Framed by Gordon Korman Read Free Book Online Page B

possible to separate them from the high schoolers. Not that classes made much of an impression on Shank. The squat, heavyset boy spent most of his time giving Griffin “friendly” advice on staying safe from their fellow students. Too bad he didn’t have any pointers on staying safe from Sheldon Brickhaus.
    “See that kid over by the tray return? His tattoo says ‘murderer’ in Farsi. Check out his backpack. It used to belong to a dead guy.”
    Griffin’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. “What dead guy?”
    Big shrug. “How should I know? He’s dead, isn’t he? And look at the punk rock girl with the blue hair. She’s a gangster.”
    “No way!”
    The shrug again. “Well, either that or she has a really bad attitude.”
    “Everyone around here has a bad attitude,” Griffin reminded him. “You have the worst attitude of all, remember? You’re proud of it.”
    “Well, in my case it’s kind of a family tradition,” Shank explained. “We get it from my dad. He’s in nuisance wildlife removal. He spends all day facing down bats, skunks, and raccoons. Then he comes home and passes all that sunshine and roses on to the rest of us. I’m sure it’s the same with your old man, right?”
    Griffin thought of his parents, who were up nights worrying and meeting with lawyers, all to protect their son from the injustice that seemed to be swallowing him up.
    “Yeah, all families are alike, I guess,” he said aloud. So what if it wasn’t true? With any luck, after Friday, he would never have to exchange another word with Sheldon Brickhaus.

9
    OPERATION JUSTICE — PEP TALK
    1 st Draft
    “My friends, the great challenge that lies before us …”
    2 nd Draft
    “When unfairness rears its ugly head, we must …”
    3 rd Draft
    “Guys, we have to make this work! I’m drowning at JFK….”
    N ormally, Griffin knew exactly what to say at the moment a plan was put into action. But nothing was normal about Operation Justice. It wastoo personal, too serious. When the team met at the rendezvous point in front of the courthouse, all he could think of was: “Let’s get this done.”
    Logan Kellerman donned his sunglasses, crammed his hat over his head, and promptly fell down the marble steps.
    Griffin and Pitch rushed to rescue him.
    “What’s the matter with you?” Pitch hissed. “You’re calling attention to us!”
    “It’s the sunglasses,” Logan complained. “They’re so dark!”
    “They have to be dark,” Griffin explained urgently. “The suspects could recognize us, especially Dr. Evil and Vader.”
    Logan got up from the sidewalk and dusted himself off. “How about a little sympathy,” he complained. “I could have hurt myself, you know. If I fracture my skull, I’m pretty much out of
Hail Caesar
.”
    “Get to your stations!” Griffin ordered.
    Logan, Savannah, and Melissa climbed the stairs and slipped into the building.
    Pitch, the advance lookout, crossed the street, selected a tall sycamore tree, and expertly shinnied up the trunk. Perched near the top, she wavedwith her binoculars to signal that she was in position.
    Ben pushed Ferret Face out of view and assumed the other lookout spot at the base of the stairs, off to the side, behind some bushes.
    Griffin slipped the walkie-talkie out of his pocket and held it to his ear. “Pitch — Ben — do you read me?”
    “Loud and clear,” reported Pitch. “I’ve got a perfect view up here. Whoever it is, I’ll spot the jerk a block away.”
    “I’m good, too,” said Ben.
    “Check,” Griffin replied. “I’m going in.” He passed through the heavy revolving door and felt a chill that had nothing to do with the courthouse’s oppressive air-conditioning. This was not a happy place for him. On his last visit to this building, he’d been exiled to Jail For Kids.
    Put your emotions aside. You’ve got a job to do.
    It was five o’clock, so the courthouse was busy. The day shift was leaving, and there was a lineup at the security