Chapter - 3
To,
Fenton Hardy,
"We kill the mind "
- Figure it out.
Fenton Hardy read the letter for the hundredth time. Nothing. He looked at the pale face of his son. Frank was sitting in the couch of their living room, caressing his shoulder unconsciously. Frank had been in the hospital for three days and had been discharged recently. Three days back, while returning from school , Frank had been attacked by an arrow which hit his shoulder. The tip of the arrow held a message and now that message had made the Hardy household lose their sleep for three days.
"Frank. Son, please... tell us what is troubling you. " Fenton asked again for the thousandth time in the past three days. Frank remained silent and paler than usual.
"Frank ?"
Frank didn't answer again. The letter, one could say had driven him to the depths of insanity. Frank knew exactly what the letter meant. He had been through it. The whole thing. He had thought of telling Joe after his earlier conversation with Lina but the wounds that were near healing were opened again. He couldn't believe it. The others, they were after him, he thought. It couldn't be the same man.
The father and son conversation was interrupted by the phone ringing and Frank heaved a sigh of relief.
"Frank its for you. Its Callie." his mom told him.
Frank quickly got up and went to the phone, eager to get away from his father.
"Frank ?" came Callie's voice through the phone "ho..how are you ?"
"Fine." was Frank's reply.
"Your shoulder, does it still hurt ?" Callie asked
"A bit." Frank replied. The only honest answer he had given Callie so far.
"Lina is...umm... bringing your notes to copy." Callie replied.
"Alright." Frank said. Though in his mind he was actually happy Lina was coming.
"Did you get our get well letters ?"
"Oh ! Yeah. Thanks Callie. It really helped." Frank lied. In reality he hadn't even opened the pack of letters.
"Great !"
"Alright then see you later." Frank said
"See you too."
Frank came to sit back again regretting hanging up on Callie so soon but it seemed like luck was on his side. He had reached the couch and was about to sit down when the door bell rang. He looked at the watch. It was 4: 30 p.m. Callie had said Joe would arrive with Lina. He went to the door and opened it.
"Ta ta da" Joe said as he made a very comical entrance.
Frank just shook his head. Behind Joe was Lina. She was carrying a bundle of books in a bag. Frank went to help her carry.
"Its alright. I can do it. I carried the weights remember." She said and winked. " besides you're the won with a bad shoulder."
"Dad , let me present to you Lina" Joe said pointing to Lina in a dramatical 18th century way.
"It's a pleasure to meet you dear." Fenton replied shaking hands with the younger girl.
"The pleasure's all mine , Mr. Hardy." Lina said smiling.
"Dad, guess what ? Lina wants to become an investigator like you" Joe said.
"really ?" Fenton asked looking at Lina. "That's pretty wonderful. Do you have any relatives who are in the profession ?"
"No, Mr. Hardy "
"I see..."
"Dad. Lina watches these crime investigation channels and tries to figure who the murderer or the thief is before the show reveals it themselves. How cool is that ?" Joe said excited at the new idea.
"hmm. That's not a bad idea. How many times have you succeeded ?" Fenton asked curious now. He himself had never thought of the idea to sharpen his skills.
"sometimes. "
"Interesting."
"oh! for the love of God, don't turn that poor girl into agent Carter aldready." Aunt Gertrude huffed and entered the living room with four glasses of orange juice.
"Oh! Aunty, we know you love what we do." Joe said hugging his aunt.
"Love what you do ! " aunt Gertrude exclaimed "I haven't had peaceful sleep in this house for as long as I remember."
"Alright Gertrude. Let's leave the kids to talk." Fenton told his sister as he picked up his juice and walked to his study room.
In reply aunt Gertrude just mumbled something not recognizable and walked away.
"So that's that." Joe said plopping down on the couch. "So brother how was your day in this prison ?"
Frank didn't answer . He just glared at his brother. Situations were getting complicated between him and Joe day by day. And though he felt bad for it and wanted to correct it, he felt keeping it the same way would be better in recent circumstances.
"Frank ?"
"Huh ? What ?" he hadn't realized that his brother was asking him something.
"Tomorrow is Sunday, the others are planning to go to the mall, you coming ?" Joe asked.
Frank was about to say yes in an instinct, but then he realized something.
"No." he said and looked at Lina who still had the serene expression on her. He knew she had seen right through him. Tomorrow he had to get to his dealer, if he was going to ace any of his tests the following week.
"Oh ! Alright." Joe said a bit ddisappointed but soon regained his older self.
"Anyway, Lina you're coming right ?"
"I'd love to." Lina said.
Frank looked surprised. He had marked Lina to be the kind of girl who stayed simple.
"Do you always wear the same kind of dress ?" Frank asked her. Lina was wearing the same loose top and pants only a different colour and her hair was tied up in a bun the same hairstyle.
"Oh ! Yes. I love this kind of dress." Lina replied.
"You do realize the malls that we're going to, tomorrow do not have such kinds of old fashioned dresses. " Joe said.
"Oh! I simply buy the light colour cotton material and Aunty stitches the dress for me." Lina replied happily.
It is impossible to stay stressed out with this girl, Frank thought. Lina remained calm all the time. She had the same serene smile on her at all times.
"So what happened in school the other day ?" Frank asked, suddenly remembering the weight lifting incident.
"Oh ! Yeah !" Joe shouted nearly making Frank jump off his seat "Coach kept claiming that he had seen the greatest supernatural miracle in history. The guys, well they are now scared to come anywhere near her." Joe said briefly.
Frank looked at Lina and gave her a short smile.
"Oh! didn't mean to scare them. Anyway never mind." Lina said admiring the interior decorations of the Hardy household.
"Anyway, I'm going to get something to eat. You guys do your geek thing" Joe said and he went to the kitchen side.
"Here you go, Phil's computer and Chemistry book, Tony's Spanish note and English work book and my Physics and civics notebook." Lina said taking the notebooks one by one out of her bag. "Phil's aunt is in town and Tony had to help his father out"
"Yeah." Frank said looking out of the window with a weird expression.
"What's wrong Frank ?"
"umm. Nothing." he said quickly and turned back.
...
"Did you send the message ?"
"Yes boss. Fenton Hardy has got the message." replied the first man.
"Valder, you've been with me the longest, you know how things work don't you ?"
"Yes boss." replied Valder.
"and you..." the boss said pointing to the other man "make sure there is no mistake. I don't take kindly to mistakes."
"Ye...yyes Boss." the other man stammered.
"Valder, I want you to observe that Hardy. Make sure he breaks like hell."
"As you wish, sir."
"and also, see the people he hangs out with,- a girlfriend, a best friend or his brother... Yes ! His brother. Joseph Hardy isn't it ? He'll make a wonderful bait."
"Yes sir."
"Go now. Make no mistake."
"Valder, which Hardy are we supposed to observe ?" asked the other man , once they were out of their boss's earshot.
"Francis, you're an idiot. Frank Hardy of course."
"The cops are already on us for our last stunt remember." the man called Francis said.
"You stupid fool ! The cops only know that Hardy was attacked, they don't know who did it." replied Valder. "We have to get him soon. The Boss has plans for that kid."
...
Joe had purposefully stepped out of his brother's way. He felt confident that Lina would keep his brother engaged, not that he had asked for it or because she had said so. He felt Lina wouldn't understand his brother's situation, because unlike the others, Lina didn't know that the Hardy's had a way of charming trouble to their side. Joe had spent the last half hour, trying to find something useful to decipher his brother's situation, but came out with almost nothing. Joe was about to give up when a blue envelope under his brother's table caught his attention. He pulled it out and took the paper inside it. The handwriting wasn't familiar to Joe but it had a list of names none of which was familiar to him except the last one.
James Harrington - January - 1 month
Leonard Alexander - February - 1 month
Fanny Porter - December - 5 months
Anna Martin - July - 3 months
Emmanuel Horace - January - 4 months
Jim Carter - September - 3 months
Adam Hendrick - January - 1 month
Alan Johnson. - June - 2 and a half years
David Becky - January - 2 months
Lance Hanson - September - 1 month
Mary Matthew - August - 7 months
Mark Matthew - August - 7 months
James Colt - September - 8 months
Marah Colt - September - 8 months
Franklin Hardy
Joe didn't know what the months or the number of months stood for but he could tell, whatever it was it wasn't nice. There was nothing near Frank's name and that was a relief to Joe. He quickly took a crushed paper from the dustbin and started writing the names on the paper. Joe didn't know why there was a huge dash underneath Frank's name but still he put it in the paper. Joe could feel his heart rate getting faster. Millions of questions passed through his mind. Why did Frank have this list ? Why did the list have Frank's name on it? What did the list mean. Joe swore to find out. He started looking into Frank's table. It was a mess, even messier than Joe's room and Joe was surprised. He was about to open the wardrobe when Lina's call of goodbye stopped him. He quickly managed to put the letter under the piles of books and rushed down the stairs.
"hey ! leaving already ?" Joe asked putting his most casual tone.
"Its 7:00 p.m" Lina said
"You could stay for dinner." Joe said.
"I'll come in another time." Lina replied
"You want one of us to drop you ?" Joe asked as it was getting dark. He surely didn't want Lina to get mugged or hit for that matter.
"Its alright. I'll walk."
"no. I'll drop you." Frank said with extreme firmness that surprised Joe. He hadn't heard his brother speak with such firmness for the past six to seven weeks. Maybe Frank didn't want something to happen to Lina like what happened to him.
"Maybe you should take rest Frank." Lina tried to tell but Joe knew Frank's tone. It was the tone that said, 'No room for arguing'.
"I'm fine. I'll drop you." Frank said and took the keys from the key holder and started towards the van. Lina didn't have another option but to follow.
"Alright then. Bye Joe ! see you at school."
"Bye."
...
Frank gripped the steering so hard that his knuckles had turned white. The ride was smooth until Frank suddenly hit the breaks, throwing Lina forward. Luckily the seatbelts prevented her from dashing against the dashboard.
"Frank, what happened ?" Lina asked. Though she was surprised, she was still calm. But Frank's face was one with fear.
"There. The man." Frank said pointing to empty aair.
"There's no one there Frank."
"I saw him."
"I think its just your imagination."
"No. No. "
"Frank, its alright."
Frank didn't say anything. He started driving again, silently. Lina could see he was sweating heavily. It was almost five minutes before the next illusion came by. Frank stopped the car again and Lina kept assuring that there was nothing. The next time, an old man was about to cross the road, Frank concluded it as an illusion and was about to hit the old man, luckily Lina pulled the steering and swerved the van away from the old man.
"That was close. " Frank said hitting the breaks near a side walk. "I can't do this anymore... You need to drive."
"I'd love to help you Frank, but the problem is I don't know how to drive." Lina said innocently.
"What ?" Frank looked at her with an incredulous expression. "Your uncle has a car right?"
"Never bothered, because I usually walk."
"Oh! God! " he said and sighed and then suddenly as if a wave of determination had passed through him, he said again " I'll drop you off, don't worry."
Lina simply nodded calmly. They had been through three narrow escapes and Lina still remained calm. Frank envied her. Before the whole traumatic incident, Frank too had been like Lina, maybe not too calm like her but to a certain extent. He was always the logical one. But now, Frank seemed to be searching the meaning for logic. Being the logical one, Frank had never believed in God but now he found himself praying to whichever power above him. So far, he received no result for his praying. He was angered to such an extent, that he wanted to convey that God did not exist.
"Try to loosen up a bit. Talk. I'll distract you." Lina said
It was then Frank realized that he had dug his nails into his palms during his angered thinking about God. Lina was right he needed a distraction, so he spoke the first thing that came to his mind.
"Never believe in God. There is no one like that."
"Interesting. what makes you believe that Frank ? Lina asked
"Oh yeah ! I prayed to him during my eternal misery and he did nothing."
Lina laughed. "No Frank, He doesn't work like that."
"How does He work then ?" he asked back.
"He tests people to a great extent, before he helps them."
"Oh! Yeah. Superstitious explanation. How come so many people who believe in God are overcome with misery ?"
"You can't pray to God one day asking him to offer you the post of Secretary of the student body association and then forget about him for a whole year until the next election. A lot of things come into account and one of the most important is faith and always doing the right thing. "
"I try to do the right thing most of the time. Joe and I have saved lives." Frank protested.
"and what makes you think God did not save you ?"
"Of course he did not save me." Frank said frustrated.
"Then how is that Frank Hardy that you escaped from the clutches of whichever devil was holding you ?"
"It was my own effort." Frank shouted.
" look around you Frank, trees, flowers, the sky, human beings. Haven't you ever wondered how all these came about. A bigger force to create such beautiful wonder."
"Science. It's called science. The Big bang." Frank said, hoping to stump Lina in the whole God conversation.
"What caused the Big bang Frank ?"
"Clashing of two worlds or huge atoms or molecules or whatever." Frank argued. He could feel it was going to be a heated argument. Good news was, he was finally getting his head to think of something.
"What force caused the atoms to clash ?"
"I don't know high concentration or something"
"What caused the high concentration ?"
"ugh. I don't know. Science."
"Don't be ridiculous Frank." Lina said laughing "science is just the name of a subject that studies the nature of the world. It says nothing about the true higher force that created these wonders. Take this car, how does it run ?"
"On gasoline of course."
"God is like the gasoline in the car. He is in you like gasoline but for you to move you have to do so. Just like for the car to move you have to start the engine and steer the car. God gave you the power to escape, because of what do they call it... Ah ! Yes karma or good deeds whatever. You steered yourself in the direction of escape and you're here driving me home."
Frank had to admit, he felt like he had just overlooked something. Suddenly it was like, he was a five year old needing assistance to tie his shoe lace. The rest of the drive was silent. Frank kept pondering Lina's words. Suddenly it was like actually, he had a gift but was failing to see it. He knew many teenagers like him had died under the lunatic's hand but only he had managed to escape. He also had a father capable of tracking down the lunatic, while other parents of children would've had to write a missing complain and wait for years with no knowledge of their children. He also had a brother capable of understanding him and helping him but would that brother be his brother if he knew what Frank had done. Finally, Frank decided to push the thoughts to the back of his mind. He would continue the same way he was doing now. Finally he arrived at Lina's house. Lina was right. Con Riley a long time friend of the Hardy's was living next noticed a lady waiting sitting on the porch. He presumed it to be Mrs. John.
"My aunt." Lina said conforming Frank's doubt .
"Lina ! There you are." Aunt Martha came up to hug her niece.
"Now who might you be kind young man."
"Aunt Mar, remember Joe hardy who came to dine with us sort of a week back. Its his elder brother, Frank." Lina said.
"Oh! Of course Mr. Riley speaks highly of you brothers and your father. Thank you very much for bringing my daughter back."
"I basically took her time, Mrs. John. I'm really sorry." Frank said sincerely.
"You're a good young gentleman. I certainly trust you." Aunt Martha said and smiled.
"You'll be okay ?" Lina asked Frank.
Frank nodded and with goodbyes the two friends parted.
...
Joe could say he had a very productive time earlier in the evening. It was 9:00p.m and he was on his way to his bedroom when he heard his brother arguing over the phone. Curiosity took over the younger Hardy and he listened by the door.
"I need it tomorrow. its urgent."
...
"You have to figure something out."
...
"I can't do without it."
...
"Fine. Give me a substitute."
...
"Yeah soon. Thank you"
Frank has hung up, thought Joe, when he didn't hear anymore conversation. What was Frank doing ? Joe felt his brother was doing something dangerous, but he pushed the thought away. He knew the list of names was by far his most productive discovery. Tomorrow was going to be a big day, he thought. 'Shopping with the girls in the mall.' God! With that Joe Hardy fell onto his bed and drifted asleep.
...
Frank Hardy put the hoodie of his jacket over his head. He kept muttering in frustration all the way.
"It had to be city mall" he muttered to himself.
He soon reached the main hall of the mall. A man in black waved at him. Frank noticed and went towards the man, praying that his friends would not notice him there in the unfortunately Frank's luck seemed to have worn out. About few meters away on the escalator were his friends going towards the third floor to the accessories section.
"Oh ! Isn't that Frank down there. I thought he wasn't coming." Lina said looking down from the escalator.
"Where ?" Joe and Callie asked surprised.
"In the main hall. I see him" said Tony pointing at Frank from above.
"What's he doing ?" Vanessa asked with a curious expression. They could see that Frank and the Black hooded guy were having some transaction.
"Buying a book." Biff suggested.
"quite possible." Phil said.
"There are dozens of book stores for that." Chet pointed out.
"maybe, he wants to save on pocket money or something" Callie said even though her mind did not tell her so.
Down there Frank was absolutely unaware of the gang's discussion about him.
"Does it work ?" Frank asked his dealer.
"Sweetly." Replied the man.
"How many should I take Bard ?
"Two would do. Not more than that." Bard replied.
"Where's the other thing that you promised me ?"
Bard tucked a new envelope into Frank's jacket pocket and left. Frank stood there for sometime talked to some of the salesmen working there and left.
Something about the whole deal felt artificial to Joe. He resolved to ask Frank when he got home.
...
When Frank reached home he was in the grip of illusions. It didn't take long for him to realize he was hallucinating.
The words nearly snapped his head open.
"You will never escape me ,
I will make your life miserable.
I shall haunt you for the rest of your life until you beg for death"
Frank made it to his bedroom and shut the door. He needed a distraction he thought. He didn't have Lina to talk and now he felt like he was being driven to absolute insanity. Near, on the side table near his bed he saw a blade. Frank didn't know what got over him. But he needed the voices to stop. He took the blade and started cutting his upper arm. He nearly gagged at the pain. The blood spilled out and the pain took away most of his thoughts and finally the voices stopped. A new discovery thought Frank, pain keeps me sane, he thought insanely.
...
...…..…...…..…...…...…...…...…...
Before Bayport High could shut and open its eyes, a month flew by. Mid terms were approaching in three weeks and the students were busy in the preparation of their presentations.
Frank Hardy sat in the corner of the washroom cutting himself or rather sawing himself with the blade which had now turned to blood red colour. It had become his hobby one could say.
Joe Hardy and the others sat around in conference most of the time discussing Frank's abnormal behavior. The outburst Frank had at the old history teacher a week ago was still the talk of the school. The History teacher, Ms. Doddery had burst into tears by the harsh comments coming from her star student. Most of the students felt afraid to confront Frank after that incident. Only Joe, Lina and Callie seemed to have the guts to do so. Lina, well, it didn't seemed like she was even aware of Frank's outburst or maybe she just didn't care.
She just kept talking about classes and physics and space though Frank didn't reply, she never seemed to care if Frank was irritated or frustrated or dazed. As for Joe he was getting concerned for his brother by the minute. Things seemed to be going too far. Frank's grades seemed to be slipping from straight A's to B's and C's. Callie was trying to help Frank calm down his temper.
Frank's teachers were surprised by his don't care behaviour and his answers. sometimes the answer to integral of sine would be Othello or Hitler was assassinated in the year ... would be, England. The writer of Wuthering heights ... would be J. K. Rowling. Frank's answers made no sense to the teachers. Sometimes when some dumb jocks tried to bully him, Frank would turn into Darth Vader and nearly scare the hell out of those students. The last time this happened almost seven teachers had to pull Frank off Johnathan Bleeson the captain of the Boxing team.
Callie later had to calm Frank down. In all this, Joe had to figure out what the coded letter and the list of names meant. It wasn't until a Friday evening that Joe's luck started to shine.
He was passing through his father's study when he heard his father talking over the phone to Chief Collig, a long time friend of the Hardys.
"Yes. He's not telling anyone."
...
"He's changed that's right. I don't know what is causing him to do all this. Last week he shouted at his history teacher saying that she was aan old fool. Believe me, I wasn't able to trust my ears when that Principal told me."
...
" we kill the mind. yes. Yeah ! I've seen it before too. I know it but can't remember it. I know its about something I dealt with almost six to seven years ago. Yeah. I'm searching the files. There's a bunch of them."
...
"The message clearly says they are coming for revenge. I am sure these were the people that took Frank and tortured him in June."
...
"Yeah. Thank you very much Collig. Thanks a lot."
Fenton soon left the study after the conversation. Joe quietly entered the study. His father had probably gone upstairs. He started the computer and waited. There was a box wanting a password. Damn it! thought Joe, Frank would have been much better at guessing passwords.
"I can't keep whining." Joe said in a soft sing song voice.
If I were dad what password would I keep, he kept thinking.
Hardy maybe. He brushed that thought. Frank. No too obvious and then a sudden brain wave lit him. He typed the password and the desktop screen appeared
"I knew it. It was 'the mind' " Joe said and congratulated himself on the discovery. Usually Fenton Hardy's computer passwords were mostly based on what thought was occupying his mind more.
Joe selected the files that said recently out of jail. All the names were unfamiliar. None of them were out for revenge. All were murderers or drug dealers not a lunatic that kills the mind. Joe was beginning to get bored. The file searching had always been Frank's job. Suddenly Joe realized how it would be if he were the only son . He realized that living without Frank would be impossible. But then again Frank would be off to college next year and he would have to finish his final year alone. Joe desperately wanted Frank to be with him, guide him. He realized that he had been depended on Frank more than he thought so. Frank needs me now . I have to help him now, Joe thought firmly. Being under the protection of his brother's logical mind for so long, Joe never felt any difficuly . now things were different, Joe had to think and do things. I have to be independent. Frank needs my help now, he kept saying to himself
Joe sat for almost two hours picking out names of criminals that would have reason for revenge. Finally he became satisfied with the names that he had got. When about to switch off the computer a file caught his eyes. It said 'NOT TO BE TOUCHED' . It was in audio. Joe clicked it and it began to play.
"How long do you think you'll last kid ?"
"As long as it takes."
Joe noticed that the first voice was menacing and harsh. The second voice sounded much younger, though it sounded weak, it had something like defiance in it.
"Who are you ?"
"None of damn business. "
"Who are you ?" the voice asked louder this time.
"Nothing like you, you filthy scumbag."
Oops ! Not the expected aanswer, thought Joe. He was starting to get interested. He heard something crashing in the background.
"Now tell me Who are you ? Tell me what I expect."
"You deaf ? I said nothing like you, filthy scumbag. "
The lunatic screamed. The second voice, the voice of the victim startes laughing . Joe started to realize that the victim was a teenager, like him. He looked at when the audio was taken. Its six years old thought Joe, when he saw the date.
"Beg for mercy. Beg for death. Scream in pain "
"Go to hell. "
Joe was starting to respect the teenager. Joe heard many things crashing in the background and ragged breath. Having been kidnapped many times, Joe guessed that glasses were being thrown at the victim.
"Your parents don't care for you. Your family, where are they ? Left their only child to die ?"
Joe detected a kind of dangerous tone in the man's voice, like he was using a different tactic.
"I know they care. your stupid tricks won't work on me. I know what you do, you brainwash teenagers like me into believing things. You put stupid things in their mind them against their families,drive them insane, and then kill them. I'll fight you and your tricks, even kill you, if I have to."
Joe had to admire the teenager's guts. It took some time for Joe to realize that the boy was baiting the lunatic into accepting something. Joe sat up straight. He knew this part. He and Frank had done it dozens of times. It was the part when the crime doers would be proud about their ideas and spill it all. Something told Joe this was a recording taken without the knowledge of the stupid lunatic.
"Huh. Son, I do more than that. I learnt great levels of psychiatry. I gave great ideas. I wanted to explore minds, see what was behind. Until they kicked me out. Literally kicked me out. I swore revenge. I took that director's son, I knew the mind of teenagers, I tortured them using my knowledge of psychiatry. I took children one by one and broke them. All star students, so easy to break. I brainwashed them, turning them against their families, I made them hallucinate. Those kids never were able to get the help of their parents. Do you know why ? Because they all believed that their parents caused this fate on them."
Joe felt disgusted. The man was truly insane but the last two lines hit Joe hard. It was like he was seeing a live show, symptoms of people who suffered under this lunatic. Then it hit him ; Frank. Joe felt like he had a heart attack. He recalled the first lines Frank had told him when he had woken up in Bayport general.
"This is all your fault." Frank had shouted at his father.
Joe couldn't move , he was hearing the voice of the person who had tortured his brother or so he presumed. He concentrated on the voice of the teenager. No. It wasn't Frank's. He was sure of that. Then he he shook his head, what an idiot he was, the video was dated six years ago. Maybe this wasn't Frank's kidnapper. Joe heard the teenager laugh. Then after that it was silent. Joe thought the recording had ended but he heard the man's voice again.
"Why are you laughing ?"
Silence.
"Because you just gave it away. This has gone to the cops."
Joe heard a loud shout from the lunatic and the sound of the teenager grunt in pain. Joe guessed the boy had been stabbed. With that the recording had ended underneath the recording was a name 'thearcher91' .
Joe finally felt like he had received a clue. Now to get this to Phil and track down the sender, Joe thought. He took a CD from the stack his father kept. Copied the recording and put it in his bag and got out of the study.
"Mom, I'll be back in an hour." Joe said loudly as he took the van keys and left. He checked his bag for the letter and the list, satisfied he started the engine. He was going to find out if the feeling in his gut was right.