Book 2-Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

Continue Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

     After lunch Alex and Chet set off to their Spanish class.  Mr. Gonzales was of Spanish descent.  He was a short man with dark hair and eyes, athletic and very jovial.  He told the class jokes in Spanish and then translated them to English.  The students spent most of this day's hour translating words from English to Spanish on a work sheet to be handed in at the end of class.  Mr. Gonzales did give the class homework, but Spanish came very easy to Alex and he thought he could get it done in study hall.

     Alex was working on his Spanish homework in study period when Kelly Conner, his ex-girlfriend walked past his table.  She smiled at him and he gave her a small smile back.  Dawn noticed the exchange.  "You two are no longer...."  "No," Alex said before she could finish her sentence.  Hearing the irritation in Alex's voice, Dawn changed the subject.

     "When do you and Fletch get done with basketball practice?"  Dawn asked of Alex.  But it was Fletch that answered, "Five o'clock."  "And you with football Lee?"  Dawn said, staring at him.  "I don't have practice until tomorrow."  Lee answered, raising a brow, wondering why Dawn was suddenly so interested in he, Alex and Fletch's sports schedules.

     "Why do you care Dawn?"  Lee asked her incredulous.  Dawn glared at him.  "Well, it's just with you guys having practices nearly every night we won't be able to see Mr. Wells to ask him about Mr. Clouse saying he's a friend of his, until the weekend,"  Dawn said very fast and in an irritated voice.  Just then the bell rang.  "And I don't want to wait that long,"  Dawn ended.

     "Alex, why don't you call Mr. Wells tonight and ask him if he is friends with Mr. Clouse and then call the rest of us,"  Dawn said, putting her books into her bag.  Lee rolled his eyes, Fletch smirked at her and Alex just said, "Okay."  He was going to do just that anyway.  He thought Dawn was present when he said it.  But he had always thought that Dawn's mind was always going in a million directions, and it must be hard to remember everything someone had told her.

     Basketball practice consisted of Max, Alex's dad, handing out uniforms and setting positions.  The team then did exercises and Played a game of basketball, so Max could size up the strengths and weaknesses of his team members.  Alex made "Center" and Fletch was the team's "Right Guard."  Lee hung around and watched his friends practice, and of course heckled them at every opportunity.  When practice was over Max gave Lee and Fletch a ride home.

     "Janeen!  Honey!  I'm starving!"  Max said as soon as he came through the front door.  Lyn was sitting in the chair by the fireplace, and waved, interrupting her homework, to wave at Alex and her father.  Max bent down to place a kiss on her cheek, and Alex grinned at her.  "How was your day?"  Max asked her.  "It was cool,"  she said, brushing a long blond tress off of her face.  "A lady of few words,"  Alex said, grabbing her big toe.

     "Funny,"  Lyn said drolly, "You aught to be a comedian," she said without looking up from her book.  Alex's answer was a chuckle.  "I met a very nice boy today,"  Lyn said, just her brown eyes showing over the top of her English book.  Mas and Alex stopped in their tracks.  "You're only eleven years old,"  Alex said, beating his father to the punch.

     "So,"  Lyn said, barely taking her eyes off the book she was reading.  "What's his name?"  her father asked politely.  "Johnathan," she said simply.  "Does he have a last name?"  Max asked, trying not to laugh, ahead of the smart answer he felt he was going to get.  But Alex spoke before his sister did, "Is it Johnathon the Hero or Johnathan the Mighty, or....?"

     But Lyndell interrupted him, "You two should take this show on the road," she said blandly, and still not looking up at either of them.  Max snickered softly.  "It's Lacy,"  Lyn said unexpectedly, and casually turning a page.  "Lacy?  What kind of...."  "Dinner's ready!"  Janeen called, interrupting what Alex was going to say.

     Lyn got up from the chair and walked into the kitchen with a big smirk on her pretty face.  Alex pulled on his father's shirt sleeve to make him stop.  "I say we lock her in a closet now!"  Max broke into a fit of laughter.  Lyndell clammed up at dinner as far as conversation about Johnathan was concerned.

     After asking questions about him and getting nothing but smug smiles, Max and Alex decided to forget the subject for the present time.  "How was your first day at high school Alex?" his mother asked him.  "It was fine," Alex said casually, preferring to eat his dinner than answer questions.  "Alex!  If you don't slow down you're going to have a stomach ache!"  Janeen said with a stern look at him.

     "leave the boy alone Janeen.  Basketball takes a lot out of a guy."  Alex gave his dad a grin.  Alex's mother didn't say anymore but gave Max an annoyed look.  Just as soon Alex was through he said, "Good dinner Mom," and ran off to his room and locked his door behind him so as not to be disturbed and sat down on his bed, took out his cell and called Mr. Wells.

     "Hi Alex," came Mr. Well's deep voice.  "How was your first day of high school?"  "Pretty good.  How was your first day?"  Alex asked.  "Not bad.  I did miss my five favorite faces.  But I've got some good kids this year."   "That's good.  Hey, I have a question for you,"  Alex said a little hesitantly.  He knew how Mr. Wells guarded his privacy.

     So he was glad when Mr. Wells said, "Shoot."  "Well, we all have this geometry teacher by the name of Donald Clouse.  And he told us...."  And Alex related what Mr. Clouse had said during class that day.  "Alex.  Mr. Donald Clouse is not a friend of mine.  I can't imagine why he would say that.  He was a witness for the prosecution at my trail."