Mr. Vaslov put away his cell phone. “The police will come as soon as they can. But with the snow, there are emergencies all over the city.”
Erika’s grandmother covered her face with her wrinkled hands and leaned over like someone about to throw up. I felt sorry for her, even if she was related to Erika and had a red wart on her chin.
It got me thinking. Could I do something? Superheroes helped the police. But would that be helping Erika too? Do superheroes have to help people they don’t like?
“Somebody here is a thief!” Erika pointed at the crowd gathering around her grandmother’s chair. “Give my abuela’s purse back. It has our rent money.”
I knew what it was like to worry about rent money. Mom and I did before she got her job at the doctors’ office.
“Don’t say things like that,” Mr. Vaslov told Erika. “We’re all neighbors here.”
Was there anyone in the school right now who didn’t live at Starwood Park? It was time to do a little Zapato Power snooping.
Right away, I spotted footprints— lots of them—up and down the hall by the back gym door. Were they all from the people in Building D? Or did one set of footprints belong to a crook?
I searched the rest of the school.
Most of the halls were dark. I saw only one light coming from a boys’ bathroom. Then it clicked off. I took two steps closer. That’s when I felt cold air in the hallway. Was there a thief near me…or…a ghost?
Superheroes are supposed to be brave. But they don’t have to do everything alone. I ran back to the gym for help.
“Mr. Vaslov!” I tugged on his arm. “Can I show you something?”
He followed me right away. Mr. Vaslov wasn’t like some grown-ups who didn’t listen to kids. “I’m glad you came for me, Freddie.”
And I was glad I had Mr. Vaslov by my side as we tiptoed down the darkest hall of the school. Mr. Vaslov switched on the light in the boys’ bathroom.
“The window is open,” Mr. Vaslov said. “Looks like somebody made a getaway.”
We looked around for other clues.
“Look!” I pointed. “A blue ski mask!”
Mr. Vaslov picked it up. “This could be important!”
“Does anyone at Starwood Park wear a ski mask?” I asked.
“Not that I know of,” Mr. Vaslov said. “Let’s go ask around.”
In the hallway, we heard shouting again.
“My purse! Who took my purse?” It was my mom’s voice. I’d forgotten she was coming to Starwood Elementary to bring food to the people of Building D. Did the thief get her purse too?