Book 2-Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

                                                                                     Chapter 32

                                                                                       Aftermath

     The North Side Detectives were in the newspapers and on the T.V. news again; along with Fletch's brothers Matt and Sam and their friend Nick Crosby.  Alex, his friends and their families gathered at the Bishop home for cake and coffee, so to hear first hand how Alex, Anna, Dawn, Lee, Glenna and Fletch had captured two of the bad guys, and hear about Matt, Sam and Nick's clever use of a smoke bomb to root out the other two criminals.

     Mr. Wells and Mrs. Books stopped by the Bishop home too.  Mr. Wells told Alex's parents that he just had to see for himself that his former students were well and safe.  After a half an hour or so of telling the adventure at the school,  Alex and his friends escaped to the solitude of the family room.

     "Well I hope the rest of the school year is much less exciting," Anna said with a smirk.  "Me too," Dawn agreed with a shiver, "trouble just seems to find us even when we're not looking for it."  "So we won't ever find you playing hide and seek in a closet, will we Dawn," Fletch said with a snicker.  "Definitely not," she answered.

     "That was just amazing what you, Sam and Nick did,"  Glenna told Matt.  The three of them gave her a grin.  "Yeah," Lee said, clearly impressed, "making a smoke bomb potion when you were in such dangerous circumstances.  Wow!"  "Totally," Alex echoed.  "I mean, building a bomb in a sack with bad guys in the room, toting guns; that takes guts boys,"  Alex praised them.

     "Yeah, I'm even proud of you guys,"  Fletch told his brothers and Nick.  "Oh shucks," Matt said, shuffling his feet on the floor, as if embarrassed by the praise.  "We just did what we had to do," he ended.  "Hey.  It's 9:30 and we have school tomorrow," Anna told the rest.  "We'd better get going."  She got to her feet and planted a kiss on Alex's cheek.

     Everyone agreed and headed to the front door.  Alex's parents and the others told the teens  good bye, as Anna and the rest waved and went out into the night.  Alex walked outside with Anna and stood on the porch for a few moments.  "I didn't know that being your friend would be so exciting," she said with a giggle.  Alex chuckled and said, "Don't get used to it."  "See you in school," he added, as Anna ran to her car.

     Alex then came back into the house, shutting the door behind him.  Shortly after the teens left, the rest of the guests were also on their way home.  We're off to bed," Max and Janeen told their children.  Lyndell stopped in her going off to her room to speak to Alex.  "Do me a favor Bro.  Don't do anything like that again.  I was a nervous wreck until I knew you were alright."  "Trust me sis, I'm not planning on it."  "See you tomorrow Alex," she said, punching his arm.  "Good night," he said with a small wave.

     Alex wondered as he got ready for bed, whether he was, as his mother had once told him, a magnet for disaster.  He climbed into bed beneath his cozy covers and gazed up and out his highly placed window at the twinkling stars.  He contemplated as he looked at the night sky, just how close he had come that day of never seeing those stars again.  Then he shuttered at the thought.

     "Maybe the time had come to give up his sometimes risky adventures.  He paused in his thinking for a moment and then whispered, "Nah."  Then he snuggled down under his covers and grinned his crooked grin.  Just before sleep overtook him a few moments later, he looked to the heavens and said, "Thank you God for your protection for everyone today.  I promise in the future I'll try not to give my guardian angel so much to do.  In Jesus name amen."

     The school was a "Buzz" the next day over Monday's events.  And once again the North Side Detectives and now Fletch's brothers too were in the limelight.  Just where none of them wanted to be.  Everywhere the group went that day, their classmates asked them to tell their daring tales.

     After being badgered all morning with questions, Lee finally snapped and told a group of his classmates, "To get a life," while stomping off to the lunch room, dragging Glenna along with him.  He had left the students stunned and gaping after him.  Dawn, Fletch, Alex and Anna were waiting for Lee and Glenna at the cafeteria doors.

     Lee was already feeling guilty for his angry comment to his fellow students.  He made a mental note to get in touch with them later and apologize.  After all he thought, it wasn't their fault that he had been hounded by hordes of other classmates that morning to tell them his story.

     Just as the friends were ready to enter the cafeteria Matt, Sam and Nick strolled up to where they all were standing.  "Hey!" Alex, Dawn, Lee, Fletch, Anna and Glenna chimed.  "So you've had enough of all the questions, huh Lee?"  Matt asked him.  "You saw?"  Lee asked, embarrassed.  "Yeah," Sam answered him.  "Lee's right though. It's all been just too much," Alex said with a scowl.

     "Tell me about it," Sam agreed.  "I don't how you all, have put up with the badgering all these years," Nick groaned.  "It's usually not this bad," Alex told him.  "Come on.  Let's go to lunch," Fletch said, his stomach growling. "We can talk there."  After getting their food the teens took their usual table in the back of the massive room.

     Fletch was just taking a bite of his cheese burger when the loudspeaker on the wall squawked.  "ATTENTION PLEASE!"  "What now?" Fletch said testily.  "It better not be a fire drill."  His friends laughed heartily.  "EVERYONE PLEASE REMAIN WHERE YOU ARE!  COMPUTER STUDENTS PLEASE MOVE QUICKLY TO THE CAFETERIA!  LUNCH WILL BE EXTENDED FOR THIRTY MINUTES!"

     "Terrific!" Fletch said, taking another big bite of his burger.  The the P.A. system wasn't through with it's announcement.  "THERE IS A SMALL FIRE IN THE COMPUTER ROOM!"  No one had time to comment before sirens were heard outside.  "Maybe we should all transfer to another school," Lee suggested, rolling his eyes.

    The speaker went off again, "PLEASE REMAIN CALM.  THE FIREMAN ARE HERE AND WILL SOON HAVE THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND HAVE A NICE DAY!"  "Is she kidding?"  Nick said with a chuckle.  "Do you suppose there's a short in the wiring somewhere?"  Alex asked.  He got a lot of shrugs and "I don't knows" as an answer.

     "Hey!  We have Computer class fifth hour," Fletch said.  "That's right," Dawn agreed.  I wonder if it will be cancelled."  Just then another announcement came over the P.A. system.  "FIFTH AND SIXTH COMPUTER CLASSES ARE CANCELLED FOR THE DAY.  THOSE STUDENTS WILL GO TO STUDY HALL!"  "Thank you," Dawn told the speaker on the wall.  Everyone laughed loudly.

     "Oh goody," Lee said, "I've always wanted a couple of hours of study hall," he ended with a growl.  Alex snickered, raised one brow and then said, "You know Lee, I don't think you have to worry about anyone approaching you anymore and asking questions given that surly attitude of yours."  "Very funny Alex.  Ha. Ha."  Lee said, grabbing up his drink cup and squeezing it too hard and then watching the contents spill onto the floor while his friends roared with laughter.

                                                                           End of Chapter 25