Book 1-Alex Bishop and the North Side Detectives

Alex Bishop and the Northside Detectives

                                                                                   Chapter 6

                                                                                The Interview

     As the friends walked, they discussed the case and the other people they might want to talk to.  "Too bad we can't talk to Mr. Wells." Dawn said with a frown.  "There's no chance of that."  Lee said with an uncanny, Mr. Wells' sneer. "No.  I don't think we can count on that."  Alex said with a wry smile.

     "I would like to talk with Miss Scarlet Weems."  Alex said, nodding thoughtfully.  "That's a good idea."  Fletch said.  "So when are we going to start these interviews?"  He asked.  "Well, it's 11:00."  Alex said, looking at Fletch's watch.  "How about after lunch?" he said, glancing at the other three.

     Before they could answer him, he added, "We could go to the station and see if Detective Burns will talk with us."  He added.  Dawn and Fletch readily agreed.  Lee just shrugged.  He still wasn't thrilled with this whole thing.  "Only I need to call my mom and let her know when I'll be home," she said, taking her cell out of her bag.

     Lee gave her a "Mommy's girl look," which Fletch noticed and quickly reminded him, "You have to call home too Lee."  He smirked.  "I was there when she told you to."  Lee gave him a dirty look and Fletch laughed.

     When the teens reached Alex's house, Lee and Fletch ran across the alley to tell their mothers they were staying at Alex's for lunch and then doing a school project that all of the friends were involved in.  Alex was suddenly nervous walking into the kitchen with Dawn at his side.  His mother and father smiled over their coffee cups when they saw the two of them.

     "Mom, Dad, this is Dawn Marks."  Alex said, looking at his shoes. "Fletch, Lee, Dawn and I are doing a class project together."  Right on cue, Lee and Fletch walked into the kitchen.  Alex's parents said "Hello" in unison to the boys.

     Then,  "Hello Dawn."  Janeen said sweetly.  "I've met your mother.  She's a fine lady, and I'm sure a great teacher."  Max said with a wink.  "I think so."  Dawn said with a toothy grin.  "It's nice to meet both of you."  Dawn added with another smile.

     "How about some lunch?"  Fletch asked with a pleading grin at Alex's mother.  Janeen laughed and offered them seats, and then walked to the frig and took out leftover noodles and meatballs.  While his wife warmed up the meal, Max questioned the teens about the project.

     "Um, It's a project for English lit.  We have to choose a career and give the pros and cons of it."  Alex said simply.  "What career did you all choose?"  His father asked.  "Criminal Justice."  Alex answered.  By the look on his dad's face, he didn't think his father believed him.  "When is it due?"  Max asked with a smirk.  "Actually, we four are the only ones who know about it yet."  Dawn said with a smile.  "Mom's giving the assignment next week."

     "She's telling the rest of the class on Monday, and everyone will have two weeks to complete it.  So we're only getting a slight jump on the others."  She said sheepishly.  Max grinned at her.  "She did say the other kids could have a couple extra days to finish their projects, to make it fair."  The boys were grinning widely now, and Alex stifled a sigh.

     "Well, I think you're a good influence on these three," he said nodding at Alex, Fletch and Lee.  Dawn said a quiet "Thank you" at the compliment.  Janeen served the food and the boys dug in, while casting admiring glances at Dawn.

     Janeen asked Dawn questions about her family, her goals in life, any sports she was involved and anything else she could think of.  Alex kept his mouth full of food, so his mother couldn't asked his opinion on anything.  He couldn't wait until lunch was over and the four of them could be on their way.  He didn't like the way his mother's eyes kept flitting between Dawn and himself, with a big smile on her face.

     As soon as their plates were cleared, Alex stood up and grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair.  "Well, we'd better be off."  The other three pushed away from the table and headed for the door.  "It was really nice to meet you...." Dawn barely got out, when Fletch and Lee called, "Thanks for lunch!" as out the door they all went.

     Max and Janeen just stared at each other for a moment not saying anything.  Then they burst out laughing.  They laughed for a few minutes, then Max said, "I've never seen Alex so anxious to get out of this house," he said, still chuckling.  "Dawn's a pretty girl."  Janeen said with a giggle.  "Smart too.  I just hope he doesn't get his heart broken."

     "Do you think this project is a farce then?"  Janeen asked with an eyebrow raised.  "Oh.  I think there's a project as far as Dawn, Fletch and Lee are concerned.  But I think the main project for Alex is Dawn."  Max said with a chuckle.  Janeen gave him a scandalous look and swatted him with her dish towel.