Who Broke Lincoln's Thumb? Read Free Page B

pulled out the bottle and unscrewed the top.
    KC watched as her thumbnail became Racy Red.
    â€œIt takes a few minutes to dry,” Fiona said. “Don’t touch anything or it’ll smear.”
    â€œThanks a lot!” KC said. Waving her thumb in the air, she yanked Marshall toward the exit.
    â€œNow we have two samples,” KC said.
    â€œPretty sneaky,” Marshall said. “But those two Frisbee guys won’t be as easy!”
    â€œWe’ll think of something,” KC said, checking her watch again.

5
The Snoring Suspect
    The day had turned warmer. Hundreds of people were sitting on the lawn, lunching and enjoying the sun. As KC and Marshall walked, they kept their eyes peeled for Joker and Max.
    They spotted a lot of men with Frisbees, but none had a bright yellow buzz cut.
    When they reached the Washington Monument, Marshall suddenly stopped. “Wait a minute, I just thought of something!” he said.
    â€œTell me,” KC said, glancing at her watch.
    â€œOne of the guys playing Frisbee was wearing a sweatshirt with GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY printed on the front!” he said.
    â€œYou’re right!” KC said. “He said he had to go study for a French test, so he must be a student. Maybe we can find them on campus!”
    She and Marshall raced toward Constitution Avenue. KC waved at a taxi and the driver pulled over. The kids jumped in the back. “Do you know how to get to George Washington University?” KC asked the driver.
    â€œI sure do. My girlfriend goes there,” the young driver said. “The campus is over on G Street.”
    He zoomed back into traffic.
    â€œHow are we supposed to find them?”Marshall asked KC. “There are probably thousands of students there!”
    The driver glanced into his rearview mirror. “Who are you looking for?” he asked.
    â€œTheir names are Max and Joker,” KC explained. “Joker is tall and he has bright yellow hair.”
    The driver shook his head. “Tell you what. I’ll drop you off at the office for student housing,” he said. “They might know these guys.”
    A few minutes later, the driver guided his cab through two brick columns. On one was a plaque reading GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY.
    The driver stopped in front of a small white building. KC paid the fare and gave him a tip.
    As the cab sped away, KC checked her watch. “We have three and a half hours,” she said.
    They hurried up to the shiny black door. In the center was a small sign that said STUDENT HOUSING OFFICE. PLEASE COME IN.
    KC stopped and looked at Marshall. “We don’t know their last names,” she said. “How will we ever find them?”
    â€œWe know they’re Max and Joker,” Marshall said. “Maybe that’ll be enough.”
    KC shook her head. “This is a big school,” she said. She began pacing.
    â€œWait a minute,” Marshall said. “I saw J.K. written on their Frisbee. Maybe Joker is a nickname and his real name is something else!”
    KC stared at Marshall. She closed hereyes. “Joker.… Jo … ker,” she mumbled. Her eyes popped open. “Maybe his name is Joe Kerr!”
    â€œIt’s worth a try,” Marshall said.
    He opened the door and they walked into an office. Three workers sat at computers, typing and talking into headsets.
    One man noticed KC and Marshall and looked up from his keyboard. “Can I help you?” he asked.
    â€œWe’re looking for two students,” KC said. “Their names are Max and Joker, but Joker might be a nickname. His real name could be Joe Kerr.”
    â€œHe has yellow hair in a buzz cut,” Marshall added. “And they’re roommates.”
    The man typed something, clicked the mouse, then smiled. “Yes, MaxwellPerkins and Joseph Kerr. They share a room at Jefferson Hall.”
    He pulled a map from a pile on the counter and drew circles