Johnson was sitting with his face lying on the desk so that the right side could be seen.
"What happened?" Joe asked, still standing near the door. Even though Johnson was deceased and could not hurt him, Joe still felt uncomfortable around him.
"It looks like he was strangled," Frank commented as the police arrived.
"Hi Joe, Frank," Ezra Collig, Bayport's tall, lean, and graying chief of police, greeted them, nudging Joe aside so he could come into the office.
"Hi, Chief," Frank returned the greeting, looking at him after glancing at Joe. "I guess you want us to wait outside?" he asked.
"I would rather know what you two are doing here in the first place?" he asked pointedly.
"I asked them to help," Principal Dylan informed Chief Collig. "They are, after all, experienced in this field and they are on the grounds."
"True," Chief Collig admitted, looking at them curiously. He noticed how Frank kept casting furtive glances at Joe and how sick Joe looked when he looked at Frank. Neither of them meeting the other's eyes. Chief Collig's eyes narrowed on the two, knowing something was going on. This was not a normal occurrence by any means. 'Those two always thought along the same lines in an investigation and they always communicated through their eyes,' he thought.
He looked at Frank and said, "Okay, hang around in the hall. We need to secure this scene," he added.
Frank, Joe, and the principal left the office while Chief Collig and three other officers, two of them from forensics, took care of the crime scene. Principal Dylan left for his office and Frank and Joe sat down on the floor to wait. Neither of them talking.
Half an hour later, Chief Collig exited the office. "Okay," he said. "Sergeant Talbolt is going to be in charge of this case," he said. "He's on his way to the office to find out when Johnson's last class was and if he had any meetings with students today. You can keep in touch with him," the chief informed the Hardys.
"Okay," Joe replied, with a small smile of acknowledgement, which vanished almost as soon as it appeared.
"Do you two know anyone who might have something against Johnson?" Chief Collig asked, watching them closely.
"I do," Joe spoke up quickly, trying to keep Frank from saying anything.
"And me," Frank added, ignoring the warning look Joe sent him.
"What?" Chief Collig demanded.
Joe swallowed nervously but didn't answer. Frank glanced at Joe. "We just do," Frank said.
"Frank, I need more than that," the chief told him just before the intercom came on and the students were told they could go home.
All the students looked curiously at the Hardys and Chief Collig as they made their way out of the building. Some whispered furtively while others openly shouted about the delay in leaving. "Somewhere more private, perhaps?" he asked.
The boys nodded and the three made their way into a now empty classroom down the hall. As they entered, Biff followed them in as did Callie.
Chief Collig looked surprised to see the two of them, but Frank and Joe didn't. "You have met Callie and Biff?" Frank asked Chief Collig, who nodded.
"What are you two doing here?" Joe asked them.
"We're involved in this too," Callie pointed out. "They can't think you two killed him."
"I didn't," Chief Collig said. "But it is interesting to know you think I might have. Why?"
"You haven't told him?" Biff asked Joe.
Joe, looking down at his feet, shook his head.
"What's going on?" Chief Collig demanded. "Should I call your parents?
Joe let out a derisive snort, causing Chief Collig to narrow his gaze on him. "Joe, they didn't know," Frank said, still trying to defend his parents.
"They wouldn't even listen," Joe retorted.
"Okay, hold it," Chief Collig said. "Before this goes any further, I want all your parents called and we are all going to the station."
An hour later, the Shaws, the Hoopers and the Hardys were all gathered at the police station. Mr. Hardy was asked to go into Chief Collig's office while the others waited outside. Joe sat off to one side, his thoughts directed inward. Frank went over and sat beside him but Joe refused to look at him. Biff came over and sat down on Joe's other side.
Frank and Biff kept trying to get Joe to talk, but he simply sat staring down at his hands in his lap. Callie came over and put a hand on Frank's shoulder, looking at Joe. The kids' parents were silent as they watched everyone gather around Joe, and wondered what they were doing there and why Joe seemed to be the center of attention.
"Joe, would you come in here, please?" Chief Collig asked, opening the door and looking out.
Joe stood up and walked into the office. Frank watched Joe walk in and stood up to follow. "Just Joe," the chief told him.
"But.." Frank began to object, but Chief Collig interrupted him.
"Just Joe," he said, more sternly.
Mrs. Hardy came over and took Frank's arm and led him over to a chair near her.
Inside the office, Joe took a seat in front of Chief Collig's desk. His father sat in the chair beside him. "Joe, you said you had something against Bradley Johnson," Chief Collig began. "Would you please tell us what?"
Joe flashed a look of resentment at his father. "Joe, please," Mr. Hardy said.
"He uh, uh," Joe started, his breathing become heavier, and his eyes tearing up. He stopped talking and blinked rapidly.
"Just take your time," Chief Collig told him gently. Exchanging a look with Mr. Hardy.
"Son," Mr. Hardy said, leaning over and putting a hand on Joe's shoulder. Joe flinched and jerked away.
"Joe?" Mr. Hardy asked softly. "What's wrong?"
"You want to listen now?" Joe asked, hurt evident in his voice. "You didn't care when I needed you."
Now it was Mr. Hardy's turn to flinch. "I'm sorry," he told Joe. "I'm not perfect. I do make mistakes."
"So did I," Joe admitted. He took a deep breath and looked up, but still avoided looking at his father or the chief. He fixed his vision on a plaque behind the chief's desk. "Mr. Johnson told me there was only one way I would be able to pass his class. He told me I needed special tutoring. I was to go to his house twice a week."
"What kind of tutoring?" Chief Collig asked, looking intently at Joe and not seeing the paling of Mr. Hardy's face.
"He wanted me to..to.." Joe began, tears sliding down his cheeks.
"Oh my God," the words were torn from Mr. Hardy as he jumped up and pulled his son out of his chair and into a tight hug.
Joe moved backwards in his father's embrace. "I, uh, went to his house last night," Joe admitted, sitting back down. Mr. Hardy started crying now as Chief Collig concentrated on Joe's words, completely ignoring Mr. Hardy's reactions to the distressing news.
"He had me drink a glass of wine and ...and..." Joe said, not knowing how to continue.
"It's okay," Chief Collig said. "I have a pretty good idea what happened after that."
"Not much, really," Joe said, to his dad's and the chief's surprise. "Biff followed me and interrupted my session before Johnson could do more than touch and kiss me. Biff insisted I not go back. He kept trying to get me to talk to Frank or Dad again, but, well, they weren't listening. And then I had a nightmare about it and I thought no one really cared about me anyway," he admitted, his voice sinking to a mere whisper.