The Ambrose Deception

by Emily Ecton

  Melissa gritted her teeth and started to shake her head. But instead, she looked Mr. Masterson straight in the eye. “There is one thing I’d like to ask you, Mr. Masterson.”

  He smiled at her. “I thought so. Go ahead. I’m here for my students.”

  “Good, because this is important.” Melissa smiled. “It’s about ice cream. In 1910. How can I get some?”

  To: Judy Orlin

  From: Kyle Masterson

  Subject: Problem Student Alert

  Judy,

  I think you may want to talk to one of my seventh-grade history students, Melissa Burris. She seems to be breaking down emotionally. I tried to have a friendly conversation with her about some problems with her work, and she started spouting nonsense about ice cream and the early 1900s. Then she laughed like a loon. I’m very concerned.

  Kyle

  To: Kyle Masterson

  From: Judy Orlin

  Subject: RE: Problem Student Alert

  Kyle,

  Thank you for reaching out. Believe me, Miss Burris is already on my radar. I’m not surprised to hear that she’s doing subpar work and acting out. She is involved in an academic contest that’s way beyond her capabilities, and it’s having a negative effect on her—not that she was ever Miss Congeniality to begin with. I’m doing what I can, but I’m afraid some students are beyond help. Watching people fail is never easy, Kyle. I wish us both luck.

  Best,

  Judy

  Wilf’s mouth started watering as soon as Frank pulled the car up in front of Portillo’s. This was going to be the best day ever. Wilf’s mom never wanted to stop for hot dogs, especially at the places he wanted to go. Like the Wiener’s Circle, number two on his list, where the people behind the counter berated you when you ordered. This was going to be great.

  “Hope you didn’t have a big breakfast,” Frank said, getting out of the car.

  “Are you kidding me? I have been planning this forever. My dad always promised to do it with me, but, you know…” Wilf trailed off. “Job stuff.”

  “Well, I am excited!” Frank said enthusiastically. “This is going to be a day to remember.”

  He looked at the list of hot dog places Wilf had given him. There were ten mentioned specifically, and Frank had strict instructions to stop at any stand they passed that wasn’t on the list. “We’d better get started. You’re going to be eating an awful lot of hot dogs today.”

  Wilf’s stomach growled. “That’s what I’m counting on.”

  POSSIBLE BIRD / CLOCK LOCATIONS

  by Bondi Johnson

  1. Zoo

  Advantage: Lots of birds

  Drawback: No known clock

  Conclusion: Investigate

  2. Alexander Calder Flamingo Sculpture

  Advantage: Named after a bird and famous

  Drawback: Doesn’t really look like a bird. Also, no clock.

  Conclusion: Iffy

  3. Aquarium

  Advantage: Penguins

  Drawback: Penguins

  Conclusion: Need I say more?

  4. Pet Stores

  Advantage: Lots of birds

  Drawback: Too many pet stores in the city. Also, super-lame idea.

  Conclusion: Oh man, I am going to lose lose lose.

  Bondi stared into his Tupperware container and sighed. It almost didn’t seem worth the effort of lifting his fork. He pushed it aside and spread his notes in front of him on the cafeteria table. He was so close—he had just one clue left, and he had to figure it out now. That Wilf guy didn’t seem like he was going to be a problem, but Bondi didn’t like the looks of that girl with the red hair. She could be serious competition.

  He had his after-school strategy almost all mapped out when his friends Jamal and Andrew plopped down into the seats next to him.

  Jamal bumped shoulders with Bondi. “Buddy, come on. Put the books away.” He bumped Bondi again and then leaned his chair back so it was balancing on two legs.

  “Seriously,” Andrew said, stuffing a soggy french fry into his mouth. He flipped Bondi’s notebook shut. “You’ve got to pace yourself. Study too much too early in the year, and your brain will explode before Christmas.”

  Jamal nodded in agreement, overbalancing and slamming his chair back down onto all four legs with a jolt. “It’s true. I’ve seen it happen.”

  Bondi gave a half smile. “Yeah, sorry. It’s this scholarship thing. I’m not even supposed to talk about it. Once I’ve won, I’ll have loads of time. I promise.”

  Jamal ate a handful of Andrew’s fries. “Yeah, well, you better win soon, okay?”

  Andrew smacked his hand away. “Yeah, what are you waiting for? Don’t want the other kids to feel bad?”

  Bondi groaned. “I am so close. You have no idea. Just one step away.”

  Andrew grinned. “That’s what I like to hear!” He pulled Bondi’s Tupperware over and pried the lid off. “Now what have we got—?” He wrinkled his nose and looked up at Bondi. “What the heck is this?”

  Bondi grabbed the container from him and put the lid back on. “Nothing. Chard. With golden raisins and pine nuts.”

  Jamal did the slow headshake. “Oh man. Bondi. Oh man, oh man, oh man.”

  Bondi shrugged. “Whatever. Why, what did you get?”

  Andrew looked embarrassed. “Nothing. Hamburger. Basic stuff, you know.”

  “Still the Paleo diet?” Jamal asked Bondi sympathetically.

  Bondi grimaced. Andrew and Jamal exchanged glances and then silently pushed the french fries over to him.

  “First things first, okay?” Jamal said, watching as Bondi scarfed down the fries. “Figure out your scholarship, buddy. Then we’ll fix this Paleo thing.”

  Wilf’s mouth was still watering as Frank pulled up in front of Fat Johnnie’s. Wilf had limited himself to just one hot dog each at Portillo’s and the Wiener’s Circle, even though it had practically killed him. But he wasn’t messing around with this—he had to pace himself and take it seriously. According to his list, he still had at least seven hot dogs left to eat, and he didn’t want to mess that up by overdoing it in the beginning. He’d dreamed of doing this for too long. Nothing was going to stop him from completing this quest. Nothing.

  Frank stuck his head in Wilf’s window.

  “Still up for this?”

  Wilf nodded. “Oh yeah.”

  Melissa slid into her seat just before the late bell rang and gave a little wave as Tanisha twisted around in her seat to look at her.

  “So what happened? Did Masterson write you up? What did he want?” Tanisha whispered, keeping one eye on the science teacher, who was busy writing on the board.

  Melissa snorted. “Just to accuse me of copying Tyler Blake’s worksheet, that’s all.”

  Tanisha made an exaggerated shocked face. “What the what? Doesn’t he know Tyler’s dumb as a rock?”

  “Apparently not.”

  “Nobody’s dumb enough to copy off Tyler!”

  Melissa shrugged. “Nobody except Mr. Masterson, I guess.”

  Tanisha grinned. “What a doofus. What did you say?”

  “I just messed with him a little. He really ticked me off.” Melissa smirked. “So I said I wanted to get ice cream in 1910.”

  Tanisha sighed. “Yeah, you said it. I could totally go for that. I haven’t done that in forever.”

  Melissa straightened up. “Wait, what?”

  “What?” Tanisha jumped a little and stared at Melissa like she was freaking out. Which she pretty much was.

  Melissa checked to make sure Mrs. Malone was still writing on the board and then thanked her lucky stars for long scientific formulas.

  She tried to sound calm. “I said ‘in 1910.’”

  Tanisha eyed her suspiciously. “I know what you said.”

  “So what are you talking about?” Melissa’s calm act wouldn’t have convinced a chipmunk. Not that chipmunks are known for their body-language-reading skills.

  Tanisha leaned back farther, li
ke Melissa had gone rabid. “What are you talking about?”

  “Nothing. I was just being stupid.” Melissa resisted the urge to grab Tanisha’s shoulders and shake her.

  “Yeah, me too. I was just being stupid, too.”

  Melissa leaned forward more. “No, you weren’t. You were talking about something real, weren’t you?”

  “No, I wasn’t.” Tanisha glared at her for a minute before finally sagging and lowering her voice. “Okay, I was, but don’t tell anyone, okay? I know it’s super lame.”

  “What? What’s super lame?” Melissa sat on her hands. The urge to shake was back, and she knew that wouldn’t go over well. Plus, a full-scale assault on Tanisha would definitely attract Mrs. Malone’s attention.

  “That ice cream parlor at the museum. You know, that old-timey street in the Museum of Science and Industry? It’s supposed to be 1910.” She looked around to make sure no one was listening. “Look, I know it’s kid stuff, okay? I can’t help that I still love it.”

  Melissa couldn’t keep from grinning. “The museum has an ice cream parlor in 1910?”

  Tanisha nodded warily. “Isn’t that what you were talking about?”

  Melissa started stuffing her books into her bag.

  Tanisha watched with narrowed eyes. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  Melissa zipped up her book bag and smiled at Tanisha. She was going to play by her own rules now, and according to the new Melissa rules, she could invite friends to do things anytime she wanted. “Going to 1910 for ice cream. Want to come?”

  Tanisha hesitated for only a second before she started stuffing her books into her backpack, too. “Oh man. Do I ever.”

  Please excuse Melissa Burris and Tanisha Cole from school for the rest of the afternoon, as an educational opportunity regarding a possible scholarship has come up. They are both needed urgently, and their parents and guardians have fully agreed to this excursion, as you have verified over the phone.

  Thank you,

  Dimitri Omar

  Representative of scholarship advisor Mr. Butler, representative of Mr. Smith, scholarship patron

  Tanisha stood on the sidewalk eyeing Dimitri warily as he went into the elementary school. “And the note worked? Just like that?”

  Melissa nodded. She didn’t know how Dimitri had done it, but once she’d told him what they wanted to do, he’d gotten her grandmother to agree to everything over the phone. Then he did the same thing with Tanisha’s parents. He’d had the office staff practically eating out of his hands. Even Mrs. Orlin had fluttered her eyelashes and said something sappy about his accent. If Melissa didn’t know better, she’d say Dimitri was a hypnotist or something.

  Tanisha still wasn’t convinced. “But he’s not my parent. I know they talked to my mom, but for real? They’ll let us go just because?”

  Melissa nodded again. “This scholarship thing is crazy.”

  Tanisha leaned in close. “I know you said you can’t talk about it, but this can’t be legit, Melissa. They’ve got to be working some angle here,” she whispered. “You know that, right?”

  Melissa made a face. “Believe me, I know. I can’t figure out what that angle is, though.”

  Dimitri came out of the elementary school with Liam and Tanisha’s little sister, Tabi, in tow.

  Tanisha adjusted her backpack. “Well, whatever’s going on, I’m not complaining. And thanks for saying Tabi could come, too. I couldn’t exactly ditch her, since I’m supposed to watch her after school.”

  Melissa punched her lightly on the shoulder. “No problem. She’ll keep Liam out of my hair, right?”

  “Yeah, right,” Tanisha said. “More like help him get in your hair.”

  Melissa snickered and then headed over to Dimitri. She shifted awkwardly as he opened the car door.

  “Yeah, about that. Um, I think we’re going to take the bus.” She lowered her voice. “It would be mean for me and Liam to get a ride and make Tanisha and Tabi take the bus by themselves. And you know…the rules?”

  Dimitri sighed heavily. “Melissa. You remember what I said? No breaking up sets?”

  “Well, yeah.”

  “Sets come in all sizes.” Dimitri held the car door open wider.

  A grin spread over Melissa’s face as she quickly turned and ushered Tanisha and Tabi into the car.

  Wilf’s mouth had pretty much stopped watering by the time they pulled up in front of Superdawg. Fat Johnnie’s had been awesome, and so had Jimmy’s Red Hots, and whatever that place in between was. Wilf wasn’t keeping track of the stops as well as he’d planned to. And, if he was going to be 100 percent honest, he was feeling a little full. Maybe even more than a little. The whole pacing-himself plan wasn’t working quite as well as he’d hoped, either.

  Frank hopped out of the car and stuck his head in Wilf’s window. “Still up for this?” he asked. Frank had dropped out of the judging after Fat Johnnie’s, proclaiming all of the hot dogs to be so excellent that he couldn’t possibly choose which one was best. Unfortunately, Wilf felt the same way. He wasn’t sure he was going to be able to crown a champion at the end of the day like he’d planned. And he sure as heck wasn’t going to be up to trying each place a second time.

  If he looked at it objectively, there wasn’t a single part of his plan that was going like it was supposed to.

  “Wilf?” Frank frowned. “We can stop anytime.”

  Wilf swallowed hard. He couldn’t stop. This was a once-in-a-lifetime hot dog opportunity. “Nope, this is excellent. Ready to go.”

  Melissa and Tanisha stared up at the ticket prices over the admission booth in the lobby of the Museum of Science and Industry. No wonder Gran never wanted to go to museums. Who knew they were so expensive? Melissa had worksheet money, but she’d spent some of it getting lunch. She didn’t think what she had left would be enough.

  She glanced over at Tanisha, who looked about as worried as Melissa felt.

  Melissa’s heart sank. The four of them coming here had been a bad idea. She felt around in her pocket, and her fingers folded around the debit card that had been in the packet. This was what it was for, right? And if she paid for Tanisha and Tabi and Liam, that would be okay, too, right? She wished the packet had been a little more clear about how closely they were going to be grilled on their expenses.

  Melissa pulled out the debit card and held it in her closed fist. It seemed stupid not to use it. It would have to be okay. And if it wasn’t, well, she’d just drum up a little extra homework money, that was all. Raid the computer fund if she had to. Not that there was all that much to raid.

  Melissa had just taken a step toward the ticket counter when a strong pair of hands clamped on to her arms and moved her to the side.

  “Excuse, please.”

  “Wha—?” Melissa gasped.

  Dimitri Omar nodded at her as he went to the booth. “Five tickets, please. For me and my children.”

  Tanisha turned to Melissa, her eyes wide. “Who is this guy?”

  Melissa grinned and slipped the debit card back into her pocket. “Does it matter? He’s with us.”

  FINNIGAN’S ICE CREAM PARLOR

  1 large banana split

  chocolate and vanilla ice cream

  extra whipped cream

  1 large hot fudge sundae

  chocolate ice cream

  extra nuts, extra hot fudge,

  extra whipped cream, no cherry

  1 large hot fudge sundae

  mint chocolate chip ice cream

  extra hot fudge, extra whipped cream

  1 large banana split

  vanilla and strawberry ice cream

  extra whipped cream

  1 small vanilla ice cream cone

  Liam wiped a smear of chocolate off of his cheek. “This ice cream is the best part.”

  Tanisha’s sister, Tabi, shook her head, making the two puff ponytails on her head quiver like mouse ears. “That old-timey movie was the best part.”

  “Okay,” Liam
agreed. “But the ice cream is the best part now.”

  Tabi just nodded and took another bite of banana split. She was too busy eating to talk much.

  Tanisha leaned back and surveyed Finnigan’s Ice Cream Parlor. Aside from Dimitri Omar eating his ice cream cone near the front window, they were the only ones there. “So you know I won’t rat you out, right? You can tell me what’s going on here.”

  Melissa fiddled with her spoon. “I don’t know….”

  “And if it’s cheating you’re worrying about, you can stop worrying. It’s only cheating if I help your sorry butt.” Tanisha grinned.

  “Well, sorry, but you’ve already done that, Miss Ice-Cream-in-1910,” Melissa said, rolling her eyes.

  She stared down into her hot fudge. She’d already broken rule number three by telling Liam, so how much worse would it be to tell Tanisha, too? She kept thinking about the contract, though. Some of that language seemed pretty scary.

  She looked at Tanisha apologetically and shook her head. “I’m sorry. I really can’t. There was a contract….”

  Tanisha nodded. “Yeah, about that. Now, I’m not a lawyer—”

  “No kidding.”

  “But I do know that you’re way underage. I’m pretty sure you can’t legally sign a contract like that.” Then she jerked her thumb at Liam. “Plus, you told this joker. So all bets are off.”

  Liam made a face.

  Melissa glanced over at Dimitri. He nodded silently.

  Melissa rolled her eyes again. It was a terrible idea. But somehow she couldn’t imagine Tanisha selling her out. Or Dimitri, either, for that matter. “You win. Swear not to tell?”

  Tanisha grinned. “Swear.”

  “I swear, too!” Tabi said, spraying a fine mist of banana.

  “Me too!” Liam said. “Even though I already swore before.”

  “I also swear, even though I am already part of your team,” Dimitri said from across the room.