Joe had been reading one of the sheets Frank had printed up. His brows had been drawn together as he concentrated on what he was reading but when Chet spoke, Joe looked up, startled. "It's Beverly Crenshaw's file," Joe answered. "She's the head developer at the studio," he explained, seeing Chet's puzzled look. "She worked on three shoots, not including this one, with Troy and two with Jeff and one with Paul."
"Looks like a lot of these people have worked together before," commented Chet. "What's the big deal?"
"The big deal is she, Troy, Jeff, and Paul all worked on a layout for Gilbert about a year ago," Joe told him, his blue eyes looking at Chet in excitement.
"Who is Gilbert?" Chet inquired patiently.
"Raven Gilbert is the number one designer for the type of clothes you find at places that aren't as hip or upscale as Simpson's," Joe explained.
"Like K-Mart and Wal-Mart?" Chet asked. Joe nodded. "So?"
Joe scowled. "I don't know," he admitted. "But it just seems too big of a coincidence." He read over her file again. "You know," he said a little later, "maybe we're going about this the wrong way."
"What do you mean?"
"Suppose the sabotage..." Joe's words were lost when a crash resounded from outside. Forgetting his promise, Joe got out of bed and hurried to the window, reaching it just after Chet.
"Looks like someone hit your trashcans," Chet said, turning and scowling at Joe. "Get back into bed," he ordered.
"But..." Joe started to object but Chet would not allow him to finish.
"No buts," Chet ordered. "I'll handle this." He waited until Joe was back in bed before going downstairs. He turned off the alarm and opened the back door. As he stepped outside, something hard came crashing down on his head.
Joe waited in bed, glancing through the papers as he waited impatiently for Chet's return. It wasn't long before he heard someone coming up the steps. "Chet! Was the driver hurt?" Joe shouted.
"No, but Chet was," said an unfamiliar male voice. Joe looked up in alarm as a large man in a ski mask wearing blue jeans and a blue tee shirt entered his room, a revolver drawn and pointed at him.
"Well, now," the man continued. "In bed so early? Aren't we feeling well?" he asked in mock sympathy.
"Who are you?" Joe demanded, glaring at him. "What did you do to Chet?"
"We sent your friend on a little visit to la-la land," the man answered.
"We?" Joe asked, his gaze narrowing on the masked stranger.
"Can't find it," said another man entering the room behind the first.
"Blast it!" snarled the first man. "We've got to get that disk."
The disk Frank got from Demar? Joe wondered silently. Who were these men and how did they know Frank even lived here?
"We'll just have to take something we can trade for the disk," the second man said, his voice a bit muffled by his mask.
"Good idea," the first man congratulated him. "We'll take Blondie."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
When Frank arrived home, he used his cell to call Chet inside so he could shut off the alarm. After the fourth ring, Frank disconnected and climbed out of the van. He ran up to the front door. Locked. Using his key, he opened the door, his fear growing greater when the alarm did not sound. He started for the steps but changed direction and ran for the kitchen when he heard a loud groan.
Frank flipped on the light and saw Chet trying to get to his knees, blood causing his blond hair to clump on the back of his head. "Easy, Pal," Frank said softly, going over to him. "Stay put. I'll call an ambulance."
"Joe," Chet rasped. "Check...on Joe first."
"Stay put," Frank ordered again, petting Chet's shoulder. He rose and hurried up the stairs, coming to a stop just inside Joe's room. The sheet lay on the floor in a heap and a book was lying on the floor that had once been on the nightstand. The papers he had left with Joe were scattered about but there was no sign of Joe anywhere. With a sinking heart, Frank reached for a slip of paper that lay in the center of Joe's pillow.
IF YOU WANT BLONDIE BACK, LEAVE THE DISK
IN A SMALL BROWN BOX ON TOP OF THE TRASH IN THE
SECOND CAN BEHIND TURTLE'S RESTAURANT BY 9P.M.
ANY COPS AND YOU WILL NEVER SEE HIM AGAIN.