"What are you going to do?" Frank asked sarcastically. "Kill him?"

"I..." Freddie started, then clamped his mouth shut and looked at Frank. "Not if I'm going straight, huh?" he asked.

Frank shook his head. "Maybe you could get Jim to go somewhere with you and we could have him picked up," he suggested.

This time it was Freddie's turn to shake his head. "No dice," he said. "We all trust him, but Peter's a hard sell. Until he knows Jim's background, Jim isn't allowed to go anywhere without Jeff, except to work where Steve and I are supposed to keep tabs on him."

"Why doesn't Peter trust Jim?" Frank asked, pretending to be surprised.

"Jim Simmons recruited us," Freddie informed Frank. "We all have a little gray in our background," he explained hesitantly.

"What do you mean?" Frank asked, not understanding.

"Jim found out some stuff he could blackmail us with," Freddie explained.

"You don't honestly expect me to believe you were blackmailed into commiting a crime, do you?" Frank sneered, crossing his arms and staring down his nose at Freddie in disbelief.

"No, no, of course not," Freddie quickly denied. "But that's how he got our attention. When he mentioned the amount of money we got--well, none of us could turn it down."

"I noticed when my brother was mentioned, Peter looked at Daniels," Frank said. "Why?"

Freddie shrugged. "He thinks it's funny you and your dad have been seen around but Joe hasn't, even though he escaped." He looked at Frank, curiosity written all over his face. "Where is your brother?" he asked.

"Want to hit him some more?" Frank demanded, his voice cold, his eyes hard.

"I told you, I want to help," Freddie insisted.

"Then let's get out of here and talk to the DA," Frank said.

"If we go up now, they'll kill us," Freddie argued.

"How about if I knock you out and tie you up?" Frank asked him. Freddie made a face. "I can get out on my own and meet up with you tomorrow," he added.

Freddie gave Frank a sour expression but agreed. Freddie went over to a corner and picked up some rope. Handing it to Frank, he sat down and let Frank tie him up. "Sorry about this," Frank said, as he picked up something fairly heavy and brought it down on Freddie's head. Freddie fell sideways, his eyes closed.

Frank checked his pulse, smiling briefly as he thought about what Freddie had done to Joe and how much he had enjoyed hitting Freddie just now. Then he climbed the stairs and eased open the basement door. He could still hear most of the gang talking in the living room but the absence of Joe's voice made him believe Joe was still upstairs with Jim.

Frank exited the basement, closing the door behind him and left the house through the kitchen door. Outside, he ran down the drive and started home, not even pausing for breath until he had put at least a mile between himself and the house he had just escaped from.

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"Sit down, Jim," Jim Simmons told Joe once they had entered Joe's bedroom and shut the door. "I think it's time we got to know each other a little better."

"What do you want to know?" Joe asked warily.

"Let's start with where you live," Jim suggested.

"Here for the time being," Joe replied with a sardonic smile. "But if you mean when I first started at Thompson, I've been hanging out with a friend of mine who had a semi-permanent room at the motel on Buddapest Ave," he stated. "I moved out of there and in with Biff yesterday," he added.

"Tell me about your family," Jim said.

"Can't," Joe replied with a carefree shrug. "I grew up in a variety of foster homes. I never did get adopted."

"If I checked your personnel file at Thompson, what would it tell me?" Jim asked.

"If you haven't already checked it, then you aren't bright enough to deserve to know," Joe proclaimed in the same calm tone Jim had been using.

"Okay," Jim said after staring unflinchingly into Joe's eyes for a minute. "Let's cut to the chase. There's a reason the stolen contract from Hanover didn't bother you. Why?" he demanded.

"It's my business," Joe improvised.

"Which is why you were so easily caught by that imbecile at Thompson?" Jim asked, his eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"I wasn't caught," Joe said. "And he played his part well," he added.

"What do you mean?" Jim demanded, his eyes narrowing on Joe.

"I wanted in," Joe explained. "So I paid him to follow me and act like he had caught me stealing classified info."

"He has security clearance," Jim skeptically replied. "He wouldn't help you get involved with us."

Joe smiled. "Everyone has a price," he replied. "Especially when you've got compromising pictures. Besides, I have security clearance too," he added. "How foolproof do you think it is?"

"You're into blackmail too?" Jim inquired.

"Whatever it takes," Joe said, standing up and looking Jim in the eyes. "I've had nothing but hand-me-downs and used goods all my life and I'm sick of it. I looked at Steve's files while I was working on the outlet and saw a little of what he was into. It looked interesting."

"And I suppose Shandra inviting you over was part of your plan?" Jim demanded.

"Oh, no," Joe denied. "I had no idea when she invited me that she, or you, were involved. But how could any red-blooded male turn down an invitation from her?"

"Well," Jim said, turning away from Joe and heading for the door. "Shall we join the others?" Joe followed Jim back downstairs where Shandra took his arm and led him outside for an evening stroll.

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"Thanks," Frank said to the off-duty police officer who had picked him up and given him a lift home. Frank got out of the car and went inside. He found his father in his office and went inside. He told his dad about being kidnapped, Freddie's defection, letting Freddie think Joe was a traitor and about why Peter thinks Jim Daniels might be Joe.

"Did you find out Peter's last name?" Mr. Hardy inquired.

"Carrauthers," Frank answered. "Do you think he's related to the bank's president?"

"They are brothers," Mr. Hardy replied. "But they've never gotten along."

"Considering what Peter is involved in, I'd say that was good for Andrew," Frank commented.

"And Joe," Mr. Hardy added, standing up and moving out from behind his desk. "Let's go," he said, heading for the door.

"Where to?" Frank questioned, following his dad downstairs and out of the house.

"Andrew Carruathers'," Mr. Hardy said after they had gotten into the car. "If he will leak that Joe has been working undercover at the bank to Peter, then Joe will get some of the heat off of him," he explained. "After that, I will take you to pick up your van. Tomorrow, you go back to Thompson Security and see what Joe has divulged about himself. I'll set him up a cover which would convince anyone," Mr. Hardy vowed.

They arrived at Andrew Carruther's house at almost ten. "Come in," Andrew invited them in when he answered the door. He ushered them into a spacious living room where they sat on a black leather sofa. Andrew sat across from them on a matching Lazy-boy chair.

"Have you found Joe?" Andrew asked Mr. Hardy with concern. "I hadn't seen anything about his kidnapping in the Bayport Times."

"Joe's fine," Mr. Hardy assured the man. "But I need a favor from you," he continued. "I can't go into the details, but we need you to leak out some information."

"What kind?" Andrew asked, paying close attention.

"We would like you to let someone know, in a round-a-bout way, that Joe has been working undercover at your bank," Mr. Hardy requested.

"Of course," Andrew readily agreed. "To who and why?"

"Your brother, Peter," Frank answered.

"Peter?" Andrew asked, raising his eyebrows. At Mr. Hardy's nod, Andrew sighed and shook his head. "I'm not totally surprised," Andrew admitted. "He always was a bad egg."

"He's been in trouble?" Frank asked quickly.

Andrew shook his head. "Oh, no," he denied. "When we were children, he was always doing something he shouldn't, then making it look like I was the guilty party."

"He's doing that again, but with other people," Frank informed him.

"Peter is the one responsible for the robbery?" Andrew asked.

"I'm afraid so," Mr. Hardy responded.

"But why?" Andrew wondered, his face held a wounded look. "Why would he do this to me?"

"He didn't really do it to you," Frank said sympathetically. "He just had to do something via the First National Bank."

Andrew wanted to ask more questions but was wise enough to know when to quit. He picked up the phone from the table beside him and set it on his lap. He lifted the receiver and punched in his brother's number. Peter answered on the third ring.

"Hello Andrew," Peter greeted his caller. "And to what do I owe the pleasure of your call?" he asked affably.

"I thought you might be worried about the robbery since you are such a large account holder," Andrew replied, leaning back in his chair as he spoke and looking at the Hardys.

"Oh, have the police come up with any leads?" Peter asked casually.

"Not the police, exactly," Andrew answered. "But I've hired some detectives to take care of the investigation. One has been working undercover at my bank while the other two have been following other leads," he informed Peter smoothly.

"And who have you retained to solve the crime?" Peter asked.

"I'm really not at liberty to say," Andrew said. "But since you are my brother, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you they are a local family operation."

"Ah, yes," Peter replied. "I know of whom you speak. Excellent," he said. "I'm sure they will find the culprits in no time. I hate to cut this short," he added, "but I 'm afraid I have guests and must return."

"Of course," Andrew replied. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Peter returned, and hung up the phone.

Andrew put the receiver back on the phone's base and set it back down on the table. He repeated Peter's part of the conversation. "Would you like for Joe to work at the bank?" he asked Mr. Hardy.

"That won't be necessary," Mr. Hardy replied with a smile. "Peter just needs to believe he is working there."

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The next morning, Frank arrived at Thompson Security in his disguise. He found Joe working on the second floor, one office over from the one he shared with Anthony. He handed Joe a small black pouch. "Here's the make up for your disguise," he said, keeping his voice low so no one walking by outside could hear.

"Thanks," Joe said, taking it and shoving it into his pants pocket. "This face couldn't have lasted another eight hours."

"Listen, Dad's set you up as a traitor," Frank informed Joe. He then told Joe about Freddie's desire to turn state's evidence and having Andrew let Peter think Joe was working at the bank. By the time Frank had finished speaking, Joe had a big grin on his face.

"Perfect," Joe declared, then told Frank about his conversations with Jim and Peter. "I still don't know why Peter has a personal vendetta against Hanover," Joe ended.

"I'll talk to the Hanovers this afternoon," Frank promised. "They might know. In the meantime, be careful. It would probably be better if Biff fills you in on your new identity," he added. "I'll call him later and you can talk to him before you leave work."

Joe agreed and Frank left the room. A few minutes later, Freddie came into the room. "You have to go," he ordered Joe.

"Where to?" Joe asked with a sigh. He was getting tired of these unplanned trips.

"To the sub-basement," Freddie said. "You have to meet Steve there," he siad before leaving the room.

Joe raised his eyebrows at this, but put his hammer down and headed to the steps. The elevator was still shut down. The lighting was terrible, so Joe pulled out his flashlight and followed the beam down the stairs. He hadn't taken more than three steps past the first floor entrance when the door opened. Before Joe could turn around, strong hands pushed into Joe's back. Joe fell forward down the narrow steps into the sub-basement.