Jerry set off at a trot for the soccer field. He scanned the sidewalks, streets, and grass along the way. Once he saw something gleaming in the grass, but it turned out to be a bottle cap.
“Nuts!” he said, winging the cap into a nearby trash can. When he reached the field, he was relieved to see it was empty. At least he could look around without having to wait for people to clear off.
Not that it would have mattered. Twenty minutes of careful searching turned up nothing but one of the wrappers from Jason’s gum and the dime they’d used for the coin toss.
He walked back home in a gloom. Up in his room, he pulled the beach towel and bathing suit out of his knapsack and looked through it again, just in case. No key. Then, as he stared at the towel and suit, he had a thought.
He shoved the suit and towel back into the knapsack and rushed downstairs.
“Mom! I’m going to the pool!” he shouted.
“Did you find the key?”
“No, not yet! But maybe one of my friends did! And they’re all going to be at the pool!”
“Okay, let’s go,” his mother said, emerging from the basement. “I made you a sandwich. You can eat it while I drive you there.”
Jerry smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Mom. You’re the best.”
Jerry wolfed his sandwich down in the car. He didn’t even care that he wasn’t allowed in the pool for an hour after eating. He just wanted to get there to question his friends!
Most of them were already there. Jerry hurried over to them.
“Hi, guys! Listen, did any of you find a key on a ring with a name tag at the soccer field today?”
“A key?” Lisa said. “Not me. How about you, Ted?” Ted shook his head. One by one, the rest of the ’Cats did the same. Jerry’s heart sank.
“Wait a minute,” Bundy said. “Jason’s not here yet. Maybe — “
He was cut off by a loud whoop. Seconds later, a huge wave of water crashed down over them all.
“Hi guys,” Jason said, popping up with a grin. “Pretty decent cannonball, huh?” He ducked back under before anyone could answer.
Jerry followed him along the edge of the pool. When Jason came up for air, Jerry tapped him on the head.
“I hear you knocking, but you can’t come in!” Jason said, and he dove back under again. Jerry groaned and gave chase. After his third try, he finally got to ask Jason if he’d found a key.
“Nope!” was all Jason said before disappearing beneath the surface again.
Amanda sat down next to Jerry. “What’s so important about this key?” she asked.
Jerry explained about the gerbils. Amanda chewed her lip.
“You know, those gerbils may be the least of your worries,” she said.
“What do you mean?” Jerry asked.
“I mean, what if someone dishonest found that key? With that name tag on it, he could easily figure out what house it opened. And then ...” Amanda shook her head.
Jerry swallowed hard. Amanda could be right, he realized. If a thief found the key, he could help himself to anything in the Norrises’ house!
