"What's going on here?" asked Frank, his brown eyes reflecting the concern and curiosity he felt.

"Someone attacked Joe again," Sergeant Lacey answered.

"Where is he?" Frank snapped anxiously. "Is he okay?"

"He's been taken to Bayport General," Lacey answered. "Your mother was taken there as well."

"What?" demanded Frank, his face going white.

"Your mother was unconscious," Lacey explained. "She was hit on the back of the head. Your father accompanied her to the hospital while the chief and I went upstairs to free Joe. He had been tied up and put in the tub with cold running water." Frank looked a bit confused. "We found a hair dryer in the tub. We believe the intent was to electrocute him but something went wrong."

"What?"

"We don't know," answered Lacey. "Before we could ask Joe any questions he began shivering and stuttering. The chief radioed for another ambulance and went with him to the hospital."

"Has he called?" asked Frank.

Sergeant Lacey shook his head. "They have only been gone about twenty minutes," he said. "You should go on over," Lacey continued. "We'll finish up here and make sure everything is locked up before we leave."

"Thanks," said Frank. He retreated from the house and jumped back into the car. Less than fifteen minutes later he pulled into the parking lot at the hospital and hurried inside.

"Dad!" Frank called out when he entered the emergency waiting room.

Fenton looked away from Collig and over at Frank. The two men stood and met Frank halfway across the room. "How are they?" asked Frank.

"We haven't heard," Fenton replied with a heavy sigh. "And they won't let me go back."

"What happened?" asked Frank.

Fenton ran a hand through his thinning mane of brown hair and let it come to rest against the back of his neck. "I don't know," he admitted. "After I sent Joe to his room to shower and rest I turned on the alarm and went upstairs to my office. I heard the shower in your bathroom running and assumed Joe was cleaning up after his workout." He paused wishing he had gone in to make sure then instead of waiting.

"The intruder must have already been in the house," he continued. "I went to my office and started doing backgrounds on the people involved from the school's side. You called and I went to talk to Laura but heard the water still going so I went in to check and..." he stopped as the horror of the moment replayed in his mind.

"And?" prompted Frank.

Fenton told him about the water and the dryer. "Joe insisted I check on Laura before I untied him. When I got to the kitchen, Laura was lying on the floor by the door. I stayed with her until the paramedics and Ezra arrived and then I sent Ezra upstairs to take care of your brother."

Fenton's face took on a pinched look. "I never thought about the water being so cold. The fact that Joe could get hypothermia at this time of year, at home, never even occurred to me."

"It's okay," Frank said, putting an arm around his father's shoulders. "You couldn't leave mom and Joe was conscious when you left him. Joe will be okay. Mom too," he added, praying he was right.

The three of them sat down but got right back up as the door opened and a doctor stepped out. "Mr. Hardy?" he inquired.

"Yes?" Fenton asked nervously.

"Your wife has regained consciousness," the young doctor informed him. Fenton let out a sigh of relief. "She has a severe concussion and I want to keep her here for at least twenty-four hours for observation," the doctor continued. "I would also like to recommend a CAT scan."

"Whatever you think is necessary," Fenton agreed at once.

"She was asking about someone named Joe," the doctor said.

"Our son," Fenton informed him. "He was brought in a few minutes after Laura."

"I see," said the doctor frowning. "She shouldn't be upset," he said. "Have you heard any news on him yet?"

"No," answered Fenton.

"You can see your wife now but if you will wait a couple of minutes before you do I will find out something about your son," he offered.

"Thank you," Fenton replied gratefully.

"What are you going to tell her if Joe isn't doing well?" Frank asked his father.

"I don't know," Fenton replied sadly. "But he is," he added hopefully. "Joe was brought in quickly. He has to be all right."

"Mr. Hardy?" a nurse approached the three men.

"Yes?"

"If you will come with me?" she asked, turning around.

"We were waiting for news of my son," Fenton said.

"I know," she said, turning around and smiling at him. "He has regained consciousness and has been placed in a room with his mother."

"Thank God," Fenton and Frank breathed as one.