The List
Chapter Nine
Frank arrived home about an hour later. His eyes were bloodshot and he was dragging with the feeling of fatigue as he entered the house.
"What's wrong?" Mr. Hardy demanded, jumping to his feet and rushing over to Frank when he saw him enter the room.
"Where's Joe?" Frank demanded.
"Taking a shower," Mrs. Hardy replied. "Why?" she asked, her own voice full of concern.
Frank pulled out the paper Vanessa had given him and handed it to his father. Mr. Hardy began reading the paper out loud so his wife would know what it contained. "We do solemly swear that should one of us choose to die, then the rest of us will follow." Mr. Hardy's voice broke as he read. "It's a death pact," he said in a strangled voice.
Mrs. Hardy peered over her husband's arm and looked down at the paper. "Joe signed it," she whispered in disbelief.
"And Craig died yesterday in the tetherball accident and Paula killed herself today at school," Frank informed them.
"How did she...?" Mrs. Hardy began.
"I don't know," Frank said, knowing what she was going to ask. "All I know is the police declared it a suicide." He looked at his dad, his brown eyes pleading for a solution. "What are we going to do about Joe?"
"I don't know," Mr. Hardy admitted. "But I do know we can't leave him alone for a minute. Go on upstairs and stay with him," he ordered Frank who took off at once.
When Frank got upstairs, Joe was still in the shower. Frank quickly grabbed some eyedrops and took care of his red eyes, then went into Joe's room to wait. Less than a minute later, the water shut off and Joe came into the room with a towel wrapped around his waist and another circling his neck which caught the droplets of water as they fell from his wet hair.
"Hey," Joe said, seeing Frank sitting on the bed. "Did you get the problem at the bank taken care of?" he asked, walking over to the dresser and pulling open a drawer.
Frank's face took on a puzzled look as he wondered what Joe was talking about. Then he realized his mom must have invented the excuse to explain his absence. "Yeah," he said finally. "It wasn't too complicated."
"Did you need any help with your homework?" Frank asked, changing the subject.
"No thanks," Joe answered, turning and grinning at Frank. "Wait a month, then ask me," he added. Joe turned back to the drawer and took out a pair of pajamas.
"Early to get ready for bed, isn't it?" Frank asked.
Joe shrugged. "I'm not going anywhere," he replied. "Might as well be comfortable."
"Not a bad idea," Frank agreed, smiling. "You do your homework while I take a shower and then we'll pop some popcorn and watch a movie. Maybe play some Monopoly," he suggested.
"Sure, why not?" Joe agreed, slipping into his pajamas.
By the time Frank had finished his shower, Joe had finished what little homework he had and the two boys went downstairs.
"What do you two want for dinner?" Mrs. Hardy asked as the boys entered the living room. Frank explained about having subs earlier and then told her and his dad about wanting to watch a movie.
"Sounds like a good idea," agreed Mrs. Hardy. "But how about a bowl of soup before we start, hmm?" she inquired with the lift of an eyebrow.
"Good idea," Joe agreed. "That way we can catch the news first."
Frank shot his mom a desperate look, not wanting Joe to see the news and be reminded of Paula's death. "Are you sure?" she asked Joe, catching the pleading look in Frank's eyes. "It wouldn't hurt to skip it and go straight for the popcorn."
"No, really," Joe said. "I'd love some soup."
"Okay," she replied, starting into the kitchen after shooting Frank an apologetic look.
Joe flipped the television to the local station and sat down on the sofa next to his dad. A few minutes later, the news came on. The big story of the afternoon wasn't Paula's suicide as Frank had feared, but the robbery of the jewelry store.
"I wonder if the police have any leads," Joe commented, looking at the TV screen where the camera was showing filmed footage of the theft. The robber, dressed in black from head to toe, could be seen pulling the jewelry from one case, then another. The thief suddenly stopped moving. He looked up, reached behind him and pulled a gun from the back of his pants and fired. Then the newscaster came back on the screen.
"We stopped by to check it out, but Con ordered us to stay out of it," Joe told his dad.
"I think the police can handle this one," Mr. Hardy told Joe, agreeing with Con.
Joe just shrugged and started watching the news again as Paula Michaels' name was mentioned. Apparently, she had committed suicide by cutting her wrists open with a razor blade. After the news went off, Joe leaned back on the sofa, shaking his head. "This is weird," he said.
Mr. Hardy put a hand on Joe's shoulder and squeezed. "I know, Son," he said. "It's always difficult when someone you know dies."
"What?" Joe asked, then shook his head. "No, I mean the robbery," he said. "That guy looked familiar."
"How could he look familar?" Frank demanded. "He was dressed in black with a ski mask on and never said anything."
"I know," Joe replied with a slight shrug and a frown. "But there was something about him that made me think I knew him."
"I've got soup and sandwiches ready," Mrs. Hardy said, peeping into the living room. "Let's eat in the kitchen and then we'll start the movie."
After dinner, the boys went into the living room while their mom made popcorn. Mr. Hardy had excused himself to go see an old friend, but Frank knew he was taking the death pact to the police department.
Ten minutes into the movie, the phone rang. "Frank, it's Callie," Mrs. Hardy told him after she had answered it.
"Hi, Callie," Frank said, taking the reciever.
"Frank, can you come over?" Callie's whisper came through the receiver.
"What's wrong?" he demanded, gripping the receiver tightly as he recognized the urgency in her voice.
"Mom and Dad went to Southport for dinner," she told him. "They've been gone about half an hour. I came upstairs, but now, I hear someone downstairs."
"Lock and barricade your door," Frank ordered. "And call the police. I'm on my way," he added, hanging up.
"Callie's in trouble," Frank told his mom and Joe, who had started paying attention when Frank had said 'lock and barrricade.'
Joe stood up and started for the door but Frank shook his head and and pointed to the way Joe was dressed. Joe looked down and groaned. At least Frank had dressed in a pair of shorts and a sweat shirt. "Don't worry," Frank said, opening the door. "She's calling the police."
After Frank had left, Joe picked up the phone. "In case she doesn't get a chance, I'm calling the police too," Joe told his mom.
When Frank arrived at Callie's, the house was quiet. Frank peered through a window and watched for any sign of movement. Seeing no one, he went to the back door and tried the knob. It opened and he went inside, being careful not to make a sound.
The kitchen furniture had been scattered around, but nothing else seemed out of place. He made his way through the entire ground floor and found nothing amiss. Then he started up the stairs even as he heard sirens coming closer. "Callie!" Frank shouted, going on up the stairs.
He could hear furniture moving and then Callie's door opened and she threw herself at Frank. "It's okay," he said softly as he held her against him, running his hand down her hair.
"Freeze! Police!" a voice shouted at them from the stairway.
"It's just us, Con," Frank said, turning and recognizing the officer. "I didn't see anyone downstairs but I haven't looked up here yet," he added. Con nodded and motioned for his partner to go down one side of the hall as he went down the other.
It didn't take long to conclude no intruder was still on the premises. "I think the intruder came in through the kitchen," Frank told Con. He looked at Callie. "The furniture is all out of place," he said with a puzzled frown.
"We'll dust for prints and we'll need a statement," Con told Callie, who nodded her agreement.
"I'll drive you," Frank offered. "But I had better call and let mom and Joe know you're okay first."
After Mrs. Hardy hung up with Frank and relayed his message to Joe, the phone rang again. "Of course," Joe heard his mother say. "I'll be there as soon as I can." She hung up and looked over at Joe. "Why don't you get dressed and come with me?" she suggested, not wanting to leave Joe alone.
"Where to?" he asked.
"That was Mrs. Winebarger from down the street," Mrs. Hardy said. "Someone got into her flower garden and made a mess of things."
"Why did she call you?" Joe asked, looking at her questioningly.
"She said one of the kids passing by while she was looking at the mess mentioned how nice my garden looked and so she thought I might help her," Mrs. Hardy repeated what she had been told.
"If you don't mind, I think I will stay here," Joe said. "I don't think Frank would mind if I finished the movie without him."
"I'll call her back and tell her I'll help her tomorrow," Mrs. Hardy said, picking up the phone.
"Don't be silly," Joe said, taking it away from her. "You act like you don't want to leave me alone," he teased. "I am seventeen, you know?"
"But still my baby," she retorted, pulling his head down and kissing his cheek.
"Aw, mom," Joe said, grinning. "Go on," he ordered her. She smiled at him half-heartedly and left.
Joe went into the living room and sat down on the sofa. He picked up the VCR remote and started the tape. It didn't take long for Joe to become engrossed in the movie.
A figure, dressed in black from head to toe, crept into the kitchen. He smiled as he pulled a strip of tape off the lock which had prevented it locking after Mrs. Hardy had left. He had put the tape on the door when Mr. Hardy had taken the trash out and returned to the house, going into the living room and leaving the door unlocked.
He looked into the living room and saw Joe sittting on the couch watching TV. He pulled a cloth from one pocket and a bottle from the other. Then he opened the bottle and poured some of the liquid onto the cloth, closing the bottle and slipping it back into his pocket.
He silently entered the living room and slapped the cloth over an unsuspecting Joe's nose and mouth. Joe's eyes shot up and he saw the masked intruder. He raised his arms and tried to pull the hand away, but his attacker was strong and he was growing weak. In less than a minute, Joe slumped forward.
The cloth was removed and pushed back into the pocket from whence it had come. Then the attacker went into the kitchen and, making sure the pilot light was out, opened the oven door and turned the oven on as high as it would go.
He then returned to the living room and dragged an unconscious Joe into the kitchen. He laid Joe's head and arms on the oven door and arranged his body to look as if Joe had been kneeling until overcome by fumes, and fallen.
Smiling, the intruder left the way he had come, locking the door and making sure no one was about to see him leave.
Chapter Nine
Frank arrived home about an hour later. His eyes were bloodshot and he was dragging with the feeling of fatigue as he entered the house.
"What's wrong?" Mr. Hardy demanded, jumping to his feet and rushing over to Frank when he saw him enter the room.
"Where's Joe?" Frank demanded.
"Taking a shower," Mrs. Hardy replied. "Why?" she asked, her own voice full of concern.
Frank pulled out the paper Vanessa had given him and handed it to his father. Mr. Hardy began reading the paper out loud so his wife would know what it contained. "We do solemly swear that should one of us choose to die, then the rest of us will follow." Mr. Hardy's voice broke as he read. "It's a death pact," he said in a strangled voice.
Mrs. Hardy peered over her husband's arm and looked down at the paper. "Joe signed it," she whispered in disbelief.
"And Craig died yesterday in the tetherball accident and Paula killed herself today at school," Frank informed them.
"How did she...?" Mrs. Hardy began.
"I don't know," Frank said, knowing what she was going to ask. "All I know is the police declared it a suicide." He looked at his dad, his brown eyes pleading for a solution. "What are we going to do about Joe?"
"I don't know," Mr. Hardy admitted. "But I do know we can't leave him alone for a minute. Go on upstairs and stay with him," he ordered Frank who took off at once.
When Frank got upstairs, Joe was still in the shower. Frank quickly grabbed some eyedrops and took care of his red eyes, then went into Joe's room to wait. Less than a minute later, the water shut off and Joe came into the room with a towel wrapped around his waist and another circling his neck which caught the droplets of water as they fell from his wet hair.
"Hey," Joe said, seeing Frank sitting on the bed. "Did you get the problem at the bank taken care of?" he asked, walking over to the dresser and pulling open a drawer.
Frank's face took on a puzzled look as he wondered what Joe was talking about. Then he realized his mom must have invented the excuse to explain his absence. "Yeah," he said finally. "It wasn't too complicated."
"Did you need any help with your homework?" Frank asked, changing the subject.
"No thanks," Joe answered, turning and grinning at Frank. "Wait a month, then ask me," he added. Joe turned back to the drawer and took out a pair of pajamas.
"Early to get ready for bed, isn't it?" Frank asked.
Joe shrugged. "I'm not going anywhere," he replied. "Might as well be comfortable."
"Not a bad idea," Frank agreed, smiling. "You do your homework while I take a shower and then we'll pop some popcorn and watch a movie. Maybe play some Monopoly," he suggested.
"Sure, why not?" Joe agreed, slipping into his pajamas.
By the time Frank had finished his shower, Joe had finished what little homework he had and the two boys went downstairs.
"What do you two want for dinner?" Mrs. Hardy asked as the boys entered the living room. Frank explained about having subs earlier and then told her and his dad about wanting to watch a movie.
"Sounds like a good idea," agreed Mrs. Hardy. "But how about a bowl of soup before we start, hmm?" she inquired with the lift of an eyebrow.
"Good idea," Joe agreed. "That way we can catch the news first."
Frank shot his mom a desperate look, not wanting Joe to see the news and be reminded of Paula's death. "Are you sure?" she asked Joe, catching the pleading look in Frank's eyes. "It wouldn't hurt to skip it and go straight for the popcorn."
"No, really," Joe said. "I'd love some soup."
"Okay," she replied, starting into the kitchen after shooting Frank an apologetic look.
Joe flipped the television to the local station and sat down on the sofa next to his dad. A few minutes later, the news came on. The big story of the afternoon wasn't Paula's suicide as Frank had feared, but the robbery of the jewelry store.
"I wonder if the police have any leads," Joe commented, looking at the TV screen where the camera was showing filmed footage of the theft. The robber, dressed in black from head to toe, could be seen pulling the jewelry from one case, then another. The thief suddenly stopped moving. He looked up, reached behind him and pulled a gun from the back of his pants and fired. Then the newscaster came back on the screen.
"We stopped by to check it out, but Con ordered us to stay out of it," Joe told his dad.
"I think the police can handle this one," Mr. Hardy told Joe, agreeing with Con.
Joe just shrugged and started watching the news again as Paula Michaels' name was mentioned. Apparently, she had committed suicide by cutting her wrists open with a razor blade. After the news went off, Joe leaned back on the sofa, shaking his head. "This is weird," he said.
Mr. Hardy put a hand on Joe's shoulder and squeezed. "I know, Son," he said. "It's always difficult when someone you know dies."
"What?" Joe asked, then shook his head. "No, I mean the robbery," he said. "That guy looked familiar."
"How could he look familar?" Frank demanded. "He was dressed in black with a ski mask on and never said anything."
"I know," Joe replied with a slight shrug and a frown. "But there was something about him that made me think I knew him."
"I've got soup and sandwiches ready," Mrs. Hardy said, peeping into the living room. "Let's eat in the kitchen and then we'll start the movie."
After dinner, the boys went into the living room while their mom made popcorn. Mr. Hardy had excused himself to go see an old friend, but Frank knew he was taking the death pact to the police department.
Ten minutes into the movie, the phone rang. "Frank, it's Callie," Mrs. Hardy told him after she had answered it.
"Hi, Callie," Frank said, taking the reciever.
"Frank, can you come over?" Callie's whisper came through the receiver.
"What's wrong?" he demanded, gripping the receiver tightly as he recognized the urgency in her voice.
"Mom and Dad went to Southport for dinner," she told him. "They've been gone about half an hour. I came upstairs, but now, I hear someone downstairs."
"Lock and barricade your door," Frank ordered. "And call the police. I'm on my way," he added, hanging up.
"Callie's in trouble," Frank told his mom and Joe, who had started paying attention when Frank had said 'lock and barrricade.'
Joe stood up and started for the door but Frank shook his head and and pointed to the way Joe was dressed. Joe looked down and groaned. At least Frank had dressed in a pair of shorts and a sweat shirt. "Don't worry," Frank said, opening the door. "She's calling the police."
After Frank had left, Joe picked up the phone. "In case she doesn't get a chance, I'm calling the police too," Joe told his mom.
When Frank arrived at Callie's, the house was quiet. Frank peered through a window and watched for any sign of movement. Seeing no one, he went to the back door and tried the knob. It opened and he went inside, being careful not to make a sound.
The kitchen furniture had been scattered around, but nothing else seemed out of place. He made his way through the entire ground floor and found nothing amiss. Then he started up the stairs even as he heard sirens coming closer. "Callie!" Frank shouted, going on up the stairs.
He could hear furniture moving and then Callie's door opened and she threw herself at Frank. "It's okay," he said softly as he held her against him, running his hand down her hair.
"Freeze! Police!" a voice shouted at them from the stairway.
"It's just us, Con," Frank said, turning and recognizing the officer. "I didn't see anyone downstairs but I haven't looked up here yet," he added. Con nodded and motioned for his partner to go down one side of the hall as he went down the other.
It didn't take long to conclude no intruder was still on the premises. "I think the intruder came in through the kitchen," Frank told Con. He looked at Callie. "The furniture is all out of place," he said with a puzzled frown.
"We'll dust for prints and we'll need a statement," Con told Callie, who nodded her agreement.
"I'll drive you," Frank offered. "But I had better call and let mom and Joe know you're okay first."
After Mrs. Hardy hung up with Frank and relayed his message to Joe, the phone rang again. "Of course," Joe heard his mother say. "I'll be there as soon as I can." She hung up and looked over at Joe. "Why don't you get dressed and come with me?" she suggested, not wanting to leave Joe alone.
"Where to?" he asked.
"That was Mrs. Winebarger from down the street," Mrs. Hardy said. "Someone got into her flower garden and made a mess of things."
"Why did she call you?" Joe asked, looking at her questioningly.
"She said one of the kids passing by while she was looking at the mess mentioned how nice my garden looked and so she thought I might help her," Mrs. Hardy repeated what she had been told.
"If you don't mind, I think I will stay here," Joe said. "I don't think Frank would mind if I finished the movie without him."
"I'll call her back and tell her I'll help her tomorrow," Mrs. Hardy said, picking up the phone.
"Don't be silly," Joe said, taking it away from her. "You act like you don't want to leave me alone," he teased. "I am seventeen, you know?"
"But still my baby," she retorted, pulling his head down and kissing his cheek.
"Aw, mom," Joe said, grinning. "Go on," he ordered her. She smiled at him half-heartedly and left.
Joe went into the living room and sat down on the sofa. He picked up the VCR remote and started the tape. It didn't take long for Joe to become engrossed in the movie.
A figure, dressed in black from head to toe, crept into the kitchen. He smiled as he pulled a strip of tape off the lock which had prevented it locking after Mrs. Hardy had left. He had put the tape on the door when Mr. Hardy had taken the trash out and returned to the house, going into the living room and leaving the door unlocked.
He looked into the living room and saw Joe sittting on the couch watching TV. He pulled a cloth from one pocket and a bottle from the other. Then he opened the bottle and poured some of the liquid onto the cloth, closing the bottle and slipping it back into his pocket.
He silently entered the living room and slapped the cloth over an unsuspecting Joe's nose and mouth. Joe's eyes shot up and he saw the masked intruder. He raised his arms and tried to pull the hand away, but his attacker was strong and he was growing weak. In less than a minute, Joe slumped forward.
The cloth was removed and pushed back into the pocket from whence it had come. Then the attacker went into the kitchen and, making sure the pilot light was out, opened the oven door and turned the oven on as high as it would go.
He then returned to the living room and dragged an unconscious Joe into the kitchen. He laid Joe's head and arms on the oven door and arranged his body to look as if Joe had been kneeling until overcome by fumes, and fallen.
Smiling, the intruder left the way he had come, locking the door and making sure no one was about to see him leave.