Nestled inside the box was a small book that looked like it was written in code and a velvet bag full of diamonds!

"I'm no jeweler," Joe said, "but I would guess that these diamonds are worth at least several million dollars.

"That would be my guess as well," Frank agreed. "What interests me though is this notebook. What do you think it is?"

Joe leafed through the little book. "I'm not sure," he replied. "This doesn't look like any code I've ever seen."

"And that doesn't look like a woman's hand writing, does it?" Frank asked.

"You're right," Joe said. "I would guess a man wrote this." Almost as an afterthought he added, "I wonder how this handwriting compares to Tony Fanelli's?"

"If I were to hazard a guess," Frank mused, "I would bet that it matches Tony's."

"Let's get this back to headquarters and see if Codes Division can break this," Joe said.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Frank agreed.

As the brothers left the apartment, Officer Hanson asked them, "Did you find anything?"

"As a matter of fact, we did," Frank replied, the metal box impossible to hide.

"Here's a receipt," Joe said, handing the officer a piece of paper.

"Okay," Hanson replied uncertainly. "You guys have a good day."

"Thanks," Joe grinned as they hurried out to their car.

The two young men had only gone three blocks when a black car pulled up behind them. The driver of the car was tailgating them. After a little while, the car rear ended them and then pulled out to pass them.

"Lose them," Frank ordered.

"With pleasure," Joe said with a wicked grin. He stomped on the gas pedal and the powerful engine of the GTO roared as they pulled away from the car that was chasing them.

Frank scribbled down the plate number and make of the Lincoln Town Car that was following them as they began to distance themselves from the car. Their pursuers, realizing that they were beginning to lose the Hardys, also sped up.

"How much do you want to bet that our friend Officer Hanson is on Scinelli's payroll?" Frank said wryly.

"How do you mean?" Joe asked as he whipped the car around a corner.

"Think about it," Frank said. "Fanelli obviously never found what he was looking for but as soon as we leave Tammy's apartment with this box, his men are all over us. That makes our buddy Hanson look pretty guilty."

"Makes sense to me," Joe agreed, slowing down at a cross street. Seeing nobody coming, he accelerated again. He checked his rear view mirror. "Don't tell me they're dumb enough to start shooting at us in broad daylight," Joe said.

"What makes you say that?" Frank asked as he looked back over his shoulder.

"Only that Uzi that the passenger is holding out the window," Joe said dryly.

"Oh, is that all," Frank quipped. "Do you think you can get us somewhere secluded so that they don't hit any innocent bystanders if they start shooting?"

"Already on it," Joe replied as he guided the sports car onto an interstate access ramp. The Town Car began to fall behind as Joe accelerated to over 100 miles per hour, but it quickly began to gain on them as the gangster driving it floored his accelerator.

"What do you think a Town Car is governed at?" Joe asked Frank thoughtfully.

"Well, it depends on whether or not they made any modifications," Frank replied. "But stock I believe they can go about 130 miles per hour."

"Well," Joe said with a wicked grin, "let's see if it's stock." He pressed down harder on the gas pedal and the GTO leapt forward again. The speedometer crept upwards. At 140 miles per hour, Joe eased off of the accelerator. "Are they still there?" Joe asked; his eyes glued to the road.

"Yes they are," Frank said, "and gaining."

"So not stock," Joe concluded.

"That would be my guess," Frank agreed.

"I'm going to slow down then," Joe said as he tapped the brake. "The traffic is getting thinner out here."

"Have you ever noticed that when we are driving fast by ourselves, the cops are all over us," Frank asked, "but if someone is chasing us, they're nowhere to be seen?"

Joe thought about that for a moment. "I never thought about it like that," he answered, "but that sounds about right. You could always call up George and have her sic the Highway Patrol on them," he suggested.

"Why bother?" Frank grinned. "We can take care of them ourselves."

"My thoughts exactly," Joe agreed. "Speaking of George, why don't we see if that trick you pulled to escape her works against bad guys in Town Cars?"

"I'm game if you are," Frank replied as he tested to make sure his seat belt was tight.

"Okay," Joe warned, "hang on." He yanked up on the emergency brake handle and his tires squealed as the car drifted through a police turn around spot in the median. Within seconds they were heading back the other way on the opposite side of the interstate. "Woo hoo!" he yelled as the Lincoln holding the gangsters sped past the turn around.

"Let's see if we can find a place where we can ambush them when they come back," Frank said.

"You read my mind," Joe said as he searched the side of the highway looking for a suitable place.

"Take this exit," Frank said a minute later. "There are trees lining the on ramp, so they won't see us until they pass it."

"Sounds good," Joe said as he whipped the sports car towards the exit. He drove down the exit and then crossed over to the ramp to reenter the interstate. When they had almost reached the highway, Joe pulled over to the shoulder to wait for the gangsters to pass. They did not have long to wait.

Two minutes later, the Lincoln passed them, rocketing down the highway. Joe floored the gas pedal and they shot onto the highway behind the bad guys. Joe maneuvered the car right up behind the gangsters' vehicle and then flipped a button on the dash. A sturdy push bumper flipped out in front of the car. Joe pushed down harder on the accelerator and the GTO leapt forward and smashed into the back of the Town Car.

The gangsters had been so intent on searching for the Hardys in front of them that they had not even noticed that their quarry was right behind them. The blow from behind stunned the crooks so much that the driver lost control of the car. The Lincoln spun into the ditch.

Unfortunately, at the same moment that Joe had rammed the Town Car, he was passing over a slick spot in the road. The GTO also spun out of control. The brothers' eyes widened in horror. They were heading straight for the wrecked Lincoln!