Joe rattled the doorknob, hoping for another lucky break, but this time the door was locked. "How can we get in?" he cried in frustration.
"Stand back." Frank commanded, and set himself for a full-force karate kick. His foot struck the door latch with stunning impact, and the lock popped free of the splintered wood. The boys shoved the door open and rushed inside, into the darkened entry hall. From upstairs, a light dimly shone down the staircase.
As they hovered uncertainly in the hall, the sound of footsteps reached their ears, followed by a sudden crashing noise in the bushes outside!
"Someone's escaping!" Joe cried, and swung about, darting out the front door in pursuit of the intruder.
Frank mounted the stairs quickly, calling Ms. Westerman's name. He located her standing in the middle of her bedroom, clad in silky yellow pajamas…and hysterical! She clutched at him, shaking and sobbing, tears streaming down her face.
"He - it was - I c-can't…" She gasped, and sobbed, and clung frantically to him "I - I saw…"
"Take it easy," Frank tried to calm the overwrought woman, patting her back soothingly. "Take some deep breaths."
But Danielle Westerman continued to sob and stammer out incoherent phrases, disconnected sentence fragments which made no sense to the elder Hardy boy. Frank managed to guide her to a chair, and made her sit down, still murmuring reassurances, but wondering when she was going to snap out of this hysterical fit. I wonder what would happen to me if I slapped a teacher…? he mused. He was starting to feel slightly exasperated. Ms. Westerman didn't appear to be injured, and nothing in the room looked disturbed.
As if sensing his thoughts, the woman finally took several shuddering breaths and managed to control her sobs. "I'm…sorry." she gulped. "I was - so frightened!"
"Can you tell me what happened?" Frank inquired, relieved that she finally seemed coherent.
"A man - I'd swear it was the same one who was here before! - came in through the window!" She pointed to the aperture, and Frank gave it a keen glance.
"It was open?" he demanded, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Why did you have the window open?"
"It's too hot to sleep with it closed." she replied, a slightly defensive note in her voice.
Frank frowned slightly. She's already had one break-in, but still she left a window open - almost like she was inviting danger…daring someone to try to get in!
A door slammed downstairs, causing Ms. Westerman to gasp again in alarm. Hurried footsteps on the stairs sounded through the house, and in a moment Joe appeared in the doorway, looking worried and exasperated.
"Ms. Westerman, are you all right?" he demanded.
"Yes," she nodded. "I'm grateful that you two showed up - but why are you here?" she added, tilting her head, the terrified expresssion in her eyes now replaced by one of curiosity.
"Just a hunch," Joe said, not wishing to alarm her by telling of the Internet fanfiction story coming true. "I never saw anyone outside," he continued in disgust. "I don't know how the guy managed to get away so fast - never heard footsteps running, or a motor. I did think I saw a dog, but - hey!" he stopped in surprise. "Where's your dog? Why wasn't he protecting you?"
"I took him to the vet today, to be neutered," Ms. Westerman replied. "and he stayed there overnight."
Frank walked over to the bedside table and reached for the telephone. "I'm going to call this in to the police." he announced.
"Oh, that's - not necessary," Danielle interposed. "I'll call them. You've both been so kind - thank you. But you don't need to worry about anything more…"
"Don't you want us to wait until the police arrive?" Frank asked, wondering if he was imagining it…or if Danielle Westerman really did want them to leave?
"No, I'll be fine." She smiled at him tremulously. "I do appreciate the thought, though."
"I'm afraid we - I - broke your door lock." Frank admitted.
For a moment, Ms. Westerman looked distressed, but recovered her poise, and smiled. "That's a small thing, considering what might have happened if you hadn't arrived. I'll call the police now, if you don't mind seeing yourselves out." She sat down on the edge of the bed and picked up the phone receiver.
Feeling summarily dismissed, Frank and Joe went downstairs and exited the house. Once outside, they looked around, trying to see how an intruder could have gained access to Ms. Westerman's bedroom window.
"There." Joe pointed. A large tree grew near the house, and was leaning within inches of the window in question. It appeared that the tree had once been struck by lightning, and the trunk had grown sideways from the site of the strike. "Easy reach."
"She ought to have that cut down," Frank commented. "It's way too convenient for burglars."
"Uh-huh," Joe sighed wearily. "Let's go home…I think I've had enough for tonight."
When they reached their home, the boys checked the computer for new e-mail messages, but found nothing, nor were there any new chapters posted on the mystery fanfiction site.
"I'm for bed." Joe muttered, and headed for the stairs with Frank willingly at his heels.
The next morning, Frank awoke early - a habit he regretted each and every Saturday morning. Knowing better than to awaken Joe, Frank rose and dressed quietly, then went downstairs to the den, where he switched on the computer and accessed the mystery website.
There was a new chapter posted in Truth and Consequences! Frank leaned his chin on his fist and stared intently at the screen, following the lines of print. To his definite unease, he read about Jeremy and Fletcher's dash to save the teacher from an intruder - saved by our heroes! Frank sputtered with laughter at that comment - and kept on reading. He began to frown as he found that Jeremy and Fletcher had returned home, gone to bed…and that something happened to Jeremy…Fletcher awakes and wonders what is wrong….
With a sudden sick feeling in his stomach, Frank left the den and hurried upstairs, heading for Joe's room. To his surprise, the door was locked. Joe never locks his door! Not wanting to waste time going through his room and the connecting bathroom, Frank stepped back and launched a kick at the door. The noise of his foot connecting resounded through the quiet house, and the lock gave with a snap!
Frank shoved the door open, and stood on the threshold, staring in horrified shock at Joe, lying quietly in his bed, his pajama shirt stained a nauseating red!
As they hovered uncertainly in the hall, the sound of footsteps reached their ears, followed by a sudden crashing noise in the bushes outside!
"Someone's escaping!" Joe cried, and swung about, darting out the front door in pursuit of the intruder.
Frank mounted the stairs quickly, calling Ms. Westerman's name. He located her standing in the middle of her bedroom, clad in silky yellow pajamas…and hysterical! She clutched at him, shaking and sobbing, tears streaming down her face.
"He - it was - I c-can't…" She gasped, and sobbed, and clung frantically to him "I - I saw…"
"Take it easy," Frank tried to calm the overwrought woman, patting her back soothingly. "Take some deep breaths."
But Danielle Westerman continued to sob and stammer out incoherent phrases, disconnected sentence fragments which made no sense to the elder Hardy boy. Frank managed to guide her to a chair, and made her sit down, still murmuring reassurances, but wondering when she was going to snap out of this hysterical fit. I wonder what would happen to me if I slapped a teacher…? he mused. He was starting to feel slightly exasperated. Ms. Westerman didn't appear to be injured, and nothing in the room looked disturbed.
As if sensing his thoughts, the woman finally took several shuddering breaths and managed to control her sobs. "I'm…sorry." she gulped. "I was - so frightened!"
"Can you tell me what happened?" Frank inquired, relieved that she finally seemed coherent.
"A man - I'd swear it was the same one who was here before! - came in through the window!" She pointed to the aperture, and Frank gave it a keen glance.
"It was open?" he demanded, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Why did you have the window open?"
"It's too hot to sleep with it closed." she replied, a slightly defensive note in her voice.
Frank frowned slightly. She's already had one break-in, but still she left a window open - almost like she was inviting danger…daring someone to try to get in!
A door slammed downstairs, causing Ms. Westerman to gasp again in alarm. Hurried footsteps on the stairs sounded through the house, and in a moment Joe appeared in the doorway, looking worried and exasperated.
"Ms. Westerman, are you all right?" he demanded.
"Yes," she nodded. "I'm grateful that you two showed up - but why are you here?" she added, tilting her head, the terrified expresssion in her eyes now replaced by one of curiosity.
"Just a hunch," Joe said, not wishing to alarm her by telling of the Internet fanfiction story coming true. "I never saw anyone outside," he continued in disgust. "I don't know how the guy managed to get away so fast - never heard footsteps running, or a motor. I did think I saw a dog, but - hey!" he stopped in surprise. "Where's your dog? Why wasn't he protecting you?"
"I took him to the vet today, to be neutered," Ms. Westerman replied. "and he stayed there overnight."
Frank walked over to the bedside table and reached for the telephone. "I'm going to call this in to the police." he announced.
"Oh, that's - not necessary," Danielle interposed. "I'll call them. You've both been so kind - thank you. But you don't need to worry about anything more…"
"Don't you want us to wait until the police arrive?" Frank asked, wondering if he was imagining it…or if Danielle Westerman really did want them to leave?
"No, I'll be fine." She smiled at him tremulously. "I do appreciate the thought, though."
"I'm afraid we - I - broke your door lock." Frank admitted.
For a moment, Ms. Westerman looked distressed, but recovered her poise, and smiled. "That's a small thing, considering what might have happened if you hadn't arrived. I'll call the police now, if you don't mind seeing yourselves out." She sat down on the edge of the bed and picked up the phone receiver.
Feeling summarily dismissed, Frank and Joe went downstairs and exited the house. Once outside, they looked around, trying to see how an intruder could have gained access to Ms. Westerman's bedroom window.
"There." Joe pointed. A large tree grew near the house, and was leaning within inches of the window in question. It appeared that the tree had once been struck by lightning, and the trunk had grown sideways from the site of the strike. "Easy reach."
"She ought to have that cut down," Frank commented. "It's way too convenient for burglars."
"Uh-huh," Joe sighed wearily. "Let's go home…I think I've had enough for tonight."
When they reached their home, the boys checked the computer for new e-mail messages, but found nothing, nor were there any new chapters posted on the mystery fanfiction site.
"I'm for bed." Joe muttered, and headed for the stairs with Frank willingly at his heels.
The next morning, Frank awoke early - a habit he regretted each and every Saturday morning. Knowing better than to awaken Joe, Frank rose and dressed quietly, then went downstairs to the den, where he switched on the computer and accessed the mystery website.
There was a new chapter posted in Truth and Consequences! Frank leaned his chin on his fist and stared intently at the screen, following the lines of print. To his definite unease, he read about Jeremy and Fletcher's dash to save the teacher from an intruder - saved by our heroes! Frank sputtered with laughter at that comment - and kept on reading. He began to frown as he found that Jeremy and Fletcher had returned home, gone to bed…and that something happened to Jeremy…Fletcher awakes and wonders what is wrong….
With a sudden sick feeling in his stomach, Frank left the den and hurried upstairs, heading for Joe's room. To his surprise, the door was locked. Joe never locks his door! Not wanting to waste time going through his room and the connecting bathroom, Frank stepped back and launched a kick at the door. The noise of his foot connecting resounded through the quiet house, and the lock gave with a snap!
Frank shoved the door open, and stood on the threshold, staring in horrified shock at Joe, lying quietly in his bed, his pajama shirt stained a nauseating red!