Chapter 16.

Detective Morrison had left the station and gone directly to a bar frequented by other police officers. After spending several hours downing drinks with some colleagues who were celebrating the capture of Alec Fontaine, Tom finally decided he had his fill of people saying he could now put Debra's murder behind him.

By now, he knew that news reporters would be hungry for the 'human interest' stories – sound bites from family members and friends affected by the evil deeds of Alec Fontaine. Tom knew he would probably be the top of that list. As a result, he figured he ought to avoid his home altogether, in case there were reporters waiting there to spring on him. He had no desire to be quoted as the grief-stricken husband who had been devastated by his wife's death; no desire to rehash the 'tragedy' of his being helpless to protect his wife even though he was a cop.

Devastated indeed, Tom thought with distaste.

Of all the dumb luck that Dr. Stanley Vasek had to pick that day and that autopsy report to drop down dead! Tom thought. It nearly brought all the carefully laid plans of Gus Marouelli and his organisation crashing down.

They'd had such a nice little set-up: the cops on Marouelli's payroll making arrests of individuals set to testify. It wasn't too difficult to get in to a holding cell, kill the prisoner and get out in a matter of minutes. As Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Vasek was the ace in the hole for Gus Marouelli. He ensured that all the bodies of the dead prisoners came his way, and then would list a false cause of death, so that no officer was blamed or investigated.

But with the Yuri Vladik case, Debra had caught on. She knew something was amiss when she read Vasek's unfinished report that listed illicit drugs in Vladik's system that had caused an overdose

Sloppy! Tom fumed to himself as he drove around. How could Vasek have gotten so sloppy! Debra had known right away that those findings were an impossibility, as the toxicology screen would not have been available for several more weeks.

Tom still remembered the night of October 9th when she had come home late, troubled, and made the mistake of confiding in him her suspicions. He'd tried then to assuage her fears; told her she was being paranoid and was probably too overworked. He'd lain awake for long hours, planning what he could do to make sure Debra had no further opportunity to tell anyone else. If she managed to investigate further, it would come out that he was the arresting officer. That would raise more questions…and they'd then look more closely at all the autopsies Dr. Vasek had performed on detainees that had died in custody. Clearly, if Debra was allowed to live, things would unravel...

At around 4 a.m. the morning of October 10th, it dawned on Tom he could probably kill Debra and make it look like she'd been a victim of the serial killer. After all, he knew all the inside details. It would be the perfect diversion for everything else that had happened. Of course everyone would focus more on a serial killing victim – especially one so closely linked to the Department – than they would on a petty drug dealer's death. The plan was perfect – except for one factor – and that was Nancy Drew. Tom knew she and Deb had gone out for a quick jog the previous afternoon. Had Debra told Nancy anything? Tom would have to find out.

While Debra sat on the couch by the coffee table reading the newspaper the morning of October 10th, Tom had come up silently behind her. He picked the telephone up off the cradle, and pulled the cord taut in his hands. He bent over her and kissed the top of her head.

"Good morning," she'd murmured, and tilted her head back to look up at him. It was the last thing she ever said.

By 6:42 a.m., Debra was dead, strangled with the telephone cord. In the end, Tom knew she must have realised what was happening and why. He was slightly surprised that he felt a little remorse, because taking payoffs from Marouelli had long since dulled his conscience. Still, they had been married for nearly ten years. It was just too bad she had become a threat to that security.

After unceremoniously shoving the body between the couch and coffee table, Tom had quickly set about making the house look like a disaster area. The newspaper he scattered about the living room; cushions he threw to the floor. Then he realised he had to try to make it impossible for forensics personnel to establish a time of death. By dropping the thermostat, he hoped Debra's body would cool at a faster rate than normal. If anything, it would be his word establishing that she was still alive when he left for work at his usual time of 7:00. In another fifteen minutes, he had shoved aside the heavier appliances and disconnected the bulky plugs from the sockets, as well as the other electrical devices in the house.

Later in the day, he planned to nonchalantly stop by the house and 'discover' the corpse, at which point in time he'd return the thermostat setting to its original setting, further obscuring evidence that would help pinpoint time of death. He'd hoped to do it alone. Only things had not worked out that way.

Because the man canvassing the neighbourhood saw the door was open, Debra's body had been found much earlier than Tom intended. And he had been forced to make up some fib to explain why he'd touched the thermostat, since Nancy was watching his every move like a hawk.

That had been the point in time when Tom knew Nancy would most definitely become a liability. She would question his every move. She would know something was wrong with how Deb had died. She would begin to suspect him.

So, Tom had called in a favour from Gus Marouelli.

'I've done everything you've ever ordered me to, Gus, and now I need some help from you. I need you to get someone to kill my partner. I know where she's going to be tonight. If it doesn't happen now, she's going to eventually figure everything out, and you know what that will mean!'

And they're still trying to kill her, Tom thought angrily as approached his neighbourhood. She was like a cat on steroids! But eventually those nine lives get used up, Tom decided mirthlessly, and any day now he hoped to get word of his former partner's demise. It was nearly 11:00 p.m., and he was finally pulling into his driveway, confident that by then any reporter would have given up and gone away to make their deadlines.

He approached his front door, keys in hand. He was slightly alarmed to note the door was unsecured when he inserted the key in the lock. His hand went instinctively to his sidearm. Gently pushing the door open, he pulled the weapon from the holster.

"I'm a police officer!" he called out, stepping inside cautiously. "I'm warning you, I'm armed! Come out, now, with your hands showing!"

Brandishing his gun, he felt for the light switch and flicked it on.

The living room was suddenly bathed with light. Seated quietly on the sofa was Nancy Drew.

"What the – what the hell are you doing here?" Tom sputtered, instantly training the gun on her.

"Surprised to see me, Tom?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Oh, I knew you were alive this whole time, Drew," Tom sneered, recovering quickly from the shock of seeing her there. "I'm just surprised you had the guts to show up here like this. What the hell do you want?"

"I'm sick of running," Nancy said simply. "I want in."

"You want 'in'?" Tom repeated with a snort. "In on what?"

"Gus Marouelli's operation."

Tom started laughing, a deep guttural laugh. "You're serious? What is this, the 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em' mentality? We try for over a year to get rid of you, and now you want to be a part of the organisation?"

"Like I said before, I'm sick of running," Nancy replied calmly. "I miss Chicago, Tom. I miss my job, and I miss my family and friends. I miss my boyfriend. Now, if you'll lower the gun, perhaps we can talk like civil human beings."

"No way," Tom hissed, keeping the weapon pointed at her head. "See, I could kill you right now, and all my problems would be solved."

"You could, but then there'd be all that forensic evidence splattered everywhere. You'd have a very difficult time explaining away a dead body in your living room." She almost said 'another' dead body.

"Are you sure about that?" Tom challenged. "I can claim I thought it was a burglar; a trespasser."

Tom's face crumpled into an expression of total devastation and grief. He raised the pitch of his voice, adopting a tone of anguish.

"Oh God, what have I done?" he whimpered, "I didn't know it was Nancy! How could I have known? I didn't mean to kill her! I thought it was an intruder! What have I done?"

False tears formed in the corners of his eyes.

Nancy stared at him with a mix of horror and loathing. His play-acting was disconcertingly convincing. It was exactly the kind of performance he had put on when they'd discovered Debra's body.

Tom's grin was sinister as he wiped the moisture from his eyes. "I don't think there will be too many people who will doubt me, do you? After all, you are in my house without permission."

"Look, Tom, you know I can be an asset to Gus Marouelli's operation. My record's clean. No one will ever look my way if something stinks in the Department. I want my life back."

Nancy could see the wheels in Tom's head starting to turn.

Tom realised that it couldn't have been easy for his former partner to be on the run for the past year, knowing that there was a contract on her head. "How do I know this isn't some elaborate bluff?" he asked sceptically.

"If you get me into the organization, I swear I will never breathe a word about Deb," Nancy said. "That's what you're worried about, isn't it?"

Tom narrowed his eyes, mulling over Nancy's words.

"Frankly, Tom," Nancy continued, "I'm a bit insulted you never even tried to recruit me into Marouelli's gang. You just sent a hitman after me, never even trying to see what we could have worked out. For all you know, I might have been very happy being on his payroll in return for my silence."

Was she telling the truth? Tom wasn't sure. Nancy Drew truly was a cop with a clean record. She was a good cop; a moral cop. One who would rat out the corrupt ones. But perhaps that year on the run had done a lot to change that true-blue, honourable and upright attitude. Perhaps she really was coming to the realisation that playing by Gus Marouelli's rules was best for her long-term health and survival.

"Okay, let's say I get you in," Tom said, lowering his gun slightly. "You're supposed to be dead. I mean, everyone not involved with trying to kill you thinks you're dead, anyway. How are you going to explain your, uh, extended absence?"

Nancy shrugged. "Amnesia works for me. Maybe it's the result of shock following the shooting. Post-traumatic stress disorder, perhaps. Or maybe I was mugged that night when I tried to get to Northwestern Hospital. Smacked on the head, causing the memory loss, and the people responsible stole my car and eventually dumped it in Lake Michigan."

"And you've just been wandering around in a daze ever since?" Tom said with a smirk, his voice indicating he thought the notion was a decidedly absurd one.

"Why not? Stranger things have happened. Now put the gun down, Tom, you know we can make this work. We can be partners again. Bring me in to work for Marouelli. Besides, I just heard they've caught the man they all believe to be responsible for the serial killings, including Debra's. You think they'll believe him when he says he didn't do it?"

"You've really got guts, you know that?" Tom said, shaking his head as he lowered his piece and re-holstered it. "I'll see what I can do, Drew. No guarantees just yet, but I'd say it's a done deal. But if I ever catch wind of an investigation that looks to tie me to Debra's murder, I swear your obituary will be front page news, and this time it'll be for real. Got it?"

"Got it," Nancy said with a curt nod.

The front door flew open suddenly, and in stormed a dozen law enforcement officers. The first one tackled Tom Morrison before he could even cry out in surprise.

"And now, I've got you," Nancy said triumphantly.

"What the hell is this?" Tom bellowed, struggling against the agent that was restraining him.

"I'd read you your rights myself," Nancy said to him, "but since I'm officially dead, I'm not sure how legal that would be. See, I want to make sure everything is done by the book. The wire I'm wearing got our entire conversation. I think it's pretty incriminating, don't you?"

"You bitch!" he screamed at her, trying to pull away from the solid grip the arresting officer had on him.

"You swore you'd get the man responsible for Debra's murder," Nancy said serenely. "Congratulations on a job well done, Tom. I hope they put you away for a very, very long time."

Tom grunted an unintelligible response.

"Give him the Miranda Warning and get him out of here," Nancy said to the officer that was cuffing her former partner. As Tom was herded out, she took a moment to collect her thoughts and check her emotions. She sank into the couch, and realised it was that very piece of furniture Debra Gray had been found lying next to.

I'm sorry it took me so long to get him, Deb, Nancy thought, but now at last I think I can move on. Rest easy, my friend, I miss you.

From inside one of the surveillance vehicles parked nearby, Frank and Joe Hardy were celebrating.

Sergeant Mahoney had been reluctant to let them ride along for this operation, but eventually gave in. He acknowledged that Frank's keen and timely speculation that Alec Fontaine was not responsible for Dr. Gray's murder allowed them to coordinate their efforts with Federal Agents who were assisting Detective Nancy Drew with her plan.

Frank decided that Dr. Debra Gray must have reached the same conclusion he had – that Yuri Vladik had most likely not died of a drug overdose. Vladik, in fact, was a drug dealer-turned-informant, and was getting ready to help law enforcement agencies build a solid case against Augustus Marouelli.

Evidence was now beginning to reveal that Dr. Stanley Vasek, the victim of the untimely heart attack, was working for Marouelli. When corrupt cops like Tom Morrison arrested individuals that were supposed to be helping authorities get to Marouelli, their deaths in police custody were routinely covered up by Dr. Vasek.

Frank hadn't been able to see her, but just hearing Nancy's voice as she had spoken into the wire mike sent a rush of energy through his body. Best of all, she was back! She had the courage to return to set things right with a brazen gambit that could have easily gone wrong.

With mike still transmitting, they could hear that Nancy was busy talking to some officers while Sergeant Mahoney escorted his former subordinate to a waiting police van parked on a side street near the house. Several officers who had lent their assistance to the FBI looked on with contempt as their former colleague passed by.

"She did it, Joe," Frank said to his brother. "She's come through this ordeal and she's helped secure a very important figure in the list of corrupt cops in the CPD."

"Do you think Morrison will roll on Marouelli?" Joe asked.

"The District Attorney will probably offer him a reduced sentence in exchange for the identities of the other dirty cops and evidence that will bring about a conviction for Marouelli. Not all that great for getting real justice for Dr. Gray, but in the long run, it will mean that a whole crime organisation will be toppled."

"I guess it's now up to the rest of the CPD to keep Tom safe…we know from experience what happens to those who try to cross Marouelli." Joe said.

"Right," Frank nodded his head. "I somehow don't think they're going to drop the ball on this one. With what Nancy knows, I think things are going to turn out just fine."

"You know, Frank," Joe said hesitantly, "now that she is back in town, she's going want to get back with Ned Nickerson."

"I know," Frank said, somewhat glumly. He continued to sit there, listening on as Nancy shook hands and exchanged greetings, giving celebratory hugs to fellow detectives and officers she had not been able to see for such a long time. They were all so delighted she was alive; thrilled that they now had an excellent chance of bringing a crime boss to justice with the arrest of Thomas Morrison.

It was a reunion Frank longed to share with her, as well.

"We can kill the feed now, right?" Nancy's voice came through their headsets. "We have all we need."

Frank and Joe realised she was talking about the wire transmission, and the sounds being picked up at last went silent.

"Want to go get re-acquainted with an old friend?" Joe eagerly asked Frank.

Frank looked thoughtful, then shook his head. "No. Let her have her time with her friends from the Department. I want us to be able to have our own space when we meet again. We can catch up with her at the station."

"Suit yourself," Joe said with a shrug. He realised his brother was possibly a little anxious about facing Nancy again. Frank probably didn't want to let his emotions get away from him, especially if he feared his feelings wouldn't be returned.

"I'm gonna get out of the van," Joe said, "just for some fresh air."

"Fine." Frank replied.

Joe opened the door and jumped down, looking on at the small crowd still surrounding Nancy.

Sergeant Mahoney called out to her. "Hey, Drew, we gotta roll! I know you can't wait to book your 'prisoner'!"

"I'll be right there," she called back. She bid her colleagues farewell, and hurried off to the van that held her former partner, Tom Morrison, who was shackled in the back.

Frank finally jumped down beside Joe, and the two watched as Nancy climbed into the front passenger side of the armoured police van.

Something inside Frank made him want to run after it, to tell Nancy he was here, that he was glad she was safe, and that he felt a little more than a simple crush for her, but he held back.

"Hey, Hardys," the driver of the surveillance vehicle called out to them. "We're moving. We're expected back at the station pronto."

"Okay, we're coming," Joe called back, as the armoured police van started up and slowly began to move off.

The Hardys were in mid-turn when the van exploded!

A/N: …As soon as you all stop screaming, just remember that this is only a fictional story. And it isn't over yet, either! So stay tuned for the concluding chapters of Who's That Girl?