Ghost Detectors Volume 1 (17 page)

Malcolm waited. Minutes passed. The class sat quietly, as instructed, working the rest of the math problems. Malcolm held his pencil, pretending to work. He knew what was coming.

After minutes that felt like hours, a voice came over the speaker. “Malcolm Stewart please
report to Mrs. Bergen's office.” Mrs. Bergen . . . the principal!

Dandy gave Malcolm a “good luck” look as he walked out.

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“Take a seat,” Mrs. Bergen, instructed.

Malcolm sat.

Mrs. Bergen was holding the picture. She glanced at it, then at Malcolm, then back at the photo.

Malcolm wished Dandy was there to back him up. How on earth was he going to explain this? And even more important, why was Mrs. Bergen not rattled at seeing a ghost!

“I understand you're on the yearbook staff this year,” Mrs. Bergen said, her voice steady.

“Yes,” Malcolm answered.

He remembered his idea to swap Mrs. Bergen's head with the school mascot. Maybe he should scrap that plan.

“And you brought your camera to school for that reason?” she went on.

“Yes.”
Gulp.
Malcolm's throat was so dry it felt like he was swallowing dust.

“While we appreciate your efforts,” she droned, “I may have to call your parents about this.”

Malcolm tried not to look as confused as he felt. Call his parents? Because he took a picture of a ghost?

“I'm aware of all the fancy trick photography programs for computers,” she said. “But Malcolm, what you did to Mrs. Goolsby was a terrible joke. Do you understand that?”

Malcolm shook his head in confusion. He didn't understand anything!

“Now, I don't know how you found a photo of him. Frankly, I don't want to know. But putting her missing husband into a picture, then making sure she saw it—” She stopped speaking and clenched her fists as though to steady her words. “It's a prank of the cruelest sort.”

What?
Malcolm's brain tried to compute what he was hearing.
The fisherman was Mrs. Goolsby's husband?

“B-but—,” Malcolm sputtered.

Mrs. Bergen raised her palm up like a crossing guard demanding him to halt. “I don't want to hear it.” She took a deep breath. “You owe Mrs. Goolsby an apology. Follow me.”

Mrs. Bergen rose and motioned for Malcolm to follow. He trudged along behind her. A couple of quick turns led them into the school clinic.

Mrs. Goolsby was lying down holding the photo, an ice pack on her forehead.

Malcolm approached his teacher, his head down. “Mrs. Goolsby, I'm so sorry that picture upset you.”

“I don't want an apology, Malcolm. I want
an explanation. My husband left for a fishing trip five years ago . . . just two days before our wedding anniversary. He never returned. How on earth did you get this picture of him?”

“Mrs. Goolsby,” Malcolm began.

“And how did you know he called me Noonie?”

“Noonie?” Malcolm's head snapped up. He stared hard at Mrs. Goolsby. He had no idea what she meant.

“Yes. My husband called me Noonie. He nicknamed me that because we first met each other at the college diner right at noon. So, he always spelled it N-O-O-N-E.”

TELL NO ONE! TELL NOONE!

Now Malcolm got it. “I promise, Mrs. Goolsby, I didn't tamper with that photo. That's how it came out.”

He had no choice but to tell the truth. He hoped she'd believe him. “I think your husband is trying to tell you something.”

Mrs. Goolsby glanced at the picture, then at Malcolm. She sat up, leaning closer to him.

“What do you think he's trying to tell me?” she whispered.

“I don't know. Let's find out,” Malcolm whispered back.

M
alcolm went back to the classroom to retrieve his camera. The class was now being led by a substitute teacher.

“Excuse me,” he interrupted, “I need Daniel to come with me.” He held up the camera. “For official school business.”

The sub nodded.

Dandy sheepishly got up from his desk. His face had turned a carsick green.

“I'm in trouble too?” Dandy asked when they reached the hall.

“No, but I may need you to back me up, in case things don't go as planned.”

“What plan?” Dandy slowed his steps.

“Just come on,” Malcolm said.

Dandy looked even sicker when he saw Mrs. Goolsby waiting for them.

“Follow me,” Malcolm told them.

The three walked out the front door and over to the school's marquee. Malcolm took a quick picture. He checked the camera to make sure what he needed was there. “We'll be able to see it better after we upload it to a computer.”

It didn't take long.

“It's the fisherman,” Dandy said. “I thought we weren't supposed to tell. Why are we showing Mrs. Goolsby?”

Malcolm smiled. “Well, it turns out we were supposed to tell a certain Noone.”

“Huh?” Dandy asked.

“I'll explain later,” Malcolm said. “Now look closely. Do you see what I see?”

The photo clearly showed Mrs. Goolsby's husband pointing to the marquee. It now read:
Noone, I'm sorry I missed our anniversary. Check the pocket of my gray jacket. The one I wore when we were married.

Mrs. Goolsby looked like she may faint a third time. Instead, she excused herself. “You boys go back to class. I think I'll go home for the day.”

Malcolm took more pictures around school that afternoon. Mostly banners and bulletin
boards, anything with writing on it. But they all came out just as they were originally written. No special messages. No fisherman.

The next morning, Malcolm and Dandy heard an odd noise coming from their classroom. They cautiously approached the door. The fisherman ghost may have been friendly before, but maybe he had more to say.

When they peeked around the door, they found Mrs. Goolsby humming! She wore a smile as bright as the gleaming diamond necklace around her neck. She brightened even more when she saw Malcolm.

“Malcolm, may I speak to you for a moment?” she asked him.

Malcolm glanced at Dandy. Then he approached Mrs. Goolsby's desk.

“Thank you,” she whispered, pointing to the necklace. “I found it in my husband's jacket pocket, along with a lovely anniversary card.”

Malcolm wasn't sure exactly what to say. “It's pretty.”

“Yes . . . yes, it is,” she agreed. “I'll never know what happened to my husband, but at least now I know he loved me. I have you to thank for that.”

Malcolm blushed. Then Mrs. Goolsby let him go back to his desk. He dug in his desk for his math book to get ready for more punishing days of problems.

Malcolm waited for the ruler to snap the class to attention, but that day Mrs. Goolsby waited until after the announcements to begin the lessons.

“I think rather than doing problems,” she began, “today we'll begin with a math game.”

“A game?” Dandy dared to ask.

“Yes,” Mrs. Goolsby answered, all smiles. “Learning doesn't always have to be hard work.”

Malcolm pulled out some paper and a pencil.
What a difference a ghost can make
, he thought. Maybe it would be a great school year after all.

From Ghost Detectors Malcolm and Dandy

  
1.
  
Check for creepy surroundings. Is there a graveyard nearby? Or an area covered in strange shadows? Is there a house that stares at you?

  
2.
  
Ask people if there are stories about the area. Is there a legend about a haunting? Has anyone else seen a spirit there?

  
3.
  
Listen to the area at night. Do you hear moaning, whispering, or laughter that doesn't belong?

  
4.
  
Cautiously enter the area. Does the porch creak? Are there cobwebs all around?

  
5.
  
Turn on your specter detector and wait for the
bleep.
Just be sure to keep close to the wall and try not to trip on your shoelaces!
You never know what will be around the next corner!

  
6.
  
Ghosts often hide out in empty houses. If you are watching a neighbor's house, check the windows before getting too close.

  
7.
  
Seeing transparent people in dark windows is a definite sign of ghosts.

  
8.
  
Remember that dogs are more sensitive to ghosts than people. Watch your dog to see if it barks at thin air.

  
9.
  
Ghosts can also give off a disgusting smell. Is there a smell of rotting onions mixed with feet nearby?

10.
  
Not all ghosts are mean. If you find stray bags of jellybeans lying around, they may be a gift from a relative. Just in case though, turn on your specter detector and wait for the bleep!