him to guard that thing."
     "Hmmm...Yes, I know," Debbie said. "A bit of generosity mu-
tating into an insult...Knowing him, he would try to guard the gem--
perhaps a full 24 hours, just to prove a point."
     "Bad enough you've ended that Heckyll-Jeckyll case so fast,"
Tina said. "He was at it for months and could barely scratch the 
surface, while you solved it in only two and a half hours. That 
really musta blew his mind."
     "That was quite a blow to his big ego," Debbie said. "But since
we are partners, I'm still bound to help him."
     "Geez..." Tina mumbled, pausing as Debbie continued to walk ahead of her. "Why do this script has to include a jerk like that?? Can't we have a comic strip of our own??"