*****************
The Mystery of Elizabeth Drew
Part 8
Author: Mac
Disclaimers in Part 1
******************
Fenton sat in the waiting room. He felt as if his whole world crashed around him. His sons, the boys he raised for 18 years were missing. Not really missing, they knew who had them; they just couldn't do anything.
"Fenton." He looked up to see his sister, Gertrude. "How are you holding up?"
"I want to kill Jackson Williams. For kidnapping my sons, for hurting my best friend and his daughter." He stood up and began to pace. "Doesn't he know what he know how horrible his father was?"
Gertrude stood up and grabbed his arms. "I can't pretend to understand what you're felling, Fenton. You're right though, Jackson needs to be punished. But, you're forgetting one thing."
"What's that?" he asked her.
"He loved his father dearly, just as your sons love you. Fathers killing people is not something children like to imagine. He's hurting just as much as you right now."
Fenton sighed. "I don't really believe that, Gert, do you?"
"I do," she replied. "Now, Mr. Detective, don't you think you should be out there helping the police find out where your sons and Jackson are?"
"Probably." He took his older sister into his arms. "Thank you for everything."
***************
Since visiting hours were over, Nancy, Hannah, and Gertrude headed back to the Hardy's home. They arrived to find a small manila envelope on the porch. Scribbled in cruel letters was Nancy's name.
She took a deep breath, picking it up. "Nan?" Hannah asked.
"I'm almost afraid to open this," she whispered. "Let's get inside."
They wordlessly entered the house and went into the kitchen. Gertrude grabbed the cordless phone and called Fenton. He said he was on his way.
Nancy slowly opened the envelope. Inside were two Polaroids and a note. Shakily, she read it. "'Thinking of you.'"
She then looked at the pictures and gasped. Frank and Joe were tied up and badly beaten. There were multiple bruises on the faces. She could tell they were still conscious when the photographs were taken.
Nancy was speechless. She couldn't believe someone would do this to two of closest friends in the entire world. This couldn't be happening.
"Nan, what is it?" Gertrude asked, fearing the worse. Hannah took the pictures from Nancy. Gertrude looked over her shoulder. "Dear Lord!"
***************
Fenton rushed into the house, looking for the women. Nancy ran past him and up the stairs. He found Gertrude in the kitchen with Hannah, crying.
"What's wrong?" He was handed the pictures. Fenton picked up a chair and hurled it against the refrigerator. "Damn you, Jackson," he growled. "I'll get you if it's the last thing I do."
The phone rang, causing them all to jump. Hannah went to answer it since neither Gertrude nor Fenton were in any condition to. "Hardy Residence."
"Hannah? It's Eloise."
"Oh, I was supposed to call you and tell you how Carson was doing. I'm sorry, dear, things have been hectic around here."
"It's all right. How are things then?" Hannah went into the other room and explained the situation. "How's Nancy doing?"
Hannah wiped away a tear that fell. "Not well. She feels responsible for Frank and Joe being kidnapped."
"I'm flying down there tonight."
"You don't need to, but I know how stubborn the Drew's are. Call me and let me know what time your flight's coming in," Hanna replied.
"Thank you, Hannah."
Hannah sighed and hung up the phone. Gertrude and Fenton would be fine for now. She needed to check on Nancy. The poor girl had gone through so much over the past few days. How much more could she take?
The Mystery of Elizabeth Drew
Part 8
Author: Mac
Disclaimers in Part 1
******************
Fenton sat in the waiting room. He felt as if his whole world crashed around him. His sons, the boys he raised for 18 years were missing. Not really missing, they knew who had them; they just couldn't do anything.
"Fenton." He looked up to see his sister, Gertrude. "How are you holding up?"
"I want to kill Jackson Williams. For kidnapping my sons, for hurting my best friend and his daughter." He stood up and began to pace. "Doesn't he know what he know how horrible his father was?"
Gertrude stood up and grabbed his arms. "I can't pretend to understand what you're felling, Fenton. You're right though, Jackson needs to be punished. But, you're forgetting one thing."
"What's that?" he asked her.
"He loved his father dearly, just as your sons love you. Fathers killing people is not something children like to imagine. He's hurting just as much as you right now."
Fenton sighed. "I don't really believe that, Gert, do you?"
"I do," she replied. "Now, Mr. Detective, don't you think you should be out there helping the police find out where your sons and Jackson are?"
"Probably." He took his older sister into his arms. "Thank you for everything."
***************
Since visiting hours were over, Nancy, Hannah, and Gertrude headed back to the Hardy's home. They arrived to find a small manila envelope on the porch. Scribbled in cruel letters was Nancy's name.
She took a deep breath, picking it up. "Nan?" Hannah asked.
"I'm almost afraid to open this," she whispered. "Let's get inside."
They wordlessly entered the house and went into the kitchen. Gertrude grabbed the cordless phone and called Fenton. He said he was on his way.
Nancy slowly opened the envelope. Inside were two Polaroids and a note. Shakily, she read it. "'Thinking of you.'"
She then looked at the pictures and gasped. Frank and Joe were tied up and badly beaten. There were multiple bruises on the faces. She could tell they were still conscious when the photographs were taken.
Nancy was speechless. She couldn't believe someone would do this to two of closest friends in the entire world. This couldn't be happening.
"Nan, what is it?" Gertrude asked, fearing the worse. Hannah took the pictures from Nancy. Gertrude looked over her shoulder. "Dear Lord!"
***************
Fenton rushed into the house, looking for the women. Nancy ran past him and up the stairs. He found Gertrude in the kitchen with Hannah, crying.
"What's wrong?" He was handed the pictures. Fenton picked up a chair and hurled it against the refrigerator. "Damn you, Jackson," he growled. "I'll get you if it's the last thing I do."
The phone rang, causing them all to jump. Hannah went to answer it since neither Gertrude nor Fenton were in any condition to. "Hardy Residence."
"Hannah? It's Eloise."
"Oh, I was supposed to call you and tell you how Carson was doing. I'm sorry, dear, things have been hectic around here."
"It's all right. How are things then?" Hannah went into the other room and explained the situation. "How's Nancy doing?"
Hannah wiped away a tear that fell. "Not well. She feels responsible for Frank and Joe being kidnapped."
"I'm flying down there tonight."
"You don't need to, but I know how stubborn the Drew's are. Call me and let me know what time your flight's coming in," Hanna replied.
"Thank you, Hannah."
Hannah sighed and hung up the phone. Gertrude and Fenton would be fine for now. She needed to check on Nancy. The poor girl had gone through so much over the past few days. How much more could she take?