Read Al Capone Does My Homework for Free Online

calls.
    “Come on in, Cam,” Mrs. Mattaman says. “Can I fix you some breakfast?”
    “Nope, I’ve eaten, thanks. Came to collect my kids, Anna Maria. I appreciate you and
     Riv pinch-hitting.”
    “Sure thing, Cam,” Mrs. Mattaman says, but her eyes aren’t smiling. “Can I have a
     quick word with you before you go?”
    “Of course,” my dad answers. “Moose, you go on and help Natalie get everything gathered
     up.”
    There’s nothing to gather up. This is my father’s way of getting rid of me. I march
     Nat to Theresa’s room, then double back to stand behind the sewing machine in the
     hall.
    Mrs. Mattaman takes a deep breath. “There’s going to be trouble, Cam,” she says in
     a husky whisper. “Bea and Darby are pitching a fit. They’re trying to pin things on
     Natalie. Bea’s all set to call Nat’s school. Tell them she starts fires. I’m hoping
     they’ll calm down, but I wouldn’t bet on it.”
    “Why’s she so sure it’s Natalie?”
    “You know they’ve never liked her. Now they got their teeth into something here and
     they aren’t letting go.”
    “Anything else I should know?”
    “Nothing you can’t figure out yourself,” Mrs. Mattaman says.
    My father groans. “I hate to think Darby would use something like this.”
    “We’d all hate to think it,” Mrs. Mattaman says.
    “Okay, Anna Maria. I hear you.”
    “You know we’re behind you one hundred and fifty percent.” Mrs. Mattaman again.
    “Thanks, Anna Maria. Can’t think what we’d do without you two.”
    Whenever adults get to thanking each other, you know the conversation is over. I scoot
     back into Theresa’s room to get Natalie.
    “You hear anything good?” Jimmy asks.
    “I was just, you know, inspecting your sewing machine,” I say.
    “I’m sure,” Jimmy says. “Planning on using it real soon. Gonna sew yourself a little
     skirt?”
    “Yep. Gonna have a built-in petticoat too.”
    “Nice,” Jimmy says. He waits, though. He wants the real stuff.
    “Your mom thinks the Trixles are on the warpath.”
    Jimmy nods.
    “Jim?” I ask.
    “Yeah?”
    “I don’t want to talk to my dad,” I whisper.
    He doesn’t ask why. Maybe he already knows. You never can tell with Jimmy. “I can
     come with you, if you want,” he says.
    “Thanks,” I say.
    “Sure,” he says as we head for the front room.
    Out the window, a sailboat rips across the bay with a big tan guy holding the tiller.
     The lives of people like that seem so easy. My life is never like that.

7. Under the Caconis’ Apartment
    Monday, January 20, 1936
    After the fire last night, all the moms decide we can take a day off from school.
     This is pretty unusual. It’s not worth getting your place burned down for a one-day
     vacation, but still. Lots of afternoons Jimmy has to work for Bea Trixle at the canteen,
     but since today is an unexpected holiday, Jimmy isn’t on the schedule.
    When Jimmy and I get to the Chudley place, we’re surprised how large it is. You could
     play a game of badminton in the living room.
    The house is empty—our footsteps echo on the hardwood floors. In one of the bedrooms
     I see two cots with blankets and pillows. My parents must have slept there. The view
     is incredible from all the windows though; it’s like you can see half of California
     from up here.
    I’m sticking to Jimmy like he’s my second skin. That way I know my dad won’t ask me
     any hard questions. It’s when Jimmy and I are out on the back porch that the answer
     to my problem pops into my head. If I find out who or what started the fire, then
     no one will care if I fell asleep or not.
    “Jimmy,” I ask, “if you were to solve a mystery, how would you do it?”
    “I’d get help. I’d put a team together.” Jimmy fiddles with a railing support that
     has come loose.
    “What kind of a team?”
    “Annie because she’s logical and a good problem solver. Piper—she has access to more
     information than the rest of us. And me