Book 2-Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

     Alex, Lee and Glenna roared with laughter at Mr. Wells' last words.  The laughing seem to break the tension in the room.  And Alex was glad for it.  He didn't know how yet, but he somehow knew that Fletch, Lee and Glenna were going to be friends again eventually.  "I just remembered,"  Glenna started, "our relationship problems wasn't the reason we came over."

     "And just what was the reason?"  Mr. Wells asked.   "We came over to ask you if you had any info about your breaks," Glenna said seriously.  "They were cut,"  Mr. Wells answered.  The teens weren't surprised.  "I called Detective Burns and told him that I suspected Mr. Clouse of tampering with them.  And that I also believed he was behind the falling chandelier, and I told him my reasons for my suspicions."

     "I also told him that you all, including Dawn and Fletch of course, had figured the whole thing out;  but would he please keep your names out of the papers."  "And I'm sure he readily agreed to that,"  Alex said with a smirk.  Mr. Wells chuckled.  "Of course he did."  "That's good.  It wouldn't be much fun investigating without...." Lee stopped short.  "You can say it Lee,"  Alex said,  "Without Fletch."

     Suddenly Alex remembered his and Lee's secret and decided to tell it now.  "By the way Mr. Wells, Lee and I think that Mr. Clouse is the "Phantom."  "That wouldn't surprise me one bit,"  Mr. Wells told him.  "I'm sure if it's true  Detective Burns will get it out of him.  "Well.  Let's raise our cups to another job well done by the North Side Detectives!"  Mr. Wells said, tipping his cup.

     The three friends decided to visit Mrs. Books after leaving Mr. Wells house.  Alex told the other two that Fletch was coming to dinner that night and also staying over.  So if they wanted to see Mrs. Books together they would have to do it before four o'clock.  Lee and Glenna agreed and said they probably wouldn't stay any longer than a half an hour anyway.

     Alex borrowed Glenna's cell and called his mother to let her know where he would be, then  Lee drove over to the hospital while the three of them chatted cheerfully.  When they arrived they took the elevator to the fourth floor and down the hallway to Mrs. Books room.  They were all glad to see that she was sitting up in bed, reading the newspaper.

     "Well hi there!  Here's my favorite medicine," she said beaming at them.  They all took turns hugging her and Glenna had tears in her eyes when she broke away from the kind old lady.  "I heard that you all had some excitement too," she said.  "How did you know that?"  Glenna asked in surprise.  "Otis told me today.  And it's a good thing too, because the trouble at the school naturally made the front page," she said, holding it up so they could see the photo of the fallen chandelier on the stage.  Glenna grimaced when she saw it.  A long article accompanied the picture.

     Alex told Mrs. Books about their conversation with Mr. Wells involving Mr. Clouse.  When he was through, Mrs. Books heaved a sigh and said she was thankful that the police were closing in on him.  Glenna told her about she and Lee's new romance and that Fletch was dealing with it.  And she felt that everything would be okay between them all eventually.

     "Of course it will dear.  These things happen.  It's all a part of growing up,"  she said with a reassuring smile.  The teens stayed for about a half an hour.   Mrs. Books told them that was fine when they announced it was time to leave.  She said the medicine they were giving her made her sleepy.  Glenna hugged and gave her a kiss and Alex kissed her hand and Mrs. Books blushed red.  Lee hugged her too before they left.

     Mrs. Books would be released in a couple of days and Alex promised they would come and see her then.  Alex hoped that there would be five of them visiting the next time.  Lee dropped Alex off at 4:45 and drove away with Glenna waving out the window.  Alex smiled and waved them off and then started up the front steps.  He could smell his mother's delicious dinner cooking before he even opened the door.  "He gave an dramatic sniff when he reached the edge of the kitchen and said grinning, "Roast duck?"

     Lyn, who was slouching in her favorite chair by the fire place, her legs over the arm as usual, Laughed at her brother's joke.  His mother laughed too but still swatted him with the dish towel she was holding.  "Are you ever going to let me forget about that?"  she asked.  Janeen had fixed Roast duck for Alex and his ex-girlfriend Kelly Conner a couple years before much to Alex's embarrassment.

     Alex feigned thinking hard on his mom's question.  Then he replied, "Probably not," Alex said with a smirk.  "Well I'm glad to see you're looking better than when you left here," his mother told him.   "Hi son," Max said, striding into the kitchen and tweaking one of Lyn's big toes as he went.  "Dinner is served!"  Janeen announced setting the last of the food on the table.

     Lyn ran in from the living room and took her place and everyone else sat down one after the other, Janeen being the last one to take her seat.  "Hi Dad,"  Alex said, reaching for a roll.  "listen.  I've got some news," Janeen said, passing around the rest of the biscuits.  "So have I," Alex said, taking a pork chop.

     "What now?"  Janeen ask with a worried look.  "No Mom.  It's not horrible,"  Alex said in a soothing voice.  His mother breathed a sigh of relief.  The Lerner theater thing had really unnerved her.  Max had told Alex she had, had nightmares about it.  "Well, you just came from seeing Mrs. Books, and I thought...."  "No Mom she's fine. In fact she's coming home in a couple of days," Alex said.

     "So what's the news then?"  Lyn asked taking a bite of her potato.  "Glenna and Fletch broke up,"  Alex tried to say it as casually as he could.  "Oh.  Well these things happen."  Janeen said, just as casually as Mrs. Books had said the same thing.  "Yeah.  And if you want to hear more, I've got to talk fast because Fletch will be here any moment."

     Max and Janeen waited patiently for the rest.  "Glenna and Lee are dating now," Alex burst out.  Janeen raised an eyebrow and Max suppressed a grin.  "How does Fletch feel about all this?"  his mother asked ladling peas on her plate.  "Well, he's pretty broke up about it.  But the three of them are still friends,"  Alex answered.  "That's good," his mother said simply.  "That's too bad," Lyndell put in, "they were such a cute couple."

    Alex was surprised that the only one who seemed in the least bit upset by this was his little sister.  So he faced both his parents and said, "Why aren't you two in the least bit upset by this?  Fletch and Glenna have been going together since 7th grade," Alex asked them.  "Because we've been through all this," his father said, smiling at his wife.

     "Well as normal as you say this situation is, you Mom had a fit when Dawn chose Chet over me to take to that dance,"  Alex challenge her.  Janeen grinned at him.  "Well that was different," she said.  "How?" Alex asked, his hazel eyes narrowed.  "Because you are her son," his father Max said with a chuckle.