Road to Heaven
Chapter Eleven
Frank swallowed and nodded. "I'll go and get it," he said, realizing if he didn't do something, Joe was dead.
"You've got three minutes," Matthews told him. "If you're not back here with the money, Blondie dies and you're next."
Frank nodded and ran upstairs to his father's office. He grabbed his dad's briefcase and dumped the contents onto the desk. He shut the briefcase and pulled open the top drawer of his father's desk. He removed the pistol his father kept there and tucked it into the back of his pants, pulling his shirt down over it before returning downstairs. When he got to the kitchen he paled visibly and his eyes widened in horror. Joe was lying, unmoving, on the floor.
"You said I had three minutes!" Frank screamed.
"He's not dead," Matthews informed Frank. "He tried to get away so I had to put him to sleep," he added, grinning with pleasure. "Of course," he continued, "if the money's not in the briefcase, he will be dead."
Frank looked at the man with hatred even as his heart filled with hope. His father was standing outside with his finger to his lips. Frank had to create a diversion to allow his father time to get inside. He stepped closer to Matthews and held out the briefcase. As Matthews reached for it, Frank let it fall from his hand. Startled, Matthews looded down for a fraction of a second but that was all the time Frank needed. He grabbed Mathhews' hand which held the gun and forced it up as his father came inside. It took only seconds to disarm Matthews. Fenton held the gun on him while Frank checked on Joe. It took a couple of minutes but Joe finally opened his eyes. Frank helped Joe up and into a chair.
"Are you okay, son?" Fenton asked with concern, glancing at Joe as he gingerly touched the back of his head and winced.
"Yeah-oh!" he shouted as Frank probbed Joe's head.
"There's a lump, but it's not too big and there's no blood," Frank reported.
"Frank, call the police for our friend here," Fenton instructed his eldest son. "Joe, go and help your mother," he ordered, seeing Laura's car pull into the driveway through the window.
Joe got up and went outside. He and his mom came back in through the living room to avoid giving Matthews a chance to try anything. Not much later, Matthews was off to jail and the Subaru he had been driving was impounded. The Hardys sat down to have Chinese take-out.
"Now, would someone care to explain what Matthews was doing here?" Fenton asked.
Frank looked at Joe who reddened as his parents turned to look at him also. Joe explained about going to Baker's Street.
"Didn't I tell you to stay here?" Fenton demanded, more exasperated than angry.
"There was time before dinner," Joe replied with a shrug.
"Joe, you nearly got yourself and your brother killed," Fenton began his lecture.
"We've been in worse spots," Joe said, interuppting. "And that's one less we have to worry about," he added.
"That's not the point," Fenton told his youngest son sternly. "I specifically requested you to remain at home while I arranged for a sting tonight. Your going to town and Matthews' arrest have probably ruined that. I will be greatly surprised if anyone shows up tonight."
"Sorry," Joe mumbled, looking down at his half-eaten dinner and no longer feeling hungry.
"That's not good enough," Fenton declared. "As of now, you are no longer allowed to participate in this case," he decreed.
"No fair!" Joe shouted, looking up at his father in surprise. "You can't make Frank do this alone. These guys are dangerous," he reasoned, sure his father would change his mind.
"I know," Fenton replied calmly. "Which is why Frank will be working with me," he told Joe. "You are to stay in the house or in the yard until this case is closed."
"But..." Joe started.
"No buts," Fenton cut him off sharply. "Tomorrow will be a good day to mow the lawn and trim the hedges," he added meaningfully. "And if you think you might be bored or if it rains, you can clean out the garage."
Joe looked at Frank hopefully, but he just gave a slight shrug which clearly said Joe had it coming. Joe sat back in his chair in disgust. "May I be excused?"
"You may," Laura told him with a sharp glance at Fenton. She felt Fenton was being too hard on Joe after all he had been through the past few days but she knew a united front was the only way to keep Joe from disobeying again.
After Joe had left the table, Fenton told Frank about the sting. "Agent Mason with the DEA has arranged a buy with Andrews for this evening. Smyte and Benton were supposed to be present but since Matthews is now in jail for kidnaping, they may not show."
"What did you want me and Joe to do?" Frank asked.
"Obviously the money Kenny took is still missing," Fenton replied. "And not only are the bad guys looking for it but so are the police. I know his house has been throughly searched but I still think the money is hidden there somewhere."
"You wanted us to go search for the money?" Frank asked, confused. "We could have done that earlier."
"I know," Fenton replied with a sigh. "I really wanted you two to go in with Agent Mason, in disguise of course. He was supposed to be bringing two of his newest dealers at the high school level with him and there's no one who looks even remotely young enough to pull it off in the Bayport brach of the DEA," he explained.
"I can still go in," Frank volunteered. "We could say Joe got busted."
Fenton shook his head. "Too risky. I don't want you in this one undercover by yourself."
"But we could catch the head man if they buy it," Frank argued.
"No!" Fenton said loudly, stressing the word.. "We'll find out who the money man is behind Andrews some other way," he insisted. He looked at Frank's depressed face and relented a bit. "You can come with me tonight anyway," he said. "We'll be stationed in the warehouse beside where the deal is supposed to go down."
After dinner, Frank ran upstairs to change into some jeans and a dark tee shirt. Joe poked his head in the door of Frank's room. "It's safe," Frank told him with a grin. Joe walked inside and sat down on the bed, watching Frank slide his shirt on over his head.
"Be careful," Joe said, worried.
"Don't worry," Frank told him. "Dad changed plans. I'm not going to be in the line of fire even if the deal does go down."
"I really blew it, huh?" Joe asked quietly.
"Yeah," Frank agreed, prepared to give Joe a lecture until he looked over and saw the glum expression on Joe's face. "Look," he said, going over to sit beside Joe. "It's only for this one case," he said, trying to get Joe to perk up. "Besides," he added, reaching an arm over and pushing a lock of Joe's hair from his eyes, "you need the rest after today."
Joe gave a small derisive laugh. "I guess I do at that," he responded, smiling at Frank. "You know something?" he asked.
"What?" Frank asked warily.
"I'm glad you're my brother," Joe told him.
"Back at ya," Frank said, giving Joe a quick hug before standing up. "I'll see you in the morning," he told Joe before going downstairs to join his father.
By the time Frank and Fenton arrived at the warehouse, the sun had set and a cool breeze was blowing. Fenton parked his car and he and Frank went inside to join Agents Mason, Davenport and Cortez. Fenton told the trio about Matthews' arrest but they had already heard and agreed it would be too dangerous to allow Frank to continue on his own.
Agent Mason left and prepared for the deal to happen. Three hours later, no one having shown up, the men reassembled in the warehouse and called it a night. The wind had picked up and what had started out as a light drizzle had turned into a harsh downpour. Fenton and Frank climbed into the car and turned the radio on. The storm warning had become a tornado warning in the time they had been on stakeout. Fenton sped up a little, in a hurry to get home. There was a flash of lightening followed by a loud crack of thunder. before the sound had dimished, another bolt of lightening glashed and a tree by the roadside began to fall. Fenton put on the brakes, but he was too late. The tree crashed onto the roof of their car.
Chapter Eleven
Frank swallowed and nodded. "I'll go and get it," he said, realizing if he didn't do something, Joe was dead.
"You've got three minutes," Matthews told him. "If you're not back here with the money, Blondie dies and you're next."
Frank nodded and ran upstairs to his father's office. He grabbed his dad's briefcase and dumped the contents onto the desk. He shut the briefcase and pulled open the top drawer of his father's desk. He removed the pistol his father kept there and tucked it into the back of his pants, pulling his shirt down over it before returning downstairs. When he got to the kitchen he paled visibly and his eyes widened in horror. Joe was lying, unmoving, on the floor.
"You said I had three minutes!" Frank screamed.
"He's not dead," Matthews informed Frank. "He tried to get away so I had to put him to sleep," he added, grinning with pleasure. "Of course," he continued, "if the money's not in the briefcase, he will be dead."
Frank looked at the man with hatred even as his heart filled with hope. His father was standing outside with his finger to his lips. Frank had to create a diversion to allow his father time to get inside. He stepped closer to Matthews and held out the briefcase. As Matthews reached for it, Frank let it fall from his hand. Startled, Matthews looded down for a fraction of a second but that was all the time Frank needed. He grabbed Mathhews' hand which held the gun and forced it up as his father came inside. It took only seconds to disarm Matthews. Fenton held the gun on him while Frank checked on Joe. It took a couple of minutes but Joe finally opened his eyes. Frank helped Joe up and into a chair.
"Are you okay, son?" Fenton asked with concern, glancing at Joe as he gingerly touched the back of his head and winced.
"Yeah-oh!" he shouted as Frank probbed Joe's head.
"There's a lump, but it's not too big and there's no blood," Frank reported.
"Frank, call the police for our friend here," Fenton instructed his eldest son. "Joe, go and help your mother," he ordered, seeing Laura's car pull into the driveway through the window.
Joe got up and went outside. He and his mom came back in through the living room to avoid giving Matthews a chance to try anything. Not much later, Matthews was off to jail and the Subaru he had been driving was impounded. The Hardys sat down to have Chinese take-out.
"Now, would someone care to explain what Matthews was doing here?" Fenton asked.
Frank looked at Joe who reddened as his parents turned to look at him also. Joe explained about going to Baker's Street.
"Didn't I tell you to stay here?" Fenton demanded, more exasperated than angry.
"There was time before dinner," Joe replied with a shrug.
"Joe, you nearly got yourself and your brother killed," Fenton began his lecture.
"We've been in worse spots," Joe said, interuppting. "And that's one less we have to worry about," he added.
"That's not the point," Fenton told his youngest son sternly. "I specifically requested you to remain at home while I arranged for a sting tonight. Your going to town and Matthews' arrest have probably ruined that. I will be greatly surprised if anyone shows up tonight."
"Sorry," Joe mumbled, looking down at his half-eaten dinner and no longer feeling hungry.
"That's not good enough," Fenton declared. "As of now, you are no longer allowed to participate in this case," he decreed.
"No fair!" Joe shouted, looking up at his father in surprise. "You can't make Frank do this alone. These guys are dangerous," he reasoned, sure his father would change his mind.
"I know," Fenton replied calmly. "Which is why Frank will be working with me," he told Joe. "You are to stay in the house or in the yard until this case is closed."
"But..." Joe started.
"No buts," Fenton cut him off sharply. "Tomorrow will be a good day to mow the lawn and trim the hedges," he added meaningfully. "And if you think you might be bored or if it rains, you can clean out the garage."
Joe looked at Frank hopefully, but he just gave a slight shrug which clearly said Joe had it coming. Joe sat back in his chair in disgust. "May I be excused?"
"You may," Laura told him with a sharp glance at Fenton. She felt Fenton was being too hard on Joe after all he had been through the past few days but she knew a united front was the only way to keep Joe from disobeying again.
After Joe had left the table, Fenton told Frank about the sting. "Agent Mason with the DEA has arranged a buy with Andrews for this evening. Smyte and Benton were supposed to be present but since Matthews is now in jail for kidnaping, they may not show."
"What did you want me and Joe to do?" Frank asked.
"Obviously the money Kenny took is still missing," Fenton replied. "And not only are the bad guys looking for it but so are the police. I know his house has been throughly searched but I still think the money is hidden there somewhere."
"You wanted us to go search for the money?" Frank asked, confused. "We could have done that earlier."
"I know," Fenton replied with a sigh. "I really wanted you two to go in with Agent Mason, in disguise of course. He was supposed to be bringing two of his newest dealers at the high school level with him and there's no one who looks even remotely young enough to pull it off in the Bayport brach of the DEA," he explained.
"I can still go in," Frank volunteered. "We could say Joe got busted."
Fenton shook his head. "Too risky. I don't want you in this one undercover by yourself."
"But we could catch the head man if they buy it," Frank argued.
"No!" Fenton said loudly, stressing the word.. "We'll find out who the money man is behind Andrews some other way," he insisted. He looked at Frank's depressed face and relented a bit. "You can come with me tonight anyway," he said. "We'll be stationed in the warehouse beside where the deal is supposed to go down."
After dinner, Frank ran upstairs to change into some jeans and a dark tee shirt. Joe poked his head in the door of Frank's room. "It's safe," Frank told him with a grin. Joe walked inside and sat down on the bed, watching Frank slide his shirt on over his head.
"Be careful," Joe said, worried.
"Don't worry," Frank told him. "Dad changed plans. I'm not going to be in the line of fire even if the deal does go down."
"I really blew it, huh?" Joe asked quietly.
"Yeah," Frank agreed, prepared to give Joe a lecture until he looked over and saw the glum expression on Joe's face. "Look," he said, going over to sit beside Joe. "It's only for this one case," he said, trying to get Joe to perk up. "Besides," he added, reaching an arm over and pushing a lock of Joe's hair from his eyes, "you need the rest after today."
Joe gave a small derisive laugh. "I guess I do at that," he responded, smiling at Frank. "You know something?" he asked.
"What?" Frank asked warily.
"I'm glad you're my brother," Joe told him.
"Back at ya," Frank said, giving Joe a quick hug before standing up. "I'll see you in the morning," he told Joe before going downstairs to join his father.
By the time Frank and Fenton arrived at the warehouse, the sun had set and a cool breeze was blowing. Fenton parked his car and he and Frank went inside to join Agents Mason, Davenport and Cortez. Fenton told the trio about Matthews' arrest but they had already heard and agreed it would be too dangerous to allow Frank to continue on his own.
Agent Mason left and prepared for the deal to happen. Three hours later, no one having shown up, the men reassembled in the warehouse and called it a night. The wind had picked up and what had started out as a light drizzle had turned into a harsh downpour. Fenton and Frank climbed into the car and turned the radio on. The storm warning had become a tornado warning in the time they had been on stakeout. Fenton sped up a little, in a hurry to get home. There was a flash of lightening followed by a loud crack of thunder. before the sound had dimished, another bolt of lightening glashed and a tree by the roadside began to fall. Fenton put on the brakes, but he was too late. The tree crashed onto the roof of their car.