Disclaimer: I do not own the Hardy Boys or any of the book characters. I do have some OCs though that are mine.
Rating/Setting: Rating is T. Setting is close to blue-spine. Frank is 17, Joe is 16.
Author's Notes: Chapter 21 as promised! Frank chapter. Next chapter will be Frank and Joe! ...but not together. This is one of my favorite Frank chapters in the story. Hope you like it.
Chapter Twenty-One
The federal prosecutor assigned to bargain with Reynolds was Lora Graves. She was a no-nonsense type of lawyer who caused the stereotype of lawyers on tv to look realistic. It was mid-afternoon when she came in with Gilroy to speak to the Hardys. She was of average height with auburn hair sprinkled with gray and she was wearing a dark pinstripe pantsuit. Straightening her tortoiseshell glasses on her nose, she cleared her throat after she sat down.
Fenton didn't like it. "What is it?"
Graves didn't even glance at Gilroy as she answered, "He's willing to deal."
Fenton heard a released breath come from Frank. However, he knew there was more to it than just this. "And…"
"And he'll give us a flash drive that is hidden that contains the real names of the buyers."
Frowning, Fenton asked, "The drive will have the most recent names on it?"
"That's the catch," Lora said. "The drive will have all the names except for the ones from the May kidnappings and the ones planned for November. Those are in Norwood's head. At least that is what he says."
"So what is he getting in exchange for all this information?" Frank finally spoke from his position beside his father.
"He'll still be charged with multiple Class A-1 felony kidnappings, but he will plead guilty and he will receive life in prison without parole."
"That doesn't sound all that good," Frank said with a glance at his father.
"Well, his time will be served at a low to medium security facility."
Fenton practically spat, "One of those country club facilities?"
Gilroy stepped in, "We got him to agree to low or medium. That gives us some leeway. I promise you, it won't be a walk in the park, Fenton."
"I know, Chris. It just seems so-"
"Unfair," Frank finished for him. Quietly he continued, "He can get off with a lighter sentence and Joe could be dead. Drawing a ragged breath, Frank asked the question that was now at the front of his mind. "Who has Joe and when do we get him back?"
For the first time, Lora Graves hesitated. "We don't have the drive yet and Norwood hasn't given us the information yet."
"Why not?" Anger was once again in Frank's voice.
"Because he said he'll only tell you, Frank." Lora Graves showed the first hint that a compassionate person hid under that stereotyped exterior.
"No," Fenton said immediately. "He's not talking to Frank. I'll talk to him."
"You know that won't work, Fenton." Gilroy said. Glancing over to Frank who seemed a little dumbfounded by the turn of events, he asked, "Did you tell him everything we talked about on the plane, Fenton?"
The older Hardy could feel Frank's eyes on him. "No."
"What did you leave out?" Frank asked in surprise.
Turning to face his son instead of the FBI agents, Fenton said, "Norwood had in his notes that the buyer would have taken either of you."
"Yeah, you told me that already."
"What I didn't tell you is that Norwood indicated that the buyer was interested in procuring the other brother at a later date." Fenton watched Frank carefully.
A blank look came over Frank's face as he digested this information. It was one thing to know that it was chance that your brother was taken and you weren't. It was another thing to know that you were probably going to be kidnapped and then sold to suffer the same fate as the brother you couldn't save.
"I'll do it," Frank said. When his father went to protest, Frank said, "You aren't going to argue with me on this, Dad. Every minute counts in this. If Norwood wants to get in a few emotional jabs at me, I can take them. I'm sure it's nothing compared to what Joe went through."
Fenton knew that Frank was right. They didn't have a choice. Once again, Norwood was in control and Fenton still hated it. He nodded at Frank and then told the agents to arrange the meeting. He let them know that he would be monitoring the meeting and if he said to end it, they would end it. The agents agreed and left the Hardys to think about the upcoming meeting.
.**********.
Frank stood outside the room with the two-way glass that they had seen when they first arrived in Burlington, Vermont. He looked at Harold Norwood who was sitting calmly inside the room with his lawyer. Reynolds wanted to be there to make sure that Norwood didn't mess anything up. But that would be hard to do once Norwood gave Frank the information. Clenching and releasing his hands that were at his sides, he took a deep breath. The sooner he went in, the sooner they could search for Joe. Going into the room suddenly terrified him. What if Harold wants to do more than give me some emotional digs? What if it's more than getting back at the family that finally brought him down? What if he tells me he already knows that Joe is dead? Frank's breathing was quickening at the thoughts racing through his mind. Then he felt his father's hand on his back.
"Do you need more time, Frank?" Fenton asked with concern.
After taking a couple of settling breaths, Frank said, "No. It won't get any better for me waiting and I'm sure it won't help Joe any to wait." With that he moved to the door. He was going in empty-handed. The conversation would be recorded and agents would take down all the important information. In fact, there were agents waiting at Norwood's house to find the drive if it was there. Opening the door, he stepped in quickly and moved to take a seat across from Norwood.
"Where's the drive?" Frank asked as he sat down.
"What? No pleasantries? No small talk?" Norwood said with a sneer. "Your brother wasn't much more social."
Frank didn't bother with a response. "The drive?"
"In good time, Frank. The bargain was that I get to talk to you and then give you the drive and the information you'll need to find your brother… or what's left of him." Harold watched the brown-haired teen closely. During the previous surveillance, Frank had been the quieter of the brothers. Not quite as rash or hot-tempered. However, Joe Hardy hadn't turned out to be the easy to antagonize teen that he thought he would be. If Joe could be calm and methodical, could Frank be provoked into anger? Harold was looking forward to trying. After all, he deserved to get back at the family that had brought him down after close two decades of this business.
Shrugging his shoulders, Frank said, "Talk then."
Eying the teen in front of him, Norwood leaned back in his chair. "You know the buyer would have been happy with either of you. It didn't matter which one, he felt you'd both be fighters. I don't know about you, but your brother was. If it wasn't for him practically breaking Jonathan's nose just hours before we left, you'd have never tracked us down."
Frank said nothing. He just looked at the Norwood.
"I wonder if he still has that temper and fight in him now? What's it been? Six weeks?" Norwood leaned forward on the table, his eyes staring into Frank's as his voice dropped. "Do you know why the buyer wanted you or your brother?"
Frank gaze didn't waver. "Your notes said that the buyer was a hunter and looking for someone who could survive on his own. I assume he's hunting my brother like an animal."
Surprisingly, Norwood laughed and sat back in his chair. "You are a cold one." Then after a moment, he continued, "You're right. The buyer is a big game hunter who said wild beasts were no longer a challenge. He's been hunting people now for a couple of years. Sometimes he just takes them off the street, but they're not a challenge. He must have seen something in the news about you boys that sparked his interest. Thinking you might be more of a challenge, he put in his request." Joe's brother didn't move or say a word. "Well, let me tell you where the drive is. The base of the lamp in the guest room unscrews from the lamp. After you unscrew it, pull out a plastic insert from the lamp. The drive is in the insert." He saw Frank relax a little. "Now as for the buyers for the May job…." Norwood went to tell the names and locations of the buyers for the other teens taken around the same time as Joe. "And your brother's buyer is Dominic Laird. He currently lives in the eastern part of North Carolina. Not sure exactly where, didn't care as long as he paid."
Frank stood and walked past Norwood to leave. He was surprised that Norwood hadn't been more cutting.
"Oh, there's one more thing, Frank."
This is a mistake, Frank thought as he stopped and turned to look at Norwood with his hand on the doorknob.
"Laird contacted me just last week asking me to find him another boy or girl. I guess Joe wasn't as good at survival as Laird thought he would be."
Frank had no recollection of letting go of the knob and lunging for Norwood. When conscious thought returned to his mind it was accompanied by the hands of agents and the shouts of his father to let go. Realizing that he was literally choking Norwood with his bare hands, he let go. The agents pulled him back.
Even though Frank had attacked him and he was coughing, Norwood smiled at Frank as he was pulled from the room.
Gilroy ran an agitated hand through his hair. "He could charge you with assault you know."
"We all know he won't though. Everything is on video and no one would fault Frank's reaction," Graves said to everyone gathered in the hall. "In fact, I told Reynolds beforehand that if his client goaded Frank that we would make sure no charges were brought."
Frank leaned against the wall with his eyes closed. He could feel his father's commanding presence beside him. Norwood wanted him to think that Joe was dead. Was he? Did Laird really contact Norwood and ask for another teenager to hunt? After a minute, he heard his father talking to Gilroy and that caught his attention.
"How soon will you be going to North Carolina?" Fenton was asking.
"As soon as we can get flights into the airport closest to wherever Laird lives."
"We're coming with you," Fenton said.
Gilroy nodded, "I expected you to."
With that the hallway cleared out except for one agent who would escort Norwood back to his cell. Fenton and Frank turned one last time to look at Norwood in the conference room and then they walked away. Now they could really start looking for Joe.