And she believed she could recognize when something looked "out of place."
Her eyes settled on Alex.
He wasn't playing.
He wasn't running.
He wasn't talking to anyone.
He was simply sitting beneath the tree.
Eleanor watched him for several minutes.
Her suspicion grew.
"Why is he just sitting there?"
She looked around.
Everyone else seemed to have somewhere to be.
But Alex wasn't moving.
Eleanor tightened her grip around her coffee cup.
Then she stood.
Eleanor walked toward him.
Alex noticed her approaching.
She stopped several feet away.
“Young man.”
Alex looked up.
“Yes, ma'am?”
“What are you doing here?”
Alex blinked.
“Waiting for my mom.”
Eleanor looked toward the parking lot.
“Your mother?”
“Yes.”
“How long have you been here?”
“Maybe twenty minutes.”