Mr. Vaslov had been in his apartment when Alexis went back for food. They rescued a little black cat before I had a chance to help.
“Now I know why we didn’t see her before,” Mr. Vaslov said. “Cats hide when they’re frightened.”
“So how did you find her this time?” I asked.
There had to be a good reason why Alexis got to be the hero and not me.
“We gave her some leftover chicken,” Alexis said. “Poor little thing was starving.”
Alexis pointed at the kitten while she gobbled food. “Look! She doesn’t have a collar. She must be a stray.”
Mr. Vaslov nodded. “That might explain why she was stuck in the cellar by herself.”
“She needs a home!” Alexis said. “I want to keep her!”
Yikes! The cat had to belong to Mrs. Ramirez. Alexis didn’t know he was about to take somebody else’s pet. This was the kind of thing a hero was supposed to stop. But Alexis was my friend. What was I going to do?
“Let’s give the kitty a name.” Alexis leaned down to stroke the cat. “Do you have any ideas, Freddie?”
A name? Alexis was getting attached. If I didn’t act fast, he’d be crushed when he found out the truth. How could I explain? Alexis didn’t know I had super hearing, and Mr. Vaslov didn’t know I had been snooping.
Then I thought about Mrs. Ramirez crying at 20G. Sometimes you go for the problem you can solve and leave the rest for later.
I scooped the cat up in my arms.
“Freddie!” Mr. Vaslov called after me. “WHERE ARE YOU GOING?”
I raced around the corner with the little black cat, ready to hear Mrs. Ramirez thanking me, telling me I was a hero.
Except when I got there, I saw Mrs. Ramirez hugging another cat. And it wasn’t a little black kitten like the one in my arms. That cat was gigantic, with white fur sticking out all over and a don’t-mess-with-me face.
“See,” Mrs. Tran soothed. “I told you we’d find her.”
“MEOW!”
The black kitty cried and squirmed in my arms. She didn’t seem to like me much.
At that moment, I didn’t like me too much either.
Mr. Vaslov came running up. Alexis was right behind him.
“Sorry!” I cried. “I made a mistake!”
The black cat wiggled down to the ground. “Meow!” She ran away.
Mr. Vaslov put a firm hand on my shoulder. “Let Alexis get the kitty. We should talk.”
It was time to admit I’d messed up. Not just with the cat but the field trip too.
“My super hearing gets me into trouble. I’m using it too much!”
Mr. Vaslov rubbed his stubbly chin, listening quietly. “I see.”
Some grown-ups make it easy. They tell kids what to do. Mr. Vaslov made me figure things out on my own. Not so easy.
“I can’t control myself!” I added.
“Are you sure?” Mr. Vaslov raised his bushy eyebrows.
That was a good question. I didn’t use super speed when I played sports with my friends.
“Not really.” I scratched my head. “Maybe I could wait till I’m sure super hearing will solve a problem, not make one.”
“Good plan, Freddie.” Mr. Vaslov smiled.
Just then, Alexis came back. “The kitty’s hiding again! Can you hear her?”
Mr. Vaslov turned to me with a wink. “I can’t, but maybe Freddie can.”
The cat wasn’t crying anymore. My super hearing wasn’t helping. Running all over Starwood Park didn’t work either. Finally, brainpower helped me figure it out.
“Of course!” Alexis agreed. “She’s hungry!”
The kitty was by the cellar door, finishing her food.
“You should call her Star,” I told Alexis, “for Starwood Park.”
“Perfect!” he said. “It will remind me how I found her here with you!”
