"You're suspecting that Gavin is Queen's son?" Holly straightened up a little after hearing Frank's analysis. The four friends were gathered back again inside the Hardy's hut and right then, if they were not discussing about actions plans, it would almost seemed like they were on a double date. Holly and Frank sat closely together on the edge of Frank's bed while Nicole and Joe were sitting cross-legged on Joe's bed. Yet, there was no romance in the air. All their faces were grim with worry and fear for Celeste and Gavin. Frank had quickly summarized all that Queen had told him and presented his own analysis- someone figured out that Gavin was Queen's son and was using that knowledge to reap illicit benefits for him or herself.
"Right. And it's quite possible. Maybe the hospital had a mixed up. That will explain Gavin's obsession with Queen…"
"But the stuff could have been planted in his room, Frank. I don't want to seem deprecating or anything but Gavin's a far cry from Queen…" Nicole opined tentatively. Frank shook his head before he closed his eyes before his reply.
"That's because Queen didn't raise him. Look, this is most plausible explanation that I can think of. There's something I'm supposed to remember but…right…" He jumped down from his bed abruptly and rushed over to the dressing table where all his crib notes were neatly stacked up. Rummaging through them, scattering them all across the clean surface of the table, he finally picked out one particular piece of memo and waved it in the air triumphantly to the bafflement of his audience.
"See! This!!! I knew I jot it down for something. When I was at Queen's mansion, her brother kinda popped by. He received a phone call on his cell phone and mentioned something about the prince being found. What better nickname to give the son of the Queen of Hearts than 'Prince'?"
"This is weird." Nicole commented, her lips pulled into a tight line. "Really! You're weird! All the associations… scant evidence… and poof! Gavin's a Prince…"
"This can be our only chance. Besides, if we act fast and it's the wrong tree we're barking up, we still have time to turn around. I can't think of anyone else more suspicious than Robert. According to Maya, he's always in financial troubles and maybe he could have kidnapped Gavin for a healthy ransom."
"So, what do we do?" Holly asked. Her vote of confidence was gratifying and he turned around, smiling thankfully at her.
"I propose this…"
***
"Joe, what are we looking for again?"
"I don't know. Any bank statements asking him to pay up loans… you know… things that will ascertain our hypothesis that Robert is the culprit." Joe was busy picking a lock on one of Robert's drawers. He and Nicole had, with the help of Maya, sneaked into Robert's room which was one extravagant bachelor's affair. His room faced the sea and full length French windows offered a spectacular view of the ocean. The odd thing was that Robert didn't sleep on a bed. He slept on a round mattress which was firmly lodged into a circular hollow carved into the centre of the room, accessible by carpeted steps. Built in cabinets camouflaged perfectly with the walls and right then, most of them were opened and ransacked though Joe made a mental note to tidy up everything later.
"So far, all I have are his little black books. He has no lack of girlfriends. I'm not liking him one bit already… I don't like flirts."
"Hmm…" Joe bit his lower lip, suddenly very defensive and self-conscious. But silence was golden in this case. Once this trip was over, he was sure Nicole would be just a sweet memory or maybe, an affectionate email pal. What Vanessa and Nicole didn't know wouldn't hurt them.
"My first boyfriend was a flirt. He two-timed me with one of my casual girl-friends. I kicked him in the groin when he lied to me and even wanted to get intimate with me after I confronted him before pouring red wine on his car seat. He never could get the stain out and he couldn't afford to change the seat's covering." As Nicole reminisced, Joe winced, feeling the phantom pain. Now, he changed his conviction to what Vanessa and Nicole didn't know wouldn't hurt him.
'Ahm, well, he sounded like a creep…" Joe commented, finally hearing the familiar 'snick' of a job well done. However, right then, he was almost suffocating from the fear and guilt.
"But I know you're not like that!" Nicole scampered over to his side and knelt down next to him, peering into the opened drawer. "I can't find anything. He would have kept those kind of records under lock and key right?"
"Ahm… right… ah… hmm… oh! Look! A file! Seems important… ha ha…. Maybe this is it…" Joe quickly snatched a black, hardcover file from inside the drawer and tried to ignore the ghosts of all Nicole had said earlier. She kissed his cheek suddenly and he yelped.
"What?" Nicole asked him, her impish eyes rounded with puzzlement and a little hurt. Joe pretended to place the file on the floor, using it to widen the distance between him and Nicole. He grinned at her though his heart was palpitating. Cheating was no fun game and he wasn't feeling too great right then.
"I just… well… didn't you feel the static electricity?"
"No…"
"Oh, I felt a shock when you kissed me… you have electrifying lips." Joe lied through his teeth. Well, maybe lie wasn't all true. He didn't feel a shock but she did have pretty lips. Nicole blushed and indicated for him to flip the file open.
"Hurry up, Joe… we need to have evidence to warn Queen about her brother's deed."
"Oh.. right… ahmm… here goes!" Joe turned the cover and revealed a business correspondence. He and Nicole glimpsed through it, their eyes widening at a certain figure mentioned inside. Joe whistled his surprise as Nicole puffed up her cheeks.
"You know what this means, don't you?" Nicole asked him and he nodded.
"Right. Now, if only Frank can see this…"
"Joe? Nicole?" Maya stuck her head in and Joe jumped, thinking that she was alerting them of Robert's return. "Can you come with me?"
***
Frank and Holly tailed Robert to his private yacht, a suspicious move of his since it was close to lunchtime. Frank's immediately deduction was that Robert was off to feed his captives.
"What do we do now? Do we go up the yacht with him?" Holly asked. Right then, they were hiding behind a breakwater closed to where the yachts of the resort were parked. Robert had clapped the keeper on the back and gesturing about widely. Frank couldn't make up what he was saying.
"Yes, I am. But until he goes up the yacht. As I sneak into his yacht, can you distract the guard?"
"You're going alone?"
"Yes. Holly, it doesn't mean I think little of your abilities… in fact, you're going to aid me a lot by distracting the guard…" Frank turned to Holly, afraid that she might be sensitive towards his suggestions as Callie would. Holly merely stroked his cheek and smiled.
"It's ok, hero. I know… I mean… I'm such a klutz I'll only get in your way. Maybe you and Joe shouldn't have split up… I don't know. I just hope I can distract the guard. So, what do I do? Drop my towel and parade in my bikini?"
"Ah… maybes something subtler." Frank quickly vetoed. Now that he and Holly were a budding couple, he didn't want anyone ogling at Holly's toned figure. "Like… hmm… falling down and twisting your ankle."
"You want me to twist my ankle?" Holly seemed frightful as she grabbed at her right ankle, "I mean… it's real painful…"
Out of a sudden urge, Frank grabbed Holly in a tight embrace and kissed the top of her head. "No, silly. I mean pretend to twist your ankle… I don't you to ever come to harm… not even a bruise or a scratch…"
"Oh… ok…" Holly stiffened up in his arms, "I must sound so bimbotic… I'm usually not so stupid…"
"I know… I never thought you were."
"HELLO FRANK! So! This is your secret make-out spot! Hahaha… you youngsters are so inventive!"
Frank and Holly pulled out of the embrace immediately when they were intruded upon by Robert who was observing them with some amusement and a too-wide grin. Frank helped Holly up, holding her close protectively.
"Don't you have any sense of privacy?"
"Well, you two have been following me all day… so it's the pot calling the kettle black…" Robert countered good-naturedly before giving Frank a too enthusiastic clap on his back, knocking the wind out of him. "So, what do you wish of me?"
The older Hardy winced, berating himself for being so atypically inept at tailing people. Holly had a guilty look on her face- she must have thought it was her fault.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, I'm sure you know. You've been following me around… got a burning question for me? Need my help about the accounts you were doing?"
"I thought you're going somewhere on your yacht?" Frank questioned back. Robert merely shrugged, his grin dissolved into an unhappy frown.
"No… not anymore. My business partner just called to tell me that our investor's flight is delayed so lunch became dinner."
"Huh? Investor?" Frank was more than perplexed by Robert's openly genial manner and the fact that he really didn't seemed to suspect anything more suspicious than Frank needing to ask him some questions about work. Robert smiled then and nodded.
"Yup…someone very important too! I'm going to finally have a new start in the world of business and Queen isn't going to be disappointed in me anymore! You see, this Middle-East prince is interested in a joint venture with my company to develop one of his country's oil field. It's lucrative business! He liked our proposal so much that he's injecting all the funds needed for this project!"
"Frank!!!"
Frank spun around and there Joe was, jogging up to them alongside Nicole with a black file clutched in his right hand. His younger brother skidded to a halt when he recognized Robert. Robert waved at Joe and Nicole excitedly even though he probably never met them before.
" Hi Joe. Hi Nicole." Frank muttered softly. Now he would have to admit that he was probably wrong and that he hadn't had a clue about how to proceed next.
"JOE ! NICOLE! HELLO!" Robert embraced the two of them together as if he was old friends with them even though he had probably never seen them before. Nicole and Joe smiled, pleasantly surprised by the friendliness shown thought Frank felt a rather uncomfortable for his brother and his holiday girlfriend.
"Well, we have enough for a party. How about coming up to my yacht? I have wine and a lot of food up there! We can have a beachside party on the yacht! Wouldn't it be a blast! Wait a minute! Isn't that my business contract?" Robert saw the file in Joe's hand and just as Frank thought the scene was about to get ugly, Robert slapped his forehead.
"Ah! You must have brought it for me! Did Queen ask you to? She must have thought I was going to sign it during lunch today and forgot about it!!! Thanks though… here's something for your trouble!" Robert dug into his shorts' pocket, drew out a twenty dollar bill and handed it to Joe who took it with a huge grin. Frank slapped the back of his brother's head and, rather reluctantly, Joe returned the money.
"Well, it was on the way anyway so I told Queen I'll do it." Joe lied, pressing the bill back in Robert's palm and refused to take it back even though he was still eying the tip. Even Nicole seemed disappointed. Maybe they were made for each other after all.
"Good chaps, both of you. And your girlfriends are so pretty. So, want to join me at the yacht?"
"No thanks. We are kind of looking out for a friend of ours so we'll stay on the beach." Nicole rejected the offer politely. Robert scratched his head, not comprehending.
"A friend? Who? Why would you be looking out for him?"
"It's a her." Nicole pointed out. "She's Celeste. Gavin's missing along with her too though."
"Gavin… Gavin… did he always work at Queen's mansion? Ah, Queen's kinda upset he's not taking up employment with her anymore during his holidays here. I figure it must be because he looked a lot like Peter…. Oh…" Robert glanced at the four teenagers before smiling apologetically. "Well, Peter is Queen's late husband. We went on a diving trip where he drowned. His weight came loose and he got the bends… nothing me and Ted could do."
"It was really an accident?" Joe asked, "Kinda weird that his weight just came loose, right?"
"Yes… it was a freak accident… really crushed Queen. I didn't have the heart to tell her… well… never mind."
"No… please… continue…" Frank pressed on but Robert shook his head.
"Oh... old history. Never mind. I gather you kids won't be joining me at the yacht. I hope your friends turn up soon… the island is so magical they probably found a quiet corner and forgotten about the world for a moment." Robert smiled, looking out towards the ocean with his arms akimbo. Suddenly, he spun around to face the teenagers again, scaring them a little.
"But of course, to be on the safe side, I think you better inform security and the police."
"We did. Thanks, Robert." Frank said sincerely, feeling pretty culpable for misjudging Robert just because his gregarious personality was a little too grating for comfort.
"No problemo. When the deal is finalized, I'll be throwing a huge party here! And all of you are invited! I hope your friends comes back soon."
"Thanks again." Frank repeated as Holly and Nicole both gave Robert a brief hug goodbye.
Joe draped an arm across Frank's shoulder and smiled as the two ladies were still locked in flirtatious banters with Robert who didn't seem like he wanted to leave them yet. Just as Frank was wondering how many more farewells he must extend to Robert, his brother questioned him softly from the corner of his lips, still with that stupid smile on his face.
"So you know about the Middle East Prince?"
"Yup." Frank replied grudgingly. "Before I embarrassed myself."
"How does it feel being wrong?"
"It doesn't mean we're wrong. Robert could be a fine actor."
"I have a gut feeling it's not him. Just because he was once jailed doesn't mean he's going to be a criminal all his life." Joe threw him a lopsided grin. "And anyway, I came here not only to tell you that Robert's innocent but that Celeste's back and she's in Queen's mansion now, taking a rest."
"Celeste's back?" Frank was stunned. He shot his brother a quizzical glance and Joe shrugged.
"Yup. I have a funny feeling that for this case, instead of the usual thief, murderer or kidnapper, we are going to find an answer will mean a lot to some people and change their lives."