Chapter 34

“There’s always a turning point.”

A shampoo bottle.

Spencer was basing his whole hypothesis on a shampoo bottle. Leslie Sharmelle’s little container of pink soap had come from a Best Western Hotel. Daisy reminded him that there were probably hundreds of Best Westerns, any one of which could have provided the bottle. Maybe Spencer was grasping at straws—but it was worth a shot.

They drifted down to the dry grass of Aunt Avril’s house.

“Do you have any idea how far away the Best Western is from here?” Daisy asked. She answered without giving him time to speak. “It’s, like, a lot of miles. Clear out by the highway, Spencer. I don’t think I can walk that far.”

“Maybe we can ride bikes,” Spencer said. “I think there’s an extra in the garage.”

Daisy grabbed his sleeve. “You have to remember,” she said, “we’re only kids. No one trusted Garth Hadley because he relied on kids to do his work when he should have gone to the police. There’s always a turning point, Spencer, when we have to hand it over to adults we can trust.”

“But the police will never believe us!” he cried.

“I’m not talking about the police,” said Daisy. “I’m talking about your mom.”

“Mom?”

“She stood up for you in the office. She believed every bit about Garth Hadley.”

“That’s just ’cause I didn’t tell her everything. Only the believable parts.”

“So you’re a chameleon,” Daisy said.

“I’m not a—” Spencer moaned.

“You can’t keep changing colors, Spencer. If you tell your mom the whole truth, she’ll believe you.”

“My mom’s not . . . argh!” Spencer grabbed his head. They didn’t have time for this. “She really doesn’t like magical things.”

“This isn’t about magic. It’s about telling the truth so someone will help us save Walter and Marv.”

Spencer sighed. She was right, as usual. If his mother was inside, they needed her help. Spencer left Daisy standing on the crispy grass. He entered the house, screaming for his mother.

Alice came around the corner. “What’s wrong, Spence? What’s the matter?” There was no time to explain everything, such as why he was wearing a princess backpack and holding a mop and broom. She gasped. “My word, you’re hurt!” Alice gently touched the scratch on his cheek.

“I’m fine.” Spencer pulled away. “But other people are in danger. Garth Hadley broke into the school and kidnapped the janitors. I’m pretty sure he took them to the Best Western Hotel, so we’ve got to rescue them.”

“Hold on,” Alice said. “Garth Hadley?”

Daisy suddenly appeared in the doorway, lending credence to Spencer’s story. “Saw it with our own eyes, while we were training . . . I mean, in detention.”

Alice fumbled for the phone. “This is bad,” she muttered. “We need to call the police.”

Spencer slumped to the couch, defeated. “Not the police. I knew this would happen.”

“Hello,” Alice said into the telephone. “I’m calling to report an abduction. Two janitors from Welcher Elementary School.”

Pause.

“Yes, janitors.”

Pause.

“No, but my son saw it.”

Pause.

“Twelve years old. He thinks they’re being held at the Best Western Hotel.”

“We’ve got names for a search,” Daisy whispered. “Garth Hadley, Leslie Sharmelle, and Sarah Bently.”

Alice repeated the names to the dispatcher.

Pause.

“Okay, thank you. ’Bye.” The phone went dead in Alice’s hand.

“Did they believe you?” Daisy asked.

“They said they’d send someone over. But who’s going to believe a twelve-year-old witness?” Alice clapped her hands. “I’ve got to run to the neighbor’s.”

“Why?”

“We need a babysitter. Go get in the car.”