Pascal nodded. “Sure, sure. We stopped at the Student Center right before we were supposed to come here. He’d just got in from his long flight and really had to use the bathroom. So, into the Center he went, but after a few minutes I started getting worried. So I went in to find him, and he wasn’t anywhere. I opened the restroom door and called for him, but I got no response. Then I walked around the rest of the Center, but he was gone.”
“Have you tried calling or texting him?” Simon asked.
Pascal held up the big smartphone. “This is his phone right here. I carry it because he’ll lose it otherwise. He’s brilliant, but he’s also disorganized and absent-minded, like many geniuses. That’s why he needs an assistant in the first place. Now he’s gone and doesn’t know his way around.”
“I thought he used to go to school here,” Cooper pointed out.
“The grounds have changed a lot, though,” Pascal replied. “He hasn’t been back here in a very long time.”
“Oh boy,” Margie said uneasily. “I’d better get inside and tell everyone what’s happening!” Then she turned and hurried off.
Pascal started rubbing his forehead again. “My goodness, he has to be on that stage really soon. What am I going to do? I’m going to get in so much trouble!”
Mr. C patted him on the shoulder. “Unless we find him first, that is.”
“How are you going to do that?”
“You just happen to have six brilliant detective-adventurers here,” he said, gesturing toward the kids.
“R-really? You guys can help?”
“Just watch us,” Gabby said firmly.
“That’s right,” Simon agreed. “Now, let’s all hop in the bookmobile and head for the last place where you know he was….”
