Book 2-Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

Alex Bishop in Follow That Mystery

                                                                                        Chapter 55

                                                                               Timing is Everything

     "Now what do we do?"  Ben asked, punching Jed's arm.  Jed was great when it came to defending himself and his friends against two unarmed teenagers, but a man with a gun was another story.  So he looked back at Alex, "What do you think oh fearless leader?"  Alex had been peeking around the tower to see what the guy in the black S.U.V. was doing.  The man hadn't made a move to get out of the vehicle, which Alex found strange.

     Even stranger than that was that Larry and Will hadn't come running out of the shack when they had no doubt, in Alex's mind, seen the black van pull up.  Before Alex could answer Jed's question, Dawn put in, "I don't know what you all are going to do, but I'm gonna pray that Detective Burns gets here and fast."  "Me too," Glenna and Anna agreed.  in the next moment Alex could hear each of them whispering a prayer as he started to answer Jed's question.

     "Well, the door of the tower is just a few feet from where we're standing," Alex said.  "The guy in the van can't see it from here.  "I say us guys go up there and subdue Larry and Will.  I happen to know that the Parks' Department didn't take the inside door lock off."  "Sounds like a plan to me," Jed agreed.  The other guys agreed, even Fletch, when he found out they could lock themselves in.

     Just then Glenna's cell buzzed in her jean pocket.  Everyone gaped at her.  "You guys go.  You can't waste any time," she told them.  So Alex nodded and he and the other detectives opened the door and then locking it behind them.  Glenna, Dawn and Anna raced behind the tower and kept running until they were almost to the falls, so Glenna wouldn't be overheard.

     "Detective Burns!  Where are you!" she gasped out after running all that way.  "I'm stuck at a train and the traffic is backed up behind me," the detective said.  Glenna could hear the train racing down the tracks as he spoke.  She proceeded to tell the detective what was happening.  When she was through Detective Burns nearly shouted, "They did what?"

     "If I had hair it would be all gray because of you North Side Detectives.  But that's a rant for another time.  Where are you girls?"  "We're down by the falls behind the tower.  It's a good ways.  "Well,...."Detective Burns started, and then interrupting himself uttered, "Oh thank God the train just passed, and I and my guys are first in line.  Stay where you are.  I will be there in five minutes."

     Glenna rang off and immediately Dawn said, "Well?"  He'll be here in five minutes.  He'd been at the train crossing where three very long locomotives went by.  He had a line of cars behind him and couldn't turn around to go another way.  He said to stay where we are.  Dawn and Anna looked at each other then at Glenna.  "I will go nuts if we stay here." Dawn said.  "So will I," Anna agreed.  Glenna sighed and then said, "Me too.  Well," she breathed out as the girls started to race back to the tower,  "Detective Burns is used to us not taking orders by now."

     The girls arrived at the rear of the tower just as sirens were heard very close by.  The black S.U.V. started to pull out of the drive but found his way blocked by one of Detective Burns' officers, and within a couple of minutes that officer had the driver, who was dressed all in black in hand cuffs and sitting in his cruiser.

     Dawn, Glenna and Anna came out from around the tower to meet Detective Burns running up to the door.  He gave the girls a stern look, but then tried the door handle.  "The boys locked it from the inside," Anna told him.  Before he could respond he heard a click and Alex came through the door along with the other guys, Jed strong arming Will Kidd and Stan holding Larry Arnold's hands behind his back; Chet, Lee, Fletch and Ben following them out.