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Love and Loyalty

Chapter 7

Joe lay awake staring at the ceiling, conflicting thoughts and emotions not allowing him to sleep. The obligation he felt to investigate out of loyalty to Vanessa, was warring with the rapidly building feelings of apprehension at the prospect of having to explain his decision to his father. While he was too stubborn to admit it out loud, Joe had to own up to the fact that his father had been correct in his assessment – there was nothing to indicate Kara had been framed other than Vanessa's fervent belief in her friend's innocence. Had this been someone who walked in off the street looking to hire the Hardys, Joe knew he would have voted to turn down the case. Wondering how in the world he could even begin to investigate objectively when he wasn't sure Kara was innocent, Joe heard Vanessa sigh softly and realized she too, was still awake.

"Something wrong?" Joe asked softly, rubbing her arm.

"I'm just worried about Kara. With no job and nowhere to go, she'll be stuck in that dreary apartment all day. It's not safe for her to even poke her head out the door. I'm just afraid she'll get so depressed she'll give up hope," Vanessa explained her fears to Joe. "I wish I could be there for her…in person."

Joe's response was immediate and adamant. "Oh, no. Absolutely not. You are not going back to that neighborhood to visit her. Not a chance, Babe. Sorry, but it's way too dangerous."

"I agree with you, Joe, but if it's too dangerous for me, then it's too dangerous for Kara, also," Vanessa pointed out logically.

Joe bit his lip, silently agreeing with Vanessa but saying nothing. He had a gut feeling where this conversation was heading. When Vanessa propped herself up on one elbow and lightly began tracing his cheek with her finger, Joe knew he was right.

"Joe, would you mind if I invited Kara to come stay with us? Just for a little while? Until you find whoever set her up?" Vanessa asked persuasively.

Joe winced, grateful for the darkness so Vanessa couldn't see his eyes and know what he was really thinking. 'I'm still not convinced she was set up. And Dad would go ballistic if he found out Kara was staying here.'

"She could sleep on the pull-out couch in the office," Vanessa continued. Leaning down she kissed Joe's cheek and whispered in his ear. "I know it would lift her spirits to know someone cared about her and believed in her and at least she'd be safe."

'Why are you even pretending to think about it?' Joe asked himself sarcastically. 'You know you're going to give in.'

He pulled Vanessa back down and laid her head on his chest, running his fingers through her hair. "Whatever you want to do is fine with me, Baby." Glancing down, he saw Vanessa close her eyes with a contented smile.

"Thank you," she murmured, already starting to drift off to sleep. "I love you."

"Love you too, Babe," Joe whispered, kissing the top of her head.

As she fell into a peaceful sleep, Joe lay awake in the darkness. 'Great, how am I going to explain this one to Dad…'

oooOOOooo

Joe hung up the phone just as Vanessa walked into the kitchen. "Okay, Kara can pick up the ticket at Penn Station," Joe explained, having just purchased a one-way train ticket from New York City to Bayport. "It's unreserved so she can take any train she wants."

Wordlessly Vanessa put her arms around Joe's neck and hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much. I'll pick her up on my way home from work." Vanessa hugged him a little harder, feeling almost guilty. Joe never denied her anything and she knew when she asked that this would be no exception. "I know you're not crazy about her staying here and we don't have to tell anyone if you don't want to," she said, understanding Joe was nervous about his father's reaction should he find out.

"Whatever makes you happy, Babe." Joe stroked her hair, then pulled away slightly and kissed her goodbye. "I'll see you tonight – both of you."

After one more lengthy kiss, Joe turned and headed off to work. Ten minutes later, he walked into the kitchen of his parents' home. While Frank and Joe had moved out years earlier, Laura still hadn't quite gotten used to the empty house. Sensitive to his mother's feelings, Joe made it a point to stop in and chat with her over a cup of coffee every morning before going into the office for the casual meeting with Frank and Fenton that usually started his workday.

Joe came up behind Laura and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Hey, Mom,"

"Hi, honey." Laura poured Joe a cup of coffee and refreshed her own.

Joe accepted the cup and followed his mother to the kitchen table, pulling out a chair for her before taking a seat himself.

"How's Vanessa?" Laura took a tentative sip of the steaming hot liquid. "I understand she renewed an old friendship."

"Dad told you, huh?" Joe grinned at his mother's diplomacy. 'Guess that's where Frank gets it from.'

Laura smiled knowingly. "He mentioned it. He also mentioned he stuck his foot in his mouth."

Joe reddened slightly. "Yeah, well, I think I kinda goaded him into it. So, is he still mad at me?"

"He was never mad at you. He's just…" Laura stopped, searching for the right word, "concerned that you might be agreeing to help Kara for the wrong reasons. It's going to be a little hard for you to be objective."

"Ya think?" Joe said sardonically. He'd had the exact same feeling the night before while waiting impatiently for sleep to come.

"He – we – just don't want you to kill yourself looking for something that might not exist. I know Vanessa believes in her friend, but six years is a long time, honey. People change," Laura said gently, covering Joe's hand with hers, "especially when life isn't exactly kind to them."

Joe sighed and nodded, agreeing with everything his mother said. He knew very well he could be looking for evidence that just wasn't there. "I promised Vanessa, Mom. I don't want to let her down."

"I know you don't, sweetheart," Laura replied with mixed emotions. She sometimes felt Joe and Vanessa's blind devotion to each other was both a blessing and a curse. Leaning forward, she kissed him on the cheek. "If there is even a shred of evidence out there to prove Kara is innocent, I know you'll find it," she finished not wanting to add to the mental burden Joe was obviously carrying, trying to keep everyone he loved happy.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Joe got up and put his coffee cup in the dishwasher. "I hope you're right."

"I know I am," Laura winked at him. "After all, you learned from the best."

"Thanks for the coffee." Joe kissed her on the cheek once more as he passed by. "And the ego stroke."

He walked out of the kitchen and down the hall. Turning left, he used the corridor that connected the house to the offices of Hardy and Sons Investigations. Passing through the reception area, Joe noted the empty desk and wondered where his father's long-time secretary was. Another left took him past the conference room to his father's office at the end of the hall. As he approached the open door he heard the muted voices of Frank and his father. Stopping just shy of the door, Joe took a deep breath and tentatively walked inside.

"Morning," he said quietly. Although his mother gave him the impression his father regretted what he'd said the day before, Joe was still nervous.

"Morning, bro," Frank greeted him. "Pull up a chair." He waved at the empty seats around the conference table where he and Fenton were seated.

"Is it safe?" Joe eyed his father, having decided humor was the best course of action.

Fenton chuckled as he shook his head, grateful Joe had such a forgiving nature. "Yes, it's safe. I'm not wearing my flavored shoes today so hopefully I'll be able to keep my foot out of my mouth. Sit down." He pulled out the chair next to him.

Relieved, Joe hustled over to the table and sat down next to his father, who turned to look him in the eyes. "Joe, I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. It was uncalled for. I was out of line."

"Thanks, Dad, but I owe you an apology too. I took a cheap shot and you just reacted. Truce?" Joe extended his hand.

"Truce." Fenton gripped Joe's hand tightly and shook it.

"A Kodak moment if ever there was one," Frank cracked, relieved at the thought of not having to referee another argument between Joe and Fenton.

Joe turned to his brother and stuck out his tongue, with Frank replying in kind.

"How old are you two, again?" Fenton laughed, pushing a stack of papers towards Joe.

Joe leafed through them. "Are these from Chief Peterson or Uncle Brad?"

"These are from Brad; everything his lawyers have put together so far. If you're going to be looking for something to clear Kara, you need to know what you're up against," Fenton said, indicating he understood Joe intended to look into the matter further, regardless of what the evidence showed.

Joe nodded as he scrutinized the first page. He didn't miss the unspoken message that if Fenton believed the evidence clearly proved Kara had stolen the money, he would not be taking it any further. Surreptitiously, Joe glanced at his brother, wondering which side of the fence Frank would land on – or if he'd choose to remain neutral, not wanting to be drawn into a battle of wills between his brother and father.

oooOOOooo

By late afternoon, Frank, Fenton and Joe had meticulously gone over every scrap of paper – twice. As had been expected, all the evidence pointed to Kara with nothing even remotely indicating she could have been framed. The police and Federal agents who worked the case had obviously taken great pains to make sure they had the right person. Dejected, Joe stared at the arrest warrant in his hands as his mother's words played over and over in his head.

"I know Vanessa believes in her friend, but six years is a long time, honey. People change."

Feeling his father staring at him, Joe finally looked up. "I promised Vanessa, Dad," he said quietly.

"I know you did, son." While Fenton was proud of the fact that Joe wouldn't back down even from him, he was also concerned. The New Year had seemed like a fresh start for Joe and Vanessa – a time for them to put the pain of the past year behind them and look forward to the happiness they both deserved. Yet Fenton knew deep in his heart, that as long as Vanessa believed Kara was innocent Joe would never stop looking for something to clear her – regardless of what Joe believed. As far as Joe was concerned, this wasn't about Kara at all; it was about not breaking a promise he made to the woman he loved, and failing to clear Kara of the charges lodged against her would do just that.

Joe gathered up the papers and carefully placed them back in the appropriate folders and envelopes, then gave them a mumbled goodbye and walked out the door, shoulders slumped. Fenton knew the odds were good that Kara really had stolen the money and was simply using Vanessa – and Joe – to buy some time, possibly to come up with a plan to flee the country and avoid prosecution. If that turned out to be true, it would mean Vanessa had been betrayed and used by an old friend; and that she unknowingly allowed Joe to be used, too. Knowing Vanessa the way he did, Fenton knew she would be devastated and couldn't help but worry about what kind of toll that would take on both her and Joe.