One of the newsmen asked Dr. Prell if she remembered when the Pearls were second-graders.
“Of course not,” Dr. Prell said. “That was more than fifty years ago! I haven’t been principal here that long. I’m not even that old.”
“Please,” Cam said. “I need to show you something.”
Another newsman asked the principal, “What will this new library mean to your students?”
“This library is one of the most important rooms in our school. I’m glad it’s big and beautiful and filled with books.”
The reporters thanked Dr. Prell. They turned and spoke with Governor Zellner.
Ms. Benson tugged on Cam’s shirt and whispered, “Talk to Dr. Prell later.”
“This can’t wait,” Cam said.
“I can’t wait, either,” Danny told Ms. Benson. “I have to go somewhere, and I have to go now. I have to go to the bathroom.”
“What is it?” Ms. Benson asked Cam.
Danny was standing now, and hopping around.
“This is not a joke,” he told Ms. Benson. “I really have to go.”
“I have to show Dr. Prell something,” Cam said. “It’s about the loud noise.”
Ms. Benson told Danny he could go. Then she whispered to Dr. Prell that Cam had something important to show her.
“Watch this,” Cam told Dr. Prell. Then she pushed the large yellow book off the desk. It fell to the floor, but it didn’t fall flat. First the edge of the book hit the floor. Then it landed on its side.
Dr. Prell was annoyed. She told Cam to pick up the book and get back to her seat.
Cam picked up the book and said, “Didn’t you see what happened? Books don’t just fall. They must be pushed. And when they do fall, they don’t fall flat and don’t make a loud noise.”
Dr. Prell looked at Cam. Then she looked at the book. She pushed it off the desk. It didn’t fall flat.
“I think you’re right,” she told Cam. “Come with me. We’ll talk to one of the Secret Service agents.”
Dr. Prell whispered to the female agent with long blonde hair. Then Cam followed Dr. Prell and the agent into the library office.
Cam told the agent what she had just told the principal. Then she took a book and pushed it off the desk, and again, it fell on its side.
“You’re a smart little girl, aren’t you?” the agent said, and smiled. “Of course, you’re right. We know someone dropped the book to cause a disturbance. But we checked the room, and there’s no one here who’s a danger to Governor Zellner. We’re sure it was just one of the children in the back who did it to be funny.”
Cam thought of Danny.
Dr. Prell smiled and told Cam, “You see. It was just one of those little things that happen in schools.”
It wasn’t such a little thing, Cam thought. The governor was scared. We all were.
Cam reluctantly returned to her seat.
“You missed meeting the governor,” Eric said. “We got in line and shook his hand. He even signed my notebook.”
Eric showed her the governor’s autograph.
“One day, this might be really valuable. He might be president.”
Mr. Tone’s class was in line now. Each child in turn shook hands with Governor Zellner. The Pearls shook hands with the children, too.
Mr. Tone had brought along a camera. He stood nearby and took photographs of each child with the governor.
Cam told Eric what the agent had said.
“I don’t think someone would do that just to be funny,” Eric said. “Even Danny wouldn’t do it. It’s too scary with all these Secret Service people and police around.”
“I think you’re right,” Cam said. “I think someone had a reason to drop that book. I just wish I knew what it was.”