Book 2-Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

                                                                                     Chapter 10

                                                                                        "Bert"

     After Fletch having said, that he had an idea of how to find out the info in the employee files, Alex asked, "What is it?"  "Well, I was just thinking that Lester's two grandsons are around the age that Sandra would be now,"  Anna's mother gave a little sniff.  "Sorry Mrs. Roberts," Fletch said.  "It's alright Fletch.  I knew if we pursued this  I would hear things that would be difficult for me," she said sniffing again.

     "Well, I thought we could ask the guys if we could just take a peek at the employee cards.  If they knew Sandra, maybe they would  be inclined to do that." Fletch ended.  "It's worth a try isn't it Alex?"  Anna ask.  "Yes it is." Alex agreed.  "Shall we go now?" Dawn ask.  "I have to use the rest room first," Alex said, taking off down the hall.

     Everyone else piled into Lee's van to wait for him.  He came back down the hall within a few minutes and Mr. Roberts was waiting at the end.  He put a hand on Alex's shoulder and said, "I admire your passion Alex.  I just want you to know that you and your friends have kept our spirits up as we go through this difficult time."  "Thank you Mr. Roberts.  I promise we will do our best to find the truth."

     The two young mechanics were still sitting on the bench, each eating a bag of chips this time. when Alex and his friends arrived at the garage.  Dawn and Glenna had to stifle a giggle upon seeing them.   Alex looked in the window and saw that Lester was still fast asleep in his chair.  "Things don't change much around here, do they?"  Dawn and Glenna didn't hold in their giggles in this time.

     As the group approached the young men Alex noticed something he hadn't the first time.  The tallest and thinnest of the two looked like he could be one of Fletch's relatives with his strawberry blond hair, big blue eyes and freckles all over his face and arms.  The other boy was shorter, dark headed and brown eyed, and had a brooding look about him.

     "Hey!," Alex said in a friendly way.  "Hey!" the boys chimed.  Alex began to tell them briefly about Sandra's death and why he and his friends were there.  He introduced Anna as Sandra's sister and then the others with him.  The boys said they were Ray and Rob, the red head being Ray.  "So you see, we don't want to take the files with us, we just want to know who the employee was that worked from June 4th through the 10th five years ago," Alex ended earnestly.

     The boys, Ray and Rob glanced at each other for a moment, then looked back at Alex and then finally at Anna, and Rob said, "We knew your sister.  She was a nice girl.  We never believed she committed suicide.  We never saw her depressed; she was always such a happy person, and we saw her a lot."  "Yeah. we went to school with her for a year before our family moved to Vandalia," Ray put in.

     "Now, that Dave Clinton was bad news," Ray continued, "she deserved better than him.  And you can look at all the files you like,"  he said firmly and nodding at Alex for emphasis.  Alex and the rest thanked the boys and Dawn then took out her smaller notebook, ( which looked a lot like the one that Detective Burns used) and had pen poised to write as Alex flipped through the file folders.

     After a few minutes, Alex gave out a whoop! and pulled out an index card.  Dawn copied down the information, and Alex put the card back where he'd found it.  On the way out of the garage Alex and his detectives thank the two young men again.  "We hope you solve the case,"  Rob said sincerely.  "Please let us know how it all comes out," Ray told them.  "I promise you, we will," Alex assured them.  Then they all piled into the van and headed back to the cabin.