After the incident with Alice, Louella is worried that the Herdmans will come to school on Halloween after all, just to get back at all the adults in charge, and thus jeopardize her ability to make $8. Meanwhile, the other kids are putting the finishing touches on their costumes. Charlie and his friend Cecil are going as the two halves of a lion, with Charlie at the front. Boomer’s plans to be King Kong are on hold because someone stole his grandmother’s fur coat from the cleaners. Joanne McCoy claims she’s going to dress up as Imogene Herdman.

On the morning of Halloween, Mrs. Hazelwood, their teacher, wants to confirm if the Herdmans are indeed staying away from school that night. She asks Imogene if they’d be coming, but Imogene replies that their mother will not allow them. Beth knows Imogene is lying. When Alice whispers that it makes no sense for Mrs. Herdman to keep her kids at home, because no place could be safer than school, Imogene pokes her in the stomach and whispers menacingly that any other place, in fact, would be safer than the school tonight. Imogene’s mysterious threat creates a buzz.