Chapter XV

Joe scowled at his plate. "Callie, this bears absolutely no resemblance to steak and potatoes."

"Give me a break, Joe - we're in Chinatown. Think of it as Chinese steak and potatoes."

"Is that what this is?"

"Beats me. I got a couple of things, just for fun. And I'll bet it doesn't slow your appetite for more than two seconds."

Joe tasted cautiously. "Okay, these little dumpling things are pretty okay. Hand me one of those pancakes, will you, Frank?"

"Personally, I don't care what it is. I'm starved." Frank tossed Joe a pancake and started to fill one for himself.

"Better grab your share, Callie - I don't think this is going to last long." Callie obediently picked up a plate, and soon they were exchanging stories while they ate.

Frank was silent a moment after Joe and Callie had finished explaining everything they had discovered and everything they had done, leaving out only Joe's offering Callie as collateral. Somehow, Joe couldn't imagine Frank taking that well, no matter the circumstances, and he was grateful that Callie didn't feel a need to elaborate. He knew from Frank's expression that he was thinking hard, and after a minute he said impatiently, "So?"

"I'm wondering if we shouldn't go to the police. But - we have no proof of anything, and it's such a wild story. I just don't know."

Callie made a face. "We also kind of failed to come clean with them about your disappearance. But I suppose that if we sent them over to the apartment building, they could find something."

"Enough to arrest Gabby and Jerry, maybe." Frank got up and began to pace. "But not this Cobra, the mystery ringleader. He's the real brains. Gabby and Jerry are just pawns. And for all we know, he could pull this off without them." He paused his pacing, his eyes distant. "I think I -"

"Another plan!" Joe crowed, finishing for him. "This is more like it! Not that I didn't come up with some pretty dandy plans of my own."

"You really did, Joe," Callie agreed warmly. "I was pretty impressed."

Frank looked at her in surprise. Callie and Joe seemed to be getting along at last. It didn't make him feel quite the way he'd expected. He pushed the feeling back determinedly and continued. "Slow down, Joe. Could be the best thing we could do is grab the next plane back to Bayport."

Joe stared. "You don't mean that. We got a score to settle with these guys! At the very least I want to give somebody a couple of matching bumps on the head!"

Frank rubbed automatically at the back of his skull and winced. "I know, but…" he glanced hesitantly at Callie, then away.

Callie bridled. "I hope that look doesn't mean that you're thinking of leaving because of me?" Frank guiltily avoided her eyes. "Well, of all the nerve! You're as bad as your brother! Worse! Who just rescued who, Frank Hardy?"

Frank grinned faintly. "Hey, I rescued myself. Not that I didn't appreciate the lift - I don't think the BART system takes credit cards. So the verdict is that we see this thing through?" Joe snorted, forking the last dumpling from Frank's plate. Frank opened his mouth to protest, then shrugged resignedly instead. "I'll take that as yes. Okay, then. I figure the guy we really need is this Cobra person, but we don't know a whole lot about him. I think he was probably the other guy at the Wharf, the one that pulled the gun on me, though, so he had some kind of accent - " he paused, thinking hard. "And now that I know about the Romanov Rose...you know, that accent could have been Russian."

"Does that help?" Callie asked doubtfully, cracking a fortune cookie.

"Not a whole lot," Frank admitted. "In fact, the only way I can think of to catch up with him is to infiltrate the Opera House and keep an eye on that necklace. It's the one place we know he's sure to go."

"Maybe he won't," Joe interrupted. "Maybe he'll count on Jerry and Gabby to bring it to him."

"Then we need to be near them, so we can follow."

"Well, maybe we should leave that to Callie, then. She's pretty smooth about getting us in and out of that place."

Frank saw the admiring glance he cast Callie and the glowing look she gave him in return and felt that funny twinge in his diaphragm again. Cut it out, Frank, he told himself sharply. You're the one who told them to learn to get along. He cleared his throat carefully and continued. "Anyway. This Alissa. How far do you think we can trust her?"

"All the way," answered Joe promptly.

"As long as there are no secrets involved. She's a real blabbermouth."

"She is not!" Joe protested indignantly.

"Oh, come on, Joe. She didn't even know us and she spilled her guts every time she saw us."

"Maybe we inspire trust. One of us, anyway. I thought we agreed she's in the clear."

"I'm not in the least convinced. And you wouldn't be either, if she didn't keep batting those big brown eyes at you. I say we go cautiously."

"Look, if it weren't for Alissa, we wouldn't have even found Frank! You think she would have spilled all that if she was involved?"

"I think she can't help spilling everything on her brain at the moment. I wish just for once you'd think with your head, not your - " Callie stopped abruptly and clapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes suddenly wide. "Oh, Joe!" she wailed.

Frank stared, startled at her reaction. "What?" He looked at his brother for clarification, but his face was also a study in consternation.

"Oh, Callie," he groaned.

"What?" Frank repeated. Callie and Joe's expressions would have been comical, if they hadn't been so upset.

"What's wrong?" Frank asked again.

"Um - " Callie glanced at Frank then back at Joe, still chagrined, but trying to hide it. "Well, it's...nothing, we - "

"Nothing," Joe echoed dully.

Frank felt his temper rising in spite of himself. "Obviously it's something. You're both pretty upset."

Callie and Joe exchanged guilty glances. "No. No, really. Nothing."

"Now, look - " Frank's voice rose heatedly before he could stop himself. "I know I've been out of the picture and all, but I don't see how we can expect to solve this thing if you two insist on keeping secrets from me! And I really find it hard to imagine what's so private between you that you can't tell me about it!"

Callie and Joe looked embarrassed.

"Well..." Callie finally began sheepishly, "We both - well - we felt bad when you disappeared after we were fighting, and - um - kind of responsible..." she trailed off, looking at Joe for help.

"We know it's kind of hard on you. Our fighting," Joe put in miserably. "So we - uh - made this pact. That if - when we found you, we wouldn't fight anymore. Not for the rest of the trip." He looked mournfully at Callie. "Not even twenty-four hours."

Callie shook her head. "I'm sorry, Frank. I guess we're pretty hopeless."

"Oh," Frank began blankly. He felt as if his insides were doing a slow thaw. "Oh." A relieved smile stretched across his face. "No big deal. I guess I'm used to it." He threw himself into the armchair and studied them both with a sudden rush of affection. "Back to Alissa, then. I heard Jerry and Gabby mention her, and I guess I agree with both of you. They also talked about a three way split, which would seem to indicate that Alissa's not involved, or else there would be a share for her. On the other hand, we have to be careful. I suggest we visit her and see if she can't get us into some backstage position at the Gala, but that we watch our backs. That means you, Joe, no matter how pretty she is. Know what time she gets off work?"

Joe made a face at him, then glanced at his watch and jumped to his feet. "Pretty soon."

"Let's get over there, then." Frank's face grew grave. "It's a pretty serious situation. The loss of a national treasure on American soil - it could create an international incident."

Joe started and looked at his brother hard for a minute. "Um - Callie, do you still have those papers from last night?"

Callie jumped to her feet. "I'll go get them."

She was barely out of the room before Joe closed the door behind her. "Frank," he said urgently, "There's something you don't know. Not even Callie knows."

Frank looked surprised. "Why? I thought you guys were sharing everything."

"Not this. I ran into an old friend of ours here. One I couldn't tell Callie about. He's about as deep into this as we are."

Frank stared, uncomprehending, then his eyes grew wide. "The Gray Man?" he whispered.

Joe nodded. "At the Opera House. He's doing some kind of surveillance from the Prop Room. That's why we really changed hotels. He sent some flunky to invite us to leave. I think it was the same guy with the gun at the apartment building today."

Frank shook his head. "I don't think so, Joe. The Gray Man's guys usually wear combat shoes and besides...I'd almost swear I know those boots. It's hard to forget a pair that's kicked you in the face."

Joe wrinkled his brow. "That Cobra guy? Then why wouldn't he have signaled to Jerry Stryker for support when he looked into the lobby?"

"Maybe he did and we just didn't recognize it. Or maybe he's decided to cut out Jerry and Gabby. You know this honor among thieves thing is overrated."

Joe shook his head. "This one's getting complicated. Too many players."

Frank frowned. "Now I really don't want Callie involved."

"Sorry, bro. She is involved. All we can do is make the best of it."

Frank opened his mouth to answer, but the door swung inward and Callie bounced in, waving a sheaf of papers.

"Here you are. What are you guys standing around for? Are we going to crack this case or what?"

Joe raised his eyebrows at Frank.

Frank grinned back at his brother. "What a question. Don't we always?"

Joe gave a whoop. "Beware all international criminals! The Hardy Brothers are on the case!"

Callie slipped one arm through his elbow and the other through Frank's. "The Hardy Brothers - and friend," she corrected demurely.

To be continued in "High Note of Danger" - Part II of "The Curse of the Romanov Rose"