فصل پنجاه و پنجم

chapter-55

Kyle thought the closing ceremonies were a blast.

Mr. Lemoncello handed out thirty-three full college scholarships before switching off the giant swirling flashlight. A DJ spun dance tunes. There was a huge sheet cake shaped like an open book. On it, written in yellow on a sea of fudgy frosting, were these words: “Open a Book and Open Your Mind.” “Congratulations, Mr. Keeley,” said Dr. Zinchenko, who was slicing the cake and passing out pieces. “Oh, I nearly forgot. Mrs. Gause wanted me to give you this. I checked it out of the nine hundreds room.” She handed Kyle a book.

“Mrs. Gause?” said Kyle. “The holographic librarian from when the old library was torn down?” “That’s right. She thought you might like to know why.” Kyle studied the book’s cover: Ohio River Pirates and Scallywags.

“It’s a history book, obviously,” said Dr. Zinchenko. “It was written by a teacher at Chumley Prep. I think you’ll find chapter eleven to be very enlightening. It’s all about a bandit named Ugly Chuck Willoughby, who led the Hole-in-the-Rocks gang, a group of pirates who plundered flatboats along the Ohio River in the late 1700s.” “Wait a second,” said Kyle. “Isn’t Charles Chiltington’s super-rich uncle, Mrs. Chiltington’s brother, named Willoughby?” “Yes. James Willoughby the third. This book will tell you exactly how the Willoughby family fortune got its start and why Mrs. Chiltington was so disappointed to find the book on the shelves of the new Lemoncello Library.” “Did she want it banned from the old library, too?” “Of course. And when Mrs. Gause refused to do her bidding…” “Mrs. Chiltington sent in the bulldozers.”

“Actually,” said Dr. Zinchenko, “Mr. Chiltington is the one in the construction business. Together, they were hoping to rewrite the history that didn’t fit their family myth.” “So this book is the real reason why Mrs. Chiltington wanted to take over the Lemoncello Library, isn’t it?” Dr. Zinchenko smiled. “Knowledge can be a very powerful and, for some, frightening thing, Kyle. Especially when it’s shared with the whole world, including your neighbors.” “Thank you for this,” said Kyle.

He tucked the Ohio history book under his arm and, balancing his cake plate, went over to where Mr. Lemoncello was chatting with Sir Donald Thorne, the actor who didn’t look so much like a chicken now that he was out of costume and had taken off his fake rubber nose.

“Oh, you should have seen me when I held that book over the flames, Luigi! I was amazing.” “Yes, Donald,” said Mr. Lemoncello politely. “I’m sure you were.” “And when I tricked Mrs. Chiltington into thinking we were co-conspirators? That was some of my best work ever.” “Yes, Donald…”

“And my eyes. This is how I bugged them out when I was pretending to be a few sandwiches short of a picnic.” “Very convincing, Donald…”

Mr. Lemoncello sounded bored, so Kyle butted in.

“Mr. Lemoncello?”

His eyes brightened. “Excuse me, Donald. Urgent business. I must speak with a member of my new board.” Mr. Lemoncello touched Kyle’s shoulder and urged him to step away from Sir Donald Thorne.

Quickly.

“What is it, Kyle?”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Certainly. In fact, as a trustee of the Lemoncello Library, you are duty bound to come to me with any and all questions you might have.” “Well, sir, was part of this whole Olympic Games thing an attempt to get Andrew Peckleman to like libraries again? Is that why you had Sir Donald pretend to be his great-uncle instead of, say, mine or Miguel’s?” Mr. Lemoncello smiled slyly. “Why, Kyle Keeley, do you really think I am that cunning and clever?” “Yes, sir. That’s why your games are so good.”

Mr. Lemoncello laughed and nodded toward the far side of the patio, were Andrew Peckleman and Sierra Russell were sharing a piece of cake and laughing.

“My guess is they’re talking about their favorite books,” said Kyle.

“And my guess,” said Mr. Lemoncello, “is that Andrew will be coming to the Lemoncello Library every single Monday, Wednesday, and Friday after school.” “You think so?”

“Certainly. That’s when Sierra’s there.”