A/N: Hey, at least it's not a week apart this time. :) I'm getting better! Thanks a million for your reviews and for reading, I'm glad you're enjoying the story! For all of you looking for a good ol' fashioned John-Getting-What-He-Deserves scene never fear! It's on the way; I just have to figure out how to write it…so look for it in the next chapter or two. :)

Four Times Too Many

Chapter Twenty Six

"So, what did you and Con find yesterday?" Frank asked the following day as he, Nancy and Joe sat around the offices of Hardy and Sons Investigations.

"Not a lot," Nancy shrugged and looked frustrated. "We found the branch he used in the clearing, there was blood on it and we're getting it checked but I'm going to assume it's yours and Biff's," she looked at Joe who nodded.

"Did you find any of my skin, I seem to be missing some," Joe said sarcastically and lifted up his raw and just starting to scab hands. "Not only did Vanessa show no mercy during Slap Jack but then she found it necessary to torture me by yanking bits of wood out of my hands."

"And you milked it for all it was worth," Frank guessed.

"Of course," Joe shrugged and looked completely unembarrassed.

"I'm curious, how did you play Slap Jack with slivers in your hands?" Frank asked.

"Frank, Frank, Frank," Joe said shaking his head, "I know this is a foreign concept to you, but I am what you would call a 'manly man'."

"Har har," Frank replied and rolled his eyes.

"Anyway," Nancy continued with a smile, "in the clearing we found the branch, some boot prints…he tore his shirt on a branch running away, it was your typical crime scene straight out of Quantico. It was annoyingly textbook, but even with all of this is fantastic evidence it in no way helps us find him." Nancy gave a frustrated sigh, "we combed the woods for hours but found no handy tarp set up between some trees or an abandoned shack with a fire place that was still warm."

"Where could he be hiding?" Joe asked and ticked the places off on his fingers, "the woods, which unfortunately there are a lot more woods in the area than just in the park, a rundown motel somewhere or he's living in that ugly old truck of his by some river somewhere."

"We've thought of the motels," Nancy said, "and we've had officers checking them for the last couple of days, we started local and have moved our way out slowly from there. You'd be surprised how many seedy motels there are. Unfortunately, we can't have the entire Bayport Police force on this case so it's been a slow process."

"Okay, so that leaves the woods," Frank stretched out his legs and looked down at the map of Bayport he had spread over his desk.

"Don't forget the truck by the river," Joe said and got up to lean over his brother's shoulder.

"Shouldn't you be at home resting Joe?" Frank asked and eyed him carefully, "Your eyes are a little glassy."

"Aside from a roaring headache I'm perfectly healed," Joe pointed at the map, "there's my river!"

Frank looked down, "that's almost fifteen miles out of town Joe. Don't you think he'd need to stay a little closer?"

"Maybe," Joe shrugged, "where do you suggest we look first Mr. Holmes?"

Ignoring the jibe Frank pointed at the woods that bordered the new housing Hooper Construction was building, "there. John is relatively new to town, which means he doesn't know much about it. He's familiar with this area to a degree because he worked there. I think he's in these woods."

Nancy looked where Frank was pointing, "sounds logical," she stood up, "I'll call Con and we'll meet you there."

"Alright," Frank folded up the map and slid it back in his desk drawer. "Be safe," he said and kissed Nancy back when she leaned forward to say goodbye.

"What? I don't get a goodbye kiss?" Joe asked when Nancy simply smiled at him and squeezed his shoulder.

"No, you don't," Frank replied before Nancy could. He grabbed Joe's coat and tossed it at him, "let's go Casanova."

"It's going to take me a long time to get used to you kissing someone wearing a Bayport Police uniform," Joe said as they walked out the door.

"It's a good thing you're going to get that chance. Nancy and I aren't going anywhere," Frank replied.

"Oh jeez," Joe rolled his eyes and opened the car door, "did you just hear yourself? You're like a walking Hallmark card."

"You should get concussions more often, they actually make you funny," Frank smiled at his brother over the top of the car before he climbed in and closed the door.

"I'm always funny," Joe mumbled and got into the car. He looked at his brother and repeated decisively, "I'm always funny."

Fifteen minutes later Frank and Joe watched as Nancy and Con pulled up in their cruiser. "It's a good thing you two have so much pull in the Bayport police department," Con said when he climbed out of the car, "otherwise you wouldn't be here right now."

"Now Con, you know perfectly well that the only reason you're here right now is that you're Nancy's partner and Nancy happens to be engaged to my brother," Joe said with a smile.

"Besides, this isn't a crime scene, we have as much right to go hiking through these woods as the next tax paying citizen," Frank added.

"Speaking of, don't those same taxes pay your salary?" Joe asked innocently.

Con held up his hands in defense, "I give up, there's nothing like the two Hardy's when they decide to team up against someone."

"It's true. We're feeling feisty today aren't we Joe?" Frank turned and asked his brother.

"I'd say we are Frank," Joe replied folding his arms across his chest and grinning

Looking satisfied with themselves the Hardy's turned to stare at the woods, "now how do we search these woods effectively?" Frank asked, "Four people split into two groups aren't going to cover much ground."

"Two groups?" Joe asked, "It's the middle of the day, let's split into four."

"It was the middle of the day yesterday when John put both you and Biff flat on your backs," Frank pointed out, "we go in groups."

"Fine," Joe grumbled, "but yesterday John cheated. He would have never gotten me like that if he hadn't cheated."

"Nancy and I will go this way," Con pointed in a direction, "and you two stalwart taxpaying citizens of Bayport can go that way." He pointed in an opposite direction and grinned at the brothers. He checked his watch, "we can meet back here in an hour, call each other if there's trouble."

Each group turned in their separate directions and before she and Con disappeared into the woods Nancy mumbled under her breath so Frank couldn't hear, "as logical a place this is for John to hide, I have a feeling we aren't going to find him here. At least not this easily."

"I agree, but at least it's somewhere to start," Con shrugged and led the way into the woods, "and it beats doing the pile of paperwork we have waiting back at the station."

An hour later, cursing and pulling bits of twig out of her hair Nancy and Con emerged from the woods, "well, that was fun," she huffed and brushed her pants off, "I almost prefer the paperwork."

"Oh yeah," Con agreed and flicked a beetle off his shoulder.

"There has to be a better way of doing this," Nancy huffed and blew her hair out of her eyes.

"Probably," Con agreed and shrugged, "but now I don't have to work out tonight."

"Ever the optimist," Nancy said with a smile.

"Hey, it helps you live longer," Con shrugged and reached into the cruiser for a bottle of water. Taking a long drink he offered the rest to Nancy who took it gratefully.

"I wonder where Frank and Joe are," Nancy said a few minutes later and checked her watch. "It's only ten minutes past the hour."

"Give them a minute," Con suggested.

Five minutes after that Nancy glanced at her watch again, "it wouldn't worry me if it was just Joe that was fifteen minutes late, but Frank is rarely ever late without a good reason." She pulled out her cell phone and dialed his number.

On the third ring he answered, "Hello?" he sounded breathless.

"Frank? Is everything alright?" Nancy shot a look at her partner.

"Oh, um…fine, things are fine," lying didn't come easily to Frank when it came to those he loved and so his stuttering assurances were an instant warning to Nancy.

"Are you sure?" she asked and clutched the phone tighter to her ear, "do I hear laughing?"

"Oh…no," Frank's voice was muffled for a moment and she could swear she heard him shush someone.

"Where are you? It's fifteen minutes past the hour, I was starting to act all female and worry," Nancy glanced toward the trees.

"Yeah we're running a little…uh…behind," there was a definite peal of laughter this time, "Joe, shut up!" Frank hissed. "Listen Nancy, we'll be there in a few minutes."

"Okay," Nancy frowned and ended the call, "that was weird. Frank was definitely lying to me and Joe was definitely laughing. I wonder what happened."

True to his word a few minutes later Frank and Joe emerged from the woods, Joe clutching his sides he was laughing so hard and Frank scowling at him with his hand wrapped in his jacket.

"What happened?" Nancy asked once the two brothers reached them, "what's wrong with your hand?"

"We don't have to talk about it," Frank grumbled, "let's just go back to the office."

"Oh no, I think we really, really, really need to explain this one Frank," Joe said between fits of laughter.

"No, I really don't think we do," Frank glared at his brother, "and it's really not that funny."

"It really is," Joe grinned evilly, "would you like to do the honors or should I?"

Frank just rolled his eyes and threw up his one good hand, "why don't you tell it Joe since it seems to make you so happy."

"Okay," Joe said happily and started the story with exuberance, "so we're just turning around to head back and Frank sees this bird just standing next to a log, looking all forlorn. Frank thought the bird was hurt so being the Good Samaritan that he is to all creatures' great and small, he decides he wants to rescue it. Well, apparently the bird was just having an afternoon nap because when Frank tried to pick it up the bird went crazy and bit the crap out of Frank's hand."

"He's been calling me the birdman since," Frank said sullenly.

"Frank, I really think you need to give your wilderness badge back to the Boy Scouts," Joe teased.

"Hey, at least I earned the wilderness badge in the first place," Frank shot back.

Joe shrugged looking completely unconcerned, "the den leader's daughter was cute."

Laughing and rolling her eyes Nancy gently pulled the jacket from around Frank's hand, "lucky for all of us that I got the First Aid badge in Girls Scouts."

"I love it when you say things like that," Frank said with a smile and watched Nancy inspect the lacerations on his hands.

"Ugh," Joe said and covered his eyes, "please no PDA's. Please no PDA's please no PDA's."

"I second that motion," Con finally spoke up and raised his hand.

"Does this look like the Vanessa and Joe show?" Nancy muttered absentmindedly as she inspected Frank's hands. At Joe's chuckle Nancy's mouth curved up in a slight smile, "well Frank, it looks like you're going to live but you're going to have to clean these pretty thoroughly."

"Yes ma'am," Frank nodded, "are you going to meet us back at the office?"

"I don't think so, Con and I have a lot of paperwork. Call us if you come up with anything," Nancy leaned up and pressed a kiss to his lips.

Frank and Joe watch Nancy and Con drive away before Joe turned and clapped a hand on his brother's shoulder, "it looks like its back to the drawing board bro."

"Yeah," Frank sighed and headed back toward the car, "who knows, maybe your truck by the river idea is the answer." He shrugged his shoulders as he waited for Joe to unlock his door, "but I doubt it," he added with a smirk before Joe could speak.

"Hey!" Joe said indignantly, "you'll be sorry when it turns out I'm right."

Biff squared his shoulders deliberately as he stood in front of the Three Sisters Cafe. He took in a deep breath and held it when he reached for the door handle. He stepped inside and took his baseball cap off and ran the brim between his fingers.

He was nervous.

Hell, he figured he deserved what he had gotten yesterday from Maggie but he also figured he deserved his own say. Running off the way she had before he could even form a thought hadn't been fair at all. He had been sore and hurting, he couldn't exactly chase her down.

No, Maggie was going to listen to him just as he had listened to her. Even if he hadn't had much of a choice, he thought bitterly to himself.

His ribs were still on fire but at least he was able to move without feeling like he would never be able to breathe again. The headache had dulled sometime during the night and was now just a faint nuisance instead of the vicious war that had been going on in his head all day yesterday.

His eyes scanned the café looking for Maggie. He knew she got off of work soon and he wasn't going to let her leave until she had agreed to talk to him. It was only fair.

Dawn wandered over with a brilliant smile, "Biff, just one?"

"No actually, I'm looking for Maggie," Biff replied and was ashamed that he seemed to sound contrite. Like a husband trying to make his way out of the dog house.

"Oh, she's in the back getting her things," Dawn said, "you can go on back if you like."

"Er, thanks," Biff said and walked toward the back room. Just as he was rounding the corner, so was Maggie and they slammed into each other. His weight had her flying backwards and the impact had him grunting loudly in pain.

"What are you doing here?" Maggie said a little sharply as she regained her balance.

"Continuing our conversation from yesterday," Biff grimaced at his protesting ribs.

"Oh, honestly," Maggie said and rolled her eyes, "you shouldn't be out of bed." She turned quickly on her heel and walked toward the big walk in fridge in the back. She snapped a towel off of a hook and reached into the ice been for ice. Tossing it into the towel she wrapped it up and thrust it at Biff, "here, put this on your ribs."

Biff took the ice gratefully and pressed it to his side, "I'd like to drive you home."

"No," Maggie crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him coolly.

How had Biff ever thought of Maggie as soft? The woman standing in front of him now had just as much spine as he did; maybe more at this point, considering he could barely stand up straight.

"You had your say, now I get mine," no matter how stubborn Maggie was being, Biff figured he could be just as stubborn back.

"Well you can't right now, I'm busy."

"I'll drive you home and talk on the way there," Biff said, "but you can't just yell at me and then run off without letting me defend myself." Biff's temper was starting to boil as Maggie stood in front of him, an immovable statue. He took an angry step toward her and watched in horror when she flinched away from him.

They stood staring at each other for what seemed like an eternity, Maggie's face slowly starting to burn in embarrassment, "I'm…." her voice trailed off. "I…"

The hard woman of a few moments ago was completely melted away and replaced by the woman he had come to know. Shy and nervous and definitely embarrassed, "Maggie, I'm so sorry," Biff shook his head, "I hope you know I would never hurt you."

"I know," Maggie took a deep breath, "and it's no fair for me to use that against you. You came in here mad and wanting to talk. It's not fair for me to use what just happened as a way to get you to leave me alone. I'll let you drive me home, but I'd prefer if we talk at your house. I would rather not do this in front of Nancy and Frank."

Biff let out a long breath, "alright."

John watched as Biff and Maggie pulled into the driveway and Biff walked around his truck to give Maggie a hand. His eyes narrowed as watched them walk up the driveway and into the house. His hands clenched the gun in his lap and his vision went red when Biff's front door closed behind them.

His wife. His wife was about to cheat on him, again. His grip on the gun tightened and he barely registered the pain as bone ground against steel.

It was time. It was time to make his move and reclaim what was his. His wife. The slut. He looked both ways before he crossed the street and walked confidently up to the house. The dying light of the sun glinted off the front windows as John rounded the house toward the backyard.

Finding the perfect hiding place he settled down and smiled when the light came on in the living room, giving him the perfect view. Now he just had to wait for the perfect opportunity.

Maggie would pay.