Alex Bishop and The Elusive Dorian Brown

                                                                                        Chapter 27

                                                                                       Life Happens                                                                                            

     Mr. Wells arrived in a matter of minutes after Alex's Mom and Dad left.  He called out Alex's name and heard, "We're in the Family Room!"  Mr. Wells made his way down the hallway and into the den.  "Hey Mr. Wells!" Alex and some of the others greeted him.  "How are you all doing?"  Mr. Wells asked taking a seat in an arm chair across from where the others were sitting on the sofas.

     Alex didn't hedge, but said as soon as Mr. Wells was seated, "Something has come to our attention.... that you need to know about."  "Oh boy, what now?"  Mr. Wells asked, his eyes darting from face to face.  So Alex wasted no time in telling him of his conversation with Professor Tibbs and her so called secret and how he didn't think that's what she had intended to tell him.  

     Then Annie, Haley and Amanda told Mr. Wells what Miss Tibbs had said about not missing graduation no matter what else was going on in her life.  And that the group had all agreed that, that was the secret she was going to tell Alex, but thought better of it.  When Alex and the others were done,  Alex wondered how Mr. Wells could have such a calm look on his face after what he had just been told.

     "Well, first of all," Mr. Wells begin, "I agree that the relationship between Emily and I isn't any secret.  And I have no doubt that Miss Tibbs doesn't want to miss your graduation.  However, I must tell you that I don't think she would defy the F.B.I. thus putting her life in danger....to go to your graduation; even though she cares about you all quite a bit.  I think she was just letting you all know how badly she wants to be there."

     "I have discovered that our Miss Tibbs can be quite dramatic at times," Mr. Wells ended with a chuckle.  Alex and the others looked around at each other with stunned looks, wondering how he could be taking their opinions so lightly.  But Alex decided to let the topic go for now, rehash it with his friends at another time.  

     Suddenly Alex's cell rang.  He picked it from his jean pocket and answered.  "Hello."  he said.  "Hello Alex.  Agent Brady here.  Is Mr. Wells with you?" he asked.  "Yes he is," Alex told him.  "Then you might want to put me on Speaker."  "Ok.  We can all hear you.  The gangs all here that is."  "Miss Tibbs is being moved to the safe house as we speak," the agent said bluntly.

     "I thought you were waiting until Emily was well of her injuries before you moved her,"  Mr. Wells said, suddenly anxious.  "Something happened that made it necessary to move her immediately."  "What was that?"  Mr. Wells asked in a tense voice.  "Three of my guys saw two men dressed in Jeans and hoodies get out of a black van, parked in the hospital lot just shortly after you all left the hospital today. One of the agents saw a holster in the coat pocket of one of the men as they exited the car."

     Nearly everyone in the room gasped at the agent's words.  " Fortunately, my men took them down before they knew what happened," (everybody now breathed a sigh of relief) "but I felt sure this would not  be the end, of one or more of Dorian's gang trying to get to Miss Tibbs."  "So I talked with our Chief and he ordered her to be taken to the safe house immediately."    

     I am sorry you all didn't get to say goodbye.  But this way, I really believe all of you will be able to tell her "Hello" again.  No one could think of anything to say to that.  In a few moments though Mr. Wells said, "Of course there will there be a nurse or some medical person taking care of her where she's going?"  

     "Yes Mr. Wells.  Don't worry.  We have that covered.  Her medical staff is at the safe house now."  "I would be remiss," Mr. Wells said, "if I didn't thank you for taking such good care of her," he told  told the agent.  Everyone else quickly echoed their "Thank You."  "You are all welcome," Agent Brady told them.  "I'm hoping we can get information from these men telling us where Dorian Brown is hold up." Then anticipating his audience's next question, he added, "I promise to keep you all informed."

     "I've got to go now," Agent Brady said, "I've got some interrogating to do."  Everyone called a goodbye and Alex rang off.  "So sorry Mr. Wells that you didn't get to say goodbye," Christian said.  "I wish I could have been able to do that too.  But keeping her safe is the most important thing.  I suppose you all will be on your way home tomorrow," Mr. Wells said.

     "Yes.  We have a flight out tomorrow morning at eight am," Alex told him.  Just then the front door opened and Alex's parents came in with Janeen calling, "We're home!"  Alex, Mr. Wells and the others hurried into the living room to tell them Agent Brady's news.  When Mr. Wells was done telling them about Miss Tibbs swift departure to the safe house, Max and Janeen were stunned into silence for a few moments.

     Then Janeen finally said, "So sorry you all didn't get to say goodbye.  But I'm sure Emily will be safer where she is now."  Everyone agreed she was right.  "Do we still want to go to dinner?"  Max asked the group.  everybody gave each other a brief look and a nod, then Alex said, "Yeah.  It will be a while until we're all together again."

     "So the friends, half of them getting into Max and Janeen's car and the others in Mr. Wells' Jeep drove off to the restaurant in the Buckland Hotel.  The dinner was more subdued than it would have have been, had they not received Agent Brady's news that evening.  But everyone managed to enjoy the time they had together.

     Mr. Wells, Alex's parents and Lyn accompanied Alex, Haley, Amanda, Christian and Annie to the airport to see them off.  "Keep in touch," Alex told Mr. Wells.  "I will," he said with a smile at him.  After many hugs and Goodbyes Alex, and his friends boarded their plane for their trip back to Tennessee.  A couple of hours later, Anthony and Grace were there to greet them when they landed at the Nashville Airport.

     Alex and the others filled their friends in, on what had happened regarding Miss Tibbs on the way to their college home.  "Thank God the F.B.I. have those guys in custody,"  Anthony said, "But it's sad that all of you.... and oh, Mr. Wells didn't get to say goodbye."  "That is a shame," Grace put in. "Mr. Wells must be upset that he won't see her for who knows how long," she ended.

     "It is," Haley agreed.  "But he knows it was necessary.  He actually took it very well."  "By the way Alex," Grace started, "Dawn called this morning wanting to talk to you.  Did you let her and the other," here she giggled, "Northside Detectives know about Miss Tibbs getting shot?"  Alex hit himself on the forehead.  "No.  I didn't.

     "Don't feel bad Alex.  I didn't think of it either," Annie said, ashamed of herself.  Amanda, Christian and Haley all admitted they didn't think of it as well.  "I'll call Dawn when I get to my dorm, "Alex said. "She can help me call the others."  And that is what Alex did.  He was relieved to hear that neither Dawn nor his other friends were too upset that he hadn't informed them about Miss Tibbs.  Dawn had originally called Alex to ask how he and his college friends were doing,

     Alex did promise he would keep Dawn and the North Side Detectives informed about Professor Tibbs and Mr. Wells.  Alex and his friends spent the day going over the information on their classes they would have this semester.  That evening they met in the common room where they always hung out after classes were over for the day.

     "This is probably going to be the easiest year I have ever had in all my years of school," Christian said happily.  "Just my two career classes."  "That's all of us Christian," his sister Annie said, with a roll of her eyes.  "I know.  But I just had to say it.  It made me feel good."  Everyone laughed, including Annie.

     "Am I correct that all of us are in Paleontology this year?"  Anthony asked.  "Yes!" Everyone chorused.  An odd look passed between Alex and Christian but no one noticed.  Then Alex, Christian and the others talked about the other courses each of them were taking.  "Man," Christian started, "I get to sleep in.  My Computer Course doesn't start until nine o'clock."  Annie just shook her head at him.  "That's your life Christian, eating and sleeping.  You'd think you'd have more adventure in you than that."  Christian didn't respond, but instead looked over at Alex and winked.  In return Alex gave Christian his lopsided grin.

                                                                                   End of Chapter 27