"Callie!" Frank shouted as he broke into a run. He saw her jump out of her car and run toward him. He gathered her into his arms and gave her a big hug. "Are you okay?" he asked huskily.

She nodded, but didn't move from the safety of his embrace where she stood trembling. "What happened?" she asked in a whisper.

Frank merely shook his head as the parking lot filled with staff seeking to see if anyone had been hurt, while the wail of a siren could be heard in the distance.

After the fire department and police had left, Frank helped Callie into the van. "Who would do that?" she asked him. They had been informed that every part of her engine had been rigged with firecrackers.

"I don't know," Frank said. "But I guess this means Angelic isn't the target," he added. "If she were, there would be no reason for this attack on you," he reasoned.

"Actually, she could still be the target," Callie told him. "She borrowed my car the day before yesterday. Someone could have seen her and thought it belonged to her."

"So we're back where we started," Frank stated. "I'll drop you off at home and then go and have a talk with Angelic's dad."

After dropping Callie off, Frank drove to the Bayport Inn and parked. He saw Joe leaving and ran to catch up with him. "Joe!" he shouted to catch his attention. Joe looked over his shoulder and came to a standstill to wait for Frank to reach him.

"We need to talk," Frank said.

"I thought you said everything," Joe replied a bit too calmly.

"I need my partner," Frank told him in frustration. "But more importantly, I need my brother. Won't you just hear me out?" Seeing the hesitant look on Joe's face, he added, "Please?" Joe nodded and the two went to the van and climbed in.

"Angelic's dad isn't here," Joe told Frank.

"How did you know I had come to see Mr. Deveraux?" Frank asked, admiration in his voice at his brother's deduction.

"Simple," Joe said with a sly grin. "I let Callie think Angelic might be a target. I knew you would check out the possibility."

"But you thought she was guilty," Frank said in confusion.

"I still do," admitted Joe. "But this way you'll be investigating her any way. Even if it's from a different angle," he added grudgingly.

"Conned by my own brother," Frank said in amused disgust. He started the van and headed home. On the way, he told Joe about the attack on Callie. "Why would Angelic go after Callie?" he tried to reason with Joe. "She's my girlfriend and would pose no threat to any relationship you think she may want with you."

"I don't know," Joe said. "But I'm sure she came up with a reason," he added stubbornly.

"We can't keep working at cross purposes," Frank said.

"You're right," Joe agreed immediately, preventing Frank from finishing what he was going to say. "I suggest we tackle this from both angles. I will consider the fact she may be a victim if you will consider the fact she may be the one behind the attacks."

"In that case we had better check to see if Iola and Callie were the real targets," Frank said. He thought an old enemy might have shown up in town.

"I had dad check to see if anyone we've sent up has been released recently," Joe told him before Frank could voice his thoughts. "Only two men have been released recently. Both on parole and both in California."

"Okay," Frank said slowly, realizing Joe had been one step ahead of him all day. "What else did you learn today?"

Joe shook his head. "You first. Did you find anything out at the restaurant?"

"No," Frank replied. "But I ruled out an accident when Callie's engine blew up."

"I went to the convenience store where the girls stopped last night and talked with the clerk. Iola bought a new diary," Joe said.

"They carry those things?" Frank asked in surprise.

"You'd be amazed by what they have," Joe said with a laugh. "Anyway, Angelic never bought anything."

"So she couldn't have poisoned Iola," Frank said triumphantly.

"Angelic and Callie were in the store with Iola," Joe said. "I looked down the aisle where the diaries are," he added. "The rat poison is on the shelf directly across from them. Angelic could have stolen some," he concluded. A couple of minutes passed while Joe allowed Frank time to think about what he said. "Do you know where Angelic was today?" he asked. Frank shook his head.

"It might be interesting to see if she was near the hospital," Joe said thoughtfully.

"No one at the hospital saw anyone near Callie's car," Frank told him.

"But did anyone see Angelic there at all?" Joe parried. "She hadn't been to see Iola when I was there," he added. "And didn't you say she wasn't around while you were there?"

"Okay," Frank finally agreed. "We'll check there tomorrow after we talk to Angelic's dad."

The next morning found the boys in the lobby of the Bayport Inn. "Room 419," Joe told Frank. "Angelic is in the room next to his."

After the third knock, Angelic opened the door of her father's room. Joe stiffened but kept quiet and let Frank do the talking. "Hi," Frank said. "Could we please talk to your dad?" he asked.

"Dad went to a meeting this morning," she told them. "I was just getting a book from his suitcase," she added,explaining why she was in his room.

"Do you know what time he'll be back?" Frank asked.

"He said it would be late," she replied, flicking a glance at Joe's stiff face. "Why did you want to see him?"

"Someone attacked Callie yesterday," Joe said, watching her closely.

"Oh no!" she cried, raising a hand to her mouth as her eyes widened in shock. "is she all right?"

"She's fine," Frank quickly assurred her. "The thing is," he started to explain only to be interrupted by Joe.

"We believe it's possible you may be the real target," Joe said abruptly.

"Me?" squeaked Angelic. "Who would want to hurt me?" she asked in disbelief.

"That's why we want to talk to your father," Frank said, shooting Joe a look which clearly told him he was acting like a jerk. "We wanted to see if there was anyone who might have a grudge against him."

"It's possible," she said thoughtfully. "If you'll give me your phone number, I'll ask him to call you when I see him." Frank gave it to her and she wrote it down on the inside flap of the book she held.

"What are your plans for today?" Frank asked her. When she looked at him with a scowl, he explained, "If you are the target, it's not a good idea for you to be by yourself."

"I need to go to the library," she said, gazing at Joe through her lashes. "Then I thought I might visit Callie. Are you going to be my escort?" she asked Joe, lifting her lashes and staring into his eyes.

"That's what we had in mind," Frank said, shocking Joe into silence. Frank shot Joe a look which told him not to argue, before continuing, "Why don't you get ready and Joe and I will wait for you?"

"All right," she said, closing her dad's door and going to her room. Frank and Joe followed her inside where she picked up some clothes from the bed and headed into the bathroom as Frank took a seat by the window and Joe sat down on the bed.

As soon as the bathroom door closed, Joe leapt off the bed and headed to the dresser. He had searched all the drawers and was reaching for her purse when he felt Frank's restraining hand on his wrist. "She turned the shower off," Frank whispered the warning.

"Why did you volunteer us to stay with her?" Joe whispered back angrily.

"Not us," Frank denied with a shake of his head. "You." Joe's eyes shot daggers at Frank. "You don't trust her," Frank continued. "This way you can keep an eye on her while I check out some other things."

"Such as?" Joe demanded.

"I'm going to have Sam run a background check on Angelic's dad. I think Callie said his name was Daniel."

"That won't take all day," Joe argued. He didn't want to be alone with Angelic even for a minute. "You could call him from the van."

"I'm also going to be following you two to see if anyone is following her," Frank continued. Joe nodded grudging acceptance at Frank's plan. They heard the knob on the bathroom start to turn and Joe hurriedly sat on the bed as Frank made a dash for the chair.

They had just made it as the door opened and Angelic stepped out. "Ready," she said brightly, picking up her purse and leading the way out.

Joe fell into step behind Angelic with Frank beside him. "If we have the van, how are you going to follow us?" Joe whispered.

"I'll take my cycle," Frank whispered back. Out loud he asked, "Can you two drop me off at home on your way to the library? I have a few errands to run."

"I'm in no hurry," Angelic assured him, slowing down. Her slowed pace forced Frank to fall in behind Joe at which point, Angelic fell into step beside Joe.

After Frank had been dropped off at home, he went inside and called Sam Radley. Sam was an associate of their father's who frequently helped them gather information on a suspect. After hanging up he ran into the garage andstarted up his motorcycle and took off for the library. He wanted to stay far enough away from Joe and Angelic so he could spot anyone who might be following them. He arrived at the library in time to see them climb the steps and enter the building.

Inside, Angelic went to the microfilm department and checked out two boxes. Then she and Joe found a vacant viewer and took their seats.

"i'm sorry for throwing myself at you the other day," Angelic apologized to Joe as she loaded the film into the viewer. When he didn't reply, she continued, "I didn't know you and Iola were so close. I'll keep my distance," she promised, sounding sincere.

Joe looked at her thoughtfully. He reflected on the events of the past two days and considered the argument his brother had used. He was almost ready to believe her. Almost. "Okay," he finally answered, vowing silently to stay alert in case it was a trick. "We'll forget about it," he added with a smile. "What are you looking for?" he asked, suddenly becoming aware of her pausing the film every time it made a reference to a crime.

"I'm doing a short biography for my history class. I need to choose someone who is still alive yet has made a marked difference in the history of theis country," she told him, flipping the film until it rested on a picture of a brown headed man with familiar brown eyes.

"School doesn't start back for another two weeks," Joe said suspiciously.

"I know," she told him with a little laugh. "A friend of mine had Mr. Eller for history last year and she said this was her first assignment. I thought I would get a head start," she explained.

"Callie told me all about your dad," she continued when Joe made no comment. "He sounded like the perfect person to do my report on. If you're willing, you could be one of my sources," she added.

"I have a better idea," Joe said. "How would you like to talk to him personally?" he asked, surprising her. He thought if his dad could meet her then he would be able to decide if she were as innocent as she appeared.

"Do you really think he would give me an interview?" she asked, excited.

"If he's home for dinner tonight, I'm sure of it," he assured her. "You will join us?" he asked.

"I'd be delighted," she purred, then turned to the screen and started taking notes. Two hours later they exited the building and headed for Callie's house. Along the way, Angelic plied Joe with questions about Mr. Hardy which Joe answered as truthfully as he could without giving any information which might be used against him or his family if she turned out not to be trustworthy.

Less than a mile behind them, Frank kept watch for anyone following the van. He saw them pull off the highway and pulled into the exit lane to follow. As he approached the turn off he felt a searing pain as a green sedan swerved past him, striking the side of his cycle and sending him flying off the bike.