Alyssa walked directly to me, grabbing Brad on the way. We huddled together amidst the searching students.
“Ok, so thanks to Brad,” Alyssa shot him a mean glance, “we’re caught in a pickle. We’ve got to get the clock back to Miss Walker’s desk, and no one can see us.”
“It’s in Charlie’s backpack, right?” said Brad. “Charlie can just carry his bag near her desk, pull out the clock, and be back in his seat before anyone sees a thing.”
“Hey!” I said. “Charlie cannot!”
“Why not?”
“Two reasons. One, everyone’s walking around right now trying to find the clock! I’d never make it without being seen. And two –” I glanced at Alyssa. “We didn’t exactly put the clock back in my bag.”
“What? Then where is it?”
Alyssa pointed across the aisle to the backpack where we’d stashed the clock.
“It’s in Martin’s backpack,” she said.
Brad put his hand to his forehead. “Why’d you put it there?”
“Why’d you run away?” she countered.
“I panicked!”
“So did we!”
“Either way,” I broke in, “someone’s got to get the clock from Martin’s backpack. I think it should be Brad.”
“Me, too,” said Alyssa.
“Hey! Why me?”
“Because,” I said, “you’re the dumbo who grabbed the clock in the first place. You should have to put it back.”
“Yeah,” said Alyssa. “Pay your dues.”
Brad shook his head and covered his eyes. “Man, this has been the worst day. First I get roped into the Knowledge Bowl team. Then I lose my lizard.”
“Um, what?” asked Alyssa.
Brad continued without seeming to hear her. “And now this clock. It can’t get much worse from here.” He moaned.
“Get it together, Brad,” I said. “You can freak out when we’re on the other side of this mess.”
“Charlie’s right,” said Alyssa. “Now, we’ve got to find a way to keep people from seeing Brad when he puts the clock back.”
We paused and thought. Students swarmed around us. I spotted Rebecca peering behind the bookshelves, and I got an idea.
“Wait, I know what we should do,” I said. “If we were in a Carolina Park story, she’d cause a diversion.”
Both of them stared at me.
“You read Carolina Park mysteries?” asked Brad.
“I, uh, well… That’s beside the point. What’s important is that Alyssa can distract the class, while Brad takes the clock back to Miss Walker’s desk.”
“Me?” she squeaked.
“Yes, you. You’re the one who dragged me into this detective work to get back at Rebecca, so you owe me.”
“Pay your dues,” said Brad.
“Besides,” I added. “I’m going to run backup with Brad. This is the millionth time we’ve tried to move this clock, and I don’t want the plan to fail.”
“Thanks, man,” said Brad with a grateful expression.
“Yeah, yeah.”
Alyssa groaned. “Fine. I’ll do it. Anything to keep Rebecca from finding out the truth.”
“That’s the spirit,” I said. “Now what’s our diversion?”
We scanned the room. One by one, our eyes fell on the perfect solution – Mr. Wainwright’s big box of jingle bells.
Two minutes later, Alyssa tentatively walked to the box of instruments. Brad and I watched from our station. I could tell Brad was growing anxious. He kept breathing faster and faster.
“You are not allowed to break out into hives right now, Brad,” I said. “Pull yourself together!”
“I’m trying,” he said, but his breathing didn’t slow. I rolled my eyes. Alyssa had better hurry, or Brad would be passed out on the floor any second.
“Miss Walker?” she called.
“Yes, Alyssa?”
“We should see if the clock is behind this box.”
“I’ve already checked there,” said Rebecca.
Alyssa ignored her and continued to speak to Miss Walker. “The box is too heavy for me to lift though. Could you help me?”
“Good idea,” said Miss Walker, as she walked briskly to the front of the room. “Let’s lift on three, ok?”
Rebecca sighed in exasperation. “Like I said, I already looked there. But let me at least check under it while you lift it.” She smirked at Alyssa. “I’m sure I can find it.”
Brad and I tensed, ready to make a run for it.
“One. Two. Three.”
Miss Walker and Alyssa lifted at the same time. The box lifted high in the air and then just… kept… going. Alyssa had thrown her end up as high as she could.
The box flew out of Miss Walker’s hands, flipped in the air, and spewed jingle bells in all directions.
The noise was deafening, and everyone turned to see. Everyone but Brad and me.
We ran straight for Martin’s backpack, Brad going even faster than me, as if all his nervousness had turned into pure energy. We unzipped the bag and pulled out the sweatshirt with the clock inside.
But as we stood straight up, we found ourselves staring into Martin’s eyes.
“Hey, guys, what are you doing? Were you just in my backpack?”
We froze.
To my surprise, Brad spoke first. “Sorry, Martin. I thought I saw my lizard run in there through a hole in the zipper.” He shoved the bundle in my hand. “Quick, I think he ran this way. Help me find him.”
Brad ran off, dragging a confused Martin behind. I was left holding the clock.
I glanced quickly to the front of the room.
Alyssa was apologizing to Miss Walker. “I thought it would be heavier.”
Rebecca was rubbing her head where she’d apparently been knocked by a jingle bell.
And I was out of time. Stopping to talk to Martin had cost us precious seconds, and I knew I couldn’t make it all the way to Miss Walker’s desk before she noticed me.
I dashed back to my row and dropped the bundle in the first open bag I found.
After a moment, Miss Walker asked everyone to return to their seats.
Alyssa stopped by my desk and whispered, “Well? Is it done?”
I shook my head slowly. “Sorry. We couldn’t make it.”
“Geez! Not again.” She turned her head from side to side. “Where is it now?”
I swallowed. “In your bag.”
Chapter 6
Mr. Wainwright came to our class that afternoon for our weekly music class.
As we lined up at the front of the room, Alyssa refused to look at me because I put the clock in her bag.
I refused to look at Brad because he struck me with that clock when Martin came along.
And Mr. Wainwright kept looking at Miss Walker. She started sniffling, and I felt awful.
On top of all of this, I had the terrible realization that the clock could go off again at any time. Add in a lizard missing in action, and I was stressed.
After a moment’s conversation between the two teachers, Miss Walker left the room, and Mr. Wainwright turned his steely eyes on us.
“I understand Miss Walker’s alarm clock has disappeared,” he said. The class was silent. “I also understand that the clock is of great value to her. I am quite concerned.”
Rebecca raised her hand. “Because you love her?” she asked.
“I do not,” he said fiercely. He did.
He put his hands behind his back and slowly paced in front of us.
“My own feelings aside, if I were in a Carolina Park book right now, I’d treat you all as suspects.”
The class was dumbstruck. Finally Martin raised his hand. “You read Carolina Park books?”
Mr. Wainwright turned on him swiftly. “Everybody reads Carolina Park.”
We stood in more silence.
“Yes, I’d treat you all as suspects, which means I’d interrogate each and every one of you. Do you know what ‘interrogate’ means?”
No one spoke.
“It means to ask questions. To ask very serious questions. And to expect some answers.”
He paused, and I gulped.
“Now, I am not going to interrogate anyone. Not yet. But I am going to warn you, that if that clock is not returned to Miss Walker by the end of the day, I will be searching book bags as you walk out the door.” He stared us down. “And I will personally see to your detention.”
No one moved.
“Now,” he continued, “I want everyone to come and grab a jingle bell. It is time for some music.”
And if you think it’s easy to shake bells and sing of Holly, the rainbow fairy of light, after an experience like that, I’ll just tell you – it’s not.
The class put in a lackluster performance that day, and it was a subdued group that finally turned in its jingle bells.
“Mr. Wainwright?” asked Alyssa. “Do you know why the clock is special to Miss Walker?”
He cleared his throat. “I always understood it was a present given to her by her father after her first year of teaching.”
That one hadn’t occurred to us before. We shuffled back to seats as Miss Walker returned to the room. She gave us a worksheet, and we all set to work quietly. She remained at her desk, watching us.
Just as the first students rose to turn in their work, Martin approached Miss Walker’s desk.
“Excuse me?” he said. I could hear him well in the silent classroom.
“Yes, Martin?”
“I accidentally broke my pencil in the pencil sharpener.”
Miss Walker sighed. “Not again, Martin.”
“Sorry, Miss Walker. But it’s stuck. Could you help me fix it?”
She rose from her chair. “Let’s go see.”
I heard a noise behind me and turned. I saw Alyssa slowly unzipping her book bag, and it took me a moment to register the unnerving glint in her eye. I knew that she was about to do something desperate.
“No!” I whispered as quietly as I could. “You’ll get caught.”
“Shhh,” she said. “We already tried a complicated plan to put the clock back, and it didn’t work. And you heard Mr. Wainwright. We’re running out of time.” She pulled the bundle into her lap. “No. Now I’m just going to seize the day and hope I make it. Wish me luck!”
Quickly and silently, she slipped out of her chair, clutching the red sweatshirt to her stomach. She started off for the teacher’s desk, and for just a moment – one wonderful moment – I thought she might actually get the clock back to its spot.
Looking back, I think I’ve straightened out exactly where everything went wrong in the next few seconds. So I’ll try to cover clearly what happened.
Rebecca finished her work and stood to turn it in at the front of the room. Alyssa snuck along about two feet behind her. I realized that Alyssa was using Rebecca to hide behind, sort of like a human shield between her and Miss Walker. It was a risky move, I thought, considering the last person Alyssa would want to catch her would be Rebecca. I was proud of her guts.
Alyssa carried the clock still concealed in Brad’s red sweatshirt, and the girls moved quickly. They were halfway up the room when Rebecca stopped short. She squealed and jumped back, knocking straight into Alyssa.
I caught the quickest glimpse of Houdini the lizard legging it for the nearest table before Alyssa recaptured my attention. After being pushed by Rebecca, Alyssa stumbled and the bundle in her hand went flying.
I stood up to get a better view of the catastrophe.
Through the air the clock sailed, shedding Brad’s jacket halfway in its flight. The bells on the alarm clock glinted in the classroom lights as it spun through the air.
Alyssa tried vainly to reach out for the clock, but it was too far gone. The clock flew several more feet before landing.
Directly. In. My. Hands.
Miss Walker turned at that moment to see what had caused the commotion.
From her view, I guess I can understand what she thought she saw. Alyssa, pointing across the room, alerting Miss Walker to the criminal now clutching her clock. In other words, me.
Chapter 7
“A lizard!” shouted Rebecca.
“My clock!” said Miss Walker.
“My sweatshirt!” said Brad.
“Miss Walker,” Rebecca continued, “there is a lizard in the classroom!”
The teacher rushed toward me and paid no attention to Rebecca. “Charlie, I am surprised at you.” She took the clock from my frozen hands and shook her head. “I expected better from you, young man.”
My mind went completely blank, and when I tried to stutter an explanation, I found that my voice wasn’t working anyway. I went quietly as she marched me to the back of the room. I was stunned at the turn of events. We passed Rebecca, who was still yapping on about the lizard.
“Sit down, dear,” said Miss Walker to Rebecca on our way. Rebecca’s mouth fell open.
Miss Walker marched me to the back of the room. As we passed Brad’s desk, I gave him a dirty look and shook my head. He looked pale and worried, but he stayed silent. Traitor.
Miss Walker sat me down in a hard chair and instructed me to think about what I’d done. She also strongly hinted that there was a parent/teacher conference in my future.
I plopped down in a daze. A parent/teacher conference? Could it get any worse?
Where had this day gone wrong? With Brad, that’s who. I shot daggers at the back of his head.
Miss Walker brought Alyssa to the front of the room.
“Class, I’d like everyone to give a moment of applause for Alyssa. She solved the mystery of my missing alarm clock, and I’m very grateful. Carolina Park couldn’t have done any better.”
The class clapped. I moved my hands back and forth, but my heart wasn’t really in it. You understand.
While Miss Walker heaped praise on Alyssa, Rebecca stomped back to her seat. Alyssa watched her with a satisfied smile plastered across her face. Then her eyes fell on me, and her expression quickly changed to one of concern.
I tried to give her a brave smile. I meant it to say, “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. Charlie Bingham is no snitch.”
But it must have said, “Yikes! Miss Walker will never forgive me for this,” because Alyssa’s concerned face did not get better.
After the applause died down, Miss Walker sent Alyssa back to her seat and resumed teaching. And so began the longest afternoon of my life. And following the longest morning of my life, that was really saying something.
The alarm clock was installed back in its old place and mocked me with its tick tocks. I scowled thinking of all the time I’d wasted winding that stupid clock. See if I ever did that again!
After the first twenty minutes, I started to think enviously of Houdini. How I wished that I were on the run with the lizard! Anything would be better than waiting here for my very own personal detention with Mr. Wainwright.
Finally, I began to daydream. I imagined how this day would have gone if I had only found the thief myself, instead of being caught as one. Miss Walker would be so pleased with me. I’d probably get to be line leader all year. I’d get unlimited candy from the candy jar. I’d never have to take the spelling tests.
I could see her in my mind. “Thank you, thank you, Charlie for finding my long-lost clock. It was my prize for winning first place in an around-the-world hot air balloon race, and I don’t know what I would have done without it! You’re my favorite student.” My dream Miss Walker gave me a big hug as Mr. Wainwright hauled Brad off to detention. I smiled.
Unfortunately, that was not how things were playing out in the real world. I remained in the back throughout our science lesson, and then through all of social studies. Kids kept turning to point at me and whisper. Just that morning, I’d been ready to clean erasers for Miss Walker; now I’d become the class bad boy. Life’s funny.
Finally, the day’s lessons ended. Miss Walker instructed students to clean up their desks, an
d she called me to her corner.
I slowly walked across the room, feeling all my classmate’s eyes on me. This was not going to be pleasant. I checked the classroom door. At least there was no sign of Mr. Wainwright. Yet.
In spite of my best efforts, I made it to Miss Walker’s desk. She sat behind her computer and gestured for me to take a seat.
“Well, Charlie,” she began, but then broke off. She looked just over my shoulder. “Yes, Brad?”
I turned. Brad stood behind me and shifted from foot to foot. He looked like he was going to slip into a panic attack at any moment.
“Miss Walker. I, uh...” He took a deep breath. “I wanted to tell you that I’m the one who took the clock. Not Charlie.”
Instantly I was flooded with remorse for my daydream. Brad wasn’t a traitor, after all! He did the right thing and stuck his neck out for a buddy. I didn’t want him to be put into Mr. Wainwright’s personal punishment school!
Miss Walker seemed surprised. “Charlie? Is this true?”
I nodded, doing my best to appear noble.
“Oh, my goodness.” She stood up. “Why didn’t you say something, Charlie? And I made you sit back there all afternoon! I feel just awful. I should have known you wouldn’t do such a thing.”
“I wouldn’t,” I said.
“Of course you wouldn’t. Here, take some candy.” She pulled the top of the lid off the glass candy jar. I grinned and took a bright green sourball.
“Thanks, Miss Walker.” This was more like it.
“You’re welcome, Charlie.”
Brad seemed to have visibly relaxed with Miss Walker’s good mood, and, do you know, I think he was about to reach into the candy jar himself, when he apparently thought better of it. Which was a good call, in my opinion.
Miss Walker clapped the lid of the jar back down and turned to Brad. “Now, you, sir, are a different story. We’re going to have a talk before you go home.”
She sent me back to my desk. I shot Brad a sympathetic glance before leaving, but I couldn’t resist dancing a little down the aisle.
I dropped into my chair and turned to Alyssa.
“Did you see that?” I said. “Brad confessed!”
Charlie Bingham Gets Clocked Page 3
