"The Case of the Mysterious Man" Part 4 - by Ha      The next day, Shirley finally found what she was looking for.  She was currently standing in front of a building used as a restaurant.  "Papa Pete's Pizzeria" was painted on the large front window in red and green letters.  On the glass door was the sign "CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE."  Shirley stepped up to the door and started to sniff around it.  She reeled back for a moment, then she resumed.  She took out a glass test tube from her backpack, took out the cork, and held it to the crack of the door.  She quickly replugged the test tube and put it in her pocket.  As she did so, she thought she saw the homeless man who had begged from her yesterday.  He was once again begging for money from some pedestrians, who were holding their noses and keeping down wind from him.  Satisfied, Shirley started for home.  She needed to do some things before she went to Blake's for dinner.  Bo was the first to arrive at Blake's house; it was 6:30 PM.  Blake answered the door.  "Hi, Bo," Blake greeted.  "Glad you could make it."  Bo looked at Blake, then walked by him without saying a word.  He went to the living room and sat down on the sofa.  He looked at the various unpacked boxes in there.  The walls were bare.  Blake sat down in a chair facing the sofa.  A coffee table separated them.  Blake tried to start a conversation.  "Mom and Rosa are putting the finishing touches on dinner.  Do you like chicken?"  Bo leaned back in the sofa.  "So, Blake, how did you end up at Sussex instead of at a public school.?"  My mom's dad, my grandfather was well-to-do.  When he died, he left my mom, his only daughter, a lot of money.  As for the school choice, my mom attended Sussex," Blake explained.  "She liked it, and I guess she felt I would too."  Blake smiled.  "She was right."  "Are you sure it's Sussex you like?" Bo asked, giving Blake a look.  Blake studied Bo's face.  "You don't like me very much, do you, Bo?"  "Gee, why do you think that?" Bo said with a tinge of sarcasm.  "Well, every time you, Shirley, and me hang out, when Shirley and I talk, you look at me as if I'm intruding on something," Blake pointed out.  "You want the truth, Blake?"  Bo leaned toward Blake.  He tried to control his anger.  "Shirley are good friends.  We're a team, and you are splitting up that team."  He leaned back.  "Now I'm losing my best friend to you.  Everything was just fine until you showed up."  Blake was not aware of all this.  "Look, Bo, I'm not trying to ruin your friendship with Shirley.  I don't mean to do you any harm.  It's been a while since I had some real friends."  Bo started to calm down.  "Sorry, Blake.  I believe you.  It's just that when I see you and Shirley together, I feel left out.  She acts differently around you, and you two have the same interests."  Blake gave Bo a look.  "Bo, have you ever, even for a short moment, entertained the idea that you and Shirley could be...well...more than friends?"  "No!" Bo quickly responded, but by the look on his face, Blake had doubts about his answer.  "You know, Bo, I'll respect your privacy," Blake said.  "I do have some advice, though.  If you do have feelings for a girl, I recommend you tell her how you feel."  "And suppose she makes fun of me or never wants to see me again if I tell her how I feel? Bo asked.  "Well, at least you tried," Blake said.  "I'll keep that in mind."  Bo's anger was completely gone.  "Say, Blake, you're not such a bad guy."  Blake was relieved that Bo did not perceive him as an enemy.  He held out his hand.  "Friends?"  Bo reached across and shook Blake's hand.  "Friends."  Blake breathed out a sigh of relief.  "You know, Bo, that in the end, it's Shirley's choice, not ours."  "Yeah."  Bo knew what Blake meant.  "You do admit that she's different from other girls, right, Blake?"  "Very different," Blake said in agreement.  "That's what makes her so special."  "Definitely," Bo said with a grin.  The two boys laughed nervously, then stared at each other quietly. Both had finally reached an understanding between each other.  Their moment of silence was interrupted by the doorbell.  "Blake, get the door please!" a woman cried out from the kitchen.  "Rosa and I are still finishing up."  Blake gestured toward the door.  He had a good idea who was at the door.  "Go ahead," he told Bo.  Bo got up from the sofa and walked up to the door.  Looking through the peephole, he saw Shirley with, as usual, her backpack.  He opened the door.  "Hi, Shirley," he greeted.    "Hi, Bo."  Shirley entered the house.  "When did you get here?"  "Oh, a while ago."  Bo looked at his watch.  "Where have you been?" he asked as he followed her into the living room.  "Putting together the pieces of the puzzle we've been trying to solve," Shirley replied as she sat down on the sofa with Blake.  "Hi, Blake," she said as Bo sat next to them.  "Hi, Shirley," Blake said.  "You didn't try to find that guy again, I hope," Bo said to Shirley.  "Actually, I haven't seen him all day," Shirley admitted.  "I did conduct a simple investigation, and the results definitely help solve the puzzle."  Before Bo or Blake could ask Shirley what she did, Dr. Hewitt came into the living room.  She had light-brown hair which was in a blunt cut.  She wore an apron over her clothes.  She saw Shirley and Bo, then looked at her son.  "So, these are your new friends," she said.  Blake nodded, then gestured to his friends.  "Mom, Shirley Holmes and Bo Sawchuck.  Shirley and Bo, my mom, Dr. Lauren Hewitt."  "Hi, Dr. Hewitt," Shirley said.  "Hi, Dr. Hewitt," Bo said.  Dr. Hewitt looked at her son, Shirley, and Bo, happy that he had found some friends.  "I can't thank you two enough for letting Blake be with you," Dr. Hewitt began.  "Blake hasn't had any real friends since his father died."  "We know," Shirley said.  "Blake explained everything."  "Well, I'm glad that my son has found some friends," Dr. Hewitt said.  "Blake mentioned you went to Africa," Bo recalled.  "Not to mention Asia and South America."  Dr. Hewitt looked at Blake. "You forgot to mention that, Blake?" she said light-heartedly.  "For shame."  "Mom."  Blake looked down, embarrassed.  The maid called out from the kitchen for Dr. Hewitt.  "Looks like Rosa needs my help."  She walked toward the kitchen.  "I'll call you when everything's ready."  "Your mom seems okay," Bo told Blake.  "She's learned to cope with my dad's death," Blake stated.  "She's done a better job than me."  Shirley looked at the unpacked boxes and the blank walls.  "Still settling in?"  "We just took out what's necessary, like our clothes and the kitchen stuff," Blake explained.  "I did unpack my radio and my book collection, though."  He had a thought.  "Care to see my books, guys, until dinner's ready?"  Before Shirley and Bo could answer, the doorbell rang.  "I'll get that," Blake told his guests.  "Probably another well-wisher welcoming us to the neighborhood."  He got up and went to the front door. Shirley and Bo watched as Blake looked through the peephole.  To their surprise, they saw Blake walk carefully away from the door.  He seemed terribly frightened when he returned to the living room.  "Shirley, are you sure you didn't see that strange guy today?" he said in a whisper.  "I'm sure," Shirley answered.  "Why?"  Blake continued to whisper.  He was trying not to panic.  "Because he's at the door right now."  Bo could not believe this.  "Are you sure?"  "Positive," Blake said.  "The long blond hair, the shades.  Definitely him."  He looked at Shirley and Bo.  "Any ideas?"  "Wait until he leaves?" Bo suggested.  "Doubt he'll leave," Blake said.  "He seems determined to come in."  "How did he find this place?" Bo asked.  "We're about to find out," Shirley said.  "Bo, hide behind the door. Blake let him in."  Bo could not believe what Shirley had said.  "Excuse me?"  Shirley ignored Bo and continued to give him instructions..  "When he comes in, tackle him on my word."  Shirley got up from the sofa and followed Blake to the door.  "I hope you know what you're doing, Shirl," Bo said as he got up and followed them.  Once at the door, they all took their positions.  Blake nervously approached the door.  "Hello?  Is anybody home?" the man asked from outside.  Blake looked at Shirley, who nodded.  Blake opened the door slowly.  Bo stood still in his hiding place.  The mysterious man stood before Shirley and Blake in the doorway.  He stepped into the house.  "Hi, I was wondering if..."  He cut himself short when he saw Shirley.  "Hey, I know you..."  "Now!" Shirley shouted.  Quick as a tiger, Bo rushed out from behind the door.  The man turned around, but it was too late.  Bo tackled him and knocked him to the ground.  Blake went around them and shut the door.  "What is the meaning of this?" the man demanded as he struggled to get out of Bo's grip.  Shirley spotted something near the man's head.  She bent down to pick it up.  It was a long, blond wig.  She looked at the man's head and saw black hair with a touch of gray.  Dr. Hewitt had heard the scuffle and came out of the kitchen.  "What's going on here?" she asked, seeing Bo and the mysterious man struggle on the floor.  Blake was about to help Bo restrain the stranger when he saw the stranger's face.  He was speechless.  Dr. Hewitt got closer to the stranger for a better look.  She bent down and took off his sunglasses.  She was shocked at who she saw. "Chris?"  Blake looked at the stranger.  "Dad?"  Bo, hearing everything, let go and got up.  He looked at Shirley, who was also surprised.  "H-hi, guys," the man said weakly.  "I'm home." END OF PART FOUR   More Fanfics