"He couldn't have known Joe would get hurt outside," Frank argued.
"Which only means you or your brother are still in danger," Fenton stated with a frown. "As soon as Joe's released from the hospital, I'm having you both placed in protective custody until I can get Dobson put away," he decided.
"But you haven't got anything on him," Frank pointed out. "You can't put him away for one threat."
"I've got more on him than that," Fenton assurred his eldest son. "He just keeps eluding me."
"What did he do?" Laura demanded, turning around to look at her husband.
"I am sure he was mixed up in the drug trafficing his son was involved in," Fenton replied, avoiding looking into her eyes.
"And?" she asked, knowing her husband too well.
Fenton gave a sigh of defeat. He hadn't really wanted to tell them but he knew Laura would not let the matter drop when the welfare of her family was involved. "He murdered the two guards who were in charge of his son's ward at the time of his suicide."
Laura closed her eyes and swallowed, turning around to face the front once again as Frank entered the hospital's emergency parking lot. Frank parked the car and all three Hardys got out of the car and hurried into the hospital. They arrived in time to see Joe being wheeled into the back.
Fenton walked up to the desk and took the forms to be filled out. When he had finished, he walked over and sat down beside his wife, taking her hand into his own. Fenton, Laura, and Frank sat silently, each lost in thought as the wind pounded against the window outside. Over an hour later, Fenton and Frank sprang to their feet. Laura followed suit more slowly as the doctor on call emerged from behind closed doors and approached the threesome.
"How is he?" Frank asked before the stocky, brown haired doctor had even reached them.
"He's still unconscious and he has a concussion but the cat scan found nothing amiss," Dr. Lymbock told the anxious group. "He will need to remain until he awakens from his coma," he added. "Then we will run a few basic tests to make sure he's in for a full recovery."
"Thank God," Laura breathed. "Can we see him?"
"Of course," Dr. Lymbock replied. "He's been put in room 422. I'm afraid only one of you will be allowed to stay the night with him however," he apologized.
"I'm staying with him," Laura asserted, her eyes flying to meet Frank's, daring him to argue with her.
They took the elevator to the fourth floor and went to room 422. There they saw Joe lying on the bed, his eyes closed, his body unnaturally still. The nurse arose from her chair as they entered. "Just hit the call button if he awakes or needs anything," she instructed before leaving.
Frank smoothed Joe's hair back and leaned down, kissing his brother's forhead gently. "Wake up soon, baby brother," he whispered softly. "I love you," he added, before backing away.
Fenton took Frank's place and gently squeezed Joe's hand. He gave Joe a quick kiss on the forehead then looked over at Laura who took the chair recently vacated by the nurse. She picked up Joe's other hand and looked up at Fenton.
"Call us if he stirs," Fenton told her, moving over to give his wife a kiss goodbye.
"I will," she promised.
Fenton and Frank left the hospital after vowing to return early the next morning. Fenton took the wheel and headed to the police station. He retrieved the brick and paper from the backseat and he and Frank went inside. Once there, they were admitted to Chief Collig's office.
"Hello, Fenton, Frank," tall, graying Ezra Collig said to the Hardys as they entered his office. "I was just on my way out. What's wrong?" he demanded, his face turning serious as he noticed the concerned look on their faces.
Fenton told Chief Collig about Joe's accident and the brick, laying the brick and paper on Collig's desk. Chief Collig got on the intercom and ordered a member of forensics to be sent to his office immediately to retrieve the evidence.
"What did the thrower look like?" Chief Collig asked Frank.
"I didn't get a good look," Frank replied, scowling. "He was about five foot eight and he was wearing a green parka. The car was a black Toyota Corolla but I never got the tag number," he ended.
"Dobson owns a black Corolla," Fenton stated. "The tag number is XYM-4789."
"We know all about Dobson," Chief Collig responded with a sigh. "There's a nation-wide APB out on him. I'm sorry about Joe," he continued. "Is he going to be okay?"
"The doctor thinks so," Frank replied. "He..." Frank stopped talking when a knock sounded at the door.
Officer Sutton from Forensics entered the office. He was a muscular man in uniform with black hair and gray around the temples. In his hand he held a pair of plastic gloves. Chief Collig pointed to the brick and paper on his table. Officer Sutton put the gloves on and gingerly picked up the items.
"My prints are on them," Fenton informed the man, "but if you find a second set, check them against Kevin Dobson first."
"Yes, Sir," Officer Sutton acknowledged then left the office.
"I'll call you if anything new comes up," Chief Collig told the Hardys. "If Dobson's prints are found, I'll let you know in the morning."
"Thanks, Ezra," Fenton said, shaking his hand before following Frank out of the office.
When they arrived home, Frank checked the answering machine. There had been one message while they were gone. Frank rewound the tape, wondering if Joe had awakened. He hit play as his father came to stand next to him.
Both Hardys became deathly pale as they heard the message begin. An eerie laugh followed by a baritone voice jovially stated, "Really, Fenton, young Joesph has made this far too easy."
"Which only means you or your brother are still in danger," Fenton stated with a frown. "As soon as Joe's released from the hospital, I'm having you both placed in protective custody until I can get Dobson put away," he decided.
"But you haven't got anything on him," Frank pointed out. "You can't put him away for one threat."
"I've got more on him than that," Fenton assurred his eldest son. "He just keeps eluding me."
"What did he do?" Laura demanded, turning around to look at her husband.
"I am sure he was mixed up in the drug trafficing his son was involved in," Fenton replied, avoiding looking into her eyes.
"And?" she asked, knowing her husband too well.
Fenton gave a sigh of defeat. He hadn't really wanted to tell them but he knew Laura would not let the matter drop when the welfare of her family was involved. "He murdered the two guards who were in charge of his son's ward at the time of his suicide."
Laura closed her eyes and swallowed, turning around to face the front once again as Frank entered the hospital's emergency parking lot. Frank parked the car and all three Hardys got out of the car and hurried into the hospital. They arrived in time to see Joe being wheeled into the back.
Fenton walked up to the desk and took the forms to be filled out. When he had finished, he walked over and sat down beside his wife, taking her hand into his own. Fenton, Laura, and Frank sat silently, each lost in thought as the wind pounded against the window outside. Over an hour later, Fenton and Frank sprang to their feet. Laura followed suit more slowly as the doctor on call emerged from behind closed doors and approached the threesome.
"How is he?" Frank asked before the stocky, brown haired doctor had even reached them.
"He's still unconscious and he has a concussion but the cat scan found nothing amiss," Dr. Lymbock told the anxious group. "He will need to remain until he awakens from his coma," he added. "Then we will run a few basic tests to make sure he's in for a full recovery."
"Thank God," Laura breathed. "Can we see him?"
"Of course," Dr. Lymbock replied. "He's been put in room 422. I'm afraid only one of you will be allowed to stay the night with him however," he apologized.
"I'm staying with him," Laura asserted, her eyes flying to meet Frank's, daring him to argue with her.
They took the elevator to the fourth floor and went to room 422. There they saw Joe lying on the bed, his eyes closed, his body unnaturally still. The nurse arose from her chair as they entered. "Just hit the call button if he awakes or needs anything," she instructed before leaving.
Frank smoothed Joe's hair back and leaned down, kissing his brother's forhead gently. "Wake up soon, baby brother," he whispered softly. "I love you," he added, before backing away.
Fenton took Frank's place and gently squeezed Joe's hand. He gave Joe a quick kiss on the forehead then looked over at Laura who took the chair recently vacated by the nurse. She picked up Joe's other hand and looked up at Fenton.
"Call us if he stirs," Fenton told her, moving over to give his wife a kiss goodbye.
"I will," she promised.
Fenton and Frank left the hospital after vowing to return early the next morning. Fenton took the wheel and headed to the police station. He retrieved the brick and paper from the backseat and he and Frank went inside. Once there, they were admitted to Chief Collig's office.
"Hello, Fenton, Frank," tall, graying Ezra Collig said to the Hardys as they entered his office. "I was just on my way out. What's wrong?" he demanded, his face turning serious as he noticed the concerned look on their faces.
Fenton told Chief Collig about Joe's accident and the brick, laying the brick and paper on Collig's desk. Chief Collig got on the intercom and ordered a member of forensics to be sent to his office immediately to retrieve the evidence.
"What did the thrower look like?" Chief Collig asked Frank.
"I didn't get a good look," Frank replied, scowling. "He was about five foot eight and he was wearing a green parka. The car was a black Toyota Corolla but I never got the tag number," he ended.
"Dobson owns a black Corolla," Fenton stated. "The tag number is XYM-4789."
"We know all about Dobson," Chief Collig responded with a sigh. "There's a nation-wide APB out on him. I'm sorry about Joe," he continued. "Is he going to be okay?"
"The doctor thinks so," Frank replied. "He..." Frank stopped talking when a knock sounded at the door.
Officer Sutton from Forensics entered the office. He was a muscular man in uniform with black hair and gray around the temples. In his hand he held a pair of plastic gloves. Chief Collig pointed to the brick and paper on his table. Officer Sutton put the gloves on and gingerly picked up the items.
"My prints are on them," Fenton informed the man, "but if you find a second set, check them against Kevin Dobson first."
"Yes, Sir," Officer Sutton acknowledged then left the office.
"I'll call you if anything new comes up," Chief Collig told the Hardys. "If Dobson's prints are found, I'll let you know in the morning."
"Thanks, Ezra," Fenton said, shaking his hand before following Frank out of the office.
When they arrived home, Frank checked the answering machine. There had been one message while they were gone. Frank rewound the tape, wondering if Joe had awakened. He hit play as his father came to stand next to him.
Both Hardys became deathly pale as they heard the message begin. An eerie laugh followed by a baritone voice jovially stated, "Really, Fenton, young Joesph has made this far too easy."