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center of the whole festival, and everybody phoned in to her to ask for information or updates about the events. Absently I started to watch tv—
Cnn Headline News
. Maybe seeing a war somewhere else would make this seem less tragic.
    â€œYou didn’t have to do that,” Keegan said. “You didn’t have to say it was your fault.”
    â€œYes, I did. I’m as much to blame as you.”
    â€œMaybe more.”
    â€œWhat?” I exclaimed.
    He smiled. “Just kidding. Thanks for sharing it.”
    â€œYou know what they say, misery loves company. At least neither of us will be alone.”
    The door opened, and my father motionedfor us to come back in. We sat down again.
    â€œWe asked the two of you to get involved because we felt that you needed to be more responsible,” the chief said.
    â€œNo argument from us about—”
    â€œClose your mouth and quit interrupting!” the chief said, cutting Keegan off.
    â€œYes, sir.”
    â€œAnd we want to let you know that somehow, in some strange way, we’re actually proud of you both,” my father said.
    â€œWhat?” I exclaimed.
    â€œDespite knowing just how serious this is, you have accepted blame,” my father said.
    â€œYou have claimed
responsibility
for your actions,” the chief added. “You both really stepped up to the plate on this one.”
    I looked over at Keegan. His expression was as shocked as I felt.
    â€œDoes this mean we’re not going to get punished?” Keegan asked.
    Both my father and the chief burst into laughter.
    â€œOh, you’re going to get punished,” my father said. “Believe me, you’re going to get punished!”
    â€œWorse than you ever have in your entire life, no question,” the chief said. “You’re both going to regret this day for a long, long time.”
    â€œPart of being responsible for your actions is accepting the consequences,” my father said. “Actions come with—”
    There was a loud knock on the door, and before anybody could react it opened, and Mrs. Wallace popped her head in.
    â€œYou better come out and see this,” she said.
    â€œWhatever it is will have to wait,” my father said.
    â€œI don’t think it can. We’re next up on CNN.”

chapter eleven
    We all rushed out the door, practically bumping into each other. Mrs. Wallace turned up the volume.
    â€œAnd this just in,” one of the announcers said. “It’s footage shot by a local cable company of a riot at a fall fair.”
    â€œYes, and while it was your traditional fall fair,” the female announcer said. “It was not your traditional riot.”
    The two announcers disappeared and were replaced by video of the paradecoming down the street—everything looking normal.
    â€œThe Tomato Festival has been an annual event in Leamington for the last thirty-five years and, as the name would suggest, is a celebration of the tomato,” said a voice-over of the male announcer.
    â€œBut during today’s parade they found a new way to celebrate tomatoes!” the woman said.
    The scene changed to a full-out tomato assault. They showed tomatoes flying through the air and smashing into members of the band, the peewee baseball team joining in, and then spectators adding to the melee.
    â€œIt continued for over ten minutes,” the male announcer said.
    There were more and more shots as the riot rippled up and down the parade route.
    â€œIt even hit the local beauty pageant contestants,” the woman said.
    â€œThere’s Kelsey!” Keegan exclaimed.
    A barrage of tomatoes hit her and the two other girls in her car. Two of them ducked, but Kelsey jumped out of the car,ran over, grabbed some tomatoes from the wagon and began returning fire. She hit a guy right in the head as he was cocking his arm back to throw a tomato himself.
    â€œI think we have the winner of the talent