On the way back to my own classroom, I unfolded the note Mrs. Toaden had thrown at me. It read:
Pis xcuze Bllyfrm skool today. He iz sikk.
Hmmm. Billy's mom had the same spelling problems that Billy did. In fact, her handwriting was pretty close to the writing I'd seen on Billy's drawings.
Could Billy have faked his own excuse note? Duh. Of course he had. But why?
And who had brought the note? Was it one of the Rat Sisters?
I pulled the map out of my pocket and unfolded it. Maybe I'd find a clue to where Billy had gone.
But it wasn't a map at all. It looked like a crazy spider had crawled into an inkwell and danced the Funky Chicken across the paper. The sheet was covered with Xs and Os, and arrows and squiggles—almost like a football play.
Maybe it had nothing to do with the case. But it was the only clue I had. I needed to talk with a football player named Brick, and I thought I knew where to find him.
I walked into my own classroom and sat down. Mr. Ratnose started to tell us all about the history of Mesopotamia, or the messes of Hippopotamia—I forget which. I raised my hand.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Mr. Ratnose, can I go to the principal's office?"
He frowned at me.
"No, you may not. Now, please don't interrupt."
Mr. Ratnose kept rattling on about ancient ruins. I gave him thirty seconds, then raised my hand again.
"What is it, Chester?"
"Can I please go to the principal's office?"
"No!" he said. His eyes narrowed. "Now, for the last time, stop interrupting me."
I gave him ten seconds this time. My hand shot up.
His whiskers twitched. "What ... is ... it ... Chester?"
"Can I please—"
"Absolutely not! You've interrupted me for the last time!"
Mr. Ratnose scribbled a quick note. He shoved it into my hand.
"Take this note and go straight to the principal's office. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Mr. Ratnose." I walked to the door and turned around. "Oh, Mr. Ratnose? Thanks."
I didn't know for sure that Brick would be in Principal Zero's office, but most of the football team spent half their days there. It was like a game with them. Whoever bugged his teacher the most won an all-expenses-paid trip to the principal's office.
If I'd had a choice, I would have stayed as far away as possible from the three-time winner of the Meanest Principal in the Universe award. But duty called.
And the twisted trail of my case led right to the door of that fat cat, Principal Zero.