Here is the first chapter! Hope you all enjoy! It is good to write again. Amber
Chapter 1
It was a beautiful summer day in Bayport New York. Frank Hardy along with Vanessa Bender, and two girls whom they had just met along with their boyfriends were decorating the Hardy dining room for a surprise Birthday Party. The guest of honor his beautiful girlfriend Callie Shaw. Callie had told him about her two best friends from Buffalo NY whom she could not contact because her parents had forbidden it. Callie had after she turned 18 every intention of getting back in touch with them. As luck would have it Ginny Morgan called him. She had read an article in the Bayport Times about the baseball and softball team's. The headline: Power Couple is PITCH perfect. Both he and Callie had won their state championships, and were both planning to attend Syracuse University on Athletic Scholarship. Ginny Morgan had been trying to write and call Callie for years but all her correspondence had been blocked by Callie's parents. Now Ginny Morgan and Mollie Weise were both here for the party. They had brought their boyfriends with them Patrick Reid and Caleb Wade.
Frank looked at the table which was covered with a purple tablecloth with pink lace top. They had brought unicorn and fairy decorations. Which Frank had first questioned until they showed him their matching bracelets. Frank had seen one before adorned on Callie's wrist and realized that this meant something special. Frank approached his father wary about inviting them to Callie's party because her parents had been adamant that she have NO contact with anyone in Buffalo except her Aunt Elizabeth, Uncle Carl, and their sons. Fenton Hardy said that he would do deep background check on the teens before they were given the invite which they absolutely agreed to. Everything checked out and they were here. Joe came in with Liz Webling, Phil Cohen, Biff Hooper, Tony Prito, and Chet Morton. They had all agreed that a bunch of cars in front of the house would be a dead giveaway.
Vanessa giggled, "Hurry up! Everyone in the dining room! She'll be here any minute!"
Frank knew that Callie was coming from a campaign event for her father. He was running for re-election for the US House of Representatives. Callie hated it. She didn't like the spotlight, and she was the polar opposite of her father in politics. Part of the reason they had moved to Bayport was to allow him to eventually run, he had previously been a judge. Joe often joked that Callie had been switched at birth. She and his brother didn't always see eye to eye but Joe know that Callie was a good person. Frank's phone beeped. Callie had arrived. "SHH!" Frank said.
They all heard a knock on the door, followed by it opening. Callie's voice filled the hallway. "Frank! Hello?"
Frank called out, "In the dining room babe."
She came around the corner. "SURPRISE!"
Callie's reaction was priceless. Her hand was on her heart and she laughed at her reaction. "Oh! You guys!"
Frank pulled her into a hug and kissed her. "Happy 18th Birthday Beautiful."
"I can't believe I didn't know!" Callie was beaming from ear to ear. She looked at everyone in the room. "Thanks so much every…" Her gaze fell onto and stayed on the redhead and brunette next to Fenton. Callie's jaw dropped and her eyes filled with tears. "Ginny! Mollie!"
The three girls hugged tightly. They were all crying. Callie when she composed herself said, "How did this happen? I was going to come to your house."
Ginny said, "Well I have a subscription to the Bayport Gazette. I've been media stalking you, but the article about the baseball and softball teams gave me a new Bayport contact to try."
Mollie nodded, "Yes and it helps that your boyfriend's father does consulting work for multiple police departments."
Callie then looked over at the two boys. "So these two…" She gestured. "Are with you then?"
The blond haired green eyed one approached putting an arm around Ginny. "Always...I'm Patrick Reid and this guy is Caleb Wade."
"Nice to meet you both."
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After the party, Callie was sitting at the Hardy's kitchen table. Frank was loading the dishwasher. "It was a great party. I can't thank you enough."
"I'm glad to do it. Ginny and Mollie are both very nice."
Callie pulled him into a hug. "You're too good to me."
Frank held her close. "I beg to differ, you're just as good to me." His finger tracing a gentle line down her cheek. It was then that Frank noticed her makeup looked a little different. It was darker on her left cheek. Before he could ask her she spoke.
"Can you believe we will both be at Syracuse in the fall? That Joe and Van are seniors?"
Frank kissed her. "Time flies. We have orientation in three weeks. Guess who else is going Orange?"
"I know Chet is."
Frank smiled. " Rick, Caleb, Mollie, and Ginny."
"GET OUT!" Callie exclaimed! They didn't say anything! Well it is kind of hard catching up 6 years in two hours." They were now in the den and Frank turned on the TV.
"This is a NBC special report. Today in Buffalo, NY Carl Bates Conservative Party Senator from NY declared his candidacy for the Presidency of the United States."
Callie couldn't hear anymore due to the ringing in her ears. Her hands shook. Callie jammed them in her pockets and bit her lip. "Do you still have the toy box I asked you to keep for me. The one I caught my father throwing away?"
Her sudden mood change did not go unnoticed by her detective boyfriend. "It's in the attic but easy to get to from the FROG. Are you okay?" He traced his finger down her cheek again.
Callie took his hand. "I'm really not. I don't suppose you'd be up to talking for a bit?"
Frank frowned, his worry increasing. "I am is something wrong?"
Callie kissed his cheek. "Not with us, but I have to tell you something and it isn't easy to talk about." She looked down at her hands.
"Anything you need."
Callie received a text message from her Aunt Emma. Callie recognized it as one of her coded messages, to call her from a phone outside her home. Callie asked, "My I use your cell Frank?"
"Of course."
Frank watched his girlfriend. She gave her usual greeting, then her face started changing from polite curiosity, to shock. "Okay...I'll go now. Frank will take me. Yes, I'll leave my phone here."
"What is it?" Frank asked.
"We need to go to New York Credit Union. Aunt Emma said to drop everything and go now. To have you sign in and ask for James Peterson."
"Why?"
Callie was still dazed. "According to my Aunt my trust is there that was set up by my grandfather. I couldn't touch it until I was 18 and neither could my parents...weird. Why didn't my parents tell me?"
Frank imagined it could be a number of reasons. But he tried to keep it neutral. "I'm sure they had their reasons Babe." When they arrived at the bank Frank signed in as Callie had instructed. Moments later a young man approached. "Mr. Hardy come with me. Is your friend with you?"
"Yes."
They went into an office, when the door closed Mr. Peterson addressed Callie. "Ms. Shaw...I went to school with Mitchell Hollis III. Your Aunt Emma was concerned her two sisters would keep you from your trust. You have strict guidelines that you have to claim the funds within 10 days of your 18th birthday or the funds forfeit to the sisters."
Callie said nothing but she did sit down. Her legs felt shaky.
"This is a copy of your claim to the Beaudry family trust. "Your grandfather's wish was for you to have 25% of the trust which is 9 billion dollars."
Callie was stunned and stammered. "I...I don't understand. I...don't remember anything about my grandfather's work. How?" She took the document but the wording was well beyond her level of understanding. She was planning to study law but even with years of study she had no interest in this type of law. "I want to call a friend of mine from the softball team. Her father is a lawyer and was my softball coach. Could I?"
"Yes...please do."
Callie made the phone call. Jilly gave Callie his direct number which he answered. "Mr. Stone...sorry to call you abruptly this is Callie Shaw. I have a huge favor." Thankfully his law office was in the same office building as the bank. He only had to come down 6 floors.
After reviewing the document he asked. "I take it your parents didn't tell you about this?"
"No sir."
Mr. Stone's face darkened. He had never liked her parents, but this girl who he had the privilege to coach was a jewel. This was going to be a treat! The best part the girl could actually live and be treated like a human instead of an object. He said, "Your grandfather's wishes were for you to have this money. It is safe for you to sign. I can sign as notary."
Callie signed it without further hesitation. She presented her ID and social security card.
Mr. Stone continued. "Ms. Shaw I wouldn't take these from the bank. Mr. Peterson can fax me copies to my digital fax. Get a safe deposit box. Is the account set up?"
"Yes and she has full access." Peterson answered.
"She is going to need some cash $600 should suffice also give her 30,000 in prepaid cards about 10 of them."
"Mr. Stone, I don't want to be any trouble. I am out of my league and could really use your help. Could you?"
Mr. Stone smiled at her. "Of course I can, we can write a contract. I can represent your interests. I wager your parents and other aunt are going to try to object. They won't have any legal standing, but I know all the tricks." He sent a message to his paralegal to email him his basic contract with general retainer information." Which he filled out himself with her name. Callie gave him a certified check from the bank and thanked him for his time.
Frank chuckled not bad for an hour of work. Callie had just given the man $50,000 to retain him. Frank's phone buzzed in his pocket. "Hey dad."
"Frank where are you and Callie? Her parents are here you are on speaker. She wasn't answering her phone. She left it here."
Well two could play. Frank said. "I'm sorry dad. We went out just the two of us. It's her birthday. She didn't mean to leave her phone. We went to the grocery store picked up pepper for mom, because she asked us to. We have movie tickets. I was going to take her to dinner and the movie starts at 6:30. Joe and Van were going to meet us at the movie."
Frank knew that the word pepper was an emergency buzzword. If Frank had said RED pepper his life would be in danger, just pepper meant it wasn't safe to talk. Fenton would deduce correctly that it wasn't safe to talk with Callie's parents listening in. Fenton said with a bit of bite for effect, "Next time Callie needs her phone on her. If she leaves it, she comes back to get it."
"Yes sir."
Callie's father spoke next. "We expect Callie home right after the movie."
Callie flinched beside him her hand coming up to her cheek. Frank took her hand. "Of course. I will have her back after the movie sir."
Frank disconnected, two minutes later Mr. Peterson came in with her Safe Deposit box key, and her prepaid visa cards. They went to the mall next. Callie and Frank did purchase tickets for a 630 movie. They went to the food court and sat down to eat. Frank's phone rang once again. "Hey dad."
"Henry just called from Callie's house. He just received orders that Callie was not to have any contact with anyone once she got back to the house and would not be allowed to leave. He asked why and was given the explanation that there was a threat against her uncle."
"They are trying to keep Callie from claiming her inheritance from her grandfather. If she didn't claim it within 10 days it forfeits to her sisters. Emma called her an hour ago to go to the bank."
"I'd suggest not taking her home...in fact a trip to the lake is in order. The Shaw's have Callie's phone now."
Frank knew what that meant. The Shaw's knew that Callie and Frank were at the mall. They were tracking their movements, the lake meant safe house. Frank called Joe. "Meet me at the Bayport Mall." He turned to Callie. "Your parents were planning on holding you in your house for 10 days, they aren't going to be happy to learn you claimed it. We need to go somewhere safe."
Callie went to a kiosk and purchased 4 prepaid cell phones. Once she left Bayport Mall she didn't want to use her account. Callie and Frank went into Nordstrom next. Callie purchased two weeks worth of clothes for both of them, make up, jewelry, and luggage.
Frank saw Joe and Vanessa and hurried over to them. Frank handed Joe his phone along with two of the prepaid ones, then he handed Joe the movie tickets. "Go to the movie then head home. Dad can fill you in or has he?"
Joe handed Frank a set of keys. "To the Audi."
That told Frank everything. Joe knew they were going to the safe house. Joe hugged his brother. "Stay safe and protect each other."
Frank saw Callie at the register. They changed clothes in one of the family bathrooms in the food court. Frank put on his hat and sunglasses. Callie did the same. She then handed him a simple gold band. Frank nodded, he understood that they would have better luck if they appeared to be married. So he put the band on without preamble. Callie had one for herself, Frank smiled and noticed that she did NOT purchase an engagement ring for herself. Callie smiled. "You get that particular pleasure when the time's right."
Frank kissed her. "Let's go."
Hand and hand they walked towards the exit. They walked right past Biff Hooper and Tony Prito. The boys that had known each other all their lives didn't notice him. 'Score Callie!'
Callie studied the grey Audi Sedan. "I've never seen this car before."
"It doesn't come out often." The car was untraceable and a matching ID and registration would be in the car. "The wedding rings were a nice touch." Frank said as they pulled from the parking lot.
"I was worried you might be mad about that, but my parents aren't looking for a married couple."
"You should be a detective."
Callie ran her fingers through his hair. "What do you know...I learned from the best." She opened the console between them. She was surprised to find NY drivers licenses for both of them. They had different names. "Your dad amazes me. He has an ID for me too."
Kissing her hand, Frank said. "You're family."
Callie smiled at that. "We are married you are Franklin Henderson and I'm Callie Henderson. There is a letter here addressed to me."
Frank looked over. "From dad?"
Callie read aloud.
Dear Callie,
I am going to apologize for invading your privacy. When I found the toy box in the attic I didn't know it was yours. I found the hidden drawer with your journals. I only read part of one it was more than enough. I am so sorry that you had to go through what you did. I realized at some point you may need an alternate ID after your 18th birthday. So that you could if you desired press charges against your Uncle and your parents in safety. I promise I will keep these items safe for you. They have been moved to a safe house by my partner. He made digital copies which are in my safe deposit box. Also inside was a letter from a Ms. Karen Wade. I don't know what you have told Frank but I know how much he loves you. He will understand. You have my full support for anything you need. I am proud of the young lady you have become in spite of everything. Just you living the way you want chaps their asses and that is a very happy thought. Your parents and your Uncle fear you kiddo remember that. Live your life to the fullest, and know that you are loved.
Sincerely,
Fenton
Callie couldn't speak for a long time. After she let the words settle, she kissed his hand. "I have a lot to tell you Frank."
Frank kissed her hand in return. "I'm ready to listen."
