Book 2-Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

     Detective Burns called Alex the next day and said he'd met with the lab people and they had marked the items he'd given them to be tested as 1st priority, including Dave's lighter for comparison of prints.  He said he was going to interview the mechanic that day and asked the teens if they'd like to go along.  Alex gave him a, "Uh yeah!"

     Alex hoped that the blue skies and the gentle breezes were a sign from God of good things to come, as he and his friends set off that morning to meet with Detective Burns at the only coffee shop in town, situated on Main Street.  Six teas and one coffee cup later, the group set off up the street to the garage.

    Two young mechanics were sitting on a weather beaten bench just outside the garage door drinking can sodas.  Detective Burns asked them if the owner Lester was in?  One of the boys  pointed lazily to the office behind him.  The detective grunted a "Thanks," and led the way in.  Lester was slumped down in a bedraggled chair behind a grubby desk.

     His skinny arms were crossed over his chest, his head resting on a dirty throw pillow against the back of his chair.  And his lanky legs were bent at the knee with his heels resting on the edge of the desk.  Alex had to control a chuckle aching to get out, as he surveyed the old man with his wispy white hair, his spectacles perched on the end of his long crooked nose, and his liver spotted face, that made him look like a tall skinny gnome.

    "Slow day?"  Detective Burns asked with a chuckle in his voice while the boys snickered.  "Lester!"  the detective called loudly.  "You have company!  Get up!"  Lester spit and sputtered and flailed his arms as if to fly away.  As he struggled to sit up his glasses fell to the floor.  Detective Burns reached down and picked them up and handed the specks back to their owner.

     The old man laid them on the desk, sat up and began rubbing his eyes with his bony knuckles, looking like a child just waking from sleep.  In a few moments he put his specks back on, gave out a phlegmy cough, which made the girls grimace, then blinked rapidly a few times and finally focused on Detective Burns.

     Suddenly Lester's face broke out in a toothless smile.  "Brian!  I haven't seen you in ages," the old man said and then stretching out a trembling veined hand for the detective to shake.  Detective Burns turned to the group of teens and whispered, "He just saw me last week."  Alex and the others had to try hard not to laugh.

     "Lester," the detective said, letting go of his hand, "I need to go over your work files from five years back," Detective Burns said loudly and clearly.  "Oh sure Brian, anything for you,"  Lester said in his low scratchy voice.  "I keep them in the file cabinet there in the garage.  I don't remember what drawer though."

     "That's okay Lester I'll find them. Thanks for the help.  You can go back to sleep now," the detective told him.  Lester grinned his toothless grin, nodded his head and lay back on his throw pillow which Alex just then noticed was pinned to the chair.  "He's so old and frail," Dawn said on their way out to the garage, "What if those two guys out there decided to rob him.  It wouldn't be difficult with Lester sleeping all day long."

     "I doubt that, Detective Burns said, "Those two boys are Lester's grandsons."  Everyone laughed including Dawn.  They reached the cabinet and Detective Burns immediately started going through the files.  Someone other than Lester was responsible for keeping the files organized and whoever it was, was doing a great job, because Detective Burns found the very thick Clinton file within moments.

     "Here it is!" he said, putting it under his jacket.  Alex raised a brow at him.  "What?  Don't you pretend you've never done this Alex Bishop.  Alex cringed remembering, for back in seventh grade Alex and the North Side Detectives had stolen files from the offices of North Side Middle  school to prove Mr. Wells innocent of a crime he didn't commit.  The files were returned later on.

     "Besides I do have permission from the police chief to take these temporarily,"  Detective Burns told him.  "And you should know that I've reformed and don't do that kind of thing anymore,"  Alex said, his jaw set and his mouth in a hard line.  "I was just joking Alex.  Don't have a cow," the detective said with a chuckle.  "Well okay then," Alex said with a smirk at him.

     When everyone arrived back at the cabin again they were greeted by Anna's parents.  Detective burns told Peg and Andrew that he had the Clinton file from the garage and that now was as good a time as any to go through it together.  So Peg ran to get coffee for Detective Burns and her husband and soft drinks for Anna and her friends, while the others sat down on the sofas and then waited for Peg to be seated, so Detective Burns could get on with it and open  Dave's file which was of importance to all of them.

     When everyone was seated and had their drinks Detective Burns said, "Let's see what we've got here," as he opened the very thick file.  "Wow!" Dawn said, "Mr. Clinton must have had all his car business done in the little garage here in town," she said as the detective flipped through the many work orders.

     "Yep.  Mr. Clinton patronized every business in town, spent a lot of money in each place and left big tips when it was warranted, so he count on people for favors when he needed them,"  Detective Burns said wisely.  Dawn gave the file with the Clinton name on it a disgusted look.  After going over several work orders the detective shook his head and gave out a low growl as he closed the file.

     "What's wrong?"  Alex asked, bothered by the fact that Detective Burns hadn't taken more time to look through the papers.  The detective held up his index finger, telling Alex to wait a moment, then he said, "I think this is going to be a difficult case to prove."  "Well, we sorta knew that because of Mr. Clinton's hold on this town," Anna said, "But why do you say that now?" she asked him.

     "The police report said that Sandra died on the third of June, correct?" the detective asked Anna and her parents.  They all nodded in response.  "Well, there are no work orders dating from June fourth to June tenth of that year," he said, putting his head in his hands.  "So, were these work orders misplaced?" Lee asked.  "Or stolen," Nick suggested.  "Maybe Dave took his car to another garage since he was so well known in this town," Glenna said.

     "Or.... just Dave's work order was taken, and it was a slow week which is why there are no other work orders for the other days in question," Chet said.   Detective Burns scratch his chin and said, "I think Chet may be correct," the detective said gruffly.  "And you all saw Lester.  He's going to be no help to us as far as why there are no work orders for that week," the detective ended.

     "His grandsons are in their early twenties, wouldn't you say?"  Alex asked Detective Burns.  "Yeah.  Something like that, why?"  "So they couldn't have been working in the garage five years ago, they wouldn't have had the experience,"  Alex said with a wondering look on his face and thumping his fingers on his chin.

     "Your point?"  Lee asked inclining his head.  "Lester was still too old five years ago to do the repair work so he must have had help."  Alex turned his head to Detective Burns and then Lee, raising his eye brows, his fingers still on his chin.  "You're right Alex!"  the detective said grinning at him.  "We need to find out who the mechanic was five years ago."  Sam said. 

     "Exactly!" Dawn squealed.  They should have employee and ex-employee files down at the garage too."  "Well, yeah they should.  But I don't know that I can get another letter from the chief to do that," Detective Burns said.  Then he looked a bit embarrassed, "I was a bit too positive when I met with him that I would find a "clue", if he gave me permission to get these," the detective said waving the folder containing the files in the air.

     "Can any of you come with an idea as to how we can get those files, or at least see them?"  Detective Burns asked, his voice sounding tired.  "Maybe," Fletch said, chewing on his pencil end and looking at the ceiling, with the enlightened expression on face that the others had seen there so many times before.

                                                                                 End of Chapter 9