Joe stepped into Gavin's room, noting that Frank, Holly and Nicole were already inside, wading through the mess of loose paper, rumpled clothes and other assorted rubbish scattered on the floor. Nicole's head shot up when he entered and immediately scampered to his side.

"We have informed the resort security and they are coming over very soon. We don't have much time before they seal up the place."

"Ok…" Joe draped an arm across her shoulders, surveying the mess and frowned as he spotted an aged newspaper clipping on the dressing table half hidden by an overturned tissue box. It had a photo of a much younger Queen McHeart's profile. She looked like she was trying to avoid the cameras but her efforts were futile as the background showed many other fervent journalists snapping away photo after photo. Frank noticed his interest and strode over to him, a few more reports clutched in his hands.

"I think we may have found our culprit. These cut-outs are all about Peter McHeart's accident at sea with parts describing his good health, the conditions of the weather and his fortune all highlighted. See this one?" Frank drew out one extraordinary large piece of clipping and shoved it in front of Joe's face in his excitement. Joe had to take a step back to look at it properly. "Queen's face is all inked out. He must have done it in a fit of rage. This clipping is an elaboration about Queen's fortune and a theory that she could have killed her husband. However, the police ruled that theory out."

"There's evidence against her?" Joe asked, taking the report from Frank, speed reading through all the sensationalized comments about Queen's inheritance from her husband.

"No, she wasn't but the paparazzi made it out to be. The only thing they had against her was the inheritance she stood to gain from Peter's death."

"Guys! Take a look! Gavin's real weird!" Holly exclaimed as she rummaged through a drawer. "Expensive woman's perfume, a lady's diamond studded pen… this is unlike him, the perennial beach bum!"

Frank hurried over to Holly's side, almost tripping over a toppled rattan chair. Joe observed the scene again and knew a scuffle had taken place. But how could someone overpower two perfectly healthy teenagers?

All right. Granted one of them's blind… but Gavin's no weakling...

He glanced at the water jug and noticed the dry, overturned glasses. There were no sign of food as well. Ruling out drugs and sedatives, he studied the rattan chair and the mess on the floor again. The clutter accumulated towards the door and it gradually dwindled further into the room. On the dressing table, some bottles were overturned. Joe now had a pretty good idea of what had just transpired and he had a hunch that Frank had assessed beyond the "what" into the zone of the thousand "whys."

"Frank, Celeste was the one fighting the kidnapper."

"Yes, I gathered that. Gavin probably opened the door for her and maybe he was chloroform or something to that effect since we didn't smell anything sickeningly sweet outside. Celeste sensed danger and stagger back, throwing whatever she could grab at towards the sound of the kidnapper's footsteps. She knocked over some stuff…" Frank swiped his head at the dressing table before continuing, "Before finally succumbing… ahm, most probably there." Frank pointed at a spot on the other side of the bed which was the border between the untidy and the neat area of the room.

"Do you think they are dead?" Nicole asked with a quaver in her voice. Her nose reddened and Joe held her closer, knowing she was fearful for her good friend.

"I don't know. Right now, I think we have to…"

"Hello kids! We take over now! Thank you!" The security guard entered the room with two policemen with identical chestnut tans. Queen McHeart followed behind them with Leaf Lady holding on to her. Joe and Nicole stepped aside to let them pass while Frank and Holly looked up, greeting the newcomers with grim smiles.

"Hello, Queen. We have discovered who's stealing your personal items and, perhaps, vandalizing your property. But the thief's kidnapped." Frank updated her. Queen nodded and leaned by the door, rubbing her temples. Leaf Lady fanned her, a worried look on her genial, motherly face. The policemen poked around the place, narrowing their eyes at the kids once in a while when they thought the place had been messed up. Joe shifted a little awkwardly where he stood, not exactly comfortable now that so many people were in the tiny hut and he had the niggling idea that he and Frank's assistance were not very welcomed. The policemen arrival too had attracted some attention. Already, tourists were gathering outside the door, curious over the commotion.

"Gavin or Celeste?" Queen asked, her closed eyelids shivering.

"Gavin." Joe replied and Queen dismissed his claims as weakly.

"I don't think so. He's a dear chap. I think you must have gotten the wrong person."

"I don't think so. We found your items inside an ornate box hidden underneath some t-shirts in the dresser although the watch's not with them. We'll like to talk to you, Mrs McHeart. Just you and no one else." Frank took the box from Holly's hand and strode over to Queen, with, as Joe could plainly see, adrenaline in his footsteps. He shot Frank a cautious look- it was very Frank to be oblivious to the feelings and emotions of other people when he shifted to fifth gear in any cases. Queen was obviously distressed and about o keel over but Frank was still pushing her, in a detached and unintentional insensitive manner. Frank caught the admonitory look from Joe and his features softened immediately, knowing instantly what Joe was warning against.

"I'm sorry, Queen. I mean no ill-will. I just think we can solve this case very quickly with your help. We don't know the fate of Celeste and Gavin but we just want to find out where they are as soon as we can. Please?"

"Yes, Queen. Please help us! Celeste's like a sister to me. You know her too. She's the blind girl who comes here every year." Nicole added pleadingly, Queen McHeart threw the youngsters a wary glance but before she could reply, the security guard, a portly man in his forties, quickly jumped to his mistress defense and also to assert his own position.

"You should not play detective, young man. The police take over now! Queen doesn't need people who don't know a thing bother her."

"No, this time, I do need that. They are not ignorant youngsters. I hired them here to solve a case of petty theft that had turned out to be much more. " Queen McHeart stood up straight and smiled sadly into Frank's determined face. "I'll be happy to answer a few questions from them."

Joe wanted to ask Frank right then what questions could he possibly have for Queen.

***

"Gavin's a regular here. He usually works for me sporadically during his vacations to earn his ticket back home. Recently, he didn't seem to need the job. More than welcome, though, he is, for he reminds me of Peter. They share the same eyes and I always thought that Gavin could well be our son had he survived. But I always kept my distance. Peter's as perfect as men came and I know our son will be perfect too. So I only watch Gavin a few steps away, never drawing too close. But I imagine being his mother all the time. If I know him too well, then reality will sink in and I'll be reminded that he's not my son, even though I already know it. As long as Gavin's here, I can always catch a glimpse of Peter's eyes and I'm happy with that." Queen sipped her chamomile tea which was brewed by Leaf Lady. She was in the boys' resort hut and the three of them were sitting on rattan chairs placed like the points of a triangle. Frank didn't want to waste time trudging through the merciless sun back to her mansion and nobody put up any opposition to his suggestion.

"Queen, are you Peter's first and only wife? I mean no disparage but I'm trying to find out why Gavin would be so interested in Peter's accident. And now that you mentioned he has Peter's eyes…" Frank's astute mind made quick connections that just needed conviction to cement them. Queen shook her head vigorously, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Peter's always been faithful. I am by his side everyday. We know each other since high school and he was faithful everyday of our lives together."

Frank exchanged a look with Joe whose blue eyes lit up as if the same wild hunch had punched them both at the exact same time. Usually, when it happened to both of them, no matter how far-fetch their postulations were, they were usually right on the money.

"Queen, I know your baby's stillborn but have you seen him before they took him away from the labor room?" Frank asked gently, not wanting to give Queen false hopes over an angle which, as yet, had no supporting beams underneath. Queen's eyes widened, perhaps a little surprised at the seemingly unrelated question.

"No… I had a caesarean birth so I was under anesthesia. But I saw him, yes. They kept him in the morgue until I was awake. He was so small! So small…" Her voice withered away as her eyes shimmered. She stifled a sob and Joe, ever the gentleman, handed her a tissue.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I can understand your pain." Joe's blue orbs grew as dark as the depths of the ocean. Frank knew- the part of Joe who would always remember Iola took a trip to the valley of remorse and guilt again. Queen patted Joe's hand and nodded, apparently comforted by the presence of a kindred spirit. Frank had always been inadequate when it came to counseling skills, unless he was consoling his brother or giving the brat advice. But Joe- anyone could open up to Joe with ease. Even when they were young, Joe already had the instinct to care for the trodden and the weak, especially if they were females and pretty by Joe's standards. Experiences had only encouraged and affirmed Joe's kindness and compassion in the face of someone else's sorrows. However, the lessons had been treacherous. Joe wasn't lying when he said he could empathize with Queen.

Dabbing at her eyes, Queen gripped Joe's hand tighter, causing Joe to wince though the grimace was quickly replaced by a smile. Her eyes pierced sharply into Frank's dark orbs. "Why are you asking me all these?"

In the split second before he answered, his mind had already sifted through all the possible scenarios that could occur if he revealed his suspicions to Queen McHeart.

"Nothing. Nothing terribly important. You should go rest, Queen. I believe we can bring Gavin back very fast and answer some pertinent questions." Frank stood up and left to open the door, leaving Joe to assist Queen.

"Hey, Maya… we're done here." Frank called out softly to Leaf Lady who was sitting on the ledge outside the hut with the girls. Leaf Lady stood up with some shakiness from numbed knees.

"Oh, Frank Hardy… don't ever say that. You're never done. Here, Queen. I'll walk you back home."

"Thanks, Maya. And thank you, boys. I hope you two find Gavin and Celeste. You two or the police." Queen took Leaf Lady's hand and the two elder women strolled back to the mansion with Leaf Lady sheltering the both of them from the perforating sun's rays with an umbrella.

"What have you two found out?" Holly asked Frank the moment Queen and Leaf Lady were out earshot. "Anything that can help us at all?"

"I'm not sure…" Frank dragged out his reply, exchanging a telepathic glance with Joe who nodded. "We'll have to discuss this. But I think the kidnapper's someone very close to Queen… or at least… waiting to get close to her money."