Riley Mack and the Other Known Troublemakers Read Online Free

good.” The bank manager spritzed some more minty freshness into his mouth. “So, where’s Riley now?”
    â€œWith his friends. Down the street at the Pizza Palace. Doing his homework.”
    â€œAwesome. So, you wouldn’t mind working a little late tonight, right?”
    â€œWell, we were planning on…”
    â€œI need to catch a plane. Bank manager conference out west.”
    â€œBut…”
    He pulled the teller drawer out from under the counter.
    â€œTell you what—I’ll count out your tray; you take care of whatever comes in over the next hour, then lock up at six.” He flashed her his high beam smile.
    â€œBut…”
    â€œDeal?”
    Riley’s mom smiled back. Her beams weren’t nearly as bright.
    â€œDeal,” she said.
    Unfortunately, she needed this job. She needed her paycheck more than anything in the world, except, of course, Riley’s dad coming home. Alive. From Afghanistan.

5
    RILEY USED A CUP OF warm water from the coffee and tea bar to help Jamal Wilson loosen his tongue from the icy grip of the metal freezer racks.
    Even though Jamal’s fingers were nearly frozen into french fries, he kept fidgeting with some kind of tiny screwdriver gizmo sticking out of his miniature Swiss Army knife.
    â€œThat was awesome!” howled Mongo, wiping his face clean with a napkin from the hot dog counter. “I thought Gavin was going to pee his pants!” Mongo was laughing so hard that he snorted fake blood up his nose.
    Jake hopped over the counter with his handheldradio. “Excellently played, Riley! You okay, kid?”
    â€œY-y-yeah,” said Jamal, his teeth chattering. “N-n-n-now.”
    â€œHere you go,” said Jake, peeling off his insulated hoodie, a garment he rarely removed because he had cowlick issues—a bad case of kindergarten-nap hair. “I believe, right now, you need this even more than me.”
    â€œTh-th-thanks.”
    Jake draped the sweatshirt over Jamal’s shoulders, while the kid kept working on something where the freezer door met the side of the case.
    â€œYou guys are good,” added Mr. Karpinski.
    â€œThank you, Mr. K.,” said Riley. He was feeling good.
    â€œY-y-yo, Mr. K.?” stammered Jamal. “While I was spending f-f-face time in your f-f-freezer, I noticed the door h-hinges were a little loose so I m-m-made some adjustments. Loose hinges could s-s-seriously throw off the t-t-toggle switch contacts and make your evaporator f-f-fan run even w-w-when the door is open.”
    And then he shivered some more. His teeth chattered.
    Riley, Jake, and Mongo stared at the little dude in surprise. Mr. Karpinski nodded, impressed.
    â€œThank you, Jamal.”
    â€œMy p-p-pleasure.”
    â€œSo, Riley,” said Mr. Karpinski, “is this how you guys rescued Alex Junior?”
    â€œSame basic principle, sir,” said Riley. “Bullies are cowards. They just need to be reminded of that fact from time to time.”
    Briana burst into the store. “That was so incredibly fabtastic! Did you like my second cop? That’s the first time I ever did that voice. Was it okay?”
    â€œIt was ‘fabtastic,’” said Riley.
    â€œYou’re sure?”
    â€œYou were great, Briana,” said Jake.
    â€œI thought you were really two people,” said Mongo, his mouth full of hot dog. The three pepperoni slices he’d had at the Pizza Palace weren’t enough to hold him over till dinner. “Oh, I think I forgot to pay for this,” he said to Mr. Karpinski, examining the half of the hot dog he hadn’t chomped off with his first bite.
    Mr. Karpinski waved it away. “Today, Mongo, the hot dogs are on me!”
    Riley took back the wad of cash he had stuffed into Jamal’s hand. “You did good, kid.”
    â€œW-w-who exactly are you?” asked Jamal.
    â€œRiley Mack.”
    â€œWhy’d you rescue me from