The Cinderella Cleaning Caper (6)

Lilly had managed to make the breathless phone call and run back to class within five minutes. She took her seat, trying to mask the fact that she had run at breakneck speed back to the classroom and hoping that Miss Miller wouldn't notice that she was panting heavily.

The class all had their readers open on their desks. Their assignment for the morning was to read through "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp" and answer questions about words that were used in the text. One of Lilly's classmates, a young boy named Marco, was reading aloud.

"'The tr-treach-er-ous magician told Aladdin to pick up the ring and say the names of his father and grandfather,'" Marco read haltingly. "'When Aladdin had done so, the trap door opened, revealing a staircase.'"

Lilly opened her reader and quickly scanned through the text, hoping to catch up to the place where Marco was reading from. Her turn would probably be in a few minutes, unless the recess bell rang.

"'The magician told Aladdin that he could take all the treasure he wanted, but to bring him the brass lamp that was burning in the deepest chamber. Then the magician gave Aladdin a magic ring, saying that as long as he wore it, he would be safe,'" Marco said.

Rings...Thoughts of what may have happened to Nina were swimming through Lilly’s head, wreaking havoc with her concentration.

A silhouette that looked like a bowling pin wearing a hat appeared at the pebbled glass door of the classroom, and Marco paused as he looked up. The figure knocked. "Come in, please," Miss Miller said.

A member of the Imperial Police’s street patrol stepped into the classroom. "I'm sorry to disturb you, miss. Are you the teacher of Nina Palladino?"

"Yes, I am," she said.

"Has she shown up for class today?"

"Why, no," Miss Miller said. "I had received a phone message from her mother saying that she was withdrawing her because she had gotten a new job."

The patrolman's brow furrowed. "Interesting...that's not what her mother told us. Would you please accompany me outside, so I can ask you a few questions? Don't worry about the class, the principal is on his way."

Miss Miller nodded, looking puzzled. Lilly felt a wave of horror grip her. Did something bad happen to Nina? Why would her mother lie about something like that? Could she be…the thief?

The principal stepped into the classroom. Mr. Foley was a round, balding man who loved wearing ties with various silly pictures and patterns from them. "Children, Miss Miller will be back in a few minutes. She is talking to the patrolman outside," he said. He looked down at the open teacher's edition of the reader on Miss Miller's desk, and smiled. "Ah, I see you're reading 'Aladdin and the Magic Lamp.' One of my favorites! I believe you were the last one to read, Marco. Would you continue?"

"Just a moment, Mr. Foley," Lilly said. "What has happened to Nina?"

Her voice came out so forcefully that it surprised even her. That just made me sound like a REAL detective! she thought. Mr. Foley was taken aback, and the rest of the class was looking intently at her, eyes wide.

"I want to know the truth. She is my friend and I want to help her!"

Mr. Foley smiled. "Miss Rowley, I know you want to help your family, but we need to continue with our lesson. Now is not the time."

"Answer my question, Mr. Foley!" Lilly said.

"Yeah, we want to know," Morgan said. "Nina's working on a project with us and I just want to make sure she's all right so we don't get a bad grade!" Lilly was sure that Meredith was rolling her eyes.

"Was it a kidnapper?" asked another student

"Did she get hit by a car?" asked another.

The class erupted into feverish speculation and what-ifs, some more imaginative than others. "Please, calm down," Mr. Foley said, raising his voice. "All I can tell you right now is that the Imperial Police is looking for Nina. She didn't do anything bad, but she is probably lost and very scared, and we want to try and find her."

"Let me help you!" Lilly said.

"Lilly, now is not the time," Mr. Foley said. "You need to stay in class."

"No, I don't mean helping to search. I think I have an idea of where she might be hiding."

"Really, now?" Mr. Foley's eyebrows raised. "Where do you think she might be?"

Lilly got up and pointed out the window to the school yard. "The shed where they store all the grounds keeping equipment. It's a good place for someone to hide in."

Mr. Foley nodded. "I'll have one of the patrolmen check that place out. Oh, it looks like Miss Miller is finished." He opened up the door to reveal Miss Miller and the patrolman waiting outside the door. "You can pick up right where you left off, Miss Miller," Mr. Foley said. "And sir, I'd like to ask if you could search a location outside for me."

"Certainly," the patrolman said, as Miss Miller stepped into the classroom and Mr. Foley exited. Miss Miller returned to her usual place at the desk and looked down at the book.

"I believe Marco was reading," she said. "Could you continue where you left off?"

Marco looked down at the page for a few moments, then started speaking again. "'Aladdin went down into the cave. He saw the huge vases of gold and silver and heeded the magician's instructions not to touch them, even with his clothing, or he would die.'"

"Excellent," Miss Miller said. "George, you next."

Lilly wasn't even paying attention to the reading. Instead, she was glancing out the window where she saw a couple of patrolmen at the doors of the maintenance shed, along with Mr. Foley. She saw them opening the door, and all three of them entered.

"Thank you, George. Patricia?"

Just then, the patrolmen exited the storage shed—with both of them holding Nina by each hand. She looked a bit dirty and her face was red and moist from crying, but she looked to be all right. More telling to Lilly, it looked like she was hiding something underneath her tucked-in blouse…

"It's Nina!" Lilly shrieked. Suddenly, the entire class rushed from their chairs and looked out the window. Even Miss Miller rushed over to look outside. The patrolmen and Mr. Foley were leading Nina back into the school building. "Oh, what a relief," Miss Miller said. "She looks like she's all right. They'll probably take her home to see her mother now. Everyone, please return to your seats. We need to get back to our assignment.”

Patricia continued her reading from the text. "'Then Aladdin passed through the first...the first chamber and saw what was in the second. There were trees that were covered with fruit made from precious gems. But to Aladdin's eyes, he only saw that the fruits were made from pretty colored glass and he decided to take some home for his mother.'"

Two shadows passed by the pebbled glass door. One of them, Lilly noticed, was wearing a familiar jacket and cap. It's Bro! What's he doing here? Lilly thought. 

Riley led Nina's mother past the classrooms. "I see a patrolman," he said, pointing at a tall man in a uniform talking to someone that Riley surmised was the school principal. "Hopefully they have some good news."

As Riley and Nina's mother approached, the patrolman waved at them. "We found your daughter!" the patrolman yelled.

"Oh, thank God!" Nina's mother hugged her chest and let out a huge sigh of relief. "Wherever did you find her? I hope some lowlife didn't--"

"We need you to come with us, ma'am," the patrolman said. His face was stern. "Your daughter is waiting for you in the principal's office, and we also have some questions for you."

Riley's eyebrows raised as he felt Nina's mother's grip on him tighten. Her face was completely white. He carefully eased her hand off of his arm, and led her towards the patrolmen.

"Go with them. I will meet you there," Riley said. "But first, there's something I need to do."

 Riley walked back down the hall towards the fourth grade classroom and knocked on the door. When Miss Miller opened it, he smiled and tipped his cap politely to her. 

"Excuse me, Miss Miller, but may I borrow Lilly for a few minutes? There is something that we need to discuss."