Janitors Read online

  Spencer could barely glimpse the burly figure through the space between the hinges. Marv approached slowly until he stood only inches from the bathroom stall. On the other side of the thin wall, Spencer, Daisy, and Dez held their breath. Marv checked for the bronze nail, grunted unintelligibly, and then turned away.

  The kids heard the bathroom door open, then bang closed. They heard the muffled sound of keys in the lock. Marv snorted once more, apparently trying to dislodge something from his sinuses. Then there was silence.

  Of course, Dez was the first one to move. He jumped down from the toilet seat, chuckling to himself. “Good thing I told you guys to hide. We’d have been busted. That dude looked like he wanted to eat someone.”

  “Quiet,” Daisy whispered. “He might still be out there.”

  “Relax,” Dez said. “He didn’t see us.”

  Daisy and Spencer stepped off the toilet seat as Dez unlatched the stall door. “We’ve got to get back to class,” Spencer said. “Mrs. Natcher’s going to freak when she sees that three of us are gone.”

  “You’re not going anywhere,” Dez said, stepping in front of them. “I’ve still got to clean out some toilets with your heads.”

  “Get out of the way,” Spencer said, brushing his hand at Dez like he was a pesky fly. A few days ago, Dez had been the most intimidating foe. But ever since the milk incident, ever since Spencer had discovered the courage to stand up for the truth, Dez seemed smaller. Indeed, compared to the wicked janitors and demented creatures that Daisy and Spencer were up against now, Dez looked about as frightening as Baybee.

  “Hold it,” Dez said, unaccustomed to people ignoring his threats. Spencer and Daisy stepped past him and Spencer pulled on the bathroom door.

  Locked.

  Marv had locked the deadbolt, making sure to keep everyone out while unintentionally trapping Spencer, Daisy, and Dez in. Unwilling to believe, Spencer pulled again . . . and again. But the door was secure. They weren’t going anywhere.

  Dez began to laugh.

  “What’s so funny?” Daisy said.

  “It’s perfect,” answered Dez. “It’s the perfect excuse not to go back to class . . . and to give you lovebirds endless swirlies.”

  Ignoring Dez, Spencer and Daisy began brainstorming. Hitting the door and shouting for help was out of the question. Picking the lock was impossible. Daisy got on her hands and knees, putting her cheek dangerously close to the bathroom floor, and tried to peek under the door.

  “Hey.” She carefully reached forward. A tiny bit of paper was visible under the door. Daisy trapped it with her fingernail and dragged it into the bathroom. It was the card that Garth Hadley had used to stop the lock. Daisy flipped it over. It was Hadley’s business card, the same kind that the BEM rep had given Spencer.

  “Yes!” Spencer said, taking the card from her hand. “That’s got Hadley’s phone number on it. He told me to call if we get in trouble.”

  Daisy smiled, showing her teeth in all their glory. “Hurry up,” she said, “call him. I want to get out of here.”

  Spencer’s shoulders slumped. “You don’t have a cell phone?”

  The girl shook her head, long braid swinging.

  “Me neither.”

  Behind them, Dez emitted an obnoxious, look-at-me sigh. Daisy and Spencer turned to find the boy operating a cell phone with both hands.

  “All right, Dez!” Spencer said. For the first time, he was actually pleased with the bully. “If you let me borrow that for a minute, I can get us out of here.”

  “Hang on,” Dez said. “I’m busy texting the sewer police. Got to tell them to expect two newcomers from toilet number one.” He grinned maliciously and snapped the phone shut. “You think I want to go back to Mrs. Natcher’s class?” Dez faked a yawn. “Yeah, right.”

  Spencer and Daisy exchanged a glance. They had to get the phone from Dez before the janitors found out that they were missing from Mrs. Natcher’s class. If Marv’s threats carried any weight, he would already have figured out Spencer’s name and classroom.

  “Why are you here, anyway?” Daisy asked, hands on her hips.

  Dez tucked the cell phone into the pocket of his shorts and began to chant, “Spencer and Daisy, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-I-N-N . . . K-I-S-I-N-G . . .” he trailed away. “You guys came into class together this morning—late. Then, when the power went out, I figured Spencer went to find you. I usually don’t like to watch kissing, but I wanted to know where you were going.”

  “So you followed us in here,” Spencer said.

  Dez nodded. “Not a very romantic place for your first date, Doofus. But I thought it might be fun to crash the party. Besides, I’ve been looking for a way to get back at you.”

  “For what?” Spencer asked.

  “Yesterday’s little speech to the class. You can lie to them about seeing monsters, but I know you’re a fake.”

  Spencer swallowed and ignored the taunt. Just like Garth Hadley had advised, he focused on their secret mission. “Give me the phone, Dez.”

  “No way!” Dez pulled out the phone to tempt them again. “Minutes aren’t free, you know.”

  “I’ll pay you back,” Daisy promised.

  “You’ll pay me now,” Dez stated, pointing at the toilet aggressively. “Two swirlies for every minute on the phone. Deal?”

  “You’re disgusting,” Spencer said, wondering if Dez actually had the guts to stick someone’s head in the toilet and flush it. He wondered for only a moment.

  Dez leaped clumsily at Daisy. She spun aside, and the bully turned quickly. He tripped on an untied shoelace and went down, grabbing Daisy’s leg as he fell. Both kids tumbled to the hard floor, Dez struggling to get a controlling grip on Daisy.

  Without thinking, Spencer plunged in. He’d never punched anyone before and it ended up hurting his hand a lot worse than he thought. Spencer’s fist pounded into Dez’s shoulder. The bully released his grip on Daisy and the girl crawled toward the stall. Dez’s cell phone spun across the yellow-brown tile and stopped under the sink. Spencer went for it, but Dez’s big foot kicked out, catching Spencer in the knee and sending him to the floor.

  Dez grabbed the phone and jumped to his feet. His face was twisted in anger like Spencer had never seen before. One punch from those meaty hands would probably put Spencer out cold on the floor—the dingy, germy bathroom floor.

  Losing his courage, Spencer retreated to the stall, where Daisy quickly shut the door and latched it tightly. The walls of the stall didn’t reach all the way to the ground, so there was still room for Dez to crawl under. But Spencer was prepared to stomp on any part of Dez that appeared.

  “You’re dead, Doofus. Sooner or later you’ll have to come out—and I’ll be waiting.”

  “Sooner or later, you’ll give us that phone so we can all get out of here,” Spencer said.

  “Whatever! I’ll wait a week if I have to.”

  “Without food? Yeah, right.”

  Dez fell silent. Apparently he hadn’t thought about long-term food storage for his siege on the bathroom stall. Spencer and Daisy watched him pace for a while, then slump down against the wall. He pulled out his phone and, judging by the sound effects, started playing Pac-Man.

  Spencer pulled Daisy aside and whispered in her ear. “I’m going to get the phone. Stay here.”

  “What?” Daisy shrieked.

  “I hear you,” Dez said, ending his game. But before he could slip the phone into his pocket, before Daisy could protest any further, Spencer threw open the door and lunged at Dez.

  Spencer’s right hand closed around the cell phone, jerking it free of Dez’s grip. Instantly the bully had a heavy hand on Spencer’s arm, twisting it painfully. Then Spencer stretched and slipped free, passing through Dez’s grasp like his arm was made of Jell-O.

  Spen
cer’s left hand was sweaty inside the oversized latex glove. He had the phone and was only a few steps from the safety of the stall.

  Dez sprang, grabbing both of Spencer’s legs. But it was useless. Spencer’s feet kept moving, his legs tearing free of Dez’s hands without effort. Dez was left facedown on the dirty tile as Spencer flung himself into the stall, Daisy pushing the door shut.

  “Here!” she shouted, thrusting the BEM business card at Spencer. He tore off the glove, flipped open the phone, and rapidly started punching in the numbers. Just as he hit the green send button, Dez’s head appeared under the stall door. Daisy screamed and swung Baybee like a sledgehammer. The plastic doll smashed into Dez’s face.

  “Mr. Hadley?” Spencer asked. “We need help—quick!” he paused. “Yes, we found it. But we’re locked in the bathroom with the nail!”

  Daisy was going wild with Baybee. Dez’s hands protected his face and he struggled to retreat. With one swing, Dez managed to grab onto the doll, and the two kids played tug-of-war with the hall pass. Dez came out with Baybee’s torn diaper and Daisy fell onto the toilet with the unclothed doll.

  “Thanks,” Spencer said into the phone. “Okay, we will. ’Bye!” As soon as the conversation was over, Spencer closed the cell phone, bent down, and slid it along the floor. Dez turned like a dog going for a ball.

  “You all right?” Spencer asked, helping Daisy to her feet. The girl nodded, hefting the nude hall pass like a club. “Good job,” Spencer praised her combat skills.

  “What’d Hadley say?”

  “He’s sending someone to get us out.”

  “When?”

  Dez suddenly punched the stall door, causing both kids inside to jump. “Not before I’m done with you!”

  Chapter 16

  “The issue has been resolved.”

  To: [email protected]

  From: [email protected]

  Subject: Thanks

  Dear Mr. Hadley,

  Just wanted to thank you for bailing me and Daisy out of the bathroom yesterday. We found the bronze nail and we’re ready to go for the hammer. Do you have any ideas on how we can get to Walter Jamison? I think we should act fast. The janitors are already suspicious of me. Let me know what you want us to do.

  Thanks,

  Spencer

  Spencer moved the cursor and clicked send. In a moment, the sent mail was confirmed and Spencer went to log off. He sat staring at the monitor for several moments, thinking. It was Saturday, and his siblings were all outside enjoying the warm weather and open spaces that their Aunt Avril’s home in Welcher provided. His mother had gone to the store an hour ago. Spencer had spent the morning cleaning up the disheveled house, wiping down the mirror and sink in his bathroom, and vacuuming up a colony of ants that was working away at a long-abandoned cookie.

  Yesterday was still vivid in his mind. After his phone call to Garth Hadley, Spencer and Daisy had spent a good half hour keeping Dez out of the bathroom stall. At last, help had arrived in the form of a nineteen-year-old, pimply guy with a shaved head and skinny legs. The guy was wearing the orange vest of a Welcher Elementary recess aide, but Spencer and Daisy had never seen him on the playground before.

  The recess aide had opened the bathroom door and ordered Dez out. Once the bully was gone, Spencer and Daisy left the stronghold of the bathroom stall. The guy said he was undercover for the BEM. He’d swiped an aide vest and gone to the janitors, claiming to need their keys to unlock a door and get basketballs for the kids outside. With the keys, he had opened the “out of order” bathroom and rescued the kids.

  The imposter recess aide had even given Spencer a slip of paper that he presented to Mrs. Natcher after lunch.

  “What’s this?” Mrs. Natcher took the note, plucking it out of Spencer’s hand with two fingers. She unfolded it and read aloud: “Please excuse Spencer Zumbro, Daisy Gates, and Dez Rylie for their unexpected disappearance from class this morning. I had quite a discussion with them in my office. The issue has been resolved—Principal Poach.”

  Mrs. Natcher raised her eyebrows. “I hope you three learned your lesson. The principal is known to be harsh when occasion arises.”

  Spencer studied the carpet. The note had nearly convinced Daisy that she’d actually been to the principal’s office. Dez had remained silent, brooding, probably waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike Spencer.

  Which was another reason why Spencer was grateful for Saturday.

  The weekend came just in time. It would provide two full days with no angry Dez. Two days without janitors and creepy crawlers. Two days without Welcher Elementary.

  Spencer dug into a drawer and rifled through some computer games. He didn’t feel like fighting evil Jedis, and the strategy games would make him think too hard. Spencer abandoned the idea and went to the internet again. Only a moment had passed, but why not obsess over his inbox?

  There it was. Sent only two minutes ago.

  To: [email protected]

  From: [email protected]

  Subject: RE Thanks

  Spencer,

  Glad to be of help. Thanks for being willing to get the hammer. I think we have a working plan.

  On Monday evening, there is an ice cream social at the school from six to eight. The social will be held in the cafeteria, with games on the lawn outside. Other than the cafeteria and entry hallway, the school is supposed to be closed off. Marv Bills and Walter Jamison are both scheduled to work the event.

  Spencer, you need to make a mess in the cafeteria—a large mess. It needs to be something that cannot be ignored. Something that will require both janitors to clean it up.

  Meanwhile, Daisy needs to clear a path to the bathroom. That means opening doors, so she’ll need to pick up a master key. Every teacher should have one.

  Once Daisy gets the doors open, shine the flashlight on Walter Jamison. The beam should show you where he is carrying the bronze hammer. Wearing the glove, you need to grab the hammer and run to the bathroom. Once you’ve pulled the nail, I’ll meet you at the southwest corner of the school in a blue Toyota to help you get away.

  Good luck!

  Garth Hadley BEM regional representative

  Chapter 17

  “You always make a mess.”

  Monday came. Spencer didn’t think it would, but it certainly did. After letting his anger stew for a whole weekend, Dez was sure to make Spencer eat wood chips on the playground. Spencer had been lucky to evade the janitors on Friday, but there was no telling what secret councils had been held to get Spencer on Monday morning. That was why Spencer had decided to be sick.

  He’d already made plans with Daisy on Sunday afternoon. Spencer had biked to her house, eaten pie with Mr. and Mrs. Gates, and secretly given Daisy the printed e-mail. They had solidified their plans for the ice cream social and then Mr. Gates had given Spencer a ride home, tossing his bicycle in the back of the red Ford truck again.

  Spencer felt comfortable in the Gates home. Aside from its being ten times quieter than his house, Spencer felt relaxed and accepted there. Daisy, being an only child, received more attention from her parents in one day than Spencer did in a month.

  Mr. and Mrs. Gates talked to Spencer like he was an honored guest, a fact that Spencer later found out was true. Daisy, in all her six years of schooling, had never had a friend come to visit. He was a valued commodity in the Gates home.

  Every moment, Spencer was more grateful for Daisy’s help. She’d given him courage in the beginning and now she was proving rather courageous herself. It would just be impossible without her.

  Spencer’s siblings had been home from school for over an hour on Monday before their mother returned. She entered the house, her face beaming. She’d been to a job interview with Quick ’n’ Speedy truck stop and Mr. Aldez had hired her. It was her fifth interview in a
month, and her success warranted a celebration. Alice had passed the school on her way home and seen folks putting together a giant, blow-up bouncy castle for the ice cream social. Her unexpected announcement made Spencer’s stomach do a pirouette.

  “We’re all going to the ice cream party tonight!”

  Max toddled up and began cheering for ice cream. Holly’s head appeared around the corner, eyebrows raised.

  “Yes! We’re all going,” Alice announced as though she’d just won a million dollars. “Now, let’s eat some supper and head out.”

  With her victory at Quick ’n’ Speedy and her offer to take the kids to a school activity, Alice had overlooked dinner. She hastily prepared some pasta from a box and microwaved some frozen peas. Hard rolls rounded out the dinner as five hungry kids sat shoulder to shoulder at the table with their elated mother.

  Spencer had little appetite. His task of making a giant mess at the social had been daunting before. Now that his whole family would be there, Spencer wondered how he could do it without shaming his mom.

  Before he had the answers he needed, the six Zumbros were piling out of the old station wagon in the school parking lot. There were already a lot of kids at the party. On the lawn outside was the bouncy castle with a pile of shoes beside it. A line of kids snaked toward the entrance, each anxious for a turn to bounce.

  “Let’s try to stay together,” Alice said, ushering her children up the back cafeteria steps like ducklings. Spencer absorbed every detail along the way, wondering what would be to his advantage in mess making. Before he entered, Spencer got his bearings and scoped out the southwest corner. There was no blue Toyota yet.

  As they entered through the cafeteria’s back door, an oldies song assaulted them through tall speakers against one wall. The tables and chairs in the cafeteria had been arranged in a U shape. There were big white buckets on the center tables—gallons of ice cream in a variety of flavors. On the adjacent tables were bowls of optional toppings. Through gaps in the people, Spencer saw cookie crumbs, gummy bears, M&Ms, nuts, and an assortment of sticky syrups. At the end of one table were two ice chests brimming with cans of root beer for those who wanted to make a float.