Book 2-Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

Continue Alex Bishop in Follow that Mystery

                                                                                         Chapter 2

                                                                            Introducing Mr. Clouse

     So now here the friends sat at the picnic table in the park discussing whether "The Phantom" was a case to be investigated.  Alex had listened to his friends conversation for about fifteen minutes when his mind began to wander.  He was happy that it was just the five of them again. He wasn't happy that  the break-up of he and his ninth grade girlfriend Kelly Conner, and the ending of Lee's relationship with the beautiful but self-indulgent Elizabeth Flowers had cause hurt feelings.

     Dawn was still dating her boyfriend Chet who wasn't at all interested in joining the North Side Detectives, but didn't care that Dawn was involved with the group.  Alex had wished that he and Kelly could have remained friends but that was not meant to be.  But although she was now dating Fletch's brother Sam, it didn't affect Alex's good relationship with him.

     Sam and Matt, Fletch's twin brothers were now in their second year of high school, along with their friend Nick Crosby.  The boys weren't part of the North Side Detectives either, but they had helped out with "The Tower" mystery case, only because they had some time on their hands.  An amused look appeared on Alex's face as he thought about the twins.  Twins, he thought that didn't look anything alike. 

     From some place far away it seemed, Alex heard, "Alex!  Are you with us?"  Dawn asked him, nudging his arm, while the wind blew a tress of her honey blond hair across her face.  Alex turned and blinked at her.  "Yeah, I guess.  I just spaced out for a bit."  Lee laughed.  "That happens to me all the time."  Alex grinned at him.

     "Before I zoned out Lee, you said you didn't want to investigate the phantom.  But correct me if I'm wrong, you have been the one of us who's been chomping at the bit for a case to solve.  Lee didn't answer right away, he just continued to lie on his soft patch of grass with his lanky legs crossed at the ankles and his hands behind his head.  His dark fringe was covering his face and Alex wondered if he had fallen asleep.

     "Lee!"  Alex hollered.  "What?  Huh?"  Lee mumbled.  "Are we keeping you up?"  Glenna asked with a giggle.  "Sorry guys, I must've dozed off."  Lee said sitting up quickly and brushing his hair out of his face.  "What?"  He asked again.  Alex shook his head in amusement.  "I asked what you thought about investigating this "Phantom" thing."

     "Oh...."  Lee yawned widely.  "I know I was the one who was anxious for another mystery to solve, but then I got to thinking, we have school, and some of us have sports too this year....but I suppose if we get an unexpected lead or something...."  Lee trailed off.  While Lee had been the one craving for a mystery to solve, Alex had been encouraging the rest of the group to take some more time off from the detective biz.

     But since the appearance of the "Phantom" he was chomping at the bit to get to the bottom of it.   Dawn looked at Alex's disappointed face, gave him a small smile and said, "We can visit the theater, maybe once a week to see if the phantom makes another appearance."  Alex appreciated her effort to make him feel better and grinned at her.

     "Yeah, we can.  And Lee's right about the work load this year and the football practices and games."  Alex admitted, putting his spiral notebook back under his bulky sweat shirt.  (all the boys kept their spirals tucked up under their sweat shirts so their parents wouldn't ask them why they had them just to hang out with their friends.)