Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing my last chapter. Sorry for the delay, here's my new chapter. Hope you like it.
Pressure Chapter 9
"Joe!" Laura exclaimed as she hurried over to give him a hug. Her baby was home and in her mind that was all that mattered. "Are you alright?" She asked, holding him at arm's length she got a good look at him.
"Yes, Mom, I'm fine." Joe said smiling to reassure her.
Next it was Frank's turn. He was grinning so wide it looked like his face would split in half. Walking over to his brother he wrapped his arms around him. "Little brother, I have no idea how you managed to get out, but I am so happy you're back".
"I thought I'd never hear myself say this, but, Joseph, what are you doing here? And why aren't you in jail?" Fenton rose to his feet. As shocked and happy as he was to have his son home, it was just…
"Chief Collig must be having kittens, right about now." Sam spoke up saying what Fenton was thinking. He was in complete shock, just like everyone else. This should be interesting.
Suddenly the telephone began ringing on Fenton's desk. "I'll give you one guess as to who that'll be." He sighed wearily as he pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to stave off a headache.
He immediately picked up the phone and answered, "Detective Hardy speaking, Chief.., Yes… I know. He's standing right here... In front of me as we speak." Fenton said looking right at Joe.
"Do you have any idea...?" The police chief began ranting so much and so loudly that Fenton had to pull the phone away from his ear.
"Dad, I'll explain everything later. Just give the Chief, Henry's address and I'll meet him there." Joe released his brother. "Right now we need to get to Henry." With that, he began to make his way to the door.
"Hold it!" Fenton ordered freezing Joe in his tracks.
"I knew that was way too easy." Joe said under his breath. Stifling a smile Frank just shook his head at his brother's antics. It was good to have him back.
As soon as the police chief was done with his rant Fenton quickly gave him that address and what was going on. "Yes, I will make sure that Joe is there." He kept his eyes on Joe as he hung up the telephone.
"Frank, you are not to let Joe out of your sight. Not even for a second. I don't care if you have to sit on him, or hog-tie him."
"Do I make myself clear?"
"Don't worry Dad," Frank answered. "I'm not letting him out of my sight ever." He wasn't going to let anyone take his little brother away from him again.
The men started to head out the door. "Fenton, wait." Laura's voice stopped them in their tracks.
"Laura, what's wrong?" Fenton asked with true concern in his voice.
""You know I never interfere with your work or any of your cases really. But, I think you need to let me come with you, this once".
"Why is that?"
"If Cindy Hayden is there she might feel comfortable talking to a woman. I do volunteer work at women's shelters and the Red Cross. So I know how to help someone involved in domestic violence."
"Alright, Laura you can come." Fenton readily agreed.
"Wow, we have all the Hardy's working on this case." Sam chuckled as he followed everyone out the door.
"Fenton, have I ever told you how much I love this family?"
"Okay, Joe, I can't take it anymore. How did you manage it?" Frank asked from behind the wheel of their black van. He could no longer contain himself, he had to know. "How did you get out of jail? Is the police station still standing? Do we need to make a run for it?" He glanced at Joe noting the big smirk on his face. "What?"
Joe laughed. "Seriously, Frank you've been watching way too many movies." He immediately stopped when he saw Frank wasn't laughing.
"I am serious Joe, this is not a joke. Do you realize how much trouble you're in? You were just arrested for the alleged assault on Hayden. Do we have to add fugitive to the list?" Frank stated. "Con was supposed to be watching you. How did you get past him?"
"Let's just say, I have a lot of experience in getting out of locked rooms." Joe said, turning away to look out the window.
"I don't like these secrets. Why do you feel you have to keep things from me?" Frank prompted. "I understand you were embarrassed to admit Hayden's abuse scared you. You don't always have to act tough and fearless".
Maybe I was just trying to act tough and fearless, just like my big brother". Joe argued back. "At the police station yesterday, you were trying so hard not to break down. It's okay if I break down but oh no, not you; you have to be the strong one".
"Frank, your problem is that you have to be in control all the time. But, you can't control how you feel. You need to learn how to let go."
"I guess I try to emulate everything you do because I love you; you're my big brother and I'll always look up to you". Joe turned back to face Frank. "However, I get confused, when you try to hide how you feel. How am I supposed to know how to act or feel, if you hide everything? How do I know when it's okay to cry or get angry or not, in various situations?"
Frank stayed silent, glancing quickly at Joe before turning his gaze back to the road.
""Okay, yes when Hayden threw that book at me, he did something to me. He took away my sense of security and that's what really scared me. He was nice to me at first; I had no reason not to trust him. Teachers wouldn't hurt their students, or so I thought." Joe kept going, "But boy, was I wrong about him! His behavior began to change when I started to hang out with Henry".
"He threw all my insecurities into my face. I began to doubt myself and wondered how I hadn't seen it coming. Maybe I'm not as of a good detective as I thought like you and Dad. And maybe I'm not capable of getting all A's in school like you do."
"Maybe that's how abuse starts. First they get into your head, break you down mentally and physically, and then you find you're trapped with no way out. Before you know it things get physical".
"That's probably what Henry is going through. He just doesn't have a way out."
Finally Frank spoke up after processing his brother's words, "I'm sorry that happened to you Joe. Everyone has a right to feel and be safe. Taking that away is wrong".
"As for crying, you're right; losing control does scare me." Frank frowned. "If I were to let go; I might not be able to stop myself". He felt as though he was going to tear up now. Feeling hypocritical, he quickly changed the subject before that happened.
"I do have a theory about our Mr. Hayden. You mentioned his behavior changing towards you is correct. I don't think he was thrilled about the idea of Henry hanging around you. He didn't want anyone to know about his dirty secret. Then you went to confront Hayden about the tutoring session last Friday and the abuse that took place yesterday. He knew right then you knew, and that's why he attacked you and had threatened to hurt me."
"That's why his brother Ryan Hayden is protecting him. And, I'm almost certain Johnny Stevens and Brett Cooley are the witnesses. "
"How can that be?" Joe asked. The classroom was empty; Hayden and I were the only two in there".
"I don't know. Maybe he threatened them or something?" Frank was still wrapping his head around the next part. "There might be a possibility that Henry is the man's son. The only thing we're missing now is proof".
"I overheard you guys talking about that in Dad's office." Joe nodded slowly. "Frank, what do you suppose happened in that tutoring session?" He said, stumbling on the last word. "We both know something else was going on."
"I wish I knew little brother." Frank replied. He'd been thinking about that too. "The only person who could tell us that is Henry." The boys fell silent; each thinking about their friend.
It was nearing one in the morning by the time Frank pulled up to Henry's home. Just like before, he had an uneasy feeling about this place.
Joe started to get out of the van but Frank pulled him back inside. "Joe, we need to wait for the police to secure the area."
"We can't wait." Joe stated. "I can't explain it, but, when I was sitting in my cell…. I had this gut feeling that something was wrong. That's why I escaped the police station. I wouldn't have done it, normally, but I had no choice; Henry's in trouble."
"Frank, please… Henry can't wait."
Frank looked into his brother's pleading blue eyes. He'd always trusted Joe's intuition, and Joe had always turned out to be right. He knew without a doubt Joe was telling the truth. He calmly took a breath, "Alright, but you don't leave my side for a second. Do you hear me?"
"Yes, I hear you," Joe agreed, as he stepped out of the van, "I just can't promise you. Now come on, let's go."
Frank sighed and shook his head. "It's good to have you back." He could hear the sounds of sirens in the distance.
With flashlights in their hands the brothers quietly stepped up to the front porch, being careful not to tread on any loose boards; there were no lights on in the home. Frank tried to look inside a window, but couldn't see a thing due to a board nailed across it.
Frank aimed the beam of his flashlight onto the house's address, 116, which hung on a nail. He discovered a missing nail on the number 6. Straightening the number so that is was right side up, Frank turned it into a 9. He began to mentally beat himself up, for not realizing it sooner. Hayden didn't live on the same street, he lived here.
"Frank, the front door is unlocked." Joe whispered and began opening the door.
"Joe, wait…" Frank started to say, his heart thumping out of his chest. He didn't know what or who was waiting inside. But it was too late; Joe'd already darted inside and found a light switch.
The boys gasped in horror at the sight of the living room. The place was completely trashed; broken glass was strewn everywhere from a turned over coffee table. The most startling part was the blood splattered all over the couch and walls.
"You don't think..." Joe's voice trailed off into a whisper as his heart started pounding. A trail of blood led into the kitchen; with trepidation the boys followed the trail until their eyes landed on Henry's seemingly lifeless body.
Chief Collig and Con Riley suddenly entered the room, several other officers following them; at the back of the crowd stood Fenton, Sam and Laura.
"Oh my heavens!" Laura cried as she grabbed Fenton's arm. Everyone was completely horrified by the sight in front of them.
Suddenly they heard the most heart wrenching scream coming from the kitchen, "NOOOOO!"
"That's Joe." Laura acknowledged her son's voice. She felt Fenton slide an arm around her shoulders. "Stay close to me, Laura" he instructed as everyone ran into the kitchen.
Immediately Fenton's heart dropped, when he saw his youngest hovering over Henry's lifeless body.
"We're too late, Frank! Look at him! Look at what that..." Angry tears started to roll down Joe's face as he started to choke up, "monster did to him!"
"Joe, come on. You have to get off of him." Frank pleaded trying to pull Joe off his friend. "Let's take a walk outside."
"No! I'm not leaving him!" Joe cried out. He hovered protectively over Henry, like a guard dog ready to defend its owner.
"Fenton, we need to get Joe out of the way so the paramedics can help Henry." Laura said with urgency. She was doing her best not to panic.
"Joe." Fenton knelt next to his distraught son, placing two fingers under Henry's neck, "He has a weak pulse. Joe, Henry's alive."
"We're too late Dad! We're too late!"
Pure rage filled the detective's body as he took in the condition of this poor boy who wasn't much older than Joe. Henry's face was covered in blood and bruises with one eye swollen shut. He saw the kid's chest slowly rise up and down as small grunts of pain escaped his mouth.
It was a miracle this boy was still alive. Fenton was more determined than ever to get Hayden. The man was going to pay dearly for this.
Fenton quickly turned his attention back to Joe. "Son, I know you're upset but you need to take a minute to calm down. Let's step outside while the paramedics help Henry; they need to take him to the hospital so the doctors can start helping him get better".
When they saw Joe wasn't going to comply Fenton and Frank had no other choice but to carefully pry him off of Henry. They managed to get him on his feet and escorted him outside. Laura followed behind them.
"Officer Riley!" Chief Collig began barking orders after the Hardy's had left the room, "I want this house searched from top to bottom, inside and out, for any clues. Have forensics take blood samples from the couch and walls. Check for fingerprints, anything that's going to help us find the animal that did this to that boy. Also, start questioning the neighbors... see if anyone saw or heard anything. The Bayport Police will not rest until we get Hayden."
"Yes, sir!" Officer Riley responded as he and his fellow officers left to carry out Chief Collig's orders. The paramedics moved in to check out Henry's injuries.
Sam joined in with the search as well; he knew Fenton had his hands full dealing with Joe at the moment.
The police chief stepped out of the house and onto the front porch where he found the Hardy family trying to calm their youngest member. "It's all... my all my fault! I should've told! I should've told!"
"Joe, honey, please calm down." Laura pleaded with him.
"Joe, you've got to calm down." Fenton tried to reason with him. "This is not your fault. The only one to blame for this is Hayden; not you".
"Little brother, listen to me." Frank placed his hands firmly on his brothers shoulders, forcing Joe to look at him. "In a few minutes the paramedics will be bringing Henry out. It won't help things if he sees you're upset; he's going to be scared and he's going to need you".
Joe took a breath to calm down. Frank was right he had to stay calm for Henry's sake. He stood as calm as he could with his parents and brother as the paramedics brought Henry out in a stretcher.
"Is Henry going to be alright?" Joe asked one of the paramedics anxiously.
The paramedic saw the worry in the boy's eyes. "All I can tell you is that he's in pretty bad shape. We won't know the extent of his injuries until we get him to the hospital". With that the paramedic hopped into the ambulance and with the siren wailing, they were gone.
Chief Collig made his way over to the Hardy's. "Chief, I'm sorry I've caused so much trouble for you. I promise...I'll turn myself in...I'll go back to jail...whatever". Joe begged in a quivering voice. "Please, I need to be at the hospital with Henry."
"Chief, I promise you," Frank came instantly to Joe's defense. "Joe will never leave my side."
Chief Collig had watched the Hardy brothers grow up. They were good detectives, clearly following in their father's footsteps. They'd helped his department out on a number of tough cases.
The boys had built up a good reputation for themselves. Even though he'd butted with the youngest Hardy a time or two. Deep down the Chief had always admired the brothers for their passion when it came to crime solving. He looked at Fenton before turning back to Joe.
"Alright, Joe I'll let you go. Con will go with you. You are not to leave the hospital".
"Thank you, Chief." Fenton said with gratitude.
"Thank you Chief and I won't." Joe said, as he and Frank got into Officer Riley's car.
"Joe, now is the time for us to be strong and fearless". Frank put his arm around his brother's shoulders as they sat in the back of the squad car. "Henry's counting on us. So start thinking like a detective, Joe. We've got work to do, to find Hayden and make him pay."
"For Henry."
"For Henry."
