Disclaimer: I do not own the Hardy Boys or any of the canon book characters, and am making no monies from this story. Any Original Characters belong to the author(s).

Note: This story was written around 2007, so technology is not as advanced as it is today. Also it was originally co-written with another person, to whom I give much credit for the plot and many of the original characters, and unending thanks.

Thank you to those kind enough to leave reviews and comments - Cherylann, Max2013, and NickTonyK.

DEATH ON THE FOURTH OF JULY

By EvergreenDreamweaver and SparksJSH

Chapter 10

The next morning seemed to be just another normal day in the Hardy household, with Joe and Frank leaving for the airfield shortly after 8 a.m.; with Fenton going through files in his den and packing items into a briefcase, as he nearly always did before leaving on a case.

But there was a difference this time. Laura was packing too – packing clothing for herself and her husband – and making sure things were set in the house for an absence that could extend into who-knew-how-many days. Even though they were only going to be in New York City, just over an hour's drive distant, Laura didn't want to leave things helter-skelter.

And there was another difference – the presence of a small, blonde teenaged girl who obligingly helped Laura with her tasks; did everything she was asked to; smiled cheerfully at everyone… A girl who had cried herself to sleep, and carried a heartache bigger than she was. A heartache that intensified every time she looked at the woman who so resembled Linda Whittier Scarpetti…and yet wasn't Linda.

Joe arrived home from work first; his cargo-loading job finished shortly after noon. As soon as he arrived and had hastily packed a duffle bag with his belongings, he called Tony Prito to come over and be briefed on the details of his new job. Tony, having done his packing earlier in the morning, was there in fifteen minutes.

When the doorbell rang, Joe bounded through the hall to answer it. "Hey, Tony! Come on in!" He drew the slim, dark-haired and dark-eyed youth into the hallway. "I want you to meet someone. Tinkerbelle? Hey, Bella?"

"I'm right here, no need to shout." Bella walked out of the kitchen, then stopped short as she beheld Tony. "Oh…."

"This is Tony Prito, Tinkerbelle; he's a good friend of ours." Joe performed the introductions. "Tony, this is my cousin, Bella Scarpetti."

Tony's eyes had widened with appreciation when he saw the pretty blonde. He stepped forward and took her hand with a courtly gesture that made Joe's jaw drop in amazement. "Scarpetti? Italian? Not just Bella, then….Grazia Bella!"

Bella blushed, dropped her chin and flicked a look upward through her eyelashes at the good-looking boy in front of her. Had Laura been there to see the instinctive move, she would have thought: Linda, all over again! Linda had possessed the ability to enchant a man without effort, and her daughter had learned the technique in her cradle. A shy smile curved Bella's lips. "Grazie mille…E` molto carino. What a nice thing to say," she murmured. "Do you know more Italian than just that?"

"Si, signorina." Tony's teeth flashed white as he grinned. "Some, anyway!" he admitted then, laughing. "I don't get a chance to speak Italian very often, actually, although Dad speaks it well. I guess I'm fairly fluent."

"I understand it better than I speak it," Bella smiled. "My dad spoke it occasionally, but I'm not all that fluent."

Joe was staring in total bewilderment. He had never seen Tony go into overt flirt mode so rapidly – and he wasn't sure he liked the Prito charm exerted toward his cousin! "Uh – let's go sit down and I can explain exactly what's going on, Tony…or maybe I don't need to, actually – what all did Frank tell you last night?"

Somewhat reluctantly, Tony's gaze unlocked from Bella's, and he followed Joe into the family room. Bella trailed along, her head cocked consideringly as she watched the boys.

"He said you and I are going to be working at a restaurant in New York as busboys, where we'll be keeping an eye out for someone who might have been slipping poison into someone's food." Tony chuckled ruefully. "And he said I might even get paid…that's good, because all of a sudden, Mr. Pizza isn't bringing in the bucks anymore, at least not to me."

"You'll be paid," Bella stated quietly, and Tony glanced over at her, surprised by the assurance in her tone.

"Bella owns the restaurant now – it belonged to her parents, and it was her mother who was poisoned," Joe explained tersely.

Tony's eyes softened, and he murmured a quick "I'm so sorry," then added another phrase in liquid Italian that made Bella's blue eyes glow with appreciation. "Come ti capisco, Bella mia."

"Apprezare," she murmured.

"Tony—" Joe again attempted to gain control of the situation. "This could be dangerous, you know. You sure you're up for it?"

"Heck, yeah!" was the slightly chagrined rejoinder. "I haven't skipped out on you and Frank before, have I, just because something might be dangerous?"

"No, of course not," Joe apologized. "Anyway, we'll be staying…where? Do you know, Tinkerbelle?"

"Actually, I had an idea about that," she replied, nodding. "There's an apartment suite above Marco's. Mom and Daddy lived there when they first opened the restaurant, and more recently, they've rented it to employees when necessary. It's not being used right now, and I'm sure I can arrange it with Alexander for you and Frank and Tony to stay there."

"Good thought," Joe approved the plan. "What about Mom and Dad?"

"They'll stay at my house. They don't have to be undercover; Aunt Laura said there would be nothing unusual about them coming to New York and staying with me right now – helping with the – the funeral arrangements – and seeing if Mom had a lawyer…a will…." She broke off, biting her lip, and averted her gaze.

The boys exchanged helpless glances; neither of them knew what to say. But Bella recovered her poise in a few seconds, and continued.

"I talked to Alexander Harrington on the phone this morning. He's the manager of Marco's, but I think he's been trying to talk my mom into selling, since Daddy was killed…. He knows someone who wants to buy it...or maybe he wants it himself."

Joe's interest flared. A manager who wants to own the restaurant…someone who was on-site all the time, and would have plenty of opportunity to lace Linda Scarpetti's food with arsenic…someone who might have been finagling the books….

"I told him I was coming back to New York with my aunt and uncle, and that I had some friends who needed jobs. He fussed a little…but only a little." Bella smiled. She had most of the staff at Marco's wrapped around her finger, and she knew it.

"Will he mind Frank going over the books?" Joe asked quickly. If this Alexander Harrington is reluctant to let Frank examine the finances….

"He wasn't thrilled about it," Bella admitted. "But I assured him that Frank was a trusted friend, and that of course I intended to call in a certified accountant after a bit, but that Frank could tell me if there was anything outstandingly amiss. He agreed to it."

"Hmmm." Joe was somewhat reassured, but tucked the name Alexander Harrington away in the "suspicious" file, nonetheless.

"I just thought of something," Bella said then. "Do you two happen to own tuxedos?"

"Tuxedos?" Joe yelped. "Why would we need tuxedos?"

"Joe," she said patiently, "Marco's is a high-class Italian restaurant, not a hamburger place. The wait staff all wear tuxedos, and that includes the busboys."

"Noooooooo!" the Hardy boy wailed theatrically. "I can't do undercover work in a tux! Besides," he added hopefully. "I don't own one."

"Then you'll need to rent one," his cousin said firmly. "Tony? What about you?"

"Actually, I think I can borrow my dad's," Tony replied. "Let me go call and ask; if I can, I'll run back home and get it." To Joe's amazement, Tony didn't seem to mind this inconvenience, nor did he balk at the idea of having to wear formal attire. He picked up the Hardys' cordless phone from its place on the table, and politely walked into the entry hall to conduct his conversation. A short time later, he poked his head back into the family room.

"I'll be right back," he said, and disappeared again. The opening and closing of the front door announced his departure.

"A tuxedo!" Joe groaned again.

Bella laughed at his dismay. "Joe, it won't kill you. And I'm sure you'll look absolutely divine in one." She paused, then continued thoughtfully. "And so will Tony."

"Ugh!" Joe shuddered dramatically, then gave up the struggle. "I guess I'd better go pack some dark socks…and my dress shoes." He sighed mournfully once more, then skulked out of the room and up the stairs.

When Frank arrived home and heard about the tuxedo situation, he laughed until tears stood in his eyes. Then he reminded Joe that their father owned a tux, and that although the trousers might be a fraction long, it probably would do in this situation.

"After all, you're going to be busing tables, not going to the senior prom," the older boy reminded his irritated brother. "If your pants aren't exactly the right length, it's not likely anyone will care."

Joe wasn't much comforted, but with Laura's help, he found Fenton's formal clothing and packed it, grumbling constantly how unfair it was that he was forced to wear it, and Frank wasn't expected to.

"Quit griping!" Frank finally snapped. "You've had to do worse things on cases! And this is important!"

Joe gave him a resentful glance, but subsided.

Tony returned, bearing his father's tux, pleated shirt, cummerbund and dress shoes in a garment bag. He stowed his gear in Joe's SRV, the boys having decided to take that rather than Frank's car, as it had more room. Mr. and Mrs. Hardy were going in Fenton's Volvo.

"What about the girls?" Frank asked, as he stuffed clothing in a duffle bag similar to Joe's.

"They're staying in Bayport until or unless we need them," Joe responded. "Megan assured me they're only a telephone call away, and she has an aunt that lives in New York where they can stay if they come." He thought about his conversation with Vanessa when he'd bid her goodbye. "You watch out for yourself!" she'd warned him. "Don't forget, you're still recovering from that head injury you got last month – the one that almost made you spend graduation in the hospital!" "I'll be careful, Babe – I promise!" he'd assured her. He only hoped he could keep that promise!

At three o'clock, all was ready. The Hardys, Tony, and Bella departed for New York City. Emotions were mixed: anticipation, apprehension, grief and desolation…and a firm intention to speedily find and deal with whoever had killed Linda Scarpetti.

#####

When they arrived at Marco's, Joe followed Bella's directions to a parking lot close by. "Wait here," she said, and springing out of the Aztek, hurried into the front door of the restaurant. The boys eyed their new place of employment with interest, although they couldn't tell too much just from observing the outside. It looked like any other classy restaurant. They were anxious to see what the interior was like.

Bella returned in a few minutes. She was holding a key ring in one hand.

"Get your stuff; there's a side entrance to the apartment. You don't have to go through the restaurant proper to get home," she told the boys. Obediently, they gathered their belongings, and followed her around the corner of the building, into a blind alley. Halfway along the restaurant's length, a door was situated, and this Bella proceeded to unlock.

When they entered the building, Joe, Tony and Frank found themselves in a rather blank-looking hallway, facing a flight of stairs. Bella started mounting the steps without a backward glance; apparently they were expected to follow without questions. Tony was the first in line, carrying his garment bag with care, although his soft-sided suitcase nearly dragged on the ground. Frank shrugged, glanced at his brother, and followed, leaving Joe to bring up the rear.

At the top of the stairs, Bella unlocked another door. "I'll get you guys individual keys tomorrow," she told them. "But you'll have to make do with just this one, today and tonight."

"That's okay; we'll manage," Frank assured her, swinging his duffle bag to the floor with some relief. Not being sure how long they were staying, he had packed a little more fully than he usually did…and he had to dress nicely in his role as computer wizard/fledgling accountant; jeans and a tee shirt just didn't cut it, this time. He looked around the apartment, as Bella moved about, snapping on lights. "Bella, this is really nice!"

It was. The entrance opened into a small living room just on the left, divided from the doorway by a short half-wall. Straight ahead there was an arched opening, evidently the entrance to a kitchen and dining area; while a hallway led off to the right.

"The bedrooms and bath are down this way." Bella indicated the hallway with a wave of her hand. "There are only two – but one has twin beds in it." She led the way down the hall, with the three boys trooping after her. The first bedroom they reached was the single, and Tony automatically headed in, slinging his suitcase onto the floor, and then carefully draping the bagged tuxedo across the end of the bed. He looked around at the dresser, the nightstand, and the small closet, and smiled. "This will be just great!"

Bella, who had been looking a trifle anxious, smiled in relief, and resumed her role as tour guide. "The bathroom is here… Here's your room, Frank and Joe." She opened another door and gestured them to enter.

This room was larger than the one Tony was to occupy; there were two twin-sized beds and two dressers, with matching night tables. Frank nodded approval. "Very nice, Bella," he said once again. "This is a really nice place." Joe nodded too.

"I've always thought so," she agreed. "I don't remember living here, but I understand I did, for a year or so. Then we moved to a regular house. The one where we – I –live now." To hide her suddenly-quivering lips, Bella hastily crossed the room and pulled the curtains back on the windows. "You don't get much of a view, though. Just down into the alley, I'm afraid!"

"That's okay, Tinkerbelle," Joe said gently. "We didn't come here to admire the view."

She smiled, then. "Now – I'm afraid I need a favor, guys. I have to get to the house, to meet Aunt Laura and Uncle Fenton—" She stopped and shook her head. "That always sounds so odd! Well, anyway, I need a ride…." She eyed Joe expectantly, but before he could offer his and the Aztek's services, he was interrupted.

"I'll take you, cara." Tony's dark eyes glowed warmly. "If Joe will let me drive his car, that is."

"Uh – um, well – sure, Tony, I guess so," Joe stammered. He wasn't too crazy about this, but it would have seemed rude to say no. He reached into his pocket and removed his keys; handed them to his friend. "You will be careful with it, won't you?"

"Of course I will!" Tony assured him. He held out a hand to Bella. "Let's go."

"Oh, wait – do you want me to introduce you downstairs first?" She hesitated, glancing from one to the other.

"No, that's okay. We'll just eat there tonight—" Frank grinned. "and then go in tomorrow morning as employees."

"One more thing." Bella snapped her fingers. "Your names!"

"Our names?" All the boys looked confused.

"Tony's is all right. He can be Tony Prito without a problem." She smiled sweetly at Tony, who grinned in response. "But you two – your dad said that even though this is New York, not Bayport, the name 'Hardy' might make ears prick up. So although you can still be Frank and Joe, and there's no reason you can't be brothers…you need to have a different last name." Another flashing smile, and her blue eyes twinkled teasingly. "And I have just the one already picked out."

The Hardys exchanged apprehensive glances. What might Bella have chosen for them?

"How does 'Griffin' sound?" she proposed. "I have a friend at school named Fiona Griffin. I can tell Alexander and the rest that you're her brothers. She actually does have two brothers, so it's not as far-fetched as it sounds. Of course, they're 12 and 14,but still…." Bella let her voice trail off and looked inquiringly from one cousin to the other.

"Joe Griffin…." Joe mused over the name, trying it on for size. "Frank and Joe Griffin….I don't see anything wrong with it, do you?" he asked Frank, who shook his head.

"It sounds fine to me."

"That's all set, then!" Bella looked relieved. She set the key ring down on the kitchen table and headed for the front door, followed by Tony. "I'll see you in the morning. Be ready to go by about 8:30, okay? The restaurant doesn't open until noon, but of course the staff gets there earlier…and you have a lot to learn, Joe and Tony!" She exited, leaving the tantalizing sound of her laughter behind.

As the door closed behind Tony, Joe sat down limply on the couch in the living room. "She's something else!" he remarked.

"You can say that again," Frank agreed. He grinned teasingly at his younger brother. "I was surprised you let Tony take the Aztek. Isn't that the first time anyone but you has driven it? I mean, you haven't even let me drive it."

"He seemed to be so anxious to take her home," Joe made excuse, "and I didn't want to be rude…. But if he puts one ding in my baby…." He got up and headed for the bedroom, only to turn back abruptly. "Or lays one hand on my cousin…!"

Frank's grin turned to outright laughter. "I can't believe I'm hearing this! You of all people! And why would you say something like that about Tony? He's one of our oldest and closest friends!"

Joe grimaced. "Because he's one of our oldest and closest friends…because I know him so well, that's why! You didn't see him when he first met her!"

"Joe – Bella's old enough to date anyone she pleases," Frank reminded him, sobering. "And if she's anything like her mother – remember, Mom and Dad said that Grandfather Whittier couldn't stop Linda from seeing Marco. What were you thinking we could do to stop Bella?"

"We can't," Joe admitted ruefully. "But I feel protective of her, just the same."

"Joe, Tony's not likely to hurt Bella – he likes her!"

"I know, I know. I'm just not sure I'm ready to have Tony as a cousin-in-law!"

Frank snorted. "Could be worse. Could be Chet."

Joe had to laugh in spite of himself. "I don't think Devon would care for that remark." And if circumstances were different, Frank old boy, we could have ended up with Chet for a brother-in-law….

When Tony dropped Bella off at her house, Fenton and Laura were waiting in the Volvo, parked on the street in front. Tony got out of the Aztek and ceremoniously opened Bella's door. "Door-to-door service, signorina."

She smiled and let him take her hand as she got out. "Grazie again, Tony. Can you find your way back to Marco's?"

"Yes, no problem." They walked to the front door of the house and waited while the Hardys got out of their car. "See you tomorrow?"

"Yes, I'll be over in the morning. I'll take a cab, or ride the subway, or have someone drop me off." She glanced down at their linked hands, and he reluctantly released her. "Good night, Tony."

"Good night, cara Bella." He smiled, nodded to Fenton and Laura, and departed.

#####

Later that evening, after Bella had excused herself and gone to her room, Fenton and Laura sat quietly talking in the family room of the home that had belonged to Marco and Linda.

"Have you looked – really looked, I mean – at this house?" Laura asked.

Her husband gave her a quizzical glance. "What do you mean?"

"The photos – and other things." Laura waved her hand toward the wall where framed pictures of Linda and Marco, Linda and Bella, Bella and Marco, all three of them together, were grouped. "They look so happy! They really did have a happy marriage…after all their troubles. Daddy was so wrong. We all were wrong, to think that it wouldn't work out."

"Perhaps being united against everyone strengthened the marriage. And you weren't wrong about Marco, honey," Fenton reminded her. "You knew he wasn't a criminal."

"But I didn't stick up for her….That's all she wanted, was for us to side with her," Laura said sadly. "If we had – oh Fenton, they might have been alive now!"

"Laura, Laura, you can't say that! Marco was shot by a hold-up man…."

"Why didn't I give her more support?" Laura berated herself. "I was too intimidated by Daddy to stick up for my own sister!" She glared at him, daring him to refute her remark.

"Honey, I did try to tell your father that Marco was clean," her husband reminded her gently. "But he didn't listen to me. After all, he was an influential judge, and I was just a rookie cop. He knew what he believed, and didn't want to hear otherwise."

"But it would have made a difference in Linda's eyes. She might not have shut herself away from me." Tears slipped down Laura's cheeks. Fenton gazed at her helplessly, wanting to help, but unable to find words to comfort.

Linda, I won't fail you again! Laura said to herself. I'll make sure your killer is found and punished…and I'll be there for Bella. I wasn't there for you…but I'll be there for her!

#####

After Tony's return, the boys had gone out and shopped for a few groceries for breakfast; and had eaten dinner at their new place of employment. All three were impressed by the lovely décor, the courteous staff – Frank nudged Joe and Tony and discreetly pointed out the tuxedos! – and were delighted with the food.

"Mmmmm, this is great!" Joe enthusiastically attacked his fettuccine. "Why didn't we ever eat here before?" he demanded.

"Never knew about it," Frank reminded him. "but now….mmmmm, I want to bring Megan here!" He took a large mouthful of crab-stuffed halibut fillet.

"Think we can handle working here?" Tony looked a bit apprehensive as he watched the waiters and busboys deftly maneuvering between the tables. "I'm used to a pizza joint, not a fine restaurant!"

"Tony, it'll be fine!" Frank attempted to reassure his friend, but Tony was stubbornly refusing to be comforted.

"I don't want to let Bella down," he muttered.

"We won't let her down," Joe stated firmly. "We'll crack this case, and do it in record time…or my name's not Joe Hardy."

"It's not!" Frank hissed in warning. "It's Joe Griffin!"

###

Now they stood again in Marco's, reporting for work. Bella had arrived a few minutes before, and escorted them down the stairs and into a back entrance that led directly into the kitchen.

"Alexander, I'd like you to meet Frank and Joe Griffin, and Tony Prito," Bella said, to the man standing in the kitchen. The boys eyed him with interest. Alexander Harrington was in his fifties, perhaps; of medium height, and strikingly good-looking, with dark eyes and prematurely silvered hair. He shook their hands, one after another.

"Frank – Joe, Tony. Nice to meet you. I hope you'll enjoy working at Marco's. Frank, I'll show you Linda's office, so you can get started, and let Bella introduce Joe and Tony to the kitchen staff." He beckoned to the elder Hardy boy, and led the way out of the kitchen.

The next few minutes were filled with a confusion of names and faces – Enrico, the head chef, who was small and wiry, with dark eyes, dark hair, and a clipped mustache; Rick, Alphonse, and Bryce, the three assistant chefs; Jesse, Courtney, Aaron and Andy, who were either waiters or busboys, Joe wasn't sure which. They all seemed friendly enough, but Joe despaired of ever getting them all straight. He knew it would be worse when they were all dressed in formal clothes; at least right now he had clothing differences to help identify them.

The rest of the morning passed quickly as Tony and Joe were instructed in their duties and shown where things were located. Joe wished he had time to do some checking around in the kitchen for possible clues to a poisoner, or a chance to talk to the other members of the staff, but he was much too busy!

At 11:30, they changed hurriedly into their formal wear. Joe stared at his reflection with considerable resentment as he struggled with the hook on his tie. This isn't fair! Frank doesn't mind dressing up and looking like a penguin! When he was finally ready, however, he surveyed himself with satisfaction. From temporarily tamed waves of gleaming blonde hair down to his shiny black shoes, Joe Hardy looked as elegant and well-turned out as a catalog model.

Tony came in, fussing with his cummerbund. He too, looked dashing indeed. His dark good looks were set off by the crisp, black-and-white of his formal clothing. "This thing is too big!" he complained. "My dad's bigger around than I am!" He sighed, then looked at his friend and grinned. "Not bad, Hardy. Vanessa would love to see you now."

Joe gave him a warning look, but the comment comforted him a little. "Let me see that," he said, extending his hand for the cummerbund, and adjusting the buckles. "There. All set."

When they reported back to the kitchen, where Enrico and his assistants were preparing entrees for lunch. Joe finally saw his chance.

"Say, Rick," he began, sidling up next to the assistant chef, who was carefully arranging salads on small plates. "do you guys ever have problems with mice or anything like that here?" Joe knew that rodent poison usually didn't contain arsenic any more, but it was the only thing he could think of that might possibly be in common use in the restaurant's kitchen. "Enough that you need to put out rat poison, for instance?"

"Dio mio!" A sharp voice shrieked from behind Joe, making him jump. "Rats? You think there are rats in Enrico's kitchen? You stupido asino! I will slice you up in little pieces for that insult! You will become shish kebabs that I will serve for lunch!"

Joe whirled, and his heart jumped into his throat. Coming toward him, eyes filled with insane fury, was Enrico – and the chef was brandishing a wicked-looking knife!