Alex Bishop and The Elusive Dorian Brown

                                                                                       Chapter 13

                                                                                    Talking it Over

     The boys reached the girls' tent, but Alex stopped short of going in.  His legs were shaking terribly now.   However he said, "We have to remain calm," (talking to himself, as well as the others.)  Alex took what he hoped would be a calming breath and knelt down in front of the tent entrance.

     "Professor!, Professor Tibbs!" he called quietly but urgently.  "What?" He heard a groggy Miss Tibbs call.  "Whose there?" she asked, grabbing her specks.  "It's  Alex.  It's urgent! he said.  Alex spied Annie twitching in her sleeping bag.  "Professor, can you come out here please," Alex begged again.

     "Just a minute," Professor Tibbs said.  She found her robe and then appeared at the entrance, looking agitated.  "What is it?" she asked on a yawn.  Alex slowly handed her the note.  Before she finished reading it, her hand went to her mouth and she followed it with a gasp.  Then she swayed alarmingly."

     Christian, who had just came through the tent flap, after grabbing a bottle of water,  quickly placed his arms around Professor Tibb's  waist.  When she had steadied herself a little, he led her to a nearby bench to sit down.  Christian was stunned at what he had done, but Professor Tibbs looked up at him, smiled and said, "Thank you Mr. Shea.

     Alex was concerned about her.  She was very pale.  He knelt down in front of her, looked up and said, "Are you alright professor?"  The other boys gathered around the two of them.  Professor Tibbs put her hand on her heart and took a deep breath.  "Yes.  I'm alright Alex.  This kind of news, especially given first thing in the morning, can give one a jolt to say the least."

     Miss Tibbs took a deep breath and then said, "Where did you find this note?"  "In the restroom," Justin answered.  She then looked to Alex for more of an explanation. "Alex knew by the look on her face what she wanted to know.  He'd seen that look in her class many times.  "Well, Ma'am, I woke up at three o'clock in the morning."

     "It was pitch inside the tent so I grabbed my flashlight, where I'd left it at the foot of my sleeping bag and shone it around the inside of the tent.  As I was doing this, I noticed there was one sleeping bag empty.  It was Haley's father's.  The restroom seemed the most logical place he'd go, so I was on my way there, when the other guys joined me."

     "We checked the bathrooms and Mr. Kincaid wasn't there.  But as Justin just said, we found the note in the restroom.  It was taped to the shower wall."  "It says Christmas Eve," Miss Tibbs breathed, and then louder, "That's two days from now.  Do any of you here believe they will return Mr. Kincaid unharmed?"  Alex and the others didn't answer, but the looks on their faces said, no.  No. They didn't.

     She looked back at the girls tent and then said, "We have to tell Haley and the girls, right now."  Alex and the others agreed.  "Anyone got the time," she asked.  "I do," Josh said, "It's four o'clock."  "I can't believe you wear your watch to bed," Anthony said with a smirk.  "Well, what's wrong with that?" Josh asked.  "It came in handy tonight."  Professor Tibbs ignored them.

     "No point putting it off," the professor said,  "I'll go wake the girls.  You boys go pack up your things and dismantle the tent please."  The other boys ran off but Alex hesitated.  He looked at Miss Tibbs with a pleading look.  "I understand Alex.  I'll tell the girls to get dressed, we will dismantle the tent before I give them the news." (She knew Alex wanted to be there to hold Haley's hand) "Thank you Professor," Alex said appreciatively.