Frank scouted around Craig's apartment building. He couldn't help but thinking what college life was going to be like. Here it was ten o'clock on a Monday night and no one in the entire complex was at home.

He pulled out the lock pick kit his father had given him last Christmas and set about unlocking the door to Craig's apartment. In seconds, the door swung open and he hurried inside and closed the door.

Frank flipped on the light and set to work. He didn't know when the neighbors would start returning or even if the police would bother checking a light on in one of the apartments, but the less time he spent there the less chance he had of getting caught.

Frank checked the kitchen; the living room; the bedroom; even the bathroom. He could find nothing related to the project that he hadn't already seen in the lab. And none of what he did find was anything that he hadn't found out he could remove from the lab on a temporary basis if needed.

Frank didn't leave empty handed, however. He found a letter from Craig's parents dated the day before he had disappeared. It said that they were going on a month long vacation and would call him when they got back. That explains why his family hasn't returned any calls or answered the letter the dean sent, Frank thought. He copied down the address. It was still a possibility that Craig had returned home and wasn't answering any of the calls he received.

He was getting ready to leave when he saw a stack of books by the easy chair in the living room. Curious, he picked one up. Monsters: Myth and Legends. Setting it down, he picked up two more. Legend of the Werewolf. Werewolf Encyclopedia: Everything You Always Wanted to Know but Where Afraid to Ask. Frank shook his head. Weird much! He gave a faint laugh when he noticed that every book in the stack belonged to the university library.

He set the books down and left, locking the door after him. Getting back into the van, he pulled out his cell phone and called home. After telling his dad he had found nothing but the letter from Craig's parents and giving him the address, he hung up and headed back to Mayhem's house.

Frank arrived to a dark house, so he went to the back door and used the key Mayhem had given him to let himself inside. He made his way upstairs and into the bedroom he shared with Joe. He turned the light on, not surprised when Joe remained motionless under the cover.

Frank smiled indulgently as he saw Joe's foot hanging beneath the sheet off the bed while the rest of him was covered. Frank gently lifted Joe's foot and stuffed it under the sheet then set about getting ready for bed.

***

"Wake up, baby brother," Frank said, gently shaking his brother's arm the next morning. "We have a lot to do today."

"What did dad say last night?" Joe mumbled, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"He doesn't trust Aliem either," Frank informed Joe. "Plus, he thinks I should talk to Roger Anderson. If Aliem is behind his own missing research and Craig's disappearance, then Anderson is probably involved as well."

"I've been thinking," Joe said, getting out of bed. "I think we should check out Craig's apartment."

"I did," Frank confessed. "Last night on my way home. I didn't find anything except a letter from his parents saying they were going away for a month. I let dad know and he's going to see if Craig is there anyway."

"What about Angela?" Joe asked, a thoughtful expression taking over his features as he tilted his head.

"Huh? What?" Frank did a double take at his brother. He had already talked to Angela about the case, what could Joe mean? "What about Angela?"

"Why did she quit?" Joe asked. "Did she suspect Aliem of wrongdoing or is she really involved?"

Frank gave a self-derogatory grin. He had spent over an hour talking to her and not once thought to ask her why she had left the project. "Good question," he congratulated his brother. "I'll drop you off at campus and then head back to her house and ask her why she quit. Although," he added, "I still don't think she was involved in anything illegal."

"You don't have to drop me off at campus," Joe told him. "We're only a couple of blocks from there now, I can walk. Besides, I want to check out this place when Mayhem isn't around. Just tell him I don't have to be there until later and am sleeping in. When he leaves, I'll check the place over."

"Joe, I think you're wasting your time with Mayhem. He's a nice guy. A bit eccentric, I'll give you, but that's no crime. Aliem and Anderson are our prime suspects and we need to concentrate on them," Frank lectured.

"Look," Joe said, running a hand through his hair. "I can't explain it but I just have this gut feeling that the good doctor is involved in Craig's disappearance even if he isn't involved with the missing research." Frank looked like he was about to argue but Joe kept going. "I'll make a deal with you. Let me search this place and if I don't find something linking him to either Craig or the research then I won't say another word and will give Aliem all my attention while you concentrate on Anderson."

Frank looked at Joe thoughtfully. It might be best to let Joe get this out of his system. "All right," he agreed. "But be at the lab this afternoon?"

"Promise," Joe agreed, smiling.

When Frank went downstairs Dr. Mayhem was on his way out. "Ah, where is Joe?" he asked, frowning when he never appeared behind Frank.

"He doesn't have to be there until noon," Frank replied. "He's sleeping in."

"I guess it was a good thing you two moved in here then," Dr. Mayhem observed. "I suppose he didn't get to sleep late when you two had to arrive together."

"You're right about that," Frank agreed with a smile, following Mayhem out the back door. "And Joe does love to sleep."

Frank climbed in the van and waited until Mayhem drove away before pulling out of his parking space. He arrived at the Thompson estate and was admitted inside quicker than he had been the first time.

"Frank, wasn't it?" Angela asked by way of greeting when she opened the door to him.

"Yes," Frank acknowledged with a slight inclination of his head. "I was hoping I could ask you one more question."

"Very well," she said, crossing her arms and smiling.

"Why did you quit working for Professor Aliem?"

"I didn't quit," Angela told him. "I was fired."