"Thanks for doing this," Joe said as he sat down on one side of the table.
"Don't thank me," Liz told him. "I've wanted to interview you guys for the paper for ages."
"Then why didn't you ask?" Joe wanted to know.
"You guys are my friends," she explained. "I refuse to take advantage of that friendship."
"And here I am doing just that," Joe said, his smile faltering.
"Hey, don't be that way," Liz scolded him. "If my life had depended on interviewing you I would have asked and I know you would have complied. Besides, I am just grateful for a chance to help you. Lord knows you and Frank have done a lot for the people of Bayport." Joe blushed again. Smothering a grin, Liz began the interview.
Forty minutes later the two returned to their dates. "Biff, I need to go to the office and get this ready," Liz said. "You can stay here if you want?" she offered.
"No way," declined Biff. "I've always wanted to see behind the scenes at the paper." He stood up and took one of her hands in his. "We'll see you guys at school Monday," he said. "If not sooner," he added, confidant that his friends would call him if they needed him.
The remaining teens spent the next hour talking and eating. "There's a new flick playing," Callie suggested when Chet asked what they should do next.
"Ooh, the one about the pirates," Vanessa put in with a dreamy sigh. It starred one of her favorite actors. "I've heard it's very good."
"It must be," Phil commented. "It's been playing for a month now and it's always sold out when I've tried to see it."
Frank looked at his watch. "If we hurry, we can be there twenty minutes before it starts. We might be able to get in."
"I'm game," Chet said and his date, Helen Osborne, nodded.
The boys divvied the tab and left a tip and then the group left Mr. Pizza unaware that three more patrons were also on their way out.
The youths arrived at the cinema and joined the throng of people waiting to get in. Ten minutes later they paid for their tickets and entered the well-lit lobby. There, Chet bought two sodas and an extra large popcorn and then they all went into the theater to find a seat.
After the movie the boys went outside to the vehicles to wait for the girls. Chet laughed at Joe's imitation of one of the actor's imitation of his costar in the movie when he saw something that stopped him in mid guffaw.
"What's wrong?" Frank asked, looking at Chet curiously as the guys ceased their hilarity.
"Over there," Chet said and nodded in the direction of a brown Toyota at the corner of the street. "The driver. He looks like one of the guys who were picking on Tom earlier."
Frank and Joe spun around to look at the car Chet had indicated. "He's right," Joe said. "It's Moran."
Frank's face hardened and he started to reach for Joe's arm but then changed his mind. "Phil, can you slip back into the theater and call the police?"
"For what?" Joe asked. "You heard Agent Boone. There's nothing that can be done about them until after the trial unless they do try something."
"They attacked Tom," Chet said.
"But no charges were brought against them for that," Joe reminded him. "They aren't breaking any laws just sitting there."
"They are following you," Frank hissed, not happy at all because he knew Joe was right.
"Oh boy. That should earn them a slap on the wrist," Joe replied sarcastically.
"I think we should get you home," Frank said. "Dad was right. You should have stayed home until after the article was published."
"He never said that," Joe put in.
"No, but you saw his face when you told him about our plans for tonight," Frank argued. "He was thinking it."
"We have to take the girls home first," Joe pointed out.
"No, you don't," Chet said. "Helen and I will take Callie and Vanessa home," he offered.
"You really should be at home," Phil put in. "With the alarm system on. From what you told us about these guys, if they get you before the article comes out and then find out you aren't Tom's son, they will kill you."
Joe frowned. He hated being a prisoner even if it was in his own house but under the circumstances he supposed Frank and his friends were right. "Fine," he said. "Let's go home. After we tell the girls," he added before Frank could grab him and shove him through the open door of the van that Chet had opened.
Frank wanted to leave now but realized Joe was right. They had to tell their dates why they were leaving them or face their wrath and Frank had long since learned never to inspire Callie's ire.
A few moments later the girls came out of the building and joined the boys where Frank explained at once about being followed.
"Frank's right," Vanessa said, looking at Joe with worry clouding her eyes. "You should stay home until tomorrow afternoon at least," she said. "Be careful?" she asked softly, smiling at him.
Callie kissed Frank goodbye and looked over at Joe. "Aren't you going to kiss Vanessa goodnight?" she asked in mild shock. Joe never missed the opportunity to kiss his girlfriend.
Joe shook his head. "I don't want those bozos thinking they could grab her and make a trade."
Frank looked at Joe with pride. He hadn't even thought of that! "Let's get going," said Frank.
"See you tomorrow night," Joe said, looking at Vanessa.
"Okay," she accepted the informal date. "But we'll stay at my place."
"Deal," Joe agreed although he doubted there would be a reason for him to hide tomorrow.
Frank tried to lose the Toyota on the way home without making it look too obvious, but it was no use. When he pulled the van into their driveway the Toyota came to a stop at the end of Elm Street.
Frowning, Frank pulled the van all the way into the garage and got out. "Stay here," he ordered Joe. Frank closed the garage door and then went to Joe's door and opened it. "Okay, let's get inside and check the windows then turn the alarm on."
"Don't you think you're being a bit over-protective?" asked Joe. "You don't really think they are going to come in here and grab me, do you? And if they did, they would realize Tom wasn't here which means I couldn't be his son and then they would leave."
Frank shook his head at Joe's reasoning. For such a good detective he sometimes found Joe's naivety unreal. "Come on," he said and let Joe precede him into the house.
"Dad!" Frank called out as they entered the kitchen. Fenton entered the kitchen scarcely a minute later. "You're home early," he observed.
Frank told his dad about being followed. "I was afraid they would try something tonight," Fenton said. "Frank, check the upstairs windows," he instructed. "Joe, stay here while I check down here," he added, locking the kitchen door and the door that connected the kitchen to the garage.
When Fenton and Frank returned, Frank turned on the burglar alarm then sat down at the small table where Joe had prepared a late night snack for the three of them. "I'm glad your mother isn't here," Fenton said, picking up a soft chocolate chip cookie and taking a bite.
"She could handle this," Joe said with a shrug.
"Yes, but she wouldn't let me have any cookies," Fenton said. Laura insisted that high calorie snacks should be had before dinner and not after since she had started reading some new nutritional book a friend had given her.
After their snack, Fenton sent the boys to bed while he cleaned up the dishes. After getting ready for bed, Frank looked in on his little brother through the open bathroom door that connected their two rooms. "Night, baby brother," Frank said as Joe climbed into bed.
"Night," Joe said with a grimace. "I'll be glad when that article comes out," he said, stretching his arms and yawning as he spoke.
"Don't talk when you yawn," Frank reprimanded him. "It's almost impossible to understand you."
"Sorry," Joe apologized, grinning sheepishly. "I said I'd be glad when the article comes out. With Mars closer than it's ever been I wanted to take Vanessa to the Observatory."
"Hey, that's a good idea," Frank said, planning on taking Callie now that Joe had mentioned it. "We can do that tomorrow night."
"If Vanessa will let me," Joe said, remembering she had said she wanted to stay at her place.
"Oh, I'm sure you will be able to convince her," Frank told him, grinning. "Good night. Yell if you need anything."
"I will," promised Joe, reaching out and turning off the lamp on the night stand as Frank left the doorway to return to his own room.
Frank turned off his own light and crawled in bed. He too would be glad once the article came out. Joe would no longer be in any danger. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Later, Frank sat bolt upright in bed; his heart pounding. What was that sound? The alarm! He shoved his sheet aside as he leapt to his feet and raced to Joe's bedroom.
Not seeing Joe, he began to panic. He heard a motor rev to life and rushed to the window in time to see the Toyota tearing away. Frank paled as he realized they must have had someone already in the house before the alarm had been turned on!
"Don't thank me," Liz told him. "I've wanted to interview you guys for the paper for ages."
"Then why didn't you ask?" Joe wanted to know.
"You guys are my friends," she explained. "I refuse to take advantage of that friendship."
"And here I am doing just that," Joe said, his smile faltering.
"Hey, don't be that way," Liz scolded him. "If my life had depended on interviewing you I would have asked and I know you would have complied. Besides, I am just grateful for a chance to help you. Lord knows you and Frank have done a lot for the people of Bayport." Joe blushed again. Smothering a grin, Liz began the interview.
Forty minutes later the two returned to their dates. "Biff, I need to go to the office and get this ready," Liz said. "You can stay here if you want?" she offered.
"No way," declined Biff. "I've always wanted to see behind the scenes at the paper." He stood up and took one of her hands in his. "We'll see you guys at school Monday," he said. "If not sooner," he added, confidant that his friends would call him if they needed him.
The remaining teens spent the next hour talking and eating. "There's a new flick playing," Callie suggested when Chet asked what they should do next.
"Ooh, the one about the pirates," Vanessa put in with a dreamy sigh. It starred one of her favorite actors. "I've heard it's very good."
"It must be," Phil commented. "It's been playing for a month now and it's always sold out when I've tried to see it."
Frank looked at his watch. "If we hurry, we can be there twenty minutes before it starts. We might be able to get in."
"I'm game," Chet said and his date, Helen Osborne, nodded.
The boys divvied the tab and left a tip and then the group left Mr. Pizza unaware that three more patrons were also on their way out.
The youths arrived at the cinema and joined the throng of people waiting to get in. Ten minutes later they paid for their tickets and entered the well-lit lobby. There, Chet bought two sodas and an extra large popcorn and then they all went into the theater to find a seat.
After the movie the boys went outside to the vehicles to wait for the girls. Chet laughed at Joe's imitation of one of the actor's imitation of his costar in the movie when he saw something that stopped him in mid guffaw.
"What's wrong?" Frank asked, looking at Chet curiously as the guys ceased their hilarity.
"Over there," Chet said and nodded in the direction of a brown Toyota at the corner of the street. "The driver. He looks like one of the guys who were picking on Tom earlier."
Frank and Joe spun around to look at the car Chet had indicated. "He's right," Joe said. "It's Moran."
Frank's face hardened and he started to reach for Joe's arm but then changed his mind. "Phil, can you slip back into the theater and call the police?"
"For what?" Joe asked. "You heard Agent Boone. There's nothing that can be done about them until after the trial unless they do try something."
"They attacked Tom," Chet said.
"But no charges were brought against them for that," Joe reminded him. "They aren't breaking any laws just sitting there."
"They are following you," Frank hissed, not happy at all because he knew Joe was right.
"Oh boy. That should earn them a slap on the wrist," Joe replied sarcastically.
"I think we should get you home," Frank said. "Dad was right. You should have stayed home until after the article was published."
"He never said that," Joe put in.
"No, but you saw his face when you told him about our plans for tonight," Frank argued. "He was thinking it."
"We have to take the girls home first," Joe pointed out.
"No, you don't," Chet said. "Helen and I will take Callie and Vanessa home," he offered.
"You really should be at home," Phil put in. "With the alarm system on. From what you told us about these guys, if they get you before the article comes out and then find out you aren't Tom's son, they will kill you."
Joe frowned. He hated being a prisoner even if it was in his own house but under the circumstances he supposed Frank and his friends were right. "Fine," he said. "Let's go home. After we tell the girls," he added before Frank could grab him and shove him through the open door of the van that Chet had opened.
Frank wanted to leave now but realized Joe was right. They had to tell their dates why they were leaving them or face their wrath and Frank had long since learned never to inspire Callie's ire.
A few moments later the girls came out of the building and joined the boys where Frank explained at once about being followed.
"Frank's right," Vanessa said, looking at Joe with worry clouding her eyes. "You should stay home until tomorrow afternoon at least," she said. "Be careful?" she asked softly, smiling at him.
Callie kissed Frank goodbye and looked over at Joe. "Aren't you going to kiss Vanessa goodnight?" she asked in mild shock. Joe never missed the opportunity to kiss his girlfriend.
Joe shook his head. "I don't want those bozos thinking they could grab her and make a trade."
Frank looked at Joe with pride. He hadn't even thought of that! "Let's get going," said Frank.
"See you tomorrow night," Joe said, looking at Vanessa.
"Okay," she accepted the informal date. "But we'll stay at my place."
"Deal," Joe agreed although he doubted there would be a reason for him to hide tomorrow.
Frank tried to lose the Toyota on the way home without making it look too obvious, but it was no use. When he pulled the van into their driveway the Toyota came to a stop at the end of Elm Street.
Frowning, Frank pulled the van all the way into the garage and got out. "Stay here," he ordered Joe. Frank closed the garage door and then went to Joe's door and opened it. "Okay, let's get inside and check the windows then turn the alarm on."
"Don't you think you're being a bit over-protective?" asked Joe. "You don't really think they are going to come in here and grab me, do you? And if they did, they would realize Tom wasn't here which means I couldn't be his son and then they would leave."
Frank shook his head at Joe's reasoning. For such a good detective he sometimes found Joe's naivety unreal. "Come on," he said and let Joe precede him into the house.
"Dad!" Frank called out as they entered the kitchen. Fenton entered the kitchen scarcely a minute later. "You're home early," he observed.
Frank told his dad about being followed. "I was afraid they would try something tonight," Fenton said. "Frank, check the upstairs windows," he instructed. "Joe, stay here while I check down here," he added, locking the kitchen door and the door that connected the kitchen to the garage.
When Fenton and Frank returned, Frank turned on the burglar alarm then sat down at the small table where Joe had prepared a late night snack for the three of them. "I'm glad your mother isn't here," Fenton said, picking up a soft chocolate chip cookie and taking a bite.
"She could handle this," Joe said with a shrug.
"Yes, but she wouldn't let me have any cookies," Fenton said. Laura insisted that high calorie snacks should be had before dinner and not after since she had started reading some new nutritional book a friend had given her.
After their snack, Fenton sent the boys to bed while he cleaned up the dishes. After getting ready for bed, Frank looked in on his little brother through the open bathroom door that connected their two rooms. "Night, baby brother," Frank said as Joe climbed into bed.
"Night," Joe said with a grimace. "I'll be glad when that article comes out," he said, stretching his arms and yawning as he spoke.
"Don't talk when you yawn," Frank reprimanded him. "It's almost impossible to understand you."
"Sorry," Joe apologized, grinning sheepishly. "I said I'd be glad when the article comes out. With Mars closer than it's ever been I wanted to take Vanessa to the Observatory."
"Hey, that's a good idea," Frank said, planning on taking Callie now that Joe had mentioned it. "We can do that tomorrow night."
"If Vanessa will let me," Joe said, remembering she had said she wanted to stay at her place.
"Oh, I'm sure you will be able to convince her," Frank told him, grinning. "Good night. Yell if you need anything."
"I will," promised Joe, reaching out and turning off the lamp on the night stand as Frank left the doorway to return to his own room.
Frank turned off his own light and crawled in bed. He too would be glad once the article came out. Joe would no longer be in any danger. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Later, Frank sat bolt upright in bed; his heart pounding. What was that sound? The alarm! He shoved his sheet aside as he leapt to his feet and raced to Joe's bedroom.
Not seeing Joe, he began to panic. He heard a motor rev to life and rushed to the window in time to see the Toyota tearing away. Frank paled as he realized they must have had someone already in the house before the alarm had been turned on!