***************
The Mystery of Elizabeth Drew
Part 10
Author: Mac
Disclaimers in Part 1
***************
Carson looked over at Hannah. "Why don't we call Fenton and make some
coffee?" she nodded slowly and led Gertrude to the kitchen.
"Nan, maybe you should sit down," Eloise said. But the girl never
answered. She was staring at the television set, her breath coming in
short gasps.
Their shirts had been removed and they were lying on the floor. There
were marks all across their backs. She heard Jackson laughing in the
background. "I'll be in touch."
Nancy felt her legs giving out. Carson rushed over and caught her
before she hit the floor. He set her on the couch. "Breath, Nan.
Look
at me!" Her eyes finally met his. "Good, now breath."
She took a deep breath. "God, they're d-dead."
"No, honey. You don't know that. Jackson never said they were."
Eloise watched Carson comfort his daughter. She couldn't even imagine
what Nancy was going through. It was hard enough to watch the tape,
but
Nancy actually knew those boys.
She noticed Hannah and Gertrude returning and quickly turned off the
television. Carson nodded gratefully. "What's going on?" Hannah
wanted
to know.
"Is Fenton on his way?" Carson asked.
Gertrude replied, "He should be here shortly. Now let me see what's on
that tape, Carson."
"No, Gertrude!" Nancy exclaimed, rushing to the older woman. "You
don't want to see that tape! Please promise me you'll never watch it!"
"Nancy, I--"
"Please!"
She sighed, kissing Nancy on the cheek. "I promise, dear." They
watched Nancy smile sadly and leave the room. "I wish Frank and Joe
were back," she said. "Not for my sake or theirs, but for Nancy's."
*************
Nancy sat on the bed and reached for the phone. She hadn't talked to
Bess in weeks and her friend should be back in town by now. However,
Nancy didn't notice the phone rang for a split second before she picked
it up.
She heard breathing on the other end. "Hello?"
"Why, Nancy, it's so good to hear your voice!"
Nancy's eyes narrowed. "Jackson."
"I think it's time for a little visit, don't you?"
"When and where?"
"Bayport Aquarium, midnight tonight. Come alone, Nancy, or Joe won't
be very lucky."
"What about Frank?"
Jackson laughed. "I can't give them both up. This is an exchange.
You for Joe Hardy. Take it or leave it!"
"I'll take it!"
"Good, see you in four hours."
***********
Nancy pulled to a stop behind the aquarium. There was no sign of any
activity. Five minutes later, a black car pulled up. Nancy took a
deep
breath and stepped out of the car when Jackson did.
"Nice to see you again," he said, yanking Joe by the arm. He tossed
him onto the ground. "Lets go."
"You're just going to leave him out here? He'll freeze!"
Jackson rolled his eyes. "Fine, we'll put him in your car, but we're
not calling anyone, is that understood?"
Nancy nodded and helped Jackson carry her friend. He slammed the door
shut then grabbed her arm. "You're hurting me," Nancy cried.
"I'll hurt you worse than that if you don't shut up!" he said, glaring
at her. "Now get in the car!"
The Mystery of Elizabeth Drew
Part 10
Author: Mac
Disclaimers in Part 1
***************
Carson looked over at Hannah. "Why don't we call Fenton and make some
coffee?" she nodded slowly and led Gertrude to the kitchen.
"Nan, maybe you should sit down," Eloise said. But the girl never
answered. She was staring at the television set, her breath coming in
short gasps.
Their shirts had been removed and they were lying on the floor. There
were marks all across their backs. She heard Jackson laughing in the
background. "I'll be in touch."
Nancy felt her legs giving out. Carson rushed over and caught her
before she hit the floor. He set her on the couch. "Breath, Nan.
Look
at me!" Her eyes finally met his. "Good, now breath."
She took a deep breath. "God, they're d-dead."
"No, honey. You don't know that. Jackson never said they were."
Eloise watched Carson comfort his daughter. She couldn't even imagine
what Nancy was going through. It was hard enough to watch the tape,
but
Nancy actually knew those boys.
She noticed Hannah and Gertrude returning and quickly turned off the
television. Carson nodded gratefully. "What's going on?" Hannah
wanted
to know.
"Is Fenton on his way?" Carson asked.
Gertrude replied, "He should be here shortly. Now let me see what's on
that tape, Carson."
"No, Gertrude!" Nancy exclaimed, rushing to the older woman. "You
don't want to see that tape! Please promise me you'll never watch it!"
"Nancy, I--"
"Please!"
She sighed, kissing Nancy on the cheek. "I promise, dear." They
watched Nancy smile sadly and leave the room. "I wish Frank and Joe
were back," she said. "Not for my sake or theirs, but for Nancy's."
*************
Nancy sat on the bed and reached for the phone. She hadn't talked to
Bess in weeks and her friend should be back in town by now. However,
Nancy didn't notice the phone rang for a split second before she picked
it up.
She heard breathing on the other end. "Hello?"
"Why, Nancy, it's so good to hear your voice!"
Nancy's eyes narrowed. "Jackson."
"I think it's time for a little visit, don't you?"
"When and where?"
"Bayport Aquarium, midnight tonight. Come alone, Nancy, or Joe won't
be very lucky."
"What about Frank?"
Jackson laughed. "I can't give them both up. This is an exchange.
You for Joe Hardy. Take it or leave it!"
"I'll take it!"
"Good, see you in four hours."
***********
Nancy pulled to a stop behind the aquarium. There was no sign of any
activity. Five minutes later, a black car pulled up. Nancy took a
deep
breath and stepped out of the car when Jackson did.
"Nice to see you again," he said, yanking Joe by the arm. He tossed
him onto the ground. "Lets go."
"You're just going to leave him out here? He'll freeze!"
Jackson rolled his eyes. "Fine, we'll put him in your car, but we're
not calling anyone, is that understood?"
Nancy nodded and helped Jackson carry her friend. He slammed the door
shut then grabbed her arm. "You're hurting me," Nancy cried.
"I'll hurt you worse than that if you don't shut up!" he said, glaring
at her. "Now get in the car!"