Unbelieveable!" Joe Hardy muttered, hitting the off button on the cordless telephone and practically slamming it down on the table.
Frank Hardy, his older brother, looked up at him without emotion. Joe's outburst was part of his personality and while it sometimes startled other people, Frank had become accustomed to it over the years.
"Care to talk about it?" Frank asked.
Joe held his hands out to the phone as if he were calling attention to the current prize on a game show.
"Cory Sutton! I call Vanessa to invite her to the movies and she tells me that she already has a date tonight….with Cory Sutton!"
"Cory Sutton? Hmmmm..." Frank replied, rubbing a finger across his lips in thought. "Isn't Cory that new guy in school? The one that beat you out to become captain of the football team?"
Joe's face turned red with anger. He walked across the family room and plopped down in the leather recliner, slamming his fist down on the arm.
It took a great effort on Frank's part to hide the smile that so desperately wanted to escape.
"Oh, don't start pouting, Joe. After all, aren't you the one who told Vanessa that while you still wanted to date her, that the two of you should expand your circle and date others?"
"I only agreed to it because Vanessa threw a fit when she found out we were going to Disneyworld! You'd think a guy could take a little vacation every now and then." Joe retorted, leaning forward to adjust a pillow behind him.
"Well can you blame her Joe? From what I can remember it's been at least three months since the two of you have been out on an actual planned date. Most girls I know expect to taken out a little more often than that."
"Well is it my fault that we're out of town on cases so much? It's not like Bayport is the crime center of the world. Even if it were, Chief Collig would work day and night just to keep us out of what he considers police business!"
"Point taken." Frank replied. "But because we are out of town so much, does that mean Vanessa is supposed to just sit at home twiddling her thumbs waiting for you? I mean, I'm surprised Callie hasn't become discouraged yet, and we've been dating for three years."
Joe glared at Frank and threw his hands up in the air. "Well that's why I agreed for us to see other people!"
"Then why are you mad?"
"Joe had a look of shock on his face, suddenly realizing that he had just validated Vanessa's date.
He leaned back and crossed his arms again. "Well I didn't expect her to start dating THIS quickly. I haven't even shown interest in anyone else yet!"
"Oh, and I suppose that girl at Epcot Center was just a mirage, huh?" Frank smiled.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Joe retorted.
"Oh, you remember, that Norwegian girl that was working in World Showcase? Greta, I believe was her name?"
"We just talked a little while." Joe replied.
"A little while? May I remind you that while you were talking 'a little while', I spent an hour and a half in line to ride Maelstrom, and by the time I walked out you two had already planned a date to the Disney Marketplace for that evening?"
"It was just a friendly get together, nothing serious."
"Oh sure." Frank nodded his head. "Nothing serious."
"Nope. No more than those friendly get togethers you sometimes have with a certain young lady from River Heights. Care to invite Callie over so we can talk about them?"
Frank stared at his brother. "Those aren't friendly get togethers, Joe, it's usually when we're working on cases together. There's no need to upset Callie over nothing."
"Oh sure." Joe grinned. "It's nothing."
Now it was Frank's turn to glare at Joe. He was interrupted again, this time by the doorbell.
Joe got up and walked toward the door. "Getting back to the original point, I've decided that dating other people is not such a good idea. Vanessa's the only girl I'm interested in. I'm going to call her tonight and see if we can straighten this mess out."
Joe opened the door. He stood there a moment then suddenly started grinning as he subtuly sucked in his stomach-not that it was necessary.
Frank craned his neck to see what had caught Joe's attention. Unable to see who was standing there, he got up and stood beside his brother.
"Hi! You must be the Hardy brothers, right?" The girl asked, flashing them a smile.
"At your service." Joe replied, maintaining the grin.
Frank rolled his eyes. "I'm Frank Hardy, the drooling jerk standing here is my baby brother Joe."
Joe shot Frank a stern sidelong glance and punched him in the ribs with his elbow. He then turned to the girl and began grinning again.
"My name is Michelle Ingraham. I'd like to talk to you about something. Do you mind if I come in?"
"Please do." Frank replied as he and Joe made way for her to enter the house. Moments later, the three were seated in the family room.
Having declined refreshments, Michelle began to shift uncomfortably as Joe gazed at her. Frank could see why. Even in jeans, hiking boots, and a turtleneck, she was stunning. She tucked her long brown hair behind her ear and looked at Frank with some of the prettiest blue eyes he had ever seen.
"What can we do for you?" Frank asked, breaking Joe's concentration.
"Well, I was hoping that you could help me. You see, I'm trying to find my mother."
"Your mother?" Frank asked in a tone that told Michelle that he wanted her to continue.
"Yes, well more specifically my family history. My mother died shortly after I was born and I'd like to trace my family roots, see if I have a grandma or an aunt out there somewhere."
"How much information do you already have?" Joe asked.
"Very little, actually." Michelle continued, pulling a slip of paper out of the backpack she carried. "I've got a copy of my birth certificate here. According to this, her name was Caroline Ingraham. That's about as much information as I have. The copy isn't even a very good quality. See? Her maiden name has some smudging on it, making it illegible."
Frank took the paper from her. "This copy seems rather old." He remarked.
"It is. I think it's the original copy given to my father when I left the hospital." Michelle replied. She sighed and looked at them with sad eyes. "I've repeatedly tried to get my father to give me some information on my mother, but it is hopeless. I don't know why he is so secretive, but he refuses to let me know anything about her family, not even their names. If nothing else, I'd like to at least know where she is buried so I can visit the grave."
"Have you tried searching the cemeteries in your hometown?" Joe asked.
Michelle gave a short, non-humorous chuckle. "I don't have an official hometown. We've moved fifteen times in as many years. I've lived everywhere from Canada to Florida to Texas."
Frank didn't know quite how to ask the next question, but he knew it was necessary. "Why do you think that is? Is it possible your father may have had something to do with the death of your mother?"
Michelle looked down. "I can't deny that I haven't thought of that myself. But it just seems impossible. Dad is such a loving person." She looked back up. "But I'm tired of all of the secrets, I have to know something."
"Have you tried any search methods on your own?" Joe asked.
"Not yet. My father has always talked about you and your family, so naturally I came to you first when I decided to start searching."
"Do we know your father?" Frank asked.
"His name is Albert. Albert Ingraham." Michelle replied.
Joe shook his head. "That name doesn't sound familiar to me. But then again, Dad knows so many people that we don't from his days in the NYPD."
"To be honest, I'm don't think Dad and I had ever discussed how he came to know your family. I can remember him talking about your father and especially your aunt Gertrude a lot."
"Maybe they were old childhood friends." Frank suggested.
Before anyone had a chance to comment on the theory, the telephone rang. Frank held up a finger to indicate that he would be back momentarily.
"Hello?" Frank asked after picking up the cordless.
"Oh good, Frank, it's you." Came the reply as Frank recognized the unmistakable voice of the Gray Man. "Something's come up and we desperately need the help of you and your brother. If you'll turn on your computer, I've sent you a coded message that will explain the details. I'll book your airline tickets and arrange for a courier to deliver them to you. You leave tonight."
"Wait a minute!" Frank replied, stepping out of earshot of Joe and Michelle. "You can't just expect us to jump up and take off at a moments notice."
"I'm sorry, Frank, but you knew when you were offered the job with our agency that it would mean making some sacrifices." The Gray Man insisted.
"What you seem to forget sometimes is that Joe and I are still in high school, and live at home with parents who have no clue that we are involved in your organization."
The Gray Man paused. "Okay, I understand you may have a problem, but do you think there is any way at all you can take an assignment right now? If you will decode the message, I think you'll appreciate the urgency of the situation."
Frank sighed. He knew the situation must be urgent for the Gray Man to be so insistent, considering that the federal agent would rather they not be a part of the Network.
"Okay. I'll talk to Joe. We'll be in touch."
The two exchanged some final words before Frank finally hung up and walked back into the family room.
"I was just telling Michelle that we would be more than happy to help her." Joe smiled. "Good thing our slate was clean huh?"
"Well, I'm afraid things have changed." Frank replied, an urgent tone to his voice. "I just got off the phone with-Edward."
Joe simply nodded as he recognized the first name of the Gray Man. As he glanced back at Michelle, however, Frank could tell that he looked disappointed.
"Michelle, I'm sorry." Frank apologized. "It seems something that really needs our attention has come up. I'll give you a few resources you can use that may help you out on your research. If you turn up empty handed, please call us back. As soon as we deal with the matter at hand, we'll be glad to help you."
Having noticed Frank's urgent tone, Michelle stood up to leave. She looked disappointed, but smiled. "I understand. I read the newspapers enough to know that the two of you stay busy."
Frank held up her birth certificate. "If you don't mind, I'll make a copy of this and try to do a little research if any spare time should crop up."
"Sounds good." Michelle replied.
Moments later, Frank returned from his fathers study with Michelle's original birth certificate and another paper. "This is the list I was telling you about." He handed the paper to Michelle. "It includes several website addresses where you can do name searches as well as the names of a couple of agencies we've used ourselves in past cases. A good starting point would be for you to go back to the hospital where you were born and find out where you can pick up a legible copy of your birth certificate."
Michelle took the paperwork and thanked him. She then showed herself to the door.
"Wait a minute." Joe said as she stepped out on the front stoop. Michelle turned around to look at him. Joe smiled as strands of her long hair blew across her face.
"Don't forget to leave your number so we can call you as soon as we are free."
"I'm sorry but I can't. My dad would throw a fit if he knew I contacted you about this. I'll just use the resources you've given me and if I don't turn up anything, I'll be the one to call you in a few weeks. Perhaps you'll be free by then."
With another smile, Michelle turned and headed down the walk. Joe had no choice but to close the door. Frank shook his head as Joe parted the curtain on the window just enough to watch her.
So, tell me more about how Vanessa's the only girl you're interested in." Frank smiled. He received a stern look from Joe. "She wouldn't let you have her phone number huh?"
"No. She was probably offended because you practically shoved her out the door!"
Frank shook his head. "There's a message from the Network. We should go see what it is."
"I'll be there in a minute." Joe replied, leaving Frank to walk upstairs by himself.
'Frank, your commitment to the Network's killing me'. Joe thought as he watched Michelle loop her backpack onto a bicycle and mount it. 'If I'd had a little more time I could at least have offered to buy her lunch or something.'
Michelle had barely begun to pedal off when a cab approached from the opposite direction. When it reached Michelle, it stopped and a middle aged man got out. The two stood talking for a few moments before the driver popped the trunk open and Michelle started putting her bike in.
"If Vanessa is going to date, then I might as well to. This may be my last chance with Michelle." Joe thought. He opened the door and started walking out to the cab.
"Michelle!" He called out waving to her.
The man whispered something in her ear and she turned around. "I can't talk right now, Joe. Something's come up and I'm in a hurry."
She shut the trunk and walked around where the man stood holding the door open for her. Joe hadn't ignored the ugly sneer on his face.
After Michelle got into the cab, Joe bent down and looked inside at her. "Michelle, I was just wondering if..."
He stopped short when he glanced to the side and noticed that the man had a gun pointed at Michelle, his hand hidden underneath the trench coat that was draped around his shoulders.
The man instantly knew that Joe was on to him. Before Joe had a chance to react, the man curled his free hand into a fist and delivered a firm punch in the middle of Joe's face. Joe fell flat on his back, the wind knocked out of him.
Michelle opened her mouth to scream but had barely begun when the man turned with lightning reflexes. His hand came down heavily on her temple, knocking her out. He reached down and pushed her unconscious body to the other side of the backseat before climbing in himself.
All Joe could do was lay on his back and attempt to catch his breath as the cab sped off into the distance.