Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing. I'm sorry, You were probably expecting Frank and Joe to be in this one, but I had to get Fenton back into the story. so basically everyone's coming together. I'm going to start wrapping things up. I promise the Hardy Boys will be in next chapter which I'm be working on with the conclusion of what happened to Joe.

Here's the new chapter, enjoy!

Iola's Treasure Chapter 28

Back in Bayport:

The rain was literally coming in sheets, as thunder echoed through the sky. Fenton could feel the heavy wind blowing against the car as he pulled up to the front office of the Bayport Pier. Through the rain covered windshield he could see the raging ocean, the waves hitting the shoreline; it was clear to see that the wild winds were rocking the boats that were moored there back and forth.

Instead of driving out to Hattie's place to look for the boys, Fenton had decided to come to the pier where Frank and Joe kept their boat. He had no doubt that they had gone to Barmet Island to search for Douglas and Underwood.

As a detective, he understood the reasons for what they were doing. Douglas and Underwood had embezzled thousands of dollars from the residents of Bayport. They'd also been involved in the murder of Harold Granger as well as guilty of trying to murder Joe.

The turning point for the boys was when the two crooks hurt their sweet friend, Hattie by stealing her family's property. Fenton knew his boys well enough to know that they would fight for what was right and find the men responsible for the crime.

As their father, Fenton was furious with his sons for defying him as well as getting Chet Morton involved in the whole mess. But, he would deal with all that later.

Right now, finding the boys was his top priority. As furious as he was with them, he was sick with worry and concern at the thought of them on Barmet Island, with only murders for company, not to mention the weather. He'd give anything right now, to wrap his arms around his sons and reassure himself that they were okay.

God, he hoped they weren't too late.

Sam looked over at his friend and fellow detective, Fenton Hardy, as he sat beside him. He could tell his friend was doing his best to stay professional and in control of this dire situation regarding the boys. Nonetheless, there was no hiding the stress and worry in his eyes. Fenton was carrying so much on his shoulders right now, between Hattie Granger dying in his home and worrying about how Joe would handle it.

Power lines were down all over the city, making communication difficult as a result of the storm. And, of course, their primary concern was finding the boys alive. Trying to impart some measure of comfort and reassurance, Sam rested his hand, lightly, on Fenton's shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze, "We'll find them, Fenton."

"Damn, right we will." Fenton Hardy simply replied.

Con Riley pulled up beside them in his patrol car as yet another burst of thunder exploded. Sam and Fenton had stopped by the police station to see if they had any news on Douglas and Underwood before leaving for the Bayport Pier. They knew that Chief Collig and his officers would be kept busy dealing with the storm and the lack of communication while maintaining order.

Officer Riley saw the disappointment on Sam and Fenton's faces when they were told the whereabouts of the two crooks were still unknown.

Fenton had filled them in on the devastating news about Hattie Granger. Joe hadn't taken the news about Hattie dying very well. He had developed a close bond with the kind woman. Fenton was especially worried that there could be a possibility of a mental breakdown with this being so close to the death of Iola Morton, Joe's late girlfriend.

Apparently, Frank and Joe along with Chet had gone to pick some of Hattie's things up for her at her house. That had been around 6 o'clock yesterday evening before the first storm hit. Now the boys were missing.

Fenton had suspected they'd gone to Barmet Island in search of Douglas and Underwood. Making things even more difficult was a hurricane heading in the direction of the island. Bayport was already getting the effects of the storm.

Chief Collig had given Con Riley permission to help search for the boys. The officer pulled the hood of his rain coat up over his head as the three men got out of their cars and ran into the storm in the direction of the office building. They were soaked head to toe before they even reached the front steps.

"Oh, dear God!" Fenton saw something in the parking lot that made him stop in his tracks. Sam and Officer Riley nearly collided into him. "Fenton, what's wrong!?" Sam shouted to be heard over the thunder.

"Look over there!" Fenton pointed to a badly beaten up a blue and white sleek motorboat sitting on the back of a trailer. "Tell me that's not the Sleuth?!"

Sam and Officer Riley had to shield their eyes from the rain to see what the detective was talking about. Sam gasped in shock when he saw the name The Sleuth on the side of it. It was indeed Frank and Joe's boat.

Fenton's mind started reeling, going into panic-mode at the sight of his sons' boat. "Maybe the boys are inside the office!" Con Riley wiped the rain off his face, bringing Fenton out of his shock.

Without further comment, Fenton burst into the building with Sam and Con hot on his heels. They found a small office filled with pictures of boats all over the dark wood paneling on the walls. As a result of the storm, everything was dark. The only source of light was a lantern perched on the front counter.

"Frank! Joe! Chet!" Fenton called out.

"Who the hell are you?!" A young man in his early twenties, sitting behind a desk in the far corner of the room jumped to his feet, sending papers flying all over the place. "Dad, get out here quick!" He hollered when he saw the three figures standing in front of him soaking wet from the rain.

"Robbie, what's going on!?" A man's voice shouted from the backroom. In seconds a middle aged man of average height stood in the room, eyeing the three men cautiously. "Who are you?"

"Mr. Kramer, it's Fenton Hardy," Fenton removed his hood as he made the introductions. Nodding to his friends he added, "And this is my partner Sam Radley and Officer Con Riley".

Mr. Kramer let out a sigh of relief when he recognized Fenton. "Oh, it's you Detective Hardy."

A boom of thunder exploded above them.

"We didn't mean to scare you, son." Fenton apologized, before taking a breath to calm his heart.

"Its okay, Mr. Hardy," Robbie replied with a sigh of relief, "This storm is just driving me crazy."

"Robbie, why don't you go to the backroom?" Mr. Kramer suggested. "I need to talk to Mr. Hardy." Robbie nodded as he got up and left.

"Mr. Kramer, again we do apologize for scaring your son." Fenton said to the man.

"Don't worry about it gentlemen." Mr. Kramer replied back.

"We're looking for Fenton's boys Frank and Joe and their friend Chet Morton." Sam spoke up changing the subject.

"We saw the damaged boat outside." Officer Riley added.

"I'm sorry, they're not here." Mr. Kramer said, turning to Fenton. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

Fenton's heart sank when saw Mr. Kramer's grim expression.

"I warned them not to take their boat out because of the hurricane". Mr. Kramer shook his head. "I knew you wouldn't approve of them going out there. That youngest one of yours Joe, he was so hell bent on going out to Barmet Island."

"He said something about them having to do it for Hattie's sake. I'm not sure what he meant by that?"

"Your other son, Frank and the Morton boy were both trying to talk him out of it. Joe wouldn't hear of it; he told them he'd go out there by himself if he had to. The two of them gave in and the next thing I know the three of them were on that boat of theirs. I did my best to stop them".

A boom of thunder exploded above them as Fenton began to process this latest information. "Joe would've gone to that island by himself and that's why Frank gave in to him." Then he asked, "When and where did you find the Sleuth?"

"About an hour or two" Mr. Kramer answered. "Robbie and I heard this loud crash and went out to see about it. We found the boys' boat. It had crashed into one of the other boats that were in the dock. I felt sick when I saw it was all beat up and no sign of the boys inside it."

"Did you find anything inside the boat?" Con asked with concern.

"Well, we did find something..." Mr. Kramer's voice trailed off.

"What is it?" Fenton asked bluntly. "Just spit it out, Mr. Kramer. We don't have time for this."

Mr. Kramer nodded and went over to the desk and pulled out the top drawer and with a sorrowful expression he handed Fenton a Mylar foil blanket ripped to shreds.

Fenton's face went from pale to a ghostly white and his hands began shaking like leaves as he held the blanket. There was complete and utter fear in his eyes. He exchanged looks with Sam and Con. This could only mean that one of the boys had been injured.

A clap of thunder echoed above them as the wind and rain raged on. Gripping the blanket tightly, Fenton silently pleaded and prayer, God, give me a sign they're alright!

"Dad...everyone come back here quick! There's a call coming over the radio!"

"Robbie, now what is it!" Mr. Kramer shouted and ran to the back room. Fenton, Sam and Con were right behind him. They found Robbie standing by a table where a CB radio lay; he had the receiver in his hand.

"Robbie, what is it?!"

"I came in here and heard a distress call over the radio." Robbie informed them. He handed the receiver to his father.

"This is John Kramer speaking." Mr. Kramer spoke into the receiver. "Is anyone there?"

All he got was static.

"I heard a voice," Robbie said. "I know I did!"

Mr. Kramer spoke into the receiver for the second time. "Is anyone there?" Everyone stayed quiet, hoping to hear a response.

"Someone…help me …please" A voice finally answered between the static.

"I'm here!" Mr. Kramer answered. "Can you hear me?!"

"Y-yes…"

"What's your name?!"

"C...Chet." the voice replied.

"Chet!" Fenton exclaimed; just hearing the boy's name gave him hope.

Mr. Kramer handed the receiver to Fenton. "Chet! This is Fenton Hardy! Can you hear me?!"

Static was all he got.

"Chet!" Fenton called into the receiver again. The only response was static and distant thunder.

"Chet! Can you hear me, son?! This is Fenton Hardy!"

All he got was more static. "Damn static" Fenton mumbled. He glared at the receiver as if it was the enemy that was keeping him from the boys.

"Keep trying Fenton. Get as much information from Chet as you can" Con encouraged his friend. "Right now he's our only connection to finding them."

"If we lose him," Sam added his encouragement. "We may never get the chance again".

Fenton calmly took a breath and nodded. His friends were right; he couldn't give up now. The boys were counting on him.

"Chet, this is Fenton Hardy!" He called out again, "Can you hear me, son?!"

Static then finally, "M…Mr. Hardy!" the voice came back. "Oh… thank God!"

Fenton, like everyone else, let out a sigh of relief before continuing, "Chet! Where are you?!"

"Barmet Island…on yacht…"

"Did he say he was on a yacht?" Sam repeated.

"Chet, did you say yacht?!" Fenton asked to be sure.

"Yes…Douglas… holding me… hostage. Managed to… get away!"

Fenton exchanged looks with Sam and Con. "Are you okay?!" he asked the boy.

"No… head hurts!"

Fenton was dreading the answer to his next question, but he knew he had to ask it. It was inevitable. Squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, he then asked, "Chet, what about Frank and Joe? Are they with you?"

"No."

Static

"Chet, "Chet, where are Frank and Joe?"

Static

"Barmet Island…"Chet finally answered in a desperate plea, "… Frank... Joe… in big trouble… Mr. Douglas… Mr. Underwood… going to kill them… once they have coins… storm is getting bad…help us please…hurry!"

Static

"Chet!"

Then all at once the radio went dead silent. "I have to get out there!" Fenton tossed the receiver onto the table and started to head for the door. "I have to get out there now!"

Mr. Kramer stepped in front of Fenton, his eyes wide and utterly serious. "You can't go out there in a storm like this! It's too dangerous!"

"I don't care!" Fenton fired back just as a boom of thunder burst overhead. "I know it's dangerous to be out there on the water". He turned to the stunned faces of his friends. "And I'm not going to risk your lives by letting you come with me". He added, making his final point. "Hurricane or not I am going out there to rescue the boys."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say that was Joe talking just now." Sam stated, folding his arms across his chest. "And you wonder where he gets his impulsive, hot headed nature from. Going out into the ocean alone to find those crooks in hurricane weather is exactly what Joe would do".

"Fenton, we've been best friends and partners in law enforcement for over twenty years." Sam went on, "I've watched Frank and Joe grow up from young boys to fine young men. I think of them as my own. Your family is my family."

"That goes for me as well." Officer Riley chimed in.

"What are you guys saying?"

"In other words," Sam picked up. "The two of us will be coming with you to rescue the boys".

"If Douglas and Underwood have done anything to them, the hurricane won't be their only problem; they have us to deal with!"