He was in his jammies already and looked a little despondent. We took our usual spots on the floor, and I asked him what the heck happened.

“Fran, I’m so dead,” he said. “They are going to KILL me at school tomorrow.”

“Who’s they?”

“Xander Roth and his friends. You know, the ones who have been threatening to beat me up ever since we moved here.”

My mouth dropped in surprise. “The bullies? Xander Roth is one of them?”

“Yeah, he’s their leader. At recess today he said some bad things about Dad.”

That was another surprise. I mean, I know I say rotten things about my dad, but he’s my dad. It’s OK if one of us rags on him. But some playground bully who thinks he’s all that just because his dad is some Riverblossom bigwig? Not cool.

“What kinds of things did he say?”

“He said that dad was a lowlife piece of scum and that he’d better stay out of their business or I’d get the tar beaten out of me.”

“Holy cats! What on earth could they have against Dad? Did he insult them at the party or something?”

Bernie shrugged. “I don’t know. All I know is I should have listened to Uncle Elvis.”

I gave him a puzzled look, and he continued his story.

“When I got home from school, there was a note from Rico. It said he had hidden my gnome somewhere in Riverblossom, and I had to find it.” Here Bernie smiled a little. “You know, like on GnomeNabbers.”

“Oh no,” I groaned. Rico is the LAST person who should be hiding that gnome! Evil boy.

“Yeah. So I looked everywhere. I went downtown, checked out the schoolyard, and then by the Ramaswamis’ house I ran across Elvis and that Garden Club lady.”

I raised a brow. “Oh, really. What were they doing there?”

“Just hanging out, I guess. It was weird, though, because the Garden Club lady had all of these fireflies swarming around her. Just her. And Elvis didn’t even seem to notice it.”

“That is weird.”

“Yeah, tell me about it. Anyway, they saw me, and Elvis asked me what I was doing out after dark. I told him I was just getting some exercise. I think he could tell I was lying, though, because he got all stern with me.”

“He told me that I should go straight home and not talk to anyone. I think he still thinks of me as a kid. But he was right. I should have come straight home.”

“I think I can see where this is heading,” I sighed, giving Bernie a sympathetic look.

“Yup. There was one place I hadn’t looked yet,” he frowned. “I was avoiding it. And for good reason, too.”

“The Roths have a lot of bushes and rocks around their yard. Perfect hiding places. What I can’t figure out is, how did Rico hide the thing without getting caught? And in broad daylight, too?”

I shook my head. “Who knows? He’s pure evil.”

“Yeah, I suppose he is. I hate to think of him that way, but after what he did to me tonight…”

“Poor Bernie! So I take it Mr. Roth found you sneaking around his yard?”

“Yeah. Just as I was about to grab the gnome!”

“No! You almost had it?”

“Almost. But now Mr. Roth thinks I was trying to steal something of his. He thinks it’s his gnome! And he’s locked it away. So there it sits, in the house of my enemy. And I’m sure Xander will hear all about it and kill me tomorrow.” Bernie looked resigned.

“But I gave you that gnome! This is crazy. I’m going to get it back for you.”

“No,” Bernie said, almost forcefully. “I don’t want it back. I don’t want anything to do with it. And…and I’m not going to school tomorrow, and I’m NEVER talking to Rico again!”

With that he crawled onto his bed and buried his head under his pillow. I told him I was sorry about his gnome and left the room.

Sigh. I wish I wouldn’t have gotten him that gnome. What a mess. Bernie can’t avoid school forever. I have half a mind to march over to the Roths tomorrow and give them a piece of that half a mind! Except I think I’ll take Elvis with me, in case anyone tries to beat me up.

I wish I could talk to Joel about all of this. He knows the whole Riverblossom scene better than I do. Which reminds me…what was he saying about Thatcher and I? Does he think we’re together? Would Alicia plant an idea like that in his head, just to spite me? Oh my. I think she would.

FRAMMIT!