The Mysterious Disappearence of Leon Read Online Free PDF

her mother spent two thousand dollars a year just for underwear.
    “Tina and I are twins,” was all Tony could think to say. He didn’t want anyone to know about the orphanage, or Mrs. Carillon, just yet.
    “What’s so special about that? I know lots of twins,” Rosemary Neuberger said in a voice that made Tony want to hide.
    Tina hated Rosemary Neuberger. She hated her as much as she liked Jordan Pinckney, and that was a lot.
    “I’ll tell you what’s so special about that,” Tina said. “We’re not just ordinary twins. We’re Siamese twins. We were born stuck together and weren’t cut apart until we were three years old.”
    “Really?” They were the center of attention now.
    “Really!” Tony said proudly.
    “Where were you stuck together?” Mavis Bensonhurst wanted to know.
    “At our hips.” Tony pointed to the spot. “We were connected at our right hips.”
    “Both of you, at your right hips?” asked Jordan Pinckney, the one doubter in the group.
    Tina immediately recognized Tony’s error. “That’s right. My right hip was joined to Tony’s right hip. When I faced front, he faced back; and when I faced back, he faced front.”
    “Then how could you walk?”
    “In circles!” Tina said triumphantly.
    “Wow!”
    Word spread quickly. Everyone wanted a friend who was a Siamese twin.
    Same Old Argument
    Mr. Banks was waiting in the living room when Mrs. Carillon returned from the zoo. He shook his head and tsk-tsked over a stack of bills.
    “Six handmade silk dresses, ten handmade pairs of shoes, and look at this: a case of Burgundy Bash lipsticks made to order. Mrs. Carillon, you are too extravagant, much too extravagant.”
    Mrs. Carillon explained that she had gained weight and her old dresses no longer fit; her shoes were walked clean through; and lipsticks don’t last forever. Everything had to be custom-made because the things she wore weren’t manufactured anymore.
    “You don’t seem to understand, Mr. Banks,” she explained. “If I don’t dress the same as always, Noel might not recognize me.”
    Mr. Banks slammed the bills down on the table. “When are you going to come to your senses and give up this ridiculous search?”
    Mrs. Carillon, used to Mr. Banks’ frequent outbursts, ignored the question. Instead, she promised not to eat so much of Mrs. Baker’s good cooking.
    “Mrs. Carillon, I’ve told you time and again. . .” Tina whispered in Tony’s ear, knowing exactly what the next words would be.
    “Mrs. Carillon, I’ve told you time and again,” Mr. Banks shouted, “Noel must be dead, or he’d have asked for money by now. Anyhow, he’s been missing so long that he’s legally dead.”
    “The law has nothing to do with it,” Tina whispered.
    “The law has nothing to do with it,” Mrs. Carillon said. “My husband is my husband, until I find out otherwise.”
    Mrs. Carillon’s reply, about Noel having amnesia and being poor and sick and needing her, was mouthed word for word by Tina. Tony tried not to giggle, but a loud snort escaped.
    “Young man, I don’t see what’s so funny,” Mr. Banks hissed.
    Tony lost all control. He laughed so hard he doubled over and rolled on the floor.
    Tina had to act quickly. “Mr. Banks,” she said sweetly, “won’t you stay for dinner?”
    Mr. Banks looked at Tina standing before him in wide-eyed innocence.
    “At least there’s one sane person in this family,” he said.

    Tina and Tony really didn’t dislike Mr. Banks. They just found this tight-collared, tight-vested, gray-haired, gray-suited man boring. He talked only about money, and he never laughed. He ate heartily, though, and the twins were surprised when he actually smiled and said, “Best meal I’ve had since my wife died ten years ago.”
    He never watched television, of course, and left right after dinner.
    Cardinals vs. Mets
    For an hour, every evening after dinner, the twins watched television with Mrs. Carillon. They scanned the faces and neckties of