CHAPTER TWO

"So Alex tell us a little bit about yourself," Claire said turning slightly in her seat so that she could see his face.

She studied him carefully by all appearances he seemed to be a nice man he was probably in his late twenties, clean shaven with blonde hair and blue eyes. He was about the same height as Josh and he spoke calmly.

"Well, Mrs. Greene, I'm headed to Chickory Creek to see my cousins. We're really close my second cousin Brian is joining the army and I would like to see him before he leaves."

"You already told us that. I mean are you orginally from Chickory Creek, where are you coming from, what do you do for a living?"

"Oh, um ok. No I'm orginally from a small town in Texas but I'm coming from Nashville and right now I don't really have a job. I wanna be a musician."

"So what do you do to make money?"

"Mostly I play my guitar. Either outside a store for tips or in a bar if I can catch an opening. If I can't find a way to make money with my music, I do odd jobs like cleaning gas pumps or stocking shelves or construction work. I'm hoping one day the right person will hear me play and I'll get a recording contract or something."

"Hey I play guitar too," Josh said, " I wanna go to Nashville someday but Momma won't let me right now. She says I can't go until I graduate."

"I never said you couldn't go to Nashville, I just said that you couldn't go and stay there until you graduate," Claire laughed and began to relax.

She was starting to change her mind about Alex, he seemed nice enough and he had answered every question she had asked. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

When they stopped a few hours later to eat she was still debating on whether or not to call Erasmus to see if he knew anything about him. She wasn't sure it would do any good but at least calling Erasmus and verifing the boys story would ease her mind. So as Josh and Alex moved down one hall to the restrooms she walked down the opposite hall to the telephones. Depoisting some change she dialed the number to their old friend, Erasmus Jones, in Chickory Creek. After two rings he answered, "Hello"

"Erasmus it's me Claire"

"Oh Claire darling how are you?"

"Fine. We're about two days away from town. But that's not the reason I called you see a few hours ago we stopped at a gas station and there was a young man there who said he was headed to Chickory Creek to see some cousins of his before one of them left for boot camp, his name is Alex Moore and I was just wondering if you might know him or his family."

"Well no the name doesn't sound familiar but then again some new people have moved to town. I haven't had a chance to meet all of them but I can ask around if you'd like."

"Um that's alright. I was just curious about him and wondered if he really was who he said he was."

"Well I'm sure everything will be alright. I don't see how he would have known you were headed here before hand."

"Yeah I'm sure he didn't, listen I've gotta go so I guess we'll see you soon."

"Alright then. Bye."

"Bye Erasmus," she answered before hanging up the phone.

She walked back to the front of the cafe and headed to where her family was sitting. Josh and Alex still weren't back from the bathroom which brought that uncomfortable feeling back again. She sat there quitely for a few moments praying that this guy was who he said he was and that nothing had happened to Josh.

"Russell can I speak to you in private for a second?" she asked rising from the table without an answer.

"Honey, what's wrong? Did you call Erasmus?"

"Yes I did. But he had never heard of an Alex Moore. He did say that some new people had moved to town and he hadn't a chance to meet them all but I'm worried Russell. Josh hasn't left Alex's side since we picked him up, don't you think that's a little strange?"

"No honey I don't, Josh is a teenager and even though Alex isn't he's intrested in a lot of the same things that Josh is. Don't worry Claire everything will be fine, I promise."

Claire looked into Russell's eyes she knew he was serious. She also knew that he would do anything he could to protect his family. She was just about to suggest that Russell go look for Josh and Alex when the pair emerged from the hall leading to the bathrooms.

"Well there you two are. I thought we were gonna have to send a search party after you before we could eat, " Russell joked returning to the table.

"Sorry Daddy there was a line," Josh apologized.

After finishing his meal, Alex excused himself to call his family and let them know that he was on his way. Claire watched him go wanting so desperately to follow him and find out if he was telling the truth about everything but Russell discreetly shook his head.

"Momma, Alex said that he's been all over just like we have, isn't that cool."