"What's wrong?" Frank asked the next afternoon when a troubled Fenton Hardy arrived at the campsite.
The boys had fallen into their sleeping bags at four a.m. Biff and Chet had had no luck in locating the mysterious light. When it had reappeared a little after one, the boys tried to follow it only to have it vanish near where it had originally started.
Phil and Frank had returned to the camp and told the other two boys what they had discovered about the campers and about the notation in Joe's file which Frank had found after he had given up on the desk. The note said Joe had resigned from his position and was not a candidate as a future counselor. According to the note, Joe had officially quit and departed the camp. All four boys had been worried but knew they needed some rest before morning when they would have to continue their investigation.
Chet had arisen as the afternoon sun crept through the opening in his tent, his stomach growling in protest after having not been fed since the previous evening. As he prepared brunch, the other three boys had woken up and dressed.
Mr. Hardy came striding into the camp as the foursome where finishing their meal. He looked into Frank's eyes as he answered his son's question. "Your mother called. You got another letter from Joe."
"That was quick," Chet commented. "He must have answered your last one as soon as he got it."
"What did it say?" Frank demanded, not liking the haggard look on his father's face.
"He said he has been asked, and he has accepted, a request to remain at the camp for two weeks after it's closure," Mr. Hardy answered.
"But camp won't close for at least four more weeks," Phil squeaked in alarm.
"Right," concurred Mr. Hardy. "His captors obviously intend to make sure they have enough time to complete whatever they are doing here," he continued.
"Maybe they already killed Joe," Biff said, choked up. "They could have forced him to write several letters before they...." he stopped abruptly, as he became aware of the stares of his friends.
"Joe's still alive," Mr. Hardy asserted. "They have no idea what Frank will say in a letter and they are fishing for information."
"What do you mean?" Frank inquired, quirking his right eyebrow.
Mr. Hardy explained about the questions asked in the letter concerning Darren Cook. "Whatever is going on here is somehow tied in with Cook's disappearance," he concluded.
"And the bomb in the senator's office," Frank added, then told his father what they had learned the previous eveining.
"You boys keep up the investigation here," Mr. Hardy said when Frank had finished. "I'm going to Washington and tackle it from that angle. You write a letter to your brother and I'll mail it from there," he added.
Frank nodded, then went into his tent to retrieve the notebook he had brought with him in case he should have to answer a letter instead of his mother. Mr. Hardy paraphrased the contents of the letter Mrs. Hardy had received and relayed over the phone earlier. "Be sure to give them a little information, false, of course, so they won't give up on this letter idea. I have a bad feeling that these letters are the only thing keeping your brother alive.
Frank wrote the letter then read it aloud for Mr. Hardy's approval:
Hey Little Brother,
Man, that was a fast response! Mom read it to me over the phone when I called home. What happened with Karen? You didn't mention her once. And if you don't like here anymore, why do you still want Vanessa to dump you?
No trace of Cook yet but we're running checks on everyone connected to Davenport's office. Dad thinks maybe one of the cleaning staff was blackmailed into helping. Not sure who yet, but if we can find someone with something to hide, we may have our person and Cook will be cleared. We think Cook may have been kidnapped instead of going into hiding or undercover. Dad is pretty sure he would have been in contact if something had not of happened to him.
I'll pass the word along to Dad about your extension at the camp. You will be back in time for school, right? You should have racked up some major pay by the time you return home.
My part of the investigation is going slow but there is one guy who seems a bit apprehensive. His name is Matthew Robbins. I'm going to scout around and see who he's been in contact with since this mess started.
About time for me to go to "work".
Until next time,
Your Bro,
Frank
"That's good," Mr. Hardy approved. "I like how you metioned Steve's father in there. If Steve is still alive, this may make his captors realize he is still useful," he added, taking the letter from Frank and folding it. Frank handed him an envelope and Mr. Hardy tucked it inside and sealed it.
"You boys be very careful," Mr. Hardy cautioned. "Don't take any unecessary chances."
"We will," Frank promised, smiling thinly at his father. The worry begining to take it's toll on Frank's face. Mr. Hardy returned Frank's smile with a strained one of his own. He just knew Frank was aging before his eyes. He knew the signs all too well. He had done quite a bit of aging since his sons had taken to solving mysteries.
The boys had fallen into their sleeping bags at four a.m. Biff and Chet had had no luck in locating the mysterious light. When it had reappeared a little after one, the boys tried to follow it only to have it vanish near where it had originally started.
Phil and Frank had returned to the camp and told the other two boys what they had discovered about the campers and about the notation in Joe's file which Frank had found after he had given up on the desk. The note said Joe had resigned from his position and was not a candidate as a future counselor. According to the note, Joe had officially quit and departed the camp. All four boys had been worried but knew they needed some rest before morning when they would have to continue their investigation.
Chet had arisen as the afternoon sun crept through the opening in his tent, his stomach growling in protest after having not been fed since the previous evening. As he prepared brunch, the other three boys had woken up and dressed.
Mr. Hardy came striding into the camp as the foursome where finishing their meal. He looked into Frank's eyes as he answered his son's question. "Your mother called. You got another letter from Joe."
"That was quick," Chet commented. "He must have answered your last one as soon as he got it."
"What did it say?" Frank demanded, not liking the haggard look on his father's face.
"He said he has been asked, and he has accepted, a request to remain at the camp for two weeks after it's closure," Mr. Hardy answered.
"But camp won't close for at least four more weeks," Phil squeaked in alarm.
"Right," concurred Mr. Hardy. "His captors obviously intend to make sure they have enough time to complete whatever they are doing here," he continued.
"Maybe they already killed Joe," Biff said, choked up. "They could have forced him to write several letters before they...." he stopped abruptly, as he became aware of the stares of his friends.
"Joe's still alive," Mr. Hardy asserted. "They have no idea what Frank will say in a letter and they are fishing for information."
"What do you mean?" Frank inquired, quirking his right eyebrow.
Mr. Hardy explained about the questions asked in the letter concerning Darren Cook. "Whatever is going on here is somehow tied in with Cook's disappearance," he concluded.
"And the bomb in the senator's office," Frank added, then told his father what they had learned the previous eveining.
"You boys keep up the investigation here," Mr. Hardy said when Frank had finished. "I'm going to Washington and tackle it from that angle. You write a letter to your brother and I'll mail it from there," he added.
Frank nodded, then went into his tent to retrieve the notebook he had brought with him in case he should have to answer a letter instead of his mother. Mr. Hardy paraphrased the contents of the letter Mrs. Hardy had received and relayed over the phone earlier. "Be sure to give them a little information, false, of course, so they won't give up on this letter idea. I have a bad feeling that these letters are the only thing keeping your brother alive.
Frank wrote the letter then read it aloud for Mr. Hardy's approval:
Hey Little Brother,
Man, that was a fast response! Mom read it to me over the phone when I called home. What happened with Karen? You didn't mention her once. And if you don't like here anymore, why do you still want Vanessa to dump you?
No trace of Cook yet but we're running checks on everyone connected to Davenport's office. Dad thinks maybe one of the cleaning staff was blackmailed into helping. Not sure who yet, but if we can find someone with something to hide, we may have our person and Cook will be cleared. We think Cook may have been kidnapped instead of going into hiding or undercover. Dad is pretty sure he would have been in contact if something had not of happened to him.
I'll pass the word along to Dad about your extension at the camp. You will be back in time for school, right? You should have racked up some major pay by the time you return home.
My part of the investigation is going slow but there is one guy who seems a bit apprehensive. His name is Matthew Robbins. I'm going to scout around and see who he's been in contact with since this mess started.
About time for me to go to "work".
Until next time,
Your Bro,
Frank
"That's good," Mr. Hardy approved. "I like how you metioned Steve's father in there. If Steve is still alive, this may make his captors realize he is still useful," he added, taking the letter from Frank and folding it. Frank handed him an envelope and Mr. Hardy tucked it inside and sealed it.
"You boys be very careful," Mr. Hardy cautioned. "Don't take any unecessary chances."
"We will," Frank promised, smiling thinly at his father. The worry begining to take it's toll on Frank's face. Mr. Hardy returned Frank's smile with a strained one of his own. He just knew Frank was aging before his eyes. He knew the signs all too well. He had done quite a bit of aging since his sons had taken to solving mysteries.