After the police had arrived at Amy's complex, the four of them were
asked to go to the station to give their statements. It had taken longer
than any of them had realized it would to relate all of their story as well
as give the police all of the information they had on uncovering the
embezzlement. Soon the late morning had turned into late afternoon and they
decided to pay Ned a visit in the hospital to give him the unedited version
of the events of the last few days.
"So, Paul shot me, knocked out Frank and Amy on two separate occasions. Tried to kidnap Nan, and got shot himself in the process. Then he had his brother force Amy to let him stay at her place to escape the police and then kept her a prisoner in her own apartment?" Ned said incredulously. He reclined in his hospital bed and glanced between the faces of Amy, Nancy, Frank, and Joe gathered around him.
"I think that covered it," Nancy answered, nodding her head in agreement.
"Wow," Ned muttered. "And all because I caught him embezzling from the company. Incredible."
Joe shook his head and laughed, "A whole lot of good all that money is going to do him no good behind bars."
"I still can't believe he did all of this because of the money," Amy sighed. She sat on the bed next to Ned, holding his hand in hers.
"Greed will do that to people," Frank spoke up. "The important thing is that we're all okay." He put his arm around Nancy's waist and pulled her towards him slightly. He glanced down at her and was rewarded with a soft smile.
Ned cleared his throat to get their attention. "I just want to apologize for being such an ass. I truly am sorry. If it weren't for you two," he said indicating towards Frank and Joe, "there's no telling what could've happened."
"Before this becomes any more of a Hallmark moment," Joe interrupted with a grin, his blue eyes shining, "we promised to meet Bess and George for dinner."
Nancy had called the cousins upon leaving Amy's house, to let them know that they weren't going to be needing their help, since Paul was in custody. The girls invited them to dinner instead, which the three had readily agreed to.
Frank glanced at his younger brother and shook his head. "Always thinking with your stomach, Joe. But we do have to meet them, so let's go before you faint from hunger," he teased. He released his hold on Nancy and walked over to the bed. Offering his hand to Ned, he said, "I'm sorry for everything, too. But, I hope things work out for you. No hard feelings?"
Ned clasped Frank's hand with a hearty shake. "None. Take care of her, Frank," he said referring to Nancy.
"I will," Frank promised.
"Um, guys. I'm still in the room," Nancy laughed. She had been worried that things would be tense when they decided to pay Ned a visit and she was extremely glad that Frank and Ned were regarding each other with civility, not hostility.
"Sorry," the two men chorused in unison. They laughed lightly as Frank returned to Nancy's side. "Ready?" he asked her and his brother.
"Ready," Joe agreed, answering for himself and Nancy. If on cue, his stomach grumbled loudly.
"Get out of here," Frank grinned, pushing his brother out into the hallway. He paused in the doorway, waiting for Nancy to join them.
Nancy walked over to Ned's side and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Take care," she told him softly.
Ned pulled her down for a hug. "Thank you, Nan," he whispered in her ear. "If you ever need anything..." Ned let his voice trail off.
"I know where to find you," Nancy said, standing up. She joined Frank in the doorway and turned to face the couple still inside the room. "Be happy," she graciously wished them.
Amy and Ned smiled at each other and Ned replied for them. "You too."
Nancy slipped her hand into Frank's and smiled as she answered. "I think we'll be fine."
"You guys always find ways to get into trouble when you're together," Bess laughed in amazement as the trio finished telling their story. Bess, her fiancee' Tom, George, Frank, Joe, and Nancy were all seated around a large table at a local Italian restaurant.
"We don't find trouble," Nancy laughed, as she took a sip of wine. "Trouble finds us."
"Amen to that," Frank said, agreeing with his brother. "And to think, I thought that was all in the past."
George grinned at the brothers. "Goes to show you, that some things never change. Especially when you two and Nancy are involved. You three really need to open up your own agency."
"And deal with those two on a daily basis?" Joe teased. "No thanks!"
Nancy swatted Joe, who was seated to her right, with her napkin. "You think it's a picnic putting up with you?" she teased back.
"Tell me about it," Frank joked.
The other three laughed at Joe's shocked expression. "Who me?" he protested.
"Yes, you," Nancy and Frank said together.
"So, are you guys up for a little dancing?" Bess suggested to the rest of the group. She glanced at her fiancee' who said, "We know this great little place a few minutes from here that has a local band that plays there nightly. They're really pretty good."
"What do you say, Hardy?" Nancy asked Frank. "Up for a little dancing?"
Frank threw his arm around Nancy's shoulder and grinned. "As long as you don't step on my feet, Drew."
Shooting a mock glare at him, she turned back to Bess. "We're in."
"What about you Joe, George?" Bess questioned, looking at the other two expectantly.
George leaned over to Joe and in a stage whisper said, "She'll get really mad if we say no."
Joe laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "Sure," he replied casually.
"Great!" Bess exclaimed and then motioned for the waiter to bring the check.
The music of the band, Dial 9, greeted the group as they walked into Lillian's. It was a smoky little bar with a nice decor, an eclectic crowd, and a decent size dance floor. They pushed together two tables at the front of the dance floor and sat down to relax. After ordering their drinks, Nancy motioned Bess and George to join her in the ladies room.
"Why do they always have to go in groups?" Joe laughed as the three women walked away.
"Typical animal pack behavior," Tom supplied. "That and they want to talk about one or all of us, I'm sure."
"Great," Frank grimaced. "Why do I have a feeling that I'm the topic of gossip in there?"
Joe patted his older brother on the back and laughed. "Because you probably are, big brother."
Inside the small restroom, Bess and George gathered around Nancy to hear the details. Bess had done her duty and filled George in on what Nancy had told her a few days ago. "So," Bess grinned. "What's going on with you two?"
"Nothing you don't already know," Nancy replied. "I'm sure she's already filled you in," she asked George.
"Of course," George replied. "So, how did Ned take the news?"
"Pretty well, all things considered," Nancy admitted. "He even apologized to Frank this afternoon for being such an ass, and told us to be happy. I think he's fallen for Amy, so it wasn't as crushing as a blow as it could've been."
"That's good," Bess replied. "I mean, it's not good that he fell for Amy, but...oh you know what I mean."
Nancy laughed at her friend, as she pulled her lipstick out of her purse. Leaning in the mirror to reapply it, she heard George ask, "So, where does this leave you and Frank? Are you going to try the long distance thing?"
Nancy's eyes met George's in the reflection of the mirror. "We honestly haven't had the time to talk things through. But, I would like that."
"Well, you've always wanted to work for the New York Times," Bess reminded her friend. "You could relocate to New York."
Running a brush through her hair, Nancy told Bess, "Yes I have, and I could. But, it's still way to early to be talking about moving across the country. It hasn't even been a week, Bess."
Bess held her hands up in the air. "Okay, okay," she laughed. "Just pointing out that you do have options."
"Leave her alone, Bess," George chided her cousin. "I'm sure when Nancy decides what she wants to do, you and I will be the first to know after Frank."
"Thank you, George," Nancy replied. "There are three gorgeous guys out there waiting on us, so let's get out there and have some fun."
The three guys stood up as the girls reached the table. "Good news," Joe told them. "I got a call from Detective Kinnan while you were in the bathroom. CPD picked up Gerry about two hours ago. They're charging him with embezzlement and aiding and abetting. I'm sure they can think of some other charges to tack on, as well."
"That's great!" Nancy exclaimed. "Now this whole fiasco is really all behind us."
After Joe's announcement, Tom whisked his fiancee' out on the dance floor. Joe motioned to the dance floor and asked George if she wanted to join them. "Sure," she responded casually, and the two soon followed the other couple.
Frank offered Nancy his hand and asked, "Dance?"
"I'd love to," Nancy smiled as she took his hand. He led her out on to the floor as the band began to play a slow song. She stepped into his arms and he gracefully led them around the small space.
Resting her head on his shoulder, Nancy let the soothing music wash over her. Frank's hands gently roamed over Nancy's back and he drew her closer to him. The two enjoyed the pure simplicity of just being in each others arms. As the song drew to a close, Frank placed a soft kiss on top of her head and bent down to whisper in her ear, "Nan, there's something I have to tell you."
Nancy raised her head and looked at Frank quizzically. "What?"
Frank grabbed her hand and led her off of the dance floor. He paused at the table to grab their drinks and their coats, before ushering her out of the bar. Outside, there were tables and chairs for customers to enjoy, but on the cold night, they were the only two outside.
"What's wrong, Frank?" Nancy asked, as he pulled out a chair for her to sit in.
"Nothing's wrong," Frank replied. He picked up a chair and moved it so he was positioned in front of Nancy. He took his hands in hers and looked her deep in the eyes. "I just promised myself that as soon as this case was wrapped up that you and I would have a long talk."
"Okay," Nancy said slowly, wondering where he was going with his little announcement. "What do you want to talk about?"
"Us," Frank replied nervously. He knew how strong his feelings for Nancy were, and he hoped that she felt the same way.
Nancy began to get nervous herself. 'What if he changed his mind,' she thought worriedly. 'He looks so nervous.' "Okay," she repeated. "What about us?"
"Nan, I... I just want you to know how much I care about you. This may seem sudden, but if you stop and think about it, it's really not. I mean, we have known each other for years, and besides being really close friends, we've always had that undercurrent running between us. And well I guess what I'm trying to say is..." Frank rambled.
"Frank, just tell me," Nancy said softly, caressing his hands with her thumbs.
Frank locked his brown eyes with her blue ones and melted. He saw the same love there that he felt for her. Confident in his decision to tell her, he took a deep breath and said, "What I'm trying to say is that I love you, Nan."
Tears glistened in Nancy's eyes as she heard Frank's admission of love. She gave him a soft smile and whispered back, "I love you, too."
Frank reached over and gathered her in his arms, and his lips met hers in a gentle kiss full of unspoken promises.
Reluctantly pulling back, Nancy looked at Frank and asked, "So, where do we go from here?"
Frank sighed. He hated the fact that he and Nancy lived in different states and wouldn't able to see each other as often as they would want to. "Well," he began. "I'm in town through Saturday, so we have the rest of the week to spend together."
"And after that?" Nancy interrupted softly.
"After that," he grinned, "I assume that we'll both have outrageous phone bills each month and be getting lots of frequent flier miles, for now at least. How does that sound to you?"
Nancy smiled back at Frank, and slipped her arms around his neck once more. "It sounds perfect, for now."
Frank leaned in and gave Nancy a soul shattering kiss. The two were so engrossed in each other that they didn't hear the door open and Bess step out onto the patio.
"Oops," Bess laughed, as Frank and Nancy parted, both blushing furiously. "Sorry, guys. I guess my timing still stinks. We were just wondering where you two wandered off to. Guess I know. Come back inside and join us when you're done out here," she rambled.
When Bess disappeared back inside the bar, Nancy pressed her forehead to Frank's and laughed slightly. "George was right when she said earlier that some things never change."
Softly caressing her face, Frank replied, "That's only partly true. This time around, you and I finally got it right."
"That we did," Nancy grinned, before capturing Frank's lips once more.
"So, Paul shot me, knocked out Frank and Amy on two separate occasions. Tried to kidnap Nan, and got shot himself in the process. Then he had his brother force Amy to let him stay at her place to escape the police and then kept her a prisoner in her own apartment?" Ned said incredulously. He reclined in his hospital bed and glanced between the faces of Amy, Nancy, Frank, and Joe gathered around him.
"I think that covered it," Nancy answered, nodding her head in agreement.
"Wow," Ned muttered. "And all because I caught him embezzling from the company. Incredible."
Joe shook his head and laughed, "A whole lot of good all that money is going to do him no good behind bars."
"I still can't believe he did all of this because of the money," Amy sighed. She sat on the bed next to Ned, holding his hand in hers.
"Greed will do that to people," Frank spoke up. "The important thing is that we're all okay." He put his arm around Nancy's waist and pulled her towards him slightly. He glanced down at her and was rewarded with a soft smile.
Ned cleared his throat to get their attention. "I just want to apologize for being such an ass. I truly am sorry. If it weren't for you two," he said indicating towards Frank and Joe, "there's no telling what could've happened."
"Before this becomes any more of a Hallmark moment," Joe interrupted with a grin, his blue eyes shining, "we promised to meet Bess and George for dinner."
Nancy had called the cousins upon leaving Amy's house, to let them know that they weren't going to be needing their help, since Paul was in custody. The girls invited them to dinner instead, which the three had readily agreed to.
Frank glanced at his younger brother and shook his head. "Always thinking with your stomach, Joe. But we do have to meet them, so let's go before you faint from hunger," he teased. He released his hold on Nancy and walked over to the bed. Offering his hand to Ned, he said, "I'm sorry for everything, too. But, I hope things work out for you. No hard feelings?"
Ned clasped Frank's hand with a hearty shake. "None. Take care of her, Frank," he said referring to Nancy.
"I will," Frank promised.
"Um, guys. I'm still in the room," Nancy laughed. She had been worried that things would be tense when they decided to pay Ned a visit and she was extremely glad that Frank and Ned were regarding each other with civility, not hostility.
"Sorry," the two men chorused in unison. They laughed lightly as Frank returned to Nancy's side. "Ready?" he asked her and his brother.
"Ready," Joe agreed, answering for himself and Nancy. If on cue, his stomach grumbled loudly.
"Get out of here," Frank grinned, pushing his brother out into the hallway. He paused in the doorway, waiting for Nancy to join them.
Nancy walked over to Ned's side and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Take care," she told him softly.
Ned pulled her down for a hug. "Thank you, Nan," he whispered in her ear. "If you ever need anything..." Ned let his voice trail off.
"I know where to find you," Nancy said, standing up. She joined Frank in the doorway and turned to face the couple still inside the room. "Be happy," she graciously wished them.
Amy and Ned smiled at each other and Ned replied for them. "You too."
Nancy slipped her hand into Frank's and smiled as she answered. "I think we'll be fine."
"You guys always find ways to get into trouble when you're together," Bess laughed in amazement as the trio finished telling their story. Bess, her fiancee' Tom, George, Frank, Joe, and Nancy were all seated around a large table at a local Italian restaurant.
"We don't find trouble," Nancy laughed, as she took a sip of wine. "Trouble finds us."
"Amen to that," Frank said, agreeing with his brother. "And to think, I thought that was all in the past."
George grinned at the brothers. "Goes to show you, that some things never change. Especially when you two and Nancy are involved. You three really need to open up your own agency."
"And deal with those two on a daily basis?" Joe teased. "No thanks!"
Nancy swatted Joe, who was seated to her right, with her napkin. "You think it's a picnic putting up with you?" she teased back.
"Tell me about it," Frank joked.
The other three laughed at Joe's shocked expression. "Who me?" he protested.
"Yes, you," Nancy and Frank said together.
"So, are you guys up for a little dancing?" Bess suggested to the rest of the group. She glanced at her fiancee' who said, "We know this great little place a few minutes from here that has a local band that plays there nightly. They're really pretty good."
"What do you say, Hardy?" Nancy asked Frank. "Up for a little dancing?"
Frank threw his arm around Nancy's shoulder and grinned. "As long as you don't step on my feet, Drew."
Shooting a mock glare at him, she turned back to Bess. "We're in."
"What about you Joe, George?" Bess questioned, looking at the other two expectantly.
George leaned over to Joe and in a stage whisper said, "She'll get really mad if we say no."
Joe laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "Sure," he replied casually.
"Great!" Bess exclaimed and then motioned for the waiter to bring the check.
The music of the band, Dial 9, greeted the group as they walked into Lillian's. It was a smoky little bar with a nice decor, an eclectic crowd, and a decent size dance floor. They pushed together two tables at the front of the dance floor and sat down to relax. After ordering their drinks, Nancy motioned Bess and George to join her in the ladies room.
"Why do they always have to go in groups?" Joe laughed as the three women walked away.
"Typical animal pack behavior," Tom supplied. "That and they want to talk about one or all of us, I'm sure."
"Great," Frank grimaced. "Why do I have a feeling that I'm the topic of gossip in there?"
Joe patted his older brother on the back and laughed. "Because you probably are, big brother."
Inside the small restroom, Bess and George gathered around Nancy to hear the details. Bess had done her duty and filled George in on what Nancy had told her a few days ago. "So," Bess grinned. "What's going on with you two?"
"Nothing you don't already know," Nancy replied. "I'm sure she's already filled you in," she asked George.
"Of course," George replied. "So, how did Ned take the news?"
"Pretty well, all things considered," Nancy admitted. "He even apologized to Frank this afternoon for being such an ass, and told us to be happy. I think he's fallen for Amy, so it wasn't as crushing as a blow as it could've been."
"That's good," Bess replied. "I mean, it's not good that he fell for Amy, but...oh you know what I mean."
Nancy laughed at her friend, as she pulled her lipstick out of her purse. Leaning in the mirror to reapply it, she heard George ask, "So, where does this leave you and Frank? Are you going to try the long distance thing?"
Nancy's eyes met George's in the reflection of the mirror. "We honestly haven't had the time to talk things through. But, I would like that."
"Well, you've always wanted to work for the New York Times," Bess reminded her friend. "You could relocate to New York."
Running a brush through her hair, Nancy told Bess, "Yes I have, and I could. But, it's still way to early to be talking about moving across the country. It hasn't even been a week, Bess."
Bess held her hands up in the air. "Okay, okay," she laughed. "Just pointing out that you do have options."
"Leave her alone, Bess," George chided her cousin. "I'm sure when Nancy decides what she wants to do, you and I will be the first to know after Frank."
"Thank you, George," Nancy replied. "There are three gorgeous guys out there waiting on us, so let's get out there and have some fun."
The three guys stood up as the girls reached the table. "Good news," Joe told them. "I got a call from Detective Kinnan while you were in the bathroom. CPD picked up Gerry about two hours ago. They're charging him with embezzlement and aiding and abetting. I'm sure they can think of some other charges to tack on, as well."
"That's great!" Nancy exclaimed. "Now this whole fiasco is really all behind us."
After Joe's announcement, Tom whisked his fiancee' out on the dance floor. Joe motioned to the dance floor and asked George if she wanted to join them. "Sure," she responded casually, and the two soon followed the other couple.
Frank offered Nancy his hand and asked, "Dance?"
"I'd love to," Nancy smiled as she took his hand. He led her out on to the floor as the band began to play a slow song. She stepped into his arms and he gracefully led them around the small space.
Resting her head on his shoulder, Nancy let the soothing music wash over her. Frank's hands gently roamed over Nancy's back and he drew her closer to him. The two enjoyed the pure simplicity of just being in each others arms. As the song drew to a close, Frank placed a soft kiss on top of her head and bent down to whisper in her ear, "Nan, there's something I have to tell you."
Nancy raised her head and looked at Frank quizzically. "What?"
Frank grabbed her hand and led her off of the dance floor. He paused at the table to grab their drinks and their coats, before ushering her out of the bar. Outside, there were tables and chairs for customers to enjoy, but on the cold night, they were the only two outside.
"What's wrong, Frank?" Nancy asked, as he pulled out a chair for her to sit in.
"Nothing's wrong," Frank replied. He picked up a chair and moved it so he was positioned in front of Nancy. He took his hands in hers and looked her deep in the eyes. "I just promised myself that as soon as this case was wrapped up that you and I would have a long talk."
"Okay," Nancy said slowly, wondering where he was going with his little announcement. "What do you want to talk about?"
"Us," Frank replied nervously. He knew how strong his feelings for Nancy were, and he hoped that she felt the same way.
Nancy began to get nervous herself. 'What if he changed his mind,' she thought worriedly. 'He looks so nervous.' "Okay," she repeated. "What about us?"
"Nan, I... I just want you to know how much I care about you. This may seem sudden, but if you stop and think about it, it's really not. I mean, we have known each other for years, and besides being really close friends, we've always had that undercurrent running between us. And well I guess what I'm trying to say is..." Frank rambled.
"Frank, just tell me," Nancy said softly, caressing his hands with her thumbs.
Frank locked his brown eyes with her blue ones and melted. He saw the same love there that he felt for her. Confident in his decision to tell her, he took a deep breath and said, "What I'm trying to say is that I love you, Nan."
Tears glistened in Nancy's eyes as she heard Frank's admission of love. She gave him a soft smile and whispered back, "I love you, too."
Frank reached over and gathered her in his arms, and his lips met hers in a gentle kiss full of unspoken promises.
Reluctantly pulling back, Nancy looked at Frank and asked, "So, where do we go from here?"
Frank sighed. He hated the fact that he and Nancy lived in different states and wouldn't able to see each other as often as they would want to. "Well," he began. "I'm in town through Saturday, so we have the rest of the week to spend together."
"And after that?" Nancy interrupted softly.
"After that," he grinned, "I assume that we'll both have outrageous phone bills each month and be getting lots of frequent flier miles, for now at least. How does that sound to you?"
Nancy smiled back at Frank, and slipped her arms around his neck once more. "It sounds perfect, for now."
Frank leaned in and gave Nancy a soul shattering kiss. The two were so engrossed in each other that they didn't hear the door open and Bess step out onto the patio.
"Oops," Bess laughed, as Frank and Nancy parted, both blushing furiously. "Sorry, guys. I guess my timing still stinks. We were just wondering where you two wandered off to. Guess I know. Come back inside and join us when you're done out here," she rambled.
When Bess disappeared back inside the bar, Nancy pressed her forehead to Frank's and laughed slightly. "George was right when she said earlier that some things never change."
Softly caressing her face, Frank replied, "That's only partly true. This time around, you and I finally got it right."
"That we did," Nancy grinned, before capturing Frank's lips once more.