1 00:00:11,970 --> 00:00:15,060 [gasps] Whoa. This spy gear from the '50s is so cool. 2 00:00:18,268 --> 00:00:21,768 Lots of fingerprints, yet no one has bought this book. 3 00:00:22,689 --> 00:00:24,529 People treat this place like a library. 4 00:00:24,608 --> 00:00:28,488 Can we please stop messing around? Frank could come in at any minute. 5 00:00:28,570 --> 00:00:29,400 [Curtis] Ooh. 6 00:00:29,488 --> 00:00:33,158 Two customers are arguing over what coffee table book to buy as a present. 7 00:00:33,242 --> 00:00:35,702 Ooh. They narrowed it down to one about modern art 8 00:00:35,786 --> 00:00:39,326 and one about twentieth-century architecture. How will they decide? 9 00:00:39,414 --> 00:00:41,044 Curtis, seriously, stop. 10 00:00:42,626 --> 00:00:44,996 Okay. I've read this poem, like, a thousand times 11 00:00:45,087 --> 00:00:48,217 and there's definitely no mention of the cabdriver being a spy. 12 00:00:48,298 --> 00:00:50,878 I don't get it. Frank was released from the poem, 13 00:00:50,968 --> 00:00:53,718 -so why wouldn't it be in there? -Uh, because no spy 14 00:00:53,804 --> 00:00:55,394 is going to admit they're a spy. 15 00:00:55,472 --> 00:00:58,682 We gotta put this stuff back before he realizes it's missing. 16 00:00:58,767 --> 00:01:00,977 We never should've taken it in the first place. 17 00:01:01,061 --> 00:01:03,481 [Chevon] How are we gonna put it back if Frank's always there? 18 00:01:04,522 --> 00:01:05,522 Leave it to me. 19 00:01:07,192 --> 00:01:08,192 I have an idea. 20 00:01:15,492 --> 00:01:17,202 Oh, Frank. Hey. 21 00:01:18,579 --> 00:01:19,579 Morning, Ruben. 22 00:01:20,539 --> 00:01:22,709 You're up early. Did you sleep okay? 23 00:01:22,791 --> 00:01:24,211 I've caught better z's. 24 00:01:25,127 --> 00:01:29,417 Well, uh, if I need a wake-up, I find a brisk morning walk helps. 25 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:33,180 Go ahead. I'll watch the cab. 26 00:01:33,260 --> 00:01:34,760 It won't matter. 27 00:01:35,345 --> 00:01:37,845 Someone already broke in and stole my stuff. 28 00:01:38,682 --> 00:01:39,682 Oh, no. 29 00:01:39,766 --> 00:01:41,556 -What did they take? -A bag. 30 00:01:41,643 --> 00:01:43,443 A bag. That's terrible. 31 00:01:44,396 --> 00:01:46,856 -What was in the bag? -Just a change of clothes. 32 00:01:46,940 --> 00:01:49,650 Still, I don't even know when they swiped it. 33 00:01:49,735 --> 00:01:51,855 I kept a pretty close eye on the cab. 34 00:01:52,321 --> 00:01:55,491 Yeah, that's weird. The alley's usually safe. 35 00:01:57,367 --> 00:01:58,367 It's no big deal. 36 00:02:01,121 --> 00:02:03,711 Well, I should probably go get ready for school. 37 00:02:03,790 --> 00:02:04,880 Better keep an eye out. 38 00:02:06,793 --> 00:02:09,383 Guess the alley isn't as safe as you thought. 39 00:02:10,672 --> 00:02:11,672 I will. 40 00:02:31,985 --> 00:02:35,275 [Ruben] Get this: he lied and said the bag had a change of clothes in it. 41 00:02:35,364 --> 00:02:38,664 Anyway, I'm pretty confident he doesn't suspect it was us. 42 00:02:41,495 --> 00:02:42,495 What? 43 00:02:43,622 --> 00:02:45,502 Ruben, he's a spy. 44 00:02:45,582 --> 00:02:48,592 Unless he's a really bad spy, who else would he think took it? 45 00:02:48,669 --> 00:02:50,749 Good point. Now I'm not very confident. 46 00:02:51,171 --> 00:02:53,301 And you didn't put the bag back into the cab? 47 00:02:53,382 --> 00:02:55,382 How could I? He was right there the whole time. 48 00:02:57,177 --> 00:02:59,507 Oh, no. What if he comes looking for it? 49 00:03:00,222 --> 00:03:01,222 [sighs] 50 00:03:02,558 --> 00:03:03,558 [exhales] 51 00:03:04,726 --> 00:03:06,896 -No way. I don't want it. -Don't look at me. 52 00:03:06,979 --> 00:03:10,519 I'll take it. Relax. Look, we just need to be careful around Frank 53 00:03:10,607 --> 00:03:12,477 until we can get this back in the cab. 54 00:03:18,657 --> 00:03:19,657 Good job, Ruben. 55 00:03:21,577 --> 00:03:24,537 Okay, I'll be right back. Please start reading the next chapter. 56 00:03:28,375 --> 00:03:31,375 -What grade did you get? -An A-plus. 57 00:03:31,879 --> 00:03:35,299 -But he didn't say "good job" to you. -It's kind of implied. Why? 58 00:03:36,383 --> 00:03:40,263 -What did you get? -He gave me an A. This is weird. 59 00:03:40,888 --> 00:03:42,058 Most people would be happy. 60 00:03:42,139 --> 00:03:45,389 Yeah, if I deserved it. I'm a straight B student in this class. 61 00:03:45,475 --> 00:03:46,475 So? 62 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:50,060 So, I think he's giving me special treatment because he likes my mom. 63 00:03:51,064 --> 00:03:53,324 Don't you think you're overthinking this a little bit? 64 00:03:54,818 --> 00:03:58,068 Yeah. Maybe you're right. [sighs] 65 00:03:58,155 --> 00:04:00,655 -Unless I'm not. -[sighs] 66 00:04:02,868 --> 00:04:05,448 [bell rings] 67 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:14,050 [sighs] 68 00:04:16,507 --> 00:04:18,837 -Dude, what are you doing? -Helping out a friend. 69 00:04:18,926 --> 00:04:20,886 Who wants to destroy the basketball team? 70 00:04:20,969 --> 00:04:23,599 I don't agree with everything Chevon said in her speech, 71 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,020 but vandalizing her posters is not the answer. 72 00:04:26,099 --> 00:04:29,139 -People were pretty mad. -Did you see who ripped it down? 73 00:04:29,228 --> 00:04:30,768 -No, man. -[bell rings] 74 00:04:30,854 --> 00:04:32,694 Gotta go. Gonna miss the bus. Later. 75 00:04:41,532 --> 00:04:44,242 So? What are we doing for girls' night? 76 00:04:45,577 --> 00:04:49,207 Mom, I'm sorry. I've been so busy, I totally spaced on it. 77 00:04:49,289 --> 00:04:52,209 That's okay. Let's improvise. You got anything in mind? 78 00:04:54,169 --> 00:04:56,589 Actually, I know exactly what we can do later. 79 00:04:56,672 --> 00:04:58,882 Oh, yeah? I'm all ears. 80 00:04:58,966 --> 00:05:02,676 That poet, Kwame Alexander, he's doing a reading at this coffee house downtown. 81 00:05:02,761 --> 00:05:04,471 Oh, that's great. I know where that is. 82 00:05:05,138 --> 00:05:07,308 That's near Cafe Angelini's, your favorite. 83 00:05:08,100 --> 00:05:09,480 [sighs] Best lasagna ever. 84 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:11,270 Okay, I'm in. Let's go get ready. 85 00:05:14,481 --> 00:05:15,481 [tapping] 86 00:05:15,566 --> 00:05:17,986 [customers murmuring] 87 00:05:18,485 --> 00:05:21,405 I'm really glad we get to spend some quality time together. 88 00:05:21,488 --> 00:05:22,488 Just the two of us. 89 00:05:25,659 --> 00:05:26,739 And your friends. 90 00:05:28,412 --> 00:05:29,452 Ruben, Chevon! 91 00:05:33,375 --> 00:05:35,415 I have one last question for you, 92 00:05:35,502 --> 00:05:37,802 and then we'll turn it over to the audience. 93 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,380 What is the hardest thing about being a writer? 94 00:05:42,259 --> 00:05:43,259 Starting. 95 00:05:43,343 --> 00:05:44,933 -Actually, finishing. -Oh. [laughs] 96 00:05:45,012 --> 00:05:46,262 [audience chuckles] 97 00:05:46,346 --> 00:05:48,386 I mean, all of it is hard, come to think of it. 98 00:05:48,473 --> 00:05:52,313 So true. I'd like to open it up to questions from the audience. 99 00:05:52,895 --> 00:05:54,015 Yes. 100 00:05:54,104 --> 00:05:55,314 Kwame, hi. 101 00:05:55,397 --> 00:05:59,277 I love your poem, "Ode to a Taxi Driver." Can you tell me more about it? 102 00:05:59,359 --> 00:06:03,109 I actually wrote it as a tribute to my favorite author, Mason Briggs. 103 00:06:03,655 --> 00:06:07,195 Mason Briggs. He's the author of the book we saw in the sparkle. 104 00:06:07,659 --> 00:06:11,329 Mason Briggs. He's the detective writer from the 1950s, right? 105 00:06:11,413 --> 00:06:13,253 That's right. The cab driver in the poem 106 00:06:13,332 --> 00:06:15,382 is one of the side characters in the books. 107 00:06:15,834 --> 00:06:18,504 He helps Owen Quinn, the detective, on his cases. 108 00:06:18,587 --> 00:06:20,257 I thought he deserved his own poem. 109 00:06:20,923 --> 00:06:22,593 Yes, you in the third row. 110 00:06:23,675 --> 00:06:26,465 Hi. Sorry. Back to that poem. 111 00:06:26,553 --> 00:06:30,353 What did you mean when you wrote, "The crimson skirts in that window"? 112 00:06:30,432 --> 00:06:35,772 Ah. In poetry, sometimes you go beneath the words to find the meaning. 113 00:06:36,647 --> 00:06:38,147 Sometimes a skirt isn't a skirt. 114 00:06:38,232 --> 00:06:41,282 In this case, it's a red tablecloth at a restaurant. 115 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:45,360 I pulled the locations for the poem directly from Mason's books. 116 00:06:45,447 --> 00:06:47,567 -You should read them. -Oh, we will. 117 00:06:48,742 --> 00:06:53,042 Uh, one more about the last poem. Is Frank-- I mean, the cab driver, 118 00:06:53,121 --> 00:06:55,251 is he a good guy or bad guy? 119 00:06:55,332 --> 00:06:58,712 There aren't really good guys and bad guys in Mason Briggs' world. 120 00:06:58,794 --> 00:07:01,094 Just people doing things for different reasons. 121 00:07:01,171 --> 00:07:02,761 I think, like in all art, 122 00:07:02,840 --> 00:07:05,970 the answer is in the eye of the reader. It's all about perspective. 123 00:07:06,051 --> 00:07:09,141 How you see things. Does that answer your question? 124 00:07:10,472 --> 00:07:12,682 Not really, but thanks. 125 00:07:13,684 --> 00:07:16,904 [Moderator] Okay, let's continue on with-- Yes, you in the third row. 126 00:07:18,105 --> 00:07:20,015 Okay, so Frank is from a poem, 127 00:07:20,107 --> 00:07:22,987 but he's also from a bunch of Mason Briggs' books. 128 00:07:23,068 --> 00:07:25,318 And we have no idea if he's good or bad. 129 00:07:27,573 --> 00:07:28,913 But we do know one thing. 130 00:07:31,076 --> 00:07:32,076 He's gone. 131 00:07:34,037 --> 00:07:37,037 -[patrons murmuring] -[Michelle] Ruben and Chevon seem nice. 132 00:07:37,124 --> 00:07:39,464 I'm glad you're hanging out with Curtis and his friends. 133 00:07:39,543 --> 00:07:41,423 [sighs] They're my friends too, Mom. 134 00:07:41,503 --> 00:07:43,763 I know, I know. I just thought since they're older. 135 00:07:43,839 --> 00:07:47,009 They're not that much older. Plus, I'm mature for my age. 136 00:07:47,092 --> 00:07:50,512 That you are. You all had a lot of questions about that poem. 137 00:07:50,596 --> 00:07:51,966 What was that all about? 138 00:07:52,055 --> 00:07:55,845 Uh, nothing. We just all, uh, really liked it. 139 00:07:55,934 --> 00:07:59,024 Well, I had no idea it was inspired by Mason Briggs' books. 140 00:07:59,104 --> 00:08:01,024 -You and me both. -Mm-hmm. 141 00:08:01,106 --> 00:08:03,226 I think I'm gonna read them. Starting tonight. 142 00:08:03,317 --> 00:08:05,897 They're really good. But I am a little surprised. 143 00:08:05,986 --> 00:08:09,156 -I didn't know you even liked mysteries. -I love them. 144 00:08:09,239 --> 00:08:11,529 -I'm actually pretty good at solving them. -Yeah? 145 00:08:12,159 --> 00:08:14,079 Uh, so, what looks good? 146 00:08:14,578 --> 00:08:17,578 Why are you even looking at the menu? You knew you want lasagna. 147 00:08:17,664 --> 00:08:18,834 It is amazing. 148 00:08:18,916 --> 00:08:20,576 Have you had a chance to look at the menu? 149 00:08:20,667 --> 00:08:22,707 [Michelle] Tell me about the pasta special. 150 00:08:22,794 --> 00:08:25,964 [Waitress] We have rigatoni rustica tonight. It's sautéed with sausage, 151 00:08:26,048 --> 00:08:28,928 chicken, sun-dried tomato and asparagus in a garlic cream sauce. 152 00:08:29,009 --> 00:08:30,679 -That sounds great. I'll take that. -Okay. 153 00:08:30,761 --> 00:08:32,101 Donna? The usual, right? 154 00:08:34,347 --> 00:08:35,807 -Donna? -Huh? 155 00:08:36,517 --> 00:08:38,557 -Sorry, I dropped something. -[Michelle chuckles] 156 00:08:38,644 --> 00:08:40,774 I'll have a cup of the minestrone. 157 00:08:40,854 --> 00:08:43,074 What? You just said how good the lasagna is. 158 00:08:43,941 --> 00:08:46,191 Yeah, but it takes forever. 159 00:08:46,610 --> 00:08:49,780 Donna, we have plenty of time. Have the lasagna. It's your favorite. 160 00:08:50,364 --> 00:08:53,874 I know. I just don't really feel like it anymore. 161 00:08:53,951 --> 00:08:55,331 I really want the soup. 162 00:08:57,454 --> 00:08:59,464 Soup. [chuckles] 163 00:09:06,755 --> 00:09:09,465 C equals two. Two equals S. 164 00:09:10,217 --> 00:09:12,387 Ghost Writer's giving us math equations now? 165 00:09:12,469 --> 00:09:13,759 I have no idea what it means. 166 00:09:13,846 --> 00:09:16,676 We'll get it. Meanwhile, I've been looking into Mason Briggs. 167 00:09:16,765 --> 00:09:20,635 It's the third time his name has come up. He has to be involved somehow. 168 00:09:20,727 --> 00:09:23,477 According to this article, "Mason Briggs lived in Arizona 169 00:09:23,564 --> 00:09:26,824 and wrote detective fiction from the 1950s until the 1960s." 170 00:09:26,900 --> 00:09:30,240 At which point, he drops off the map and stops writing completely. 171 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:32,110 Nothing mysterious about that. 172 00:09:32,197 --> 00:09:35,027 This is all really interesting, but we still need to find Frank. 173 00:09:35,117 --> 00:09:36,987 The question is how? 174 00:09:44,835 --> 00:09:47,045 Ruben? What's this? 175 00:09:48,255 --> 00:09:49,455 Oh, it's-- it's nothing. 176 00:09:51,133 --> 00:09:53,643 Are you trying to hide a bad grade from me? 177 00:09:56,680 --> 00:10:00,560 Oh. You got an A. [chuckles] Why would you crumple it up? 178 00:10:01,518 --> 00:10:04,098 I saw Mr. Saunders come in the bookstore the other day. 179 00:10:04,188 --> 00:10:07,568 I think he gave me special treatment because he likes you. 180 00:10:09,860 --> 00:10:13,410 Though, saying it out loud now seems kinda silly. 181 00:10:13,488 --> 00:10:16,488 [chuckles] I don't think you're getting special treatment. 182 00:10:18,577 --> 00:10:22,617 But Mr. Saunders did come by to ask if I wanted to go to a concert. 183 00:10:22,706 --> 00:10:23,706 He asked you on a date? 184 00:10:23,790 --> 00:10:26,170 No, no. It's not a date. We're old friends, 185 00:10:26,251 --> 00:10:29,091 and the band that's playing is one we both liked growing up. 186 00:10:29,171 --> 00:10:31,921 Weird. But okay. 187 00:10:33,175 --> 00:10:35,835 So, you don't think he's giving me special treatment? 188 00:10:37,054 --> 00:10:41,184 No. I think you're a hard worker, and you're smart. 189 00:10:42,809 --> 00:10:44,269 -Thanks, Mom. -Mm. 190 00:10:45,938 --> 00:10:47,268 An A. 191 00:10:47,356 --> 00:10:49,186 Wow. [laughs] 192 00:10:50,817 --> 00:10:53,107 Hey, man. You wanna shoot hoops after school? 193 00:10:53,195 --> 00:10:56,365 Can't. Sorry. Hey, can you hold this for a sec? Thanks. 194 00:11:00,953 --> 00:11:02,453 -Thanks, man. -Okay. 195 00:11:02,538 --> 00:11:03,958 -I'll catch you later. -See ya. 196 00:11:06,458 --> 00:11:07,458 [sighs] 197 00:11:09,086 --> 00:11:13,416 There you are. Look, good news. I think I figured out Ghost Writer's clue. 198 00:11:13,507 --> 00:11:14,837 I thought you hated math. 199 00:11:14,925 --> 00:11:17,965 It's not a math equation. I think it's some sort of code. 200 00:11:18,053 --> 00:11:20,893 And since Frank's a spy, maybe he can help us decipher it. 201 00:11:21,390 --> 00:11:23,480 Good job. We can ask him when we find him. 202 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:25,099 About that. I have an idea. 203 00:11:25,185 --> 00:11:27,975 I think we need to follow Frank's route in order to find him. 204 00:11:28,063 --> 00:11:29,273 What route? 205 00:11:29,356 --> 00:11:32,026 The poem describes everything Frank sees during his day. 206 00:11:32,109 --> 00:11:34,899 Since he doesn't know he's from a poem, he's probably driving around 207 00:11:34,987 --> 00:11:36,737 trying to get to all the locations. 208 00:11:36,822 --> 00:11:38,822 But the poem isn't set in our city. 209 00:11:38,907 --> 00:11:41,447 He's still gotta try. It's the only thing he can do. 210 00:11:42,411 --> 00:11:46,831 Like this line, "That used to be a corner dive called Etta Mae's 211 00:11:46,915 --> 00:11:48,245 where the hacks ate a meal." 212 00:11:49,209 --> 00:11:51,129 Maybe "corner dive" could mean a diner. 213 00:11:51,211 --> 00:11:54,261 That would explain why he wanted to go to that diner yesterday. 214 00:11:54,339 --> 00:11:56,589 So what would be the next stop on his route? 215 00:11:59,094 --> 00:12:01,014 "It was a parking lot up here." 216 00:12:01,096 --> 00:12:03,556 There's hundreds of parking lots in this city. 217 00:12:04,308 --> 00:12:06,848 -So, a parking garage? -No. Keep reading. 218 00:12:07,853 --> 00:12:11,523 "...'cause a great big ole barge down below was taking its own sweet time." 219 00:12:12,024 --> 00:12:14,994 -A "barge" as in a boat? -It was like a parking lot 220 00:12:15,068 --> 00:12:18,358 because traffic would stop while a boat was passing underneath. 221 00:12:18,447 --> 00:12:19,777 He's talking about a bridge. 222 00:12:19,865 --> 00:12:23,785 Gotta be. And there's that drawbridge over Spruce River. Maybe he went there. 223 00:12:23,869 --> 00:12:25,249 Only one way to find out. 224 00:12:30,792 --> 00:12:32,462 Oh, uh, there he is. 225 00:12:34,671 --> 00:12:35,881 [Curtis] Frank! Wait! 226 00:12:39,259 --> 00:12:41,639 [sighs] We're too late. 227 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:45,720 He did leave that card at the diner, so maybe he left something else here. 228 00:12:50,562 --> 00:12:51,562 Look! 229 00:12:56,652 --> 00:12:58,652 He dropped another playing card? 230 00:12:59,071 --> 00:13:01,621 -I doubt it was an accident. -Makes no sense. 231 00:13:01,698 --> 00:13:04,448 It's a four of spades. I wonder what it means? 232 00:13:04,535 --> 00:13:08,535 [bell tolling] 233 00:13:08,622 --> 00:13:11,382 It's getting late. Let's call it a day. Come on. 234 00:13:16,088 --> 00:13:17,298 -Hey, Mom. -Hey. 235 00:13:17,381 --> 00:13:19,261 Hey, Mom, have you seen my math textbook? 236 00:13:19,758 --> 00:13:21,718 I don't know. Check where you left it last. 237 00:13:23,220 --> 00:13:25,220 Okay. A little help would be nice. 238 00:13:36,984 --> 00:13:39,154 What's up with Mom? She seems annoyed. 239 00:13:39,236 --> 00:13:42,276 I don't know. She always gets like this before we leave for Dad's. 240 00:13:42,781 --> 00:13:46,201 Oh, no. I totally forgot we were going back to Dad's tonight. 241 00:13:46,285 --> 00:13:48,155 But we go every Thursday night. 242 00:13:48,245 --> 00:13:51,035 I just forgot, okay? I guess I should get my stuff together. 243 00:13:53,041 --> 00:13:54,541 -What are you doing? -Nothing. 244 00:14:03,844 --> 00:14:06,684 [sighs] I knew it. They're exactly the same. 245 00:14:08,432 --> 00:14:11,942 Chevon just texted. She thinks she knows where Frank's going next. Come on. 246 00:14:16,565 --> 00:14:18,855 What makes you so sure this is where he'd go next? 247 00:14:19,401 --> 00:14:21,321 The poem mentions a double feature. 248 00:14:21,403 --> 00:14:25,123 Considering Frank thought five milkshakes cost 50 cents, 249 00:14:25,199 --> 00:14:27,529 imagine how he's gonna react to movie prices. 250 00:14:28,911 --> 00:14:30,201 I think Frank was here. 251 00:14:36,376 --> 00:14:38,206 This coin is oddly light. 252 00:14:42,341 --> 00:14:45,761 -Cool. Let me see. -[Chevon] What does it say? 253 00:14:48,055 --> 00:14:50,425 It's a message in code. 254 00:14:52,976 --> 00:14:56,516 "T:TQ." 255 00:14:58,482 --> 00:15:02,192 That part's written like a time. Maybe the letters mean numbers. 256 00:15:02,277 --> 00:15:07,447 Ghost Writer's clue. C equals two. Two equals S. That has to be the key. 257 00:15:07,866 --> 00:15:10,156 But there's no S's, C's, or twos in it. 258 00:15:12,079 --> 00:15:13,579 I know what we're doing tonight. 259 00:15:17,417 --> 00:15:20,047 Donna, what are you doing? Leave it where we found it. 260 00:15:20,128 --> 00:15:22,878 He left it here for someone. If we take it, he's gonna know we did. 261 00:15:22,965 --> 00:15:25,925 -Then he won't leave any more messages. -Okay. You're right. 262 00:15:38,063 --> 00:15:40,153 Mom? What are you doing home? 263 00:15:40,232 --> 00:15:42,822 I thought you were supposed to be out with Mr. Saunders. 264 00:15:42,901 --> 00:15:46,111 Oh. I thought about it, but it didn't feel right, so I canceled. 265 00:15:46,196 --> 00:15:49,196 Think I made the right decision. Can't wear these to a concert. 266 00:15:49,283 --> 00:15:52,083 I don't get it. I thought you were just going as friends. 267 00:15:52,911 --> 00:15:54,581 It's better this way. Trust me. 268 00:15:54,663 --> 00:15:58,253 I mean, he may have been my friend in high school, but he's your teacher now. 269 00:15:58,333 --> 00:16:01,343 -I think I should leave it alone. -Do you like Mr. Saunders? 270 00:16:01,420 --> 00:16:06,010 What? No. [stammers] I mean, okay. 271 00:16:06,091 --> 00:16:07,931 -I did in high school like-- -Okay, Mom. 272 00:16:08,010 --> 00:16:12,220 But that was forever ago. Uh, gosh, even admitting that to you is so weird. 273 00:16:12,306 --> 00:16:14,676 Seriously, this was the right choice. 274 00:16:16,435 --> 00:16:18,645 -Okay. -Okay. [chuckles] 275 00:16:18,729 --> 00:16:20,149 [sighs] 276 00:16:26,612 --> 00:16:29,112 Donna, what are you doing here? It's Dad tonight. 277 00:16:29,198 --> 00:16:31,738 Actually, I asked him if I could stay here instead. 278 00:16:32,159 --> 00:16:34,869 -Is everything okay? -Well, sort of. 279 00:16:34,953 --> 00:16:38,373 I just feel bad that we didn't get to spend much time together last night. 280 00:16:38,457 --> 00:16:42,877 Look, I get it. You're not a kid anymore. You'd rather hang out with your friends. 281 00:16:42,961 --> 00:16:44,301 That's not true. 282 00:16:44,379 --> 00:16:47,589 Donna, believe it or not, I was once your age. 283 00:16:49,218 --> 00:16:50,508 You're growing up. 284 00:16:51,678 --> 00:16:54,008 Well, I'm not grown-up just yet. 285 00:16:54,097 --> 00:16:55,677 So, move over. 286 00:16:56,308 --> 00:16:58,138 -Hmm. -[doorbell rings] 287 00:16:58,227 --> 00:17:01,147 Oh. I ordered us dinner. And not just any dinner. 288 00:17:01,230 --> 00:17:04,360 -Lasagna. From Cafe Angelini. -Our favorite. 289 00:17:04,441 --> 00:17:07,151 [chuckles] I figure we can maybe watch a movie or something. 290 00:17:07,236 --> 00:17:11,156 And since I'm growing up, you know I love horror movies. 291 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:12,410 Mm. Nice try. 292 00:17:13,032 --> 00:17:14,452 [doorbell rings] 293 00:17:14,535 --> 00:17:16,365 You should probably go get that. 294 00:17:16,453 --> 00:17:20,543 -You're gonna need your credit card too. -Well, I hope you ordered dessert too. 295 00:17:20,624 --> 00:17:23,004 There may or may not be tiramisu in our future. 296 00:17:30,425 --> 00:17:32,335 You've ripped down Chevon's posters. 297 00:17:33,178 --> 00:17:35,558 What? No, I didn't. I already told you that. 298 00:17:35,639 --> 00:17:37,469 Don't lie, Jake. I know it was you. 299 00:17:37,558 --> 00:17:38,848 How'd you know? 300 00:17:40,561 --> 00:17:42,401 [sighs] Doug told you, didn't he? 301 00:17:42,479 --> 00:17:44,569 It doesn't matter. Just tell me. 302 00:17:45,232 --> 00:17:49,822 [sighs] Okay, fine. Some of the guys got real upset when she tried to cut funding 303 00:17:49,903 --> 00:17:50,903 for the team. 304 00:17:52,072 --> 00:17:54,532 I'm sorry. I know it was wrong. 305 00:17:56,618 --> 00:17:58,038 You need to make it right. 306 00:18:01,957 --> 00:18:05,917 If C equals two, and two equals S, mathematically, C equals S. 307 00:18:06,295 --> 00:18:08,375 -Does that help? -Not really. 308 00:18:08,463 --> 00:18:09,553 I'm getting a headache. 309 00:18:09,631 --> 00:18:11,971 Can we take a break and talk about something else? 310 00:18:12,050 --> 00:18:14,430 I finally sold all my chocolates for Model UN. 311 00:18:14,511 --> 00:18:15,681 Wow. Congrats. 312 00:18:16,096 --> 00:18:19,176 Weirdly enough, it was the basketball team that bought all of them. 313 00:18:19,266 --> 00:18:22,806 I kinda thought they were the ones who ripped down your election posters. 314 00:18:22,895 --> 00:18:25,805 Me too. But Curtis said they were good guys. I guess he was right. 315 00:18:25,898 --> 00:18:27,858 [Curtis] I got it. I figured it out. Look. 316 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:32,909 I thought that if C equaled two, then B equals one and A equals zero. 317 00:18:33,614 --> 00:18:36,744 -Okay, that makes sense. -So it would make two columns, right? 318 00:18:37,159 --> 00:18:39,329 -Okay. -So then I just started filling them out. 319 00:18:39,411 --> 00:18:41,751 On the left side A to Z, then zero to nine. 320 00:18:41,830 --> 00:18:44,790 On the right side, zero to nine, then A to Z. And look. 321 00:18:45,751 --> 00:18:48,841 Two equals S. Just like in Ghost Writer's clue. 322 00:18:49,254 --> 00:18:51,174 -Curtis, you're a genius. -I know. 323 00:18:52,674 --> 00:18:55,394 What are you waiting for? Start translating the note. 324 00:18:58,013 --> 00:19:02,523 F-R-I, three, three, zero, 325 00:19:02,601 --> 00:19:06,061 O-A-K, P-A-R-K. 326 00:19:06,730 --> 00:19:08,860 Friday, 3:30, Oak Park. 327 00:19:08,941 --> 00:19:09,941 Today's Friday. 328 00:19:10,025 --> 00:19:13,235 And it's 3:15 now. Which means... 329 00:19:25,082 --> 00:19:26,172 How'd you kids find me? 330 00:19:26,250 --> 00:19:28,630 We intercepted the coin you left at the movie theater. 331 00:19:28,710 --> 00:19:30,710 I didn't leave it. It was left for me. 332 00:19:32,464 --> 00:19:35,764 If he didn't leave it, that means another character came out of the poem 333 00:19:35,843 --> 00:19:38,643 -and is now roaming the city. -Yeah, but who? 334 00:19:40,097 --> 00:19:43,927 The last line in the poem. The guy in the fedora. 335 00:19:44,017 --> 00:19:45,687 It's Owen Quinn, the detective. 336 00:19:46,687 --> 00:19:47,977 How do you kids know Owen? 337 00:19:48,689 --> 00:19:51,569 We don't. But that's who you've been trying to get in touch with 338 00:19:51,650 --> 00:19:53,320 this whole time, isn't it? 339 00:19:53,402 --> 00:19:55,282 I was trying to tell him I'm in danger. 340 00:19:55,362 --> 00:19:57,362 I don't know what's going on or who to trust, 341 00:19:57,447 --> 00:19:59,987 but this whole world is upside down. 342 00:20:01,034 --> 00:20:03,544 How would leaving playing cards tell him all that? 343 00:20:03,620 --> 00:20:04,870 Invisible ink. 344 00:20:04,955 --> 00:20:08,535 Of course. That's why we couldn't see it. We didn't have the special lighting. 345 00:20:08,917 --> 00:20:11,707 Hey, how'd you figure the code out so fast? It was hard. 346 00:20:16,550 --> 00:20:20,930 It's not a wedding ring after all. It's a decoder ring, right? [chuckles] 347 00:20:31,231 --> 00:20:35,241 This is better than Frank. G.W. wanted us to talk to the detective. 348 00:20:35,319 --> 00:20:36,899 Owen must have a clue for us. 349 00:20:36,987 --> 00:20:38,607 Yeah. Like who Ghost Writer is. 350 00:20:43,702 --> 00:20:44,702 They're gone. 351 00:20:52,211 --> 00:20:55,341 -[Ruben sighs] They're back in the book. -Of course. 352 00:20:55,422 --> 00:20:58,762 Remember the end of the poem? "Can't take any more fares today. 353 00:20:58,842 --> 00:21:02,052 Gotta meet a man in a fedora. Case closed." 354 00:21:02,513 --> 00:21:04,223 Frank met Owen, the man in the fedora, 355 00:21:04,306 --> 00:21:07,136 they got to the end of the poem, and now they're back in the book. 356 00:21:07,226 --> 00:21:08,386 [sighs] Case closed. 357 00:21:08,477 --> 00:21:11,187 How can it be case closed? We didn't get anywhere. 358 00:21:11,271 --> 00:21:14,111 Why would Ghost Writer release this poem in the first place? 359 00:21:14,191 --> 00:21:17,151 All we've done was run all over town to every place in the poem. 360 00:21:17,569 --> 00:21:18,989 What a waste of time, man. 361 00:21:19,071 --> 00:21:20,071 [Chevon] Hold on. 362 00:21:21,406 --> 00:21:24,826 "We call it The Plaza on account of the fountain 363 00:21:24,910 --> 00:21:27,080 and the oak tree at the center of its world. 364 00:21:27,788 --> 00:21:29,248 The white and blue flags." 365 00:21:29,915 --> 00:21:32,625 That's a description of where we're standing right now. 366 00:21:33,460 --> 00:21:37,420 What are you saying? Mason Briggs was writing about this place specifically? 367 00:21:37,506 --> 00:21:39,216 I thought he never left Arizona. 368 00:21:40,259 --> 00:21:44,009 There's an oak tree, but I don't see any blue and white flags. 369 00:21:49,268 --> 00:21:53,058 The street signs! They're blue and white. Remember what Kwame said? 370 00:21:53,146 --> 00:21:56,276 Sometimes a skirt is a tablecloth. It's all about the interpretation. 371 00:21:56,358 --> 00:22:00,148 He called the street signs flags because of the way they looked on their poles. 372 00:22:01,738 --> 00:22:04,448 Wait a minute. Read the part about the bridge. 373 00:22:04,867 --> 00:22:07,037 "It told me to head towards the clock tower 374 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:09,159 and keep on driving, fast." 375 00:22:10,330 --> 00:22:11,830 I remember the clock tower. 376 00:22:11,915 --> 00:22:14,915 [bell tolling] 377 00:22:16,545 --> 00:22:18,295 It could still be a coincidence. 378 00:22:18,380 --> 00:22:20,760 Lots of towns have bridges with clock towers. 379 00:22:21,341 --> 00:22:23,301 It's an awfully big coincidence. 380 00:22:24,469 --> 00:22:25,679 What about the diner? 381 00:22:26,972 --> 00:22:30,772 "Founded in 1946 by Harland and Etta Mae Williams." 382 00:22:30,851 --> 00:22:35,401 I don't believe it. The "corner dive called Etta Mae's" is this actual diner. 383 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:37,690 Mason Briggs was writing about our city. 384 00:22:38,108 --> 00:22:40,528 He wasn't just writing about our city. 385 00:22:40,611 --> 00:22:42,821 Mason Briggs was writing about our neighborhood. 386 00:22:42,905 --> 00:22:46,485 I fully immersed myself in the world of Mason Briggs to prep for this role. 387 00:22:46,575 --> 00:22:49,195 -I read every single book out there. -Uh, 388 00:22:49,286 --> 00:22:52,286 -you might wanna see this. -[interviewer] Every single one? 389 00:22:52,372 --> 00:22:55,252 -That's impressive. -Well, okay, not every single book. 390 00:22:55,334 --> 00:22:56,544 I mean, rumor has it, 391 00:22:56,627 --> 00:22:59,627 there's an unpublished manuscript out there somewhere. 392 00:22:59,713 --> 00:23:03,183 Unfortunately, I'm not as good as a detective as Owen Quinn, 393 00:23:03,258 --> 00:23:04,928 so it's still missing. 394 00:23:05,511 --> 00:23:07,351 Then if The Cobalt Mask never came out, 395 00:23:07,429 --> 00:23:10,559 that's why we couldn't find the book anywhere. It was never published. 396 00:23:10,641 --> 00:23:12,431 Sounds like unfinished business to me. 397 00:23:12,518 --> 00:23:16,398 So if Mason Briggs lives here, and he has an unpublished manuscript... 398 00:23:16,939 --> 00:23:20,399 Mason Briggs is... Ghost Writer.