"They aren't there!" shouted a neighbor.
Frank turned to see who had yelled. "Where did they go?" Frank asked, running next door to speak with the man who had stepped out onto his porch in a robe and slippers to retrieve his morning paper.
"Who are you?" the man demanded, narrowing his blue eyes on Frank.
"My name is Frank Hardy," he introduced himself. "I..."
"One of the Hardy boys," the man interrupted, smiling in recognition. "I thought that was you," he added. "I've seen your picture, and your brother's, in the paper a few times."
"Do you know where Mr. Billings went?" asked Frank.
"Vacation," was the answer. Frank looked crestfallen. "He and Ethel left yesterday afternoon."
"Do you know where they went?" Frank asked hopefully.
"Fishing," the neighbor replied, killing Frank's hope of finding the man. "Asked me to check their mail every day until they get back."
"When will that be?"
"Two weeks," was the devastating reply.
"Do you..do you know where they were going to set up camp?"
"Sorry," the man answered with a shake of his head. "They were planning on going south. He wanted to hit the plentiful streams of the Appalachia."
"Thanks," Frank croaked then returned to where Vanessa stood by the vehicle, waiting.
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The next time Joe awoke he found Angelic leaning on one elbow watching him. Joe blushed and started to move away but she put her hand on his cheek and he remained still.
"Good morning," she whispered, her voice deep with emotion.
"Morning," Joe mumbled, trying to remain neutral even as his blue eyes locked with her green ones.
Angelic kept her hand on Joe's cheek, letting her thumb stroke his chin. "I love you," she told him. Joe remained silent. He no longer thought of her as super-evil and, he had to admit, he was growing to trust her...to a point. He had no doubt she would kill anyone who hurt him or tried to come between them, nor did he doubt she would kill him before letting him go. But he also believed she would be kind and loving and not hurt him under any other circumstances.
Was he forming a bond with her? He knew that some victims became so dependant on their captors that they actually cared about them. Was this what was happening to him? He was physically dependant on her. Was he also growing emotionally dependant on her? If he had subcummbed to the captor-victim syndrome, would he be having these thoughts? Of course not. But that would mean he was growing to like her, wouldn't it? Help me! Joe's mind begged.
Angelic lifted her hand and let her fingers trace invisible lines down Joe's throat and onto his chest, slowly circling his navel. Joe remained absolutely still. The only evidence she was having any effect on him was his change in breathing.
Her hand slid down to the waist of Joe's kilt and his reaction was immediate. "No," he said firmly, grasping her hand and holding it tight.
Angelic smiled and pulled away, sitting up as Joe released her. "I'll fix breakfast," she said, getting off the bed. She exited the cage, locking Joe inside. On her way out of the basement she flipped the CD player on.
Joe groaned when the first lines of Take a Chance On Me began to play.
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Frank dropped Vanessa off at Phil's where she had left her car the night before. Not wanting to wake Phil or his family, he headed home. As he sat at the stop light three blocks from his home he gripped the steering wheel. Helen's words from the previous evening haunted him. "There are worse things than dying."
What was she doing to Joe? Obviously she had him tied up or else she wouldn't have left him. No...chained, maybe. Frank was sure had he only been bound with rope, Joe would have managed to escape by now. Or maybe she kept him drugged?
Would she torture him? Remind him of how all his friends, how his own brother, had been so easily turned against him? Frank closed his eyes at the thought, opening them only when a car horn sounded loudly behind him. The light green, Frank continued on his way.
She thinks she loves him, Frank reminded himself. She won't hurt him unless she thinks we're getting too close. Or unless Joe tries to escape! Had Joe tried to esacpe? Was he dead? Had she returned home the previous night to find Joe almost free? Frank slammed his hand on the steering wheel hard. He shouldn't have jumped her in the parking lot. He should have followed her. If only he hadn't been so consummed with worry he would have been thinking straight. But where Joe was involved, his logic generally flew out the window, and like Joe, acted on his emotions. Frank smiled a bit at that. He and Joe may seem different to the casual passer by but they were so much alike. It was times like this when the similarities were more noticeable.
Frank pulled into the driveway and parked the van. He crossed his arms on the wheel and laid his head down. He had to find Joe. This seemed worse than any other time Joe had been kidnapped and he knew why. Every other time, there had always been the promise of Joe being returned, either if money were given or something was done. This time, the only promise was of Joe's death if contact was attempted.
Frank jerked up as a sharp rap sounded beside him. "Dad," he said, opening the door and getting out.
Fenton pulled his distraught son into his arms and hugged him. "Are you okay?" he asked, worried how Frank was holding up. He knew how much his sons depended on each other.
"I'm fine," Frank said, pulling back. "You got here fast."
"It pays to have connections," Fenton said, leading Frank into the house.
"Honey," Laura came running as the two entered the foyer. Frank gave her a hug before the three of them went intot he living room and sat down.
"Okay, Frank, tell us everything," Fenton ordered, leaning forward in his seat and giving his son his absolute attention.
"Did Phil check for a permit?" Laura asked when Frank finished.
"Permit?" queried Frank as he and his father looked at her questioningly.
"When structural work is done, a permit has to be obtained," Laura explained. "If Angelic had major renovations done, like adding a bathroom, then Mr. Billings couldn't legally have done her work unless she supplied a permit."
"How do you know that?" Fenton inquired, looking at his wife curiously. After twenty years of marriage, she still surprised him.
"I was working as a secretary in a law office when I met you," she reminded him. "The issue was raised in one of the cases."
Frank jumped to his feet. "I'll call Phil now!"
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When Angelic returned she shut off the CD player. "Could I please ask a favor?" Joe inquired as she unlocked the cage.
"What?" Angelic asked, looking at Joe suspiciously.
"I know the reason you keep playing that same song over and over. It kind of fits," he admitted. "But if you have to make me listen to it couldn't you at least let me hear the other songs on the CD as well?"
"I'll think about it," Angelic promised. "I brought orange-banana crepes for breakfast. It's my own recipe. I hope you like them," she added a bit shyly.
"Smells good," Joe said, taking the tray from her and setting it down on the small table. Joe had remained in bed until he heard Angelic returning so he still wore nothing but his kilt. His back glistened from the baby oil she had used and she licked her lips as he removed the cover from the tray and took a deep breath of the citrusy aroma.
Joe held out a plate to Angelic. She took it and sat down on the bed next to him. By the time she finished her first crepe, Joe had devoured both of his and was eyeing Angelic's greedily. She laughed lightly and passed her plate to Joe. "I take it you like them?" she asked as Joe dug in.
Joe swallowed and nodded. "These are the best! I wish mom knew how to make them."
Angelic's face hardened. "Does it matter?" she inquired stiffly. "I'll make them for you at least three times a week," she promised.
Joe looked at her. "Thank you," he said, smiling. "I just meant..."
"It doesn't matter," she said, standing up and forcing a smile onto her face. "I realize you still haven't come to terms with our future. But..." she took a calming breath and her faux smile became genuine. "You will. I love you and no one is ever going to take you away from me."
