It was the kind of thing his father would have said, and Joey felt all big-man about it—especially as Tony nodded and held his book to his chest. But this was how it was supposed to be. Joey was gonna be thirteen soon, and he was in charge when there was no one else around. And sometimes even when there were other folks in sight.

Recupping his hands, he resumed his position against the glass, and retried to see past the darkened—“It’s a pirate!”

“You’re lyin’.”

“No, I’m not—”

A car slowed to a halt in front of them and a lady put down her window—it was Mrs. Alonzo from across the street. “What are you up to now, boys?”

Like all they did was get up to stuff.

Part of Joey wanted her to keep going and let him run this situation. But the other part wanted to show off. “There’s a dead guy in here.”

He felt very important as she got all white and nervy-lookin’. Man, if he’d known all this was going to happen, he would have been in more of a hurry leaving the house. This was way better than gym.

Except then Tony had to jump in. “It’s a pirate!”

Abruptly, Mrs. Alonzo didn’t look so grown-up scared. “A pirate.”

His brother was such a pain—and Joey was not about to lose his audience. Pirates were a kid thing. Dead guy in a car? That was all grown-up, and that was where he wanted to be.

“See for yourself,” he said.

Mrs. Alonzo pulled her Lexus in front of the black-on-black car and got out, her high heels making pony-clopping sounds on the road. “Okay, enough, boys. Get in and I’ll drive you the rest of the way to school. You’re going to be late.” She held out her phone to Joey. “Call your mother and tell her I’m taking you in. Again.”

This did happen a lot. Mrs. Alonzo was a business lady whose office was not far from school, and they were late a lot and she did drive them a lot. But this morning was different.

He crossed his arms over his chest. “You have to look in the window.”

“Joey—”

“Please.” Another grown-up thing: the please-and-thank-you stuff.

“Fine. But get in my car.”

Mrs. Alonzo marched over while grouching something about being a taxi service. And Tony, who always followed the rules, took his book into the front seat of her SUV—except he was still interested in what was happening because he didn’t shut the door and Diary of a Wimpy Kid Dog Days remained against his chest.

Joey stayed put.