Hello, friends! I am so sorry it's taken me a while to get this chapter up. I wish I had a better excuse than "life got in the way" but there it is. I hope everyone is keeping well. It's been a chaotic week for me, but I'm looking forward to the coffee machine that is coming in the mail. I'll find some puddles of sunshine and write, with a cup (or five) of coffee! Doesn't that sound heavenly?

Enough from me! Don't forget to leave a review or just a comment about your day. Who are you all? How long have you loved Nancy and the Hardys?

Due to her "good behavior" Nancy was allowed to make a call to her dad from the police car. She knew it was a myth that prisoners were only allowed a single call from jail, but it still felt strange telling him she'd been arrested, with the uniformed police officers around her in the vehicle. She kept the call short, telling him the address of the station.

He promised her that he'd send one of his best lawyer friends and that he'd notify Frank and Joe. He told her it was best that way. While the police would probably allow her to call them from the station, they'd monitor her calls and she might incriminate herself.

"But dad-"

"I know, honey. I know you didn't do this. But words can be twisted, remember, they want someone in jail. They don't care who you are. Now, I have to hurry. But I'll be in contact with you soon, okay? Stay strong until then, okay? I know you can. Don't let that fire burn out just yet."

Nancy pocketed her phone, as one of the cops told her property would be seized and filed at the station. She was listening, but she was also distracted by Karen Chircop who was in the passenger seat, eyeing her in the rear-view mirror.

When Karen saw that she'd been caught she glanced quickly away.

Nancy felt strangely empty inside. She was so tempted to take her phone out and maintain her connection to the world flashing by the barred car windows. She wanted to hear Frank say it would all be okay. She wanted to hear him breathe the words "I love you." That would make it all okay. For a while at least.

But she trusted her dad too much. And, if she called Frank, he'd say the same thing "hold on tight. Stay strong." Of course, they were right, but it was just so damn hard.

"I'm under the arrest for the murder of Luke Chircop, huh?" she asked out loud.

The arresting officer whose name Nancy had already forgotten, only grunted.

Encouraged, Nancy said politely, "I wasn't aware I was a suspect." Not officially, anyway. "I'm just wondering… what cause do you have for this arrest?"

"Special Agent Drew-"

"I know. You read me my rights. I'm just curious. That's all."

The officer cast a troubled glance back at her. "Well-"

"That'll all be covered in your interview," Karen Chircop snapped, shutting the officer right up. "Drew, I recommend for your own sake that you stay silent until your legal representation, sorry- your daddy arrives."

Nancy wanted to slap the sneer right off the woman's face. Of course, Karen wanted her to be quiet. Especially when Nancy had a feeling it was Karen Chircop who'd got her into this mess in the first place.

When they reached the station, Nancy was told to fill out paperwork by the desk sergeant who took Nancy's effects and filed them in individual evidence bags, neatly labeled with the date and time.

Nancy felt mortified to be led down to the cells. She'd always been on the other side of the door, talking and laughing with police. She felt like a criminal, as she was pushed down a dark, shadowy hall. Fortunately, most of the cells were empty. And Nancy was pushed into a lone cell near the entrance to the block.

"We'll come to get you for your interview soon," the arresting officer said.

Soon? Nancy wasn't sure what that meant, but she felt like it wouldn't come quickly enough, as she glanced around at the small, empty space. With a heavy sigh, she sunk down onto the hard bench and willed time to move with a little more urgency.

Frank was looking through real estate records when his phone rang. He swore. He hated being interrupted when he was focussed on something. And he was trying to trace the company who owned warehouse 316, with little success. It just seemed like a regular business, that had folded after the global financial crisis. It didn't seem shady in the slightest. Not as a cover or a drug-running scam. He couldn't say the same for the Chircop's. Brone Chircop hadn't listed a company as occupying the warehouse. It had merely existed, with no apparent purpose until it was sold.

"Frank Hardy," Frank said answering the phone.

Carson Drew sounded a bit ruffled, which was alarming because he was normally so collected and calm. "I had to be the bearer of bad news, son, but Nancy's been arrested."

"What? That's impossible. This is a stitch-up. She didn't-"

"I know. I know. But you're going to have to stay calm, Frank-"

"What station? I'll head over there straight away and give them a piece of my mind. I'll-"

"You need to remember your training. If you go there, you'll only make things worse for her, okay? I've contracted an old lawyer friend, who's going to attend the interview with Nancy. The best we can do is wait. And in the meantime, we need to find out everything we can. Tell me, are you any closer to finding out who actually shot Luke Chircop?"

Frank sucked in a couple of deep breaths. Carson Drew was right. He needed to keep his head. Losing it would only land them in even more hot water. He filled Mr. Drew in on everything they knew.

Carson made only a few noises of agreement. And Frank could hear the scratch of the older man's pen, as the attorney took notes.

"Right. Well, keep looking into this. And I'll do what I can from my end."

"Okay. Thanks, Mr. Drew-"

"For the last time, it's Carson."

"-Carson. You'll call me if you hear anything else."

"I will. Oh, and, before you go, son… are you and your brother okay? I'm worried about your dad, too. And this is a lot to happen at once."

It was almost too much, to hear that note of fatherly concern. Frank had been such a royal fuck up of late. He felt like he didn't deserve it. He muttered out a "thank you" and a "goodbye" and hung up in a daze.

Bess arrived not long after, and with Joe, Frank explained what was going on.

Bess was as shocked as could be imagined. But she took the news with surprising strength, eyes flashing as she raged about what she'd do if she could get her hands on Karen Chircop. Frank fully sympathized with the sentiment, but he took Carson's advice and tried to focus on solving the case. After all, if they could find the real culprit Nancy could be released.

"What if we're looking at this from the wrong angle?" he asked abruptly.

"What do you mean?" Joe asked.

"Maybe this isn't about drugs."

"How isn't it?"

"Well, it's also personal, isn't it? Chircop is Karen's sister. Suppose they had a disagreement? Maybe he poked into her past? She'd lose everything if he talked."

Joe nodded slowly. "And dad found out too much."

"Why didn't they kill him like they did Luke Chircop?"

"Gee, Frank. Do you really have to go there?"

"Yes. Sorry, Joe, but it's important."

"Well, I guess… maybe they don't know what dad knows. Maybe they're trying to get him to talk. But he's got to be breaking down, right?" Joe swallowed hard. "Even dad can't stay silent for too long. He's only human. We've got to solve this soon. Otherwise, we'll run out of time!"

Nancy was staring at the clock hands when Karen Chircop came to take her to the interview room. The older woman was silent, but her eyes spoke volumes, as she tightened Nancy's cuffs and led her up to the corridor where the interview rooms were located.

"Do you still think you got things off on the wrong foot, before?" Chircop snarled.

And, as Nancy looked into the face pinched with hate, she realized this woman wanted to destroy her. The problem was, she wasn't entirely sure why.