[Chevon] Previously on Ghostwriter...
That's not Shere Khan...
- [roars] - that's Bagheera.
What are you doing here?
I wanted to be sure you fit into the world of humans.
We need to take the dogs back to the shelter.
They don't belong in cages.
[Ruben] We could hold a pet adoption at the bookstore.
You really pulled it all together. I'm impressed.
[Donna] The characters are going back in the book.
Your grandma had this old letter. She even kept it in a fancy box.
And she read it out loud. And it said...
[meows]
- -Said what? -[mews] - -Said what? -[mews]
We need to find that letter. ﻿1
[computer ringing]
There you are. I've been trying you all week.
Sorry. It's been super crazy around here.
Really? Why?
Uh, I can't really... say.
That's kind of a weird response.
Hey, Ruben. Remember, tomorrow's the last day to sign up for after-school clubs.
Thanks, Mom, but I thought about it, and... I think I'm good.
Talking to Kai is not an after-school activity.
I want you to get more involved here.
Hi, Miss Reyna.
Hi, Kai.
Don't you think that Ruben should sign up for something? They have soccer.
Ruben isn't the greatest soccer player.
No, you're right. He's not.
I'm sitting right here.
I'm gonna leave you two. I'm sure Kai can help you choose something.
Thank you, Kai.
Well, that was fun.
You know, maybe your mom's actually onto something.
Like what?
Like, you're the new kid and you can be whatever you want.
You don't have to be the comic book geek anymore.
That's not how I would've described myself, but okay.
You know what I mean.
Remember how you used to always talk about wanting to try out for the school play?
Yeah, but I didn't fit in with the theater kids.
Well, maybe the theater kids at your new school will be better.
I guess I could check it out.
I gotta run. Have fun doing whatever it is you can't tell me about.
Okay. Bye.
Would you be offended
if we eat this on the couch while watching something mindless on TV?
Sure.
Hey, Rusty.
I used your recipe but made a few tiny improvements.
Oh.
Oh, thanks.
Mmm. Nice job.
Oh, I reserved our tickets online for the Van Gogh exhibit.
Oh, great. I'm so excited.
Um, when is that again?
Saturday.
Oh, no.
I picked up a shift. One of the nurses is out sick.
It's flu season.
I get it. I'll cancel the tickets.
I promise we'll go next week.
Mmm, oh.
You really did improve on my recipe. [chuckles]
[applause on TV]
[Dad] I don't know what bothers us more: that you got a D on your history test,
or we had to hear about it from Principal Fong.
It was just one test. And I really thought I knew my stuff.
- Well, your grade says otherwise. - And it's not just one test, Curtis.
You're barely passing English, and you're not doing so hot in math either.
You've always been a great student.
Lately, I have no idea what's going on with you.
I don't know. I'm working hard.
He really is. I think Mr. Saunders just doesn't like Curtis.
This doesn't concern you.
But he really does have favorites, and Curtis is definitely not one of them.
Donna.
Fine. I'll be in my room.
Maybe playing basketball in school is too much for him.
- So he should just give up on basketball? - He's not giving up school.
Hey.
I'm going to do better on this next test.
Chevon can tutor me, and Mr. Saunders has an after-school review class.
Good. 'Cause if this happens again, your basketball days are over.
I'm sorry, Curtis. I tried to help.
It's not your fault. But hey, it was nice to see Mom and Dad getting along.
[both chuckle]
You really do seem like you're trying.
I am. School's just getting harder this year, I guess.
So, are you grounded?
No. Worse.
I have one chance to get my grades up or they're making me quit basketball.
Ouch. Harsh.
Seriously. No pressure there. I know what the problem is,
but I can't tell Mom and Dad I'm spending all my time talking to book characters.
Good point.
Plus, I meant what I said earlier. I really don't think Mr. Saunders likes you.
I think it's a great idea, but can you even act?
I guess I'll find out. First, I need to find a monologue.
There are tons of long speeches in Macbeth. Check it out.
Can't this wait till later? We have to find your grandma's letter.
Hopefully soon, 'cause I have a test to study for.
There's lots of her old stuff up here.
- Where do we look first? - No clue.
Clue.
It's the ghost.
Hi, Ruben's grandma. What's up? How's life on the other side?
[chips clattering]
What kind of clue is "under"?
The only thing under us is the floor.
The bookstore is under us.
We already looked there. What's under the bookstore?
[sighs] The basement.
Okay. No clues here. We should just go.
- No. - [Ruben sighs]
Grandma sent us down here for a reason. So, let's just stick close together.
[footsteps]
Did you see that?
No. But I heard it.
- [Ruben] What is it? - [Chevon] I have no idea.
Whatever it is, it's moving.
[all scream]
Easy, now. I don't want no trouble.
Who are you?
They call me the Camarillo Kid.
Well, it doesn't look like he's from the city.
He must be from a book set in the Old West?
I hate Westerns.
That's a strong opinion.
What we need to figure out is
what book he came from and why my grandma released him.
Definitely. Hey, do you think I could pull off that hat?
[knock at door]
Pardon me. I don't mean to interrupt, but I'm in quite a heap of trouble.
Please tell us your story, and don't leave out any details.
Well, I'm on the run from a man named Hitch.
He tore through town and took all the riches he could lay his eyes on.
He had everyone running in fear
until one man was brave enough to stand up to him.
My pa.
He locked up Hitch and threw away the key.
Your dad sounds like a hero.
Yes, ma'am, a hero indeed.
Until Hitch broke out and kidnapped both him and my ma.
And now he's chasing after me.
You hurt?
I'll be fine.
Just, Hitch about had me caught.
I jumped over some quicksand,
landed hard and wounded my leg.
- But at least I got away. - Oh.
Now, I hate to impose,
but you seem like kind folk and I do need help.
You gotta hide me from Hitch.
Don't worry, Kid. We'll keep you safe.
Dad, how did you lose your watch?
It's not lost. I just can't find it temporarily.
And of all watches,
Mom gave you that for your 25th wedding anniversary.
It's my only watch. If I was to lose one, that would be the one.
- Hey, kids. - Howdy, sir.
Ma'am.
They're not as friendly as you are.
Hey, Grandpa. Do we have a Western section?
Mm-hmm. Unfortunately, it's not as big as it used to be.
Whatever I have is upstairs next to the Italian cookbooks.
Ooh, let me guess.
Westerns, spaghetti Westerns, Italian food.
Exactly.
How did you do that?
I get him.
Okay. Donna and I will look through the Western section
to find what book the Camarillo Kid came from
while you two talk to him.
Great idea.
Hopefully it'll help us find out why Grandma released him.
So, Kid, tell us about yourself.
Have any special skills or talents?
Bull riding.
Maybe something that would be more useful here in the city.
Riding bronco?
Something less... wild?
Mutton busting.
What is that?
Till you're old enough to ride the bulls or broncos, you gotta train on sheep.
You're looking at a four-time blue-ribbon winner.
Right. Congrats.
Interesting.
You found the blank book?
No, it just looks interesting. I'll save it for later.
Unless Grandma's unfinished business involves riding a bull or a sheep,
we've got nothing.
You?
No. All these books have words in them, and it's really annoying.
[sighs] This is the last one.
Whatever book this cowboy came from, it's not here.
This sure is nice, Ruben.
Yeah, I thought a campfire might make you feel at home.
Indeed, it does. Although, usually, the fire is hot.
Yeah. Maybe one day we'll get there.
What you got? A book of stories?
Uh, I'm trying out for a play and need to find a monologue.
When I was young, my folks would take me down to the center of town
to see Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show.
There really was a Buffalo Bill?
Yes, sir. He put on quite the show.
Plays, music acts, feats of skill
and some of the most beautiful horses and cattle you could ever imagine.
You okay, Kid?
Yeah, thinking about those good old days makes me miss my folks.
Yeah. I can't imagine what it's like
to have your parents kidnapped right in front of you.
How about we talk about something else? Tell me about your play.
Well, I'm not even sure if I wanna do it.
What if I make a fool out of myself?
[chuckles] You sound just like me the first time I tried to lasso a dogie.
I have no idea what that means.
It means everyone gets scared,
but you just gotta get out there and give it your best shot.
Thanks.
[Ruben] Okay, so remember.
What's the number one rule about being in school?
Don't talk to no one. Although, I still don't see the harm.
I wanna make sure no one tips off Hitch to where you are.
What's the cowboy doing here?
He tried to start a fire in my room
because the one on my screen wasn't hot enough.
It was just easier to bring him.
Well, I can't watch him. I have to go down to the gym to talk to Coach Tillman.
Sorry. I have to study for a test before class, so have fun.
You sure are good at that, Curtis.
Thanks. You wanna shoot a few?
I don't know.
You're a beginner, so don't expect to make any baskets right away.
Would you look at that. I made my first one.
[sighs]
Beginner's luck. Here.
Two in a row.
What happened to your leg?
What about my leg?
Yesterday you had a limp.
Oh, yeah. The pain comes and goes.
That's funny, because yesterday it was your other leg.
Nah, it was always this leg. Are you sure you're feeling okay?
Yeah. I'm fine.
Curtis.
Nice to see you on the court.
But shouldn't you be studying for your history test?
I have been. That's why I'm here to tell you I'm gonna ace it.
Oops. Looks like one fell off the rack. [chuckles]
Trust me, Coach, I'm gonna be back on the team for Friday's game.
Okay, I'm putting you in the lineup. But you don't pass, you don't play.
[sighs] I'll be there.
Ruben. I saw you didn't sign up to audition for the play yet.
It's the last day.
I don't know. What if I'm really bad? I've never tried acting before.
How good do you have to be? It's middle school.
Sorry. You're gonna be great.
Listen, I know how you feel.
I was so nervous before my first sewing class.
I thought everyone was gonna laugh at my jacket design.
And?
And it doesn't matter.
The point is, I got better and I had fun.
So, just have fun.
I can't do it.
Hey, Donna.
You're welcome.
Just thank me when you become a famous actor one day.
Lunch?
I wish I had a sweatshirt or something.
I had no idea it was gonna be this cold today.
You didn't listen to your crickets this morning, did you?
My crickets?
Well, yeah.
Where I come from, the best way to tell the temperature
is by paying close attention to the chirping of the crickets.
That's a thing?
Most definitely.
You count the number of chirps in a 15-second span,
add 37, and there you have it, the temperature.
That's the most amazing thing I've ever heard.
It's just basic science.
Exactly. And I need a project for the science fair.
Thank you.
Kid, you might wanna go check the window. I think I see a cowboy outside.
- Hitch? - I don't know. Have a look.
Did you actually see a cowboy?
No, I just needed to get rid of him.
The Kid is lying.
What do you mean?
When we were in the gym shooting hoops, he wasn't limping. I asked him about it.
He conveniently started limping again, but on the wrong leg.
- You remember what leg he was limping on? - Yeah.
Don't you think he seems pretty happy for a guy whose ma and pa had been kidnapped?
No way. Last night he was really upset about his parents and he almost teared up.
Yeah, almost.
It's an act. I'm telling you, dude is bad news.
I don't know, Curtis. Think about it.
Why would Grandma release characters from the book unless they were here to help us?
Name one way he's helped us so far.
No sign of Hitch.
Cool. My mistake.
Hey, you know how we've been helping you hide from Hitch?
Maybe you could help us too.
Of course. Tell me how.
We're not quite sure, but we're trying to find an old letter.
I'm real good at finding stuff.
Yeah, but we've already looked everywhere.
Did you look under the bed? I'm always hiding stuff under the bed.
Of course we looked under the bed.
No, I don't mean under the bed.
I mean under the bed.
Ohh. Under the bed.
See? He helped.
It's a key, not a letter.
Yes, but I'm guessing the letter's hidden somewhere and this key opens it.
I've always been curious about this box.
If I was hiding something, I'd hide it in there too.
You would hide it in plain sight next to your bed?
No one would suspect it. It's just an old jewelry box.
Exactly. And that's why there's jewelry in it.
Here.
Grandma let me borrow a necklace once.
- Why didn't you tell us it wasn't locked? - Because what's the fun in that?
Stop fooling around. We need to find that lock.
Man, where is this thing?
Is there anyplace else in the apartment that we haven't looked?
No.
Maybe y'all are looking at the problem the wrong way.
Who said the lock had to be in the apartment in the first place?
I hate to admit it, but the Kid has a point.
Is there anything in the bookstore?
Grandpa's desk in the back. There's a locked drawer.
Of course. Grandma used to use it all the time.
- Good thinking, Camarillo. - Glad to oblige.
Hey, Dad, can you change a 20 for the register?
Sure thing.
Oh, uh...
I can't find my money clip.
First your watch and now your money clip. Should I be worried?
Oh, I'm sure there's a logical explanation.
I think I left it in the kitchen.
Let me. Maybe you're out of ice cream, so you put the money clip in the freezer,
so you'll remember to buy some.
No, but I like the way you think. [chuckles]
Nope.
Any other ideas?
No, we've tried everywhere this key could possibly fit.
Maybe it has nothing to do with Grandma's letter.
Or sometimes a key is just a key.
Nonsense. Every key opens something. I say we keep looking.
[sighs]
Hey, Donna. Something's been gnawing at me.
Why does your brother not like me?
What do you mean? He likes you.
He's always looking at me like I'm hiding something from him. Which I ain't.
Look, Curtis is freaking out because he's off the basketball team
until he does better in history.
He's in that class right over there getting extra help from the teacher
for his upcoming test.
Sounds serious. And if he doesn't pass the test?
I don't know. My parents will probably ground him for the next year.
Ground him? What's that?
Um, you know, you can't go out, see friends, no fun.
It's like jail for kids.
Huh. Where I come from, everyone uses the same jail.
Thank you, Miss Donna.
[chuckles] "Miss Donna."
"And waxen in their mirth, and neeze, and swear.
A merrier hour was never wasted there.
But, room, fairy! Here comes Oberon."
Uh, Ruben, you're up.
Ruben Reyna. I'll be reading from Macbeth.
Act five, scene five.
"Tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow,
creeps in this petty pace from day to day
to the last syllable of recorded time.
Yesterdays have lighted fools to the way of dusty death..."
Hitch is here! He found me, Ruben. Hitch is coming after me!
"Out, out, brief candle!"
He's closin' in. You gotta hide me!
- Help me, Ruben! Help me! - Okay, stop! [sighs]
Uh... "Life's like a walking shadow, a poor player that..."
- Ruben! - Come on, Ruben!
Okay!
Sorry.
And you're sure you saw him?
Yeah. I'd know Hitch's face anywhere.
Maybe he's still at the school?
Maybe he was never there. I don't think Hitch is real.
- You don't believe me? - Honestly, no.
And I'm not buying your whole, "Miss Chevon, much obliged" stuff.
Have you ever even read a Western? That's exactly how they talk.
How can you be so blind?
How come Ruben hasn't seen Hitch in school? How come none of us have?
Hey, cowboy, I'm not believing another word you say until I see Hitch for myself.
[spurs jangle]