Fenton gave a low growl of frustration as Joe hung up. He trusted his son but he knew how dangerous the men they were dealing with were. He did want Frank back but not at the cost of another son.
"Fenton?" Chief Collig asked a bit hesitantly as Fenton closed Phil's cell phone and stared at it with his bottom lip tucked between his lips.
"How soon can you have an unmarked car here?" inquired Fenton looking into Collig's eyes.
"Five minutes," Collig stated. "Why?"
"Joe has a plan," Fenton said with a twinge of worry mingled into his voice. He informed Collig of Joe's request.
"I'll have one on each street in five minutes," Collig promised as he left the two and climbed back into his squad car.
"Do you mind if I hang onto your cell for a little while?" Fenton asked Phil.
"Of course not, Sir," replied Phil. "Um, Mr. Hardy?" he asked hesitantly. "How are you going to get Tom to go to Morrison?"
"By telling him a slightly altered version of the truth," Fenton answered. He led the way inside, coming to a stop as Chet and Tony stepped into the foyer to greet them.
"Are you all right?" asked Chet looking at the gash on Mr. Hardy's forehead.
"I'm fine," Fenton assured the boys with a brief smile.
"I'm glad to hear that," said Tom coming down the steps. "Joe was worried half to death about you."
"I know," replied Fenton. "He just called." Fenton held up Phil's cell phone. "He was glad I had escaped but Morrison still has Frank and that didn't make Joe happy."
"Well, duh," put in Chet.
"No, you see Joe overheard McFadden say he was going to Morrison's to take care of some business," Fenton fibbed. "Joe was following them but lost sight of their car. You know how Joe gets when he is frustrated."
"McFadden was going to see Morrison?" asked Tom unsure he had heard correctly. Why would he do that wondered Tom? Unless he had somehow figured out Morrison had sicced the Hardys on him!
Tom let out a big yawn and stretched his arms. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't get much rest last night."
"No wonder," Phil put in pseudo-sympathetically.
"There isn't anything you can do now," said Fenton. "The police searched Morrison's old hangout and he is long gone so you might as well get some shuteye."
"I think I will," Tom acquiesced at once. "Wake me if you need me," he added heading back up the stairs.
"Chet, why don't you use the phone in my office to see if it's all right with your parents to stay here for awhile longer," Fenton suggested before Tom was out of earshot. He didn't want the man using the phone to warn Morrison. He had to actually go in person. "Tony, you can use the phone down here."
"Sure thing, Mr. Hardy," Tony agreed as Chet followed Tom up the stairs.
Fenton ran to the kitchen and watched out the window. He was sure Joe had given Tom the upstairs guestroom to stay in. A couple of minutes later, Tom's legs were coming into view as he jumped from the window to the tree and navigated his way down. Phil had followed Fenton into the kitchen and Tony popped in a minute later to see what was going on. Fenton turned to the two boys. "Tony, do you have your cell on you?"
"Yes, Sir," answered Tony.
"Good. I want you two to take the boys' bikes and follow Tom. Don't try to stop him. He will probably steal a car somewhere along the way," he warned them. "When he reaches his destination call and give me the location. Chet, the police and I will be on our way."
"Yes, Sir," Phil and Tony agreed. They waited until Tom had landed in the yard and took off down the street before hurrying to the garage. There, they donned helmets and started the bikes, glad their friends left the keys in them when they were parked in the garage.
About ten minutes after Joe had ended his call with his father, McFadden's car pulled off the main highway. Less than fifteen minutes later, Joe pulled the van to a stop behind some overgrown bushes.
"Time to call your dad," Biff said.
"Not yet," disagreed Joe. "First we have to make sure Frank is in there."
"Let's go then," said Biff.
"No," Joe halted him. "Just me. If I get caught you need to call Dad and the police. Give me twenty minutes."
"I don't like this," Biff said with a scowl.
"Me either," admitted Joe. "But if Frank isn't there then getting the police would be a big mistake."
Joe left the van and crept up to the house. He could hear the men arguing in the living room as he entered through the back door. He checked upstairs hoping they were keeping Frank at least semi-comfortable as they had him but it was deserted. He returned downstairs and looked around the main floor, avoiding the accusations and threats coming from one room and headed toward the back of the house. Only four doors down from the commotion, he saw one door closed and bolted.
Quietly sliding the lock back, he opened the door and descended the steps with his penlight to guide him. "Frank!" he gasped seeing his brother tied to a pillar in the middle of the basement.
Joe hurried over and pulled the gag from his mouth. "Are you okay?" he asked Frank anxiously , his eyes taking in the bruises Frank had sustained during his attempted escape.
"Yes, except I hurt my ankle," said Frank. "I can't walk."
"You can lean on me," said Joe. "But be quiet."
"Where's Dad?" asked Frank. "And the police?"
"At home waiting for me to call and tell him I found you," Joe whispered. "He'll bring the cops with him."
"You're here alone?" Frank hissed angrily. Why did Joe put himself in these situations?
"Biff's outside," Joe told him. "Come on," he added trying to get Frank to a standing position.
"No," Frank said his face set stubbornly. "Get out of here before you get caught. I will be fine until the police arrive."
Joe took one look at Frank's determined face then turned and left the basement. Frank, pleased Joe had done as ordered for once, was never the less stunned that Joe had left him!
Joe made his way out of the house and back tot he van. "He wasn't there?" Biff asked as Joe reached for the cell phone.
"He's there," replied Joe. "And stubborn as ever." Joe hit the speed dial for Phil's cell and told his dad where they were. When he hung up he looked at Biff. "Frank hurt his ankle," he said. "I need you to get him out of the basement and back to the van."
"What are you going to be doing?" asked Biff although he was positive he wasn't going to like the answer.
"I'm going to create a diversion," Joe said.
"No," Biff declared with authority. "Trading you for Frank isn't the way to do this."
"Relax, buddy," Joe said. "I'll just keep watch unless they try to leave. Even if I do get caught I stand a better chance to get out of this than Frank. He can't even stand up on his own."
The two went inside. Joe pointed out the basement door to Biff then went into one of the rooms next to the living room where the men were gathered.
"Biff?" Frank gasped in surprise as Biff stepped up to the basement door.
"How did you get up the steps?" Biff demanded looking at Frank. "Joe said you were hurt."
"Just my ankle," answered Frank. "I can hobble, and crawl," he added looking down at the steps he had just crawled up. "Where's Joe?"
"He's going to make sure they are kept occupied while I get you out of here," Biff informed him.
"Why can't he do as he's told?" complained Frank in a low voice as Biff put a supporting arm under his arm.
"You know Joe would never leave you," Biff said.
"I know, but still..."
Joe looked through the open door and saw Biff walking down the hallway with his brother leaning heavily on him.
"It better have been a ploy of Hardy's," Joe heard McFadden say.
Oh no! Joe thought. They're getting ready to leave! He looked around the room. Next to the window was a large expensive looking vase. He opened the window then knocked the vase to the floor where it crashed into a hundred or more pieces.
Immediately the connecting door burst open and Morrison, McFadden, Foster, Moran, Picard and three other men rushed into the room, all with their weapons drawn.
Joe stood there looking like he had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar minutes before dinner. He looked at the men with a sheepish grin and said, "Oops."
"Fenton?" Chief Collig asked a bit hesitantly as Fenton closed Phil's cell phone and stared at it with his bottom lip tucked between his lips.
"How soon can you have an unmarked car here?" inquired Fenton looking into Collig's eyes.
"Five minutes," Collig stated. "Why?"
"Joe has a plan," Fenton said with a twinge of worry mingled into his voice. He informed Collig of Joe's request.
"I'll have one on each street in five minutes," Collig promised as he left the two and climbed back into his squad car.
"Do you mind if I hang onto your cell for a little while?" Fenton asked Phil.
"Of course not, Sir," replied Phil. "Um, Mr. Hardy?" he asked hesitantly. "How are you going to get Tom to go to Morrison?"
"By telling him a slightly altered version of the truth," Fenton answered. He led the way inside, coming to a stop as Chet and Tony stepped into the foyer to greet them.
"Are you all right?" asked Chet looking at the gash on Mr. Hardy's forehead.
"I'm fine," Fenton assured the boys with a brief smile.
"I'm glad to hear that," said Tom coming down the steps. "Joe was worried half to death about you."
"I know," replied Fenton. "He just called." Fenton held up Phil's cell phone. "He was glad I had escaped but Morrison still has Frank and that didn't make Joe happy."
"Well, duh," put in Chet.
"No, you see Joe overheard McFadden say he was going to Morrison's to take care of some business," Fenton fibbed. "Joe was following them but lost sight of their car. You know how Joe gets when he is frustrated."
"McFadden was going to see Morrison?" asked Tom unsure he had heard correctly. Why would he do that wondered Tom? Unless he had somehow figured out Morrison had sicced the Hardys on him!
Tom let out a big yawn and stretched his arms. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't get much rest last night."
"No wonder," Phil put in pseudo-sympathetically.
"There isn't anything you can do now," said Fenton. "The police searched Morrison's old hangout and he is long gone so you might as well get some shuteye."
"I think I will," Tom acquiesced at once. "Wake me if you need me," he added heading back up the stairs.
"Chet, why don't you use the phone in my office to see if it's all right with your parents to stay here for awhile longer," Fenton suggested before Tom was out of earshot. He didn't want the man using the phone to warn Morrison. He had to actually go in person. "Tony, you can use the phone down here."
"Sure thing, Mr. Hardy," Tony agreed as Chet followed Tom up the stairs.
Fenton ran to the kitchen and watched out the window. He was sure Joe had given Tom the upstairs guestroom to stay in. A couple of minutes later, Tom's legs were coming into view as he jumped from the window to the tree and navigated his way down. Phil had followed Fenton into the kitchen and Tony popped in a minute later to see what was going on. Fenton turned to the two boys. "Tony, do you have your cell on you?"
"Yes, Sir," answered Tony.
"Good. I want you two to take the boys' bikes and follow Tom. Don't try to stop him. He will probably steal a car somewhere along the way," he warned them. "When he reaches his destination call and give me the location. Chet, the police and I will be on our way."
"Yes, Sir," Phil and Tony agreed. They waited until Tom had landed in the yard and took off down the street before hurrying to the garage. There, they donned helmets and started the bikes, glad their friends left the keys in them when they were parked in the garage.
About ten minutes after Joe had ended his call with his father, McFadden's car pulled off the main highway. Less than fifteen minutes later, Joe pulled the van to a stop behind some overgrown bushes.
"Time to call your dad," Biff said.
"Not yet," disagreed Joe. "First we have to make sure Frank is in there."
"Let's go then," said Biff.
"No," Joe halted him. "Just me. If I get caught you need to call Dad and the police. Give me twenty minutes."
"I don't like this," Biff said with a scowl.
"Me either," admitted Joe. "But if Frank isn't there then getting the police would be a big mistake."
Joe left the van and crept up to the house. He could hear the men arguing in the living room as he entered through the back door. He checked upstairs hoping they were keeping Frank at least semi-comfortable as they had him but it was deserted. He returned downstairs and looked around the main floor, avoiding the accusations and threats coming from one room and headed toward the back of the house. Only four doors down from the commotion, he saw one door closed and bolted.
Quietly sliding the lock back, he opened the door and descended the steps with his penlight to guide him. "Frank!" he gasped seeing his brother tied to a pillar in the middle of the basement.
Joe hurried over and pulled the gag from his mouth. "Are you okay?" he asked Frank anxiously , his eyes taking in the bruises Frank had sustained during his attempted escape.
"Yes, except I hurt my ankle," said Frank. "I can't walk."
"You can lean on me," said Joe. "But be quiet."
"Where's Dad?" asked Frank. "And the police?"
"At home waiting for me to call and tell him I found you," Joe whispered. "He'll bring the cops with him."
"You're here alone?" Frank hissed angrily. Why did Joe put himself in these situations?
"Biff's outside," Joe told him. "Come on," he added trying to get Frank to a standing position.
"No," Frank said his face set stubbornly. "Get out of here before you get caught. I will be fine until the police arrive."
Joe took one look at Frank's determined face then turned and left the basement. Frank, pleased Joe had done as ordered for once, was never the less stunned that Joe had left him!
Joe made his way out of the house and back tot he van. "He wasn't there?" Biff asked as Joe reached for the cell phone.
"He's there," replied Joe. "And stubborn as ever." Joe hit the speed dial for Phil's cell and told his dad where they were. When he hung up he looked at Biff. "Frank hurt his ankle," he said. "I need you to get him out of the basement and back to the van."
"What are you going to be doing?" asked Biff although he was positive he wasn't going to like the answer.
"I'm going to create a diversion," Joe said.
"No," Biff declared with authority. "Trading you for Frank isn't the way to do this."
"Relax, buddy," Joe said. "I'll just keep watch unless they try to leave. Even if I do get caught I stand a better chance to get out of this than Frank. He can't even stand up on his own."
The two went inside. Joe pointed out the basement door to Biff then went into one of the rooms next to the living room where the men were gathered.
"Biff?" Frank gasped in surprise as Biff stepped up to the basement door.
"How did you get up the steps?" Biff demanded looking at Frank. "Joe said you were hurt."
"Just my ankle," answered Frank. "I can hobble, and crawl," he added looking down at the steps he had just crawled up. "Where's Joe?"
"He's going to make sure they are kept occupied while I get you out of here," Biff informed him.
"Why can't he do as he's told?" complained Frank in a low voice as Biff put a supporting arm under his arm.
"You know Joe would never leave you," Biff said.
"I know, but still..."
Joe looked through the open door and saw Biff walking down the hallway with his brother leaning heavily on him.
"It better have been a ploy of Hardy's," Joe heard McFadden say.
Oh no! Joe thought. They're getting ready to leave! He looked around the room. Next to the window was a large expensive looking vase. He opened the window then knocked the vase to the floor where it crashed into a hundred or more pieces.
Immediately the connecting door burst open and Morrison, McFadden, Foster, Moran, Picard and three other men rushed into the room, all with their weapons drawn.
Joe stood there looking like he had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar minutes before dinner. He looked at the men with a sheepish grin and said, "Oops."