CHAPTER 17
MY BROTHER IS TRAPPED IN A DELIVERY TRUCK HEADED FOR THE HOLLAND TUNNEL
CLAUDIA
By this point, Dad’s work crisis was over. But his scavenger hunt crisis was just getting started.
REESE
I was seriously freaking out in the back of that truck. ’Cause it was really loud and bouncy, and there was, like, no light at all except from our phones.
James and I were going, “HELLO? Mister Truck Driver? Please help us!” But he couldn’t hear us. I think he had the radio on really loud or something.
James was all, “We are DEFINITELY going to die back here.”
And I was like, “How?”
And James was like, “Probably starvation.”
When he said that, I kind of panicked.
That’s why I ate the Cronut.
CLAUDIA
I still can’t believe you ate the Cronut. IT WAS THIRTY POINTS!
REESE
You don’t know what it’s like getting stuck in the back of a truck! It’s really stressful!
I mean, I know we’d only been in there a couple of minutes. But I seriously didn’t think I was ever going to eat again. And I didn’t have a lot of breakfast that morning.
JAMES
I warned Reese not to eat the Cronut.
But once he started, I made him give me half.
REESE
Right after we ate the Cronut—which I’m pretty sure was real after all, because it was mad delicious—I texted Dad.
REESE AND DAD (Text messages copied from Reese’s phone)
HELP DAD IM TRAPPED IN TRUCK
REESE
He must have still been in a meeting or something, because he didn’t text me back right away. So I texted Mom.
REESE AND MOM (Text messages copied from Mom’s phone)
HELP MOM IM TRAPPED IN TRUCK
Is this a joke?
NO ITS SERIUS
REESE
Mom called me right away, and I told her everything that had happened.
And she was like, “Start screaming. Both of you. Top of your lungs.”
So James and I started screaming.
And it worked! ’Cause right after that, the truck stopped. And we heard the driver get out, and we were like, “WE’RE BACK HERE!”
Then he rolled up the back door and let us out.
He was pretty mad.
JAMES
The truck driver seemed very unstable to me. Even more unstable than the soccer fans, to be honest.
REESE
He was going, “I’M GONNA HAVE YOUSE GUYS ARRESTED FOR TRESPASSIN’! DA COPS ARE GONNA PUT YOU IN JUVIE!”
Then James chucked the smelly Calvin head way up in the air.
Which he must have done to create a distraction—because while me and the truck driver were watching it come down, James took off running.
Like, he literally ran screaming down the street. Like, “AAAAAAAAAHH!”
JAMES
If you’d seen the truck driver, he was clearly not built for running long distances. So it seemed like a smart strategy.
REESE
Having James run off like that really crossed up the truck driver. He didn’t know how to handle it. I could tell he was trying to think it through, like, “Should I chase that kid? Because then what if the other one gets away? And if I DON’T catch the first one, then NOBODY goes to juvie…”
Then he just gave up. He went, “Ahhh, nuts!” and drove away.
That’s when I checked my phone and realized Dad had been texting me.
REESE AND DAD (Text messages copied from Reese’s phone)
HELP DAD IM TRAPPED IN TRUCK
Where?
Reese? Are you joking?
Where are you?
Done with work—heading to bull
statue—are you really trapped in a
truck?
REESE PLEASE ANSWER
Its all good. Out of truck now
Where are you?
No idea. Maybe New Jersey? Ed. Note: he was NOT
in New Jersey (but truck prob headed there b/c close to Holland Tunnel)
Are the others with you?
No Im alone
Chambers St
They’re on Chambers Street?
No I am
Calling you now
REESE
Dad and I talked on the phone, and when he figured out where I was, he told me to walk up Chambers Street to Broadway, then turn right and head downtown to meet him back at the bull statue.
Then he hung up real fast so he could try to track down the others.
WYATT AND DAD (Text messages copied from Wyatt’s phone)
Wyatt, it’s Reese’s dad—where
are you?
Staten Island. Took this pic
Might be better to get shot with head
Where r others
Mr tapper?
g2g
meet at bull
XANDER AND DAD (Text messages copied from Xander’s phone)
Xander, it’s Reese’s dad—
where are you?
In a bar
Not a real bar, right?
No its real
Please leave immediately and meet at
bull statue
Cant
But I ordered wingz Ed. Note: Xander can’t spell
a 5-letter word. This is sad
Xander, IT IS ILLEGAL for you to be in
a bar alone
wingz just got here
Xander, seriously, leave there now
Xander?
Have you left bar yet?
Cant txt sticky fingrs
JAMES AND DAD (Text messages copied from James’s phone)
James, it’s Reese’s dad—where are you?
You have the wrong number
I am sorry.
No one named James is at this
number
This is the number listed in
Culvert Prep online directory
for James Mantolini
IF THIS HARASSMENT CONTINUES
I WILL CALL THE POLICE
James, please stop joking.
Where are you? As chaperone,
it’s my job to know where you
are and that you are safe
YOUR BEHAVIOR IS ILLEGAL
THIS IS A FELONY
I HAVE FORWARDED YOUR NUMBER
TO THE NYPD FOR INVESTIGATION
If this is not James, please accept my
sincere apologies
REESE
That was totally James.
JAMES
Maybe it was, and maybe it wasn’t.
CLAUDIA
It was. James let me copy the texts from his phone.
REESE
I seriously do not understand anything James Mantolini does.
So I walked up Chambers Street to Broadway like Dad had told me to. And while I was walking, I realized I forgot to tell Dad I’d talked to Mom. Which I think made things a lot worse for him.
MOM AND DAD (Text messages copied from Mom’s phone)
(MOM) How is everything?
(DAD) Fine. You?
Lovely. Are you sure you’re fine?
Kids are all fine?
Why do you ask?
Just curious. So, nothing to report?
A little hectic. But fine
Great!
Yes! Fun
So when my only son texts me “TRAPPED
IN TRUCK AND AFRAID FOR MY LIFE” I
should just text back “LOL”?
Calling you now
Honey?
Please answer phone
I can explain
Searching for best way to express my anger.
I am so so sorry
Not as sorry as you will be
