Book 2-Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

                                                                                      Chapter 38

                                                                       Locker Room Confession

     Detective Burns had no clues, no suspects and no leads to follow in the Computer Caper.  He was very frustrated to say the least.  Although Alex told himself over and over again that he and The North Side Detectives weren't involved in this case for Lee's sake, he was frustrated too at not being part of it.

     The contentment he felt two months ago with the time off-a vacation from crime and crooks had faded away and now in the middle of December he was regretting that he and his friends had decided not to help out in solving this computer mystery, even if Lee had to be left out of it.  But Alex had recently learned that Lee's mother had decided to hold off her decision to move to Ohio until summer break.  Lee was in a better mood since his mother's announcement hoping that his father would be able to convince her to stay put in Elkhart.

     Alex noticed that Fletcher's brother Matt and Sam and their friend Nick were acting rather strangely these days.  They weren't eating lunch in the cafeteria anymore; and Alex did see them as Fletch had said, sneaking around corners and when anyone of them caught Alex watching they would suddenly disappear from sight.

     Alex remembered that Nick, Matt and Sam were part of the group that Detective Burns addressed to keep their eyes and ears open for any suspicious behavior from their classmates and then report it to him.  Alex had told the other North Side Detectives that he thought the three boys were investigating the computer case, and he questioned whether they had the skill to do so.  His friends didn't seem to care if Nick, Matt and Sam were involved or not.

     Nick, Matt and Sam were questioning their detective skills too.  They had figured out how the crooks had been able to steal the equipment and get it out of the school.  But they didn't at present know who the crooks were, or any idea as to how to find out.  No student in the school that they talked to knew anybody who would have done such a thing, or so they said.  If anyone of them did know who the crooks were, they weren't telling.  What the boys needed was a lucky break.

     "It was a Friday afternoon the last week in December when the break came.  Sam, Matt and Nick were getting dressed in the boys' school locker room after their gym class ended; the last class of the day.  The room was crowded with other boys doing the same thing.  "Whew!  It's been a long day," Nick said, drying his wet hair.

     "Yeah," Sam said, "First, that way difficult test in Chem Lab, and then we get to...." and hear he whispered, "wrestle with the beefiest guys in school," he grumbled, pulling on his jeans. "My arms feel like lead," Sam ended.  Matt and Nick snickered.  The room begin to slowly empty out, and in a few minutes only Nick, Sam, Matt and a few students were left in the room.

     Matt was about to say something to his brother Sam when the boys heard low voices coming from the other side of the lockers from where they stood.  Nick put a finger to his lips calling for Matt and Sam to stop talking and listen.  "Two individuals were speaking; one had a husky voice, the other one higher and clearer.

     "When is Ted going to dole out the money?" the boy with the husky voice asked in an irritated tone, "It's been weeks already.  We didn't risk getting caught and going to jail not to get paid for this little caper."  "Just be patient.  We'll get paid," the boy with the high voice assured him.  Nick, Sam and Matt stood with their mouths agape and listening hard.

     "All I know is that Ted's got all that money that he got from selling those computers, and I want my share,"  husky voice said angrily.  Nick, Sam and Matt glanced at each other, their eyes wide.  "Maybe we should say something to him," husky voice said.  "I don't know," the boy with the high voice replied.

     "He hangs around with a bunch of rough characters,"  high voice reminded his partner.  "we might get our heads handed to us-literally."  There was silence for a moment except for the swish of clothing being put on and then the sound of shod footsteps crossing the floor.  "Well let's get going.  We don't want to be late for study hall," the higher voice said.

     Nick motioned for Matt and Sam to follow him.  He led the others around another set of lockers, away from the traveling feet heading to the gym doors.  Nick, Sam and Matt peeked around the corner of the end locker just in time to see the two boys go through the locker room doors.  Unfortunately they only got a glimpse of their backs in shadow.

     "What do you all think of that?"  Sam asked, still amazed by the conversation they had just heard.  "I think that was a bit of luck."  Nick answered.  "But we still don't know who they are," Matt groaned.  "So what do we do now?" he asked as the three of them left the locker room and made their way to study hall.

     "I'll have to have a think on it," Nick said.  "Do either of you know someone name Ted?" he asked Sam and Matt.  The boys faces showed that they were trying to draw a face or name from their minds.  They kept that look as they walked into the cafeteria where study hall was held.  All the seats were filled except at Alex's table.

     The boys glanced at each other with wary looks on their faces, but made their way to the table anyway where Fletch was waving his arm at them.  "You guys are late," Fletch said when they sat down.  "The teacher is too," Nick said, looking at the corner table near the front doors where the overseer of study hall sat.

     Just then, Alex's Spanish teacher Mr. Franks walked in and took the seat in the front corner of the room.  "You guys just made it," Lee said with a chuckle.  "We haven't seen much of you three lately," Dawn told them, in a voice that said, "We've missed you."  "Oh, we've been working on a special project," Nick said, "and it's taken up a good deal of our time.  "That's right," Matt agreed.  Sam just nodded and opened his lit book, hoping no one would ask anymore questions.  Mainly because he, Nick and Matt didn't have the answers.... yet.

                                                                              End of Chapter 38

(Dear Readers,  I know this chapter's a little short.  But I hope you enjoy it anyway.  Thanks for reading my books.  I really appreciate each and every one of you.)