****************
The Mystery of Elizabeth Drew
Part 7
Author: Mac (mac@nancydrew.zzn.com)
Disclaimers in Part 1
****************
Frank woke up with a pounding headache and his hands tied behind his back. He glanced over to his left to see Joe lying unconscious on the floor. At least, he hoped his brother was just unconscious...
"Joe!" he called. "Joe!"
"He's alive, you don't have to worry about that."
Frank turned his head at the sound of the voice. "Who are you, what's going on?"
"I'm Jackson, a friend of Nancy's."
Frank saw red. "Where is she?" he exclaimed.
Jackson waved his hand. "Not to worry. I'm certain Chief McGinnis and his hounds are with her. She'll be fine physically. Emotionally, well that remains to be seen."
"You bastard!" Frank growled.
"You should be kinder to your captors, Mr. Hardy," Jackson said. "I'll be back soon."
Before Frank could say anything more, he was gone. He heard a small moan. "Joe?"
"Ugh, who sat on my head?" Joe asked. After blinking away any blurryness, he looked around. "Nice place... Where the hell are we?"
Frank explained the conversation he just had with Jackson. "I'm sure Nancy's all right. She's strong."
**************
But Nancy was far from being all right. Her father was lying in a coma, Jackson was out to kill her, he tried to rape her, and her best friends were missing.
She heard a knock on her bedroom door. Secretly, she wanted everyone to go away and leave her alone. She knew it wasn't going to happen, she told whoever it was to come in.
"Nan?"
It was Fenton. God, what was she supposed to say to him? Your sons were kidnapped because of me! She screamed to herself. Go away, or you may be next!
"Mr. Hardy, I..." She looked up at him. He was smiling. How could he smile at a time like this? "What's going on?"
"Your father's awake. The doctor expects him to make a full recovery. I wanted to tell you in person. And besides, I think it would be better if you talked to him."
She nodded slowly. "Is Hannah all right?"
"She's just fine. Completely worried about you, but fine," Fenton replied. He helped her up. "Let's get out of here."
***************
When the door to Carson's hospital room opened, Hannah immediately rushed over to Nancy. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm so glad you're all right."
Nancy didn't reply, she just hugged the housekeeper tightly. This is what she needed to be held. "Hey, don't I get a hug?"
"Dad!" Nancy said with a smile. It was the first time in days she did that, Fenton thought. She hugged him as well as she could with the IVs in the way. "I thought I was going to lose you."
"I thought you were too," he replied. "While I was in the coma, I could swear I heard your mother's voice telling me it wasn't my time. She told me you still need me."
Nancy nodded. "I do. I always will, no matter how old I am."
"Nan, I'm sorry I never told you the real truth about your mother's death. I was waiting for the right time, and then I didn't know when the right time was. Eventually, I just chickened out. I didn't want to hurt you."
"It's okay, Dad," Nancy said. "I understand why you did. You were just protecting me. I admit I was angry and first and went home to look through your files..." She trailed off. "Oh God, it's my fault."
Her fault. She felt the tears flowing before she could stop them. Nancy could only guess what Jackson was planning to do with them.
"Nancy?" Carson asked. "What's your fault?"
She couldn't look her father in the eye. "Jackson kidnapped Frank and Joe."
The Mystery of Elizabeth Drew
Part 7
Author: Mac (mac@nancydrew.zzn.com)
Disclaimers in Part 1
****************
Frank woke up with a pounding headache and his hands tied behind his back. He glanced over to his left to see Joe lying unconscious on the floor. At least, he hoped his brother was just unconscious...
"Joe!" he called. "Joe!"
"He's alive, you don't have to worry about that."
Frank turned his head at the sound of the voice. "Who are you, what's going on?"
"I'm Jackson, a friend of Nancy's."
Frank saw red. "Where is she?" he exclaimed.
Jackson waved his hand. "Not to worry. I'm certain Chief McGinnis and his hounds are with her. She'll be fine physically. Emotionally, well that remains to be seen."
"You bastard!" Frank growled.
"You should be kinder to your captors, Mr. Hardy," Jackson said. "I'll be back soon."
Before Frank could say anything more, he was gone. He heard a small moan. "Joe?"
"Ugh, who sat on my head?" Joe asked. After blinking away any blurryness, he looked around. "Nice place... Where the hell are we?"
Frank explained the conversation he just had with Jackson. "I'm sure Nancy's all right. She's strong."
**************
But Nancy was far from being all right. Her father was lying in a coma, Jackson was out to kill her, he tried to rape her, and her best friends were missing.
She heard a knock on her bedroom door. Secretly, she wanted everyone to go away and leave her alone. She knew it wasn't going to happen, she told whoever it was to come in.
"Nan?"
It was Fenton. God, what was she supposed to say to him? Your sons were kidnapped because of me! She screamed to herself. Go away, or you may be next!
"Mr. Hardy, I..." She looked up at him. He was smiling. How could he smile at a time like this? "What's going on?"
"Your father's awake. The doctor expects him to make a full recovery. I wanted to tell you in person. And besides, I think it would be better if you talked to him."
She nodded slowly. "Is Hannah all right?"
"She's just fine. Completely worried about you, but fine," Fenton replied. He helped her up. "Let's get out of here."
***************
When the door to Carson's hospital room opened, Hannah immediately rushed over to Nancy. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm so glad you're all right."
Nancy didn't reply, she just hugged the housekeeper tightly. This is what she needed to be held. "Hey, don't I get a hug?"
"Dad!" Nancy said with a smile. It was the first time in days she did that, Fenton thought. She hugged him as well as she could with the IVs in the way. "I thought I was going to lose you."
"I thought you were too," he replied. "While I was in the coma, I could swear I heard your mother's voice telling me it wasn't my time. She told me you still need me."
Nancy nodded. "I do. I always will, no matter how old I am."
"Nan, I'm sorry I never told you the real truth about your mother's death. I was waiting for the right time, and then I didn't know when the right time was. Eventually, I just chickened out. I didn't want to hurt you."
"It's okay, Dad," Nancy said. "I understand why you did. You were just protecting me. I admit I was angry and first and went home to look through your files..." She trailed off. "Oh God, it's my fault."
Her fault. She felt the tears flowing before she could stop them. Nancy could only guess what Jackson was planning to do with them.
"Nancy?" Carson asked. "What's your fault?"
She couldn't look her father in the eye. "Jackson kidnapped Frank and Joe."