"Patrick O'hara." Joe mumbled "I have been looking for this guy for like fifteen minutes!" he shook his head and walked over to the desk "Hey." he said to the receptionist with a smile "I'm looking for Patrick O'hara."
The girl smiled "I'll call him for you."
"Thanks." Joe leaned against the desk and waited. A few seconds later a tall guy walked up to him.
"You need me?" He asked with a booming voice.
Joe stared at him "Whoa. Um... I mean... yes!"
Patrick O'hara appeared to be about six foot eight. He was built like a boxer and had a serious face, He also had a carrot red mustache that made him look like he belonged on a motorcycle.
"Um..." Joe scratched the back of his head "I needed to ask you a question... Are you an undercover security guard?" he slapped his forehead "No! I mean..." he laughed nervously "A note was left for a Cruise Higgins earlier. The waiter said you delivered it to him. Do you happen to know who left the note?"
"Nope." The man responded "I was left on that sofa over there." he pointed to a lush velvet couch "That's all I know." he leaned down, his dark green eyes squinting "Who wants to know?"
"No one. No one at all." Joe patted his shoulder "Hehe. Keep up the good work!" then he took off running "Next time, Frank's talking to O'hara!"
"I don't get it." Nancy said as she stepped into the room "What were they after?"
Morgan's room had been completely trashed. Pillows had been torn to pieces, the sofa split. Clothes were thrown everywhere.
Frank shook his head "Someday, I'd like to meet a criminal that doesn't trash the room."
Nancy chuckled dryly "Yeah."
They proceeded further the room, being careful to watch where they stepped.
Even the bathroom had been torn to shreds.
Nancy was slowly heading towards the bedroom "You look around here. I'll check the room."
"Alright." Frank nodded. He was about to do as ordered when he spotted a footprint in the plush carpet "That shouldn't be there." he thought "It should have disappeared by now. Unless..." his attention flicked to the large curtain hanging over a window buy the bedroom door. It look normal... except for in one of the ripples you could barely make out the form of a person "Nancy!" he shouted as he leapt forward "Watch out!"
The person burst from behind the curtain. Nancy managed to jump out of the way, but the man rammed into Frank, sending him flying back into the closet.
"It's the same man that kidnapped Morgan!" Nancy said, then she took off after him.
Frank groaned as he got to his feet "That is going to hurt." then he charged after them. When he didn't see them in the hall, he ran for the stairs "He must be heading to the lobby."
Nancy raced after the man, determined not to let him get away.
He glanced back at her and put on a burst of speed.
"I hope Frank catches up." she thought.
The man reached the end of the hall and grabbed onto a ladder that led to the roof. Of course, Nancy followed.
"Why is he going to the roof?"
The icy air hit her full blast in the face as she stepped outside. Snow and ice had piled up on the roof, making the trek tedious. She looked around for any sign of the man, but there was none. Not even a footprint. She shivered as she looked around, wishing she had her coat.
She continued to walk around the roof. There were no prints anywhere!
"Well, where did he go?" She murmured.
Just then, a shadow appeared next to her, and before she could turn around, she felt a couple of hands shove her hard. With a gasp she went tumbling forward, right over the edge of the roof!
Frank burst into the lobby and looked around. Where had they gone? "Joe!" he called as he spotted his brother "Have you seen Nancy and a guy come running through here?"
"No." Joe answered "I've been standing here. Nancy hasn't been through."
"They may have gone out another way." the older Hardy mumbled "Come on. Let's look outside." then he ran for the exit. There was still no sign of them anywhere. "Where on earth could they have gone?"
"F-frank." Joe said slowly "Don't look up." his eyes widened "Actually, looking up wouldn't be a bad idea!"
Frank's head snapped up in just enough time to spot Nancy getting pushed off the roof "No!" he shot forward and managed to make it to the spot right before Nancy hit the ground.
The force of her falling into him sent both of them falling back into the snow.
"Nice catch!" Joe cheered.
Nancy let out a relieved chuckle and laid back in the snow "Wow."
Frank smiled and shook his head "No kidding." he stood to his feet and held his hands down to her "Here. You're going to catch your death."
"I'm not the one that caught someone's death." she responded as she slipped her hands into his, as soon as she was on her feet, she threw her arms around his neck "Thank you."
Frank let out a sigh of relief as he wrapped his arms around her "You're welcome."
Joe grinned and turned around "Precious."
"Did I miss something?" A voice suddenly asked.
Nancy pulled out of Frank's arms and looked towards the street. There stood George.
"George!" she laughed as she ran towards her friend "I thought you were due til tomorrow!"
"I came early." George responded "Why are you wet and covered in snow?"
"It's a long story." Nancy laughed "but I am freezing! Let's get inside."
"Yeah. You need to change." George turned her around and pushed her towards the door.
Joe poked Frank's shoulder "So do you, Snowman."
Frank rolled his eyes "Yeah yeah."
"George!" Bess squealed as soon as they stepped in the door "You're here! What happened to you, Nancy?"
"Nothing much." Nancy answered.
"She fell off the roof." Joe said at the same time.
"You must be freezing!" Bess grabbed both of the girls' arms and drug them towards the elevator "Come on!"
Joe looked up at Frank and grinned "Don't worry, Bro. I care."
"Nancy." George said with a smirk "What was all that outside?"
"All what?" Nancy asked, drying her hair out with a towel.
"Yeah. What?" Bess asked.
"The long endearing hug." George answered "Between Nancy and Frank."
"Ooooh." Bess was immediately alert "Long endearing hug?"
"It was a relieved thank you hug." Nancy answered "He saved my life."
"I don't know... it seemed kind of sweet." George smirked.
Nancy shook her head and grabbed a brush from the dresser "I had just fallen seventeen stories through the air. I was happy to be alive!"
"Nancy, why can't you just admit that you like Frank Hardy?" Bess asked.
"I do like Frank." Nancy responded "He's a great friend." she chuckled "And he's saved my life more times than I can count."
George rolled her eyes "Honestly."
"Nancy!" Bess whined "You know what we mean! Did it ever occur to you that you might be in love with him?"
Nancy's mouth fell open then she clamped it back shut. In love with Frank Hardy? Well... the thought hadn't really crossed her mind. Or had it? But seriously, the idea, even in her mind didn't sound preposterous. I mean, what was there about him not to love?
He was smart and sweet and...
Nancy shook her head "No. I'm not in love with Frank."
"You hesitated." Bess pointed out.
"No I did not!" Nancy shook her head "Are you forgetting that he's got a girlfriend? Callie Shaw, remember?"
"What does that have to do with you?" George asked dully.
"Look, we've got more important things to think about." Nancy tossed the hairbrush back onto the dresser "Like finding Morgan."
George looked at them confused "What do you mean? What happened to Morgan?"
Nancy and Bess looked at each other.
"Okay, Cousin." Bess said "I think you need updated."
"I don't think I've ever seen you move that fast. Joe commented "Even for me."
Frank glanced as his brother but grabbed a blazer from the closet and didn't respond.
"And I definitely never got a hug like that. I think I'm jealous."
Frank groaned "You are so immature. You know that, Joe?"
"I know." Joe shrugged "But at least I've normally got a date. Being cute pays off. You should try it sometime."
"See you later." Frank grabbed the hotel key from a side table and walked out the door.
"He has got to stop that." Joe said as he picked up the tv remote "He's always walking away."
"Be cute." Frank grumbled as he made his way down the hall "Yeah, sure. Be cute."
"Who's being cute?"
Frank glanced over his shoulder and smiled "Hi Nancy."
"Hello." she pushed her hair behind her ear "I was wondering if you wanted to go finish investigating Morgan's room with me? You know, just in case the closet throws a thief."
"Who am I to say no?" Frank responded, then he cleared his throat "You know, to investigating."
Nancy's eyebrows rose slightly "I get it. Come on." she turned and headed towards the elevators "Then maybe we can get some lunch."
"Sounds... perfect."
(I promise there will be some attempt-to-avoid-romance between Nan and Frank, and some Bess/Joe too! Thanks for all the reviews everyone! Oh yeah! If someone that reads this owns Secrets of the Nile, please PM me! I need a bit of information about things that happen in that book! Thank you!)