“Romeo, oh, Romeo. Something, something, Romeo.” My junior partner was twirling around, holding what looked to be a scrap of paper towel in her hand.
“Ivy, cool it.” We walked down the hall, surrounded by kids pushing past us, eager to be free for the day. I could think of a thousand ways to draw less attention to ourselves, none of which seemed to interest Ivy.
“What? I’m practicing.” She flung her head back and fluttered the paper towel across her forehead. “Drama Club is literally around the corner, and I feel under-rehearsed.”
I took out a piece of Juicy Smash and tossed it in my mouth before giving Ivy a once-over. “Play it the same way you did earlier. That was good.”
Ivy cupped a hand to her ear. “Excuse me? What was that?”
“You heard me.” I poked her in the shoulder. If I could get Ivy to concentrate, we had a chance of pulling this off. “For some reason, he likes you, so we have to use that to our advantage. Let’s review the plan.”
Ivy ticked off checkpoints in the air. “Get him comfortable. Get him talking.”
“Preferably about Meredith and Lisa,” I said.
“And if all else fails, get him mad and hope he trips up,” Ivy said with a final twirl.
“No.” I shook my head. “I’m serious, pay attention. We have an opportunity here to get the inside track with a suspect. Are you ready for that?”
“I’m so ready.” Ivy straightened up, vibrating with excitement. “Lay the rest of the plan on me.”
“You have to stay in his good books. Be his new best friend. Get him to confide.”
“On it,” Ivy said and then looked at me with growing suspicion. “What are you doing while I’m undercover?”
I smiled and snapped the gum in my mouth. “A little B&E on Bradley’s locker. Maybe I’ll get lucky and find the checks.”
“Your assignment sounds like more fun,” Ivy said, miffed. “How are you gonna break into his locker?”
We’d arrived at the classroom the Drama Club met in, and I steered Ivy toward the door.
“That knowledge is above your clearance level,” I said.
“For now.” Ivy shot off a small salute. “See you on the flipside, Howard Wallace.”
“Remember: confidence, comfort, focus.” I prayed this wouldn’t end in disaster as she entered the classroom. Risking a peek inside, I spotted Bradley waving her over to the group of kids he was talking with. So far, so good. I hurried down the hallway to complete my own mission.
As I walked to my destination, I pulled a notebook out of my bag and flipped to the back. Earlier in the year, I’d made an important discovery in one of the janitor’s closets Pete let me use from time to time (for an extra fee, of course). One of those times, I encountered a file he’d left out. It was a list of locker combinations for all the lockers at Grantleyville Middle School. Naturally, I borrowed it and made a copy. Or five. Valuable information like that couldn’t go to waste.
“Sixty eight, sixty nine, seventy.” I tapped a finger along the metal fronts while I tracked down Bradley’s locker. After I found the combination on the list, it only took me two tries to get it open. Stepping back, I blew out a large bubble while I surveyed the contents of the locker.
Inside the door, an overflowing collage of pictures showcased the friendship of Bradley and Lisa. “Shrine” was probably a more accurate term. Bradley took his vow of best friendship very seriously. The contents of the locker were surprisingly jumbled. A pile of notebooks was rammed in haphazardly along with what looked like Drama Club notes. I was sifting through the papers when a flash of red caught my eye. Shoving all the books aside to get a clearer view, I nearly choked on my gum.
Taped to the back of the locker was a picture of Meredith. Bradley had drawn red horns on her head and given her a goatee. I carefully put everything back as I’d found it and closed the door.
I crowned myself the master of good timing when the instant I clicked the lock back into place, Mr. Vannick came around the corner and spotted me.
“What are you doing here?” He strode forward, and I tried to look as casual as possible.
“I’m waiting for a friend,” I said.
Mr. Vannick slowed down as he got close enough for a better look. He studied me for a moment before recognition sparked in his eyes. “Wait a minute,” he said. “You’re Howard Wallace, right?”
That phrase always led to trouble when it came out of the mouths of adults.
“Yes,” I said, slowly inching my way to the closest exit.
“I’ve heard about you.” He stepped closer and glanced at Bradley’s locker, its lock resting at a slightly crooked angle. “Is this your locker?”
“No, sir, I’m just—”
“Waiting for a friend,” Mr. Vannick said. “Yes, you mentioned that.”
Hunching my shoulders in my coat, I sidestepped away from Mr. Vannick and Bradley’s locker. “She’s probably done by now. I should get going.”
He nodded and rocked back on his heels, hands clasped behind his back. “You do that, Howard.” He leaned over me, the deep lines in his forehead each adding their own layer of disapproval. “Hanging around after school hours is ill-advised,” he said. “For any student.”
“Yes, sir,” I said. “Understood, sir.” I sped down the hall and relaxed my pace once I was out of sight. Time to meet up with Ivy and pursue some more ill-advised activities, all in the name of investigation.