Laura lifted Joe from his chair and followed Ginger and Frank into the living room. She set Joe on the sofa in front of the television, and Frank dropped to the floor next to him.
"How about this one?" Ginger asked, holding out a Nintendo cartridge to Frank.
"Cool!" Frank said, reaching up for it. "I haven't played this one, yet."
Ginger handed Frank the cartridge, and then gave Joe a controller, Frank having grabbed his as he inserted the game in its slot. Joe accepted the controller with a curious expression.
"Haven't you played Nintendo before?" Ginger asked him gently.
Joe shook his head.
"I'll teach you!" Frank piped up, and started showing Joe what each of the buttons on the controller was for.
Seeing the two boys were engrossed for the moment, Ginger and Laura retreated to the kitchen. Ginger turned on the water, and squirted some dish detergent into the sink, humming softly.
"You're in a great mood." Laura observed, stacking the empty plates and bringing them to the sink. "Considering that you had unexpected company dumped on you like this."
"Yeah!" Ginger agreed. "Oh, Laura!" she continued, spinning around, her face animated. "I've got to tell someone before I burst!"
"What is it?" Laura demanded, her eyes filling with concern. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong!" Ginger shouted. "Everything's perfect! I'm going to have a baby!" she announced, her voice going soft with the awe she still felt at the revelation.
"A baby! Oh Ginger, that's fantastic!" Laura squealed, hugging the tall redhead. "When are you due? How long have you known? Why didn't Ezra mention it?"
"Seven and a half months - since this morning...and...I haven't told him yet." Ginger answered the questions in rapid succession.
"You were going to tell him tonight." Laura realized, stricken. "I'm so sorry we ruined it for you!"
"You did nothing of the sort." Ginger denied, frowning. "I wasn't going to tell him tonight, anyway." she continued. "Ezra's got some time off in three more days; I was going to tell him then."
Laura smiled, but she was still worried. "Maybe the boys and I should go somewhere else..." she began, her voice becoming hesitant as she watched Ginger's eyes ignite. "I don't want anything to happen-"
"Stop right there!" Ginger ordered fiercely. "No one knows you're here except Ezra and Fenton, and they're not going to tell anyone." she pointed out. "Besides, how could Ezra and I look forward to a wonderful future with our child, knowing we hadn't done everything we could for another child who needed our help?" she reasoned.
Laura hugged her gratefully. "Thank you." she said. "And don't worry," she added, her blue eyes twinkling. "I won't mention the baby to a soul!"
There was an eruption of laughter from the living room, and the two women went to see what was going on.
Frank was strutting around in front of the television, the game paused in the background, acting like the character on the screen. He wobbled for a few feet, then froze, his eyes going wide. He made a gurgling sound, then started sinking toward the floor. "Glub...glub...glub...."
Joe broke into a fit of giggles, the sound warming the hearts of the two female observers.
"Do it again!" Joe pleaded. Frank, highly pleased to have an appreciative audience, obligingly did as requested.
Fenton sighed as he surreptitiously watched Jonathan Drecker open yet another door. Each door the man had opened thus far had been to an unoccupied room, and this room was no exception. Fenton stayed where he was, and waited the few seconds it would take for the snoop to realize he would find nothing of interest here.
Here he comes again! thought Fenton, as Drecker emerged from the room and closed the door. He proceeded down the hall, and stopped in front of the double doors leading into the office. Drecker looked around, and spotting no one, gently turned the knob on one of the doors and peered through the crack. Finding the room empty, he looked about once more, then stealthily slipped inside, closing the door behind him.
Fenton hurried over to the doors, and knelt down, to be at eye level with the keyhole. He could see Drecker rifling through the drawers of the desk. He was searching for something specific, Fenton realized, watching Drecker shove items aside without a thought.
He doesn't seem to care if Wood discovers his search, Fenton thought, his eyebrows drawing together. He must be planning on leaving before Wood returns, whether or not he finds what he's looking for...so maybe I'd better find out what he's after, before he does find it! he decided. Standing erect, Fenton took a deep, calming breath before opening the door and stepping through.
Three steps into the room, he paused. "What are you doing here, Mr. Drecker?" he asked, feigning surprise.
Drecker jumped and sniffled. "I was - uh - looking for some paper and an envelope." he offered, lamely.
"No problem!" Fenton said cheerfully, going around to the back of the desk where Drecker stood. Fenton opened a drawer and removed some paper, a pen, an envelope, and even a stamp. "Here you go." he said with a smile. "If there's anything else you require, just let me know." he said, taking Drecker's elbow and leading him towards the door.
"No...no, this should be fine." Drecker said, starting down the hall.
"Sir - " Fenton said, to get the man's attention. Drecker stopped and pivoted toward him. "Allow me to escort you to your room." Fenton continued. "It's easy to get turned around, in such a large house." He pulled the office doors shut behind him, and held out his hand, indicating that Drecker should precede him, in the opposite direction to the one Drecker had been heading.
"Thank you," Drecker replied, sniffing. "You're most kind." he added, his frustration at being balked in his search seeping into his voice.
After seeing Drecker safely into his room, Fenton returned to the office, locking the doors from the inside so that he wouldn't be surprised as Drecker had been.
Time to look this place over, Fenton decided. "But first, the desk." he said aloud, going over and sitting down. Once in the chair, he flipped the switch beneath the left arm; the paneling slid back, and the monitors were revealed. He spotted Drecker pacing back and forth in his room, scowling.
Fenton began going through the drawers. By the time he had searched the last one, he had given up hope of finding out what Drecker had been seeking. He moved things around, looking for anything in the realm of possibility, but the only item he came across that didn't seem to belong was a Rubik's Cube, which, he assumed, Wood must use to relieve stress. He tossed the toy back into the drawer and shut it with an exasperated bang.
Fenton checked the monitors again. Drecker had resigned himself to his room, much to Fenton's relief, and the cook - What was his name? Ah yes, Randy Harmon - was seen to be tossing something into the trash near the back door.
Fenton decided now was a good time to check out the rest of the office. He started with the beige metal filing cabinet nestled in the corner, near the long table, which held the fax machine and assorted bottles of spirits. He grinned sardonically as he glanced at the bourbon, gin, vodka, and other alcoholic beverages and mixers which occupied most of the space. Wood must do a lot of socializing in here - either that, or he's an alcoholic!
The file cabinet was locked, but Fenton made short work of it, and began scanning the files within. The files consisted mainly of financial statements and various contracts associated with those businesses. Fenton finally gave up and relocked the cabinet, having come to the conclusion that everything in it, and possibly the office that was easily accessible, was legit.
He returned to the desk, prepared to tackle the correspondence once again, but a glance at the monitors showed him that Drecker was on the move again. Fenton groaned. If only he was supposed to know about the security monitors, he could...Wait! A slow smile spread across Fenton's face. I have a legitimate reason to be in here...that switch is easy to find. I could have found it by accident, just by sitting down and putting my hands on the chair arms. Shaking his head and laughing to himself, Fenton picked up where he had left off with the correspondence, keeping an eye on the monitors for Drecker's movements.
Eventually, Fenton finished with the stack of letters which had looked most promising. Drecker still hadn't made any progress in his exploration of the rooms, so Fenton set to work on the 'junk' mail, glancing at each and then inserting the papers into the shredder. He glanced at his watch as he dropped the last of the junk mail into the shredder. Almost time for dinner. Drecker must have realized the same thing, for he was returning to his room with alarming speed.
Fenton returned to his room to freshen up, then stopped outside Drecker's door when he was ready. Drecker opened the door quickly, and the two made their way down to dinner.
Ezra Collig arrived at Zippy's Burgers and parked in the police zone marked along the curb. He went inside, and spotted the IA agent almost at once. There was just something about Internal Affairs men that made them stand out from the rest of the crowd, and Agent Greg Rathbone was no exception. A thin man of average height, he had a pointy nose, which curved up just a bit, and thin black hair combed over his head in an effort to hide the fact that he was going bald.
"Agent Rathbone?" Collig asked, going over to the table where the man was seated.
The agent nodded and motioned for Ezra to take a seat. "What do you know about Chief Barry Greer?" Rathbone demanded without preamble, staring into Ezra's eyes.
"I have heard he turns a blind eye to a certain person's activities." Collig admitted, not naming names.
"Our office has received a number of complaints about the good chief." Rathbone stated. "The most recent included allowing two boys to drag race, and one lodged by a man who was pulled over for speeding. He asserted that Chief Greer offered to forego the ticket, thereby letting him off the hook with the insurance company, if the man contributed to Greer's favorite charity."
"The man could have been trying to get out of paying the fine." Collig felt obliged to point out.
"Yes...but the man admitted he had been speeding. He was upset at the wrongdoing of an official who is supposed to be looked up to." Rathbone replied. "The man who lodged the complaint was Father Mathews from the St. Joseph's parish.
"Could Jim Wood have Greer on his payroll?" Collig asked, wanting to get to the subject he was most concerned with.
"Jim Wood?" Rathbone echoed incredulously. "You do realize, don't you, that Jim Wood is a prominent figure in Burnsville? He's one of the wealthiest men in the state, for that matter." Rathbone added. "He donates to countless charities, and he funded a new wing to the Burnsville Memorial Hospital in honor of his late wife."
"Too bad charity doesn't begin at home." Ezra mumbled, too low to be understood by the agent.
"Come again?" Rathbone requested, looking at Collig thoughtfully.
Ezra related the story of Wood's visit and 'employment offer.' "I had Sergeant Morrow listen to the meeting, in case a witness should be needed." he concluded.
"Jim Wood," Rathbone said, shaking his head. "I never would have believed it." Collig remained silent, waiting for him to continue. "I'll start an investigation of Wood," Rathbone said, finally. "If he has bought Greer, and tried to buy you, then he must have something up his sleeve."
"He does." Ezra concurred. "That's why Fenton has already started investigating him."
"You know, Fenton Hardy is going to go far." Rathbone observed. "He's managed to do a lot in the past couple of years."
"That he has," Ezra agreed. "And he was a great cop before that."
"He was a cop? I didn't know that!" Rathbone was obviously surprised.
"He was with the NYPD." was Ezra's reply. "He resigned after his last promotion. He said he felt he could accomplish more in the private sector."
"Very commendable," Rathbone commented, impressed. He looked down at his watch. "I'm afraid I've taken up too much of your time." he said, smiling. "I'll be in touch."
Collig bade the man goodbye and headed out to his squad car. He opened the door and was about to get in when he noticed an elderly man across the street trying to catch his attention.
"Officer! Officer!" The man shouted, motioning violently for Ezra to cross the street to him. Sighing, Ezra waited for the traffic to slow down, and then started across the street, slamming the car door behind him.
The shutting door triggered an explosion in the car, and it burst into flames! Ezra was propelled forward to land at the elderly man's feet, facedown and unmoving.
"How about this one?" Ginger asked, holding out a Nintendo cartridge to Frank.
"Cool!" Frank said, reaching up for it. "I haven't played this one, yet."
Ginger handed Frank the cartridge, and then gave Joe a controller, Frank having grabbed his as he inserted the game in its slot. Joe accepted the controller with a curious expression.
"Haven't you played Nintendo before?" Ginger asked him gently.
Joe shook his head.
"I'll teach you!" Frank piped up, and started showing Joe what each of the buttons on the controller was for.
Seeing the two boys were engrossed for the moment, Ginger and Laura retreated to the kitchen. Ginger turned on the water, and squirted some dish detergent into the sink, humming softly.
"You're in a great mood." Laura observed, stacking the empty plates and bringing them to the sink. "Considering that you had unexpected company dumped on you like this."
"Yeah!" Ginger agreed. "Oh, Laura!" she continued, spinning around, her face animated. "I've got to tell someone before I burst!"
"What is it?" Laura demanded, her eyes filling with concern. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong!" Ginger shouted. "Everything's perfect! I'm going to have a baby!" she announced, her voice going soft with the awe she still felt at the revelation.
"A baby! Oh Ginger, that's fantastic!" Laura squealed, hugging the tall redhead. "When are you due? How long have you known? Why didn't Ezra mention it?"
"Seven and a half months - since this morning...and...I haven't told him yet." Ginger answered the questions in rapid succession.
"You were going to tell him tonight." Laura realized, stricken. "I'm so sorry we ruined it for you!"
"You did nothing of the sort." Ginger denied, frowning. "I wasn't going to tell him tonight, anyway." she continued. "Ezra's got some time off in three more days; I was going to tell him then."
Laura smiled, but she was still worried. "Maybe the boys and I should go somewhere else..." she began, her voice becoming hesitant as she watched Ginger's eyes ignite. "I don't want anything to happen-"
"Stop right there!" Ginger ordered fiercely. "No one knows you're here except Ezra and Fenton, and they're not going to tell anyone." she pointed out. "Besides, how could Ezra and I look forward to a wonderful future with our child, knowing we hadn't done everything we could for another child who needed our help?" she reasoned.
Laura hugged her gratefully. "Thank you." she said. "And don't worry," she added, her blue eyes twinkling. "I won't mention the baby to a soul!"
There was an eruption of laughter from the living room, and the two women went to see what was going on.
Frank was strutting around in front of the television, the game paused in the background, acting like the character on the screen. He wobbled for a few feet, then froze, his eyes going wide. He made a gurgling sound, then started sinking toward the floor. "Glub...glub...glub...."
Joe broke into a fit of giggles, the sound warming the hearts of the two female observers.
"Do it again!" Joe pleaded. Frank, highly pleased to have an appreciative audience, obligingly did as requested.
Fenton sighed as he surreptitiously watched Jonathan Drecker open yet another door. Each door the man had opened thus far had been to an unoccupied room, and this room was no exception. Fenton stayed where he was, and waited the few seconds it would take for the snoop to realize he would find nothing of interest here.
Here he comes again! thought Fenton, as Drecker emerged from the room and closed the door. He proceeded down the hall, and stopped in front of the double doors leading into the office. Drecker looked around, and spotting no one, gently turned the knob on one of the doors and peered through the crack. Finding the room empty, he looked about once more, then stealthily slipped inside, closing the door behind him.
Fenton hurried over to the doors, and knelt down, to be at eye level with the keyhole. He could see Drecker rifling through the drawers of the desk. He was searching for something specific, Fenton realized, watching Drecker shove items aside without a thought.
He doesn't seem to care if Wood discovers his search, Fenton thought, his eyebrows drawing together. He must be planning on leaving before Wood returns, whether or not he finds what he's looking for...so maybe I'd better find out what he's after, before he does find it! he decided. Standing erect, Fenton took a deep, calming breath before opening the door and stepping through.
Three steps into the room, he paused. "What are you doing here, Mr. Drecker?" he asked, feigning surprise.
Drecker jumped and sniffled. "I was - uh - looking for some paper and an envelope." he offered, lamely.
"No problem!" Fenton said cheerfully, going around to the back of the desk where Drecker stood. Fenton opened a drawer and removed some paper, a pen, an envelope, and even a stamp. "Here you go." he said with a smile. "If there's anything else you require, just let me know." he said, taking Drecker's elbow and leading him towards the door.
"No...no, this should be fine." Drecker said, starting down the hall.
"Sir - " Fenton said, to get the man's attention. Drecker stopped and pivoted toward him. "Allow me to escort you to your room." Fenton continued. "It's easy to get turned around, in such a large house." He pulled the office doors shut behind him, and held out his hand, indicating that Drecker should precede him, in the opposite direction to the one Drecker had been heading.
"Thank you," Drecker replied, sniffing. "You're most kind." he added, his frustration at being balked in his search seeping into his voice.
After seeing Drecker safely into his room, Fenton returned to the office, locking the doors from the inside so that he wouldn't be surprised as Drecker had been.
Time to look this place over, Fenton decided. "But first, the desk." he said aloud, going over and sitting down. Once in the chair, he flipped the switch beneath the left arm; the paneling slid back, and the monitors were revealed. He spotted Drecker pacing back and forth in his room, scowling.
Fenton began going through the drawers. By the time he had searched the last one, he had given up hope of finding out what Drecker had been seeking. He moved things around, looking for anything in the realm of possibility, but the only item he came across that didn't seem to belong was a Rubik's Cube, which, he assumed, Wood must use to relieve stress. He tossed the toy back into the drawer and shut it with an exasperated bang.
Fenton checked the monitors again. Drecker had resigned himself to his room, much to Fenton's relief, and the cook - What was his name? Ah yes, Randy Harmon - was seen to be tossing something into the trash near the back door.
Fenton decided now was a good time to check out the rest of the office. He started with the beige metal filing cabinet nestled in the corner, near the long table, which held the fax machine and assorted bottles of spirits. He grinned sardonically as he glanced at the bourbon, gin, vodka, and other alcoholic beverages and mixers which occupied most of the space. Wood must do a lot of socializing in here - either that, or he's an alcoholic!
The file cabinet was locked, but Fenton made short work of it, and began scanning the files within. The files consisted mainly of financial statements and various contracts associated with those businesses. Fenton finally gave up and relocked the cabinet, having come to the conclusion that everything in it, and possibly the office that was easily accessible, was legit.
He returned to the desk, prepared to tackle the correspondence once again, but a glance at the monitors showed him that Drecker was on the move again. Fenton groaned. If only he was supposed to know about the security monitors, he could...Wait! A slow smile spread across Fenton's face. I have a legitimate reason to be in here...that switch is easy to find. I could have found it by accident, just by sitting down and putting my hands on the chair arms. Shaking his head and laughing to himself, Fenton picked up where he had left off with the correspondence, keeping an eye on the monitors for Drecker's movements.
Eventually, Fenton finished with the stack of letters which had looked most promising. Drecker still hadn't made any progress in his exploration of the rooms, so Fenton set to work on the 'junk' mail, glancing at each and then inserting the papers into the shredder. He glanced at his watch as he dropped the last of the junk mail into the shredder. Almost time for dinner. Drecker must have realized the same thing, for he was returning to his room with alarming speed.
Fenton returned to his room to freshen up, then stopped outside Drecker's door when he was ready. Drecker opened the door quickly, and the two made their way down to dinner.
Ezra Collig arrived at Zippy's Burgers and parked in the police zone marked along the curb. He went inside, and spotted the IA agent almost at once. There was just something about Internal Affairs men that made them stand out from the rest of the crowd, and Agent Greg Rathbone was no exception. A thin man of average height, he had a pointy nose, which curved up just a bit, and thin black hair combed over his head in an effort to hide the fact that he was going bald.
"Agent Rathbone?" Collig asked, going over to the table where the man was seated.
The agent nodded and motioned for Ezra to take a seat. "What do you know about Chief Barry Greer?" Rathbone demanded without preamble, staring into Ezra's eyes.
"I have heard he turns a blind eye to a certain person's activities." Collig admitted, not naming names.
"Our office has received a number of complaints about the good chief." Rathbone stated. "The most recent included allowing two boys to drag race, and one lodged by a man who was pulled over for speeding. He asserted that Chief Greer offered to forego the ticket, thereby letting him off the hook with the insurance company, if the man contributed to Greer's favorite charity."
"The man could have been trying to get out of paying the fine." Collig felt obliged to point out.
"Yes...but the man admitted he had been speeding. He was upset at the wrongdoing of an official who is supposed to be looked up to." Rathbone replied. "The man who lodged the complaint was Father Mathews from the St. Joseph's parish.
"Could Jim Wood have Greer on his payroll?" Collig asked, wanting to get to the subject he was most concerned with.
"Jim Wood?" Rathbone echoed incredulously. "You do realize, don't you, that Jim Wood is a prominent figure in Burnsville? He's one of the wealthiest men in the state, for that matter." Rathbone added. "He donates to countless charities, and he funded a new wing to the Burnsville Memorial Hospital in honor of his late wife."
"Too bad charity doesn't begin at home." Ezra mumbled, too low to be understood by the agent.
"Come again?" Rathbone requested, looking at Collig thoughtfully.
Ezra related the story of Wood's visit and 'employment offer.' "I had Sergeant Morrow listen to the meeting, in case a witness should be needed." he concluded.
"Jim Wood," Rathbone said, shaking his head. "I never would have believed it." Collig remained silent, waiting for him to continue. "I'll start an investigation of Wood," Rathbone said, finally. "If he has bought Greer, and tried to buy you, then he must have something up his sleeve."
"He does." Ezra concurred. "That's why Fenton has already started investigating him."
"You know, Fenton Hardy is going to go far." Rathbone observed. "He's managed to do a lot in the past couple of years."
"That he has," Ezra agreed. "And he was a great cop before that."
"He was a cop? I didn't know that!" Rathbone was obviously surprised.
"He was with the NYPD." was Ezra's reply. "He resigned after his last promotion. He said he felt he could accomplish more in the private sector."
"Very commendable," Rathbone commented, impressed. He looked down at his watch. "I'm afraid I've taken up too much of your time." he said, smiling. "I'll be in touch."
Collig bade the man goodbye and headed out to his squad car. He opened the door and was about to get in when he noticed an elderly man across the street trying to catch his attention.
"Officer! Officer!" The man shouted, motioning violently for Ezra to cross the street to him. Sighing, Ezra waited for the traffic to slow down, and then started across the street, slamming the car door behind him.
The shutting door triggered an explosion in the car, and it burst into flames! Ezra was propelled forward to land at the elderly man's feet, facedown and unmoving.
