Nancy gripped the phone tightly in her hand. This could not be happening.

"How bad?" Nancy asked.

"It looks worse than it really is. He was knocked out and he has a few cuts and bruises." Frank assured her. "But the doctor says that he will be fine."

"Thank God." Nancy let out a huge sigh of relief. "Frank, I haven't even told him about the baby yet."

"You'll get the chance, Nan." Frank said. "They're keeping him for a few hours for observation."

"Do they know who did this? Was it an accident?" Nancy asked.

"What do you think?" he asked quietly.

"Grayson." Nancy muttered. "Look, I have to go but I have a lot to tell you. I'll see you in a little bit."

Nancy hung up the phone and looked up in frustration. So Grayson wanted to play rough–well, two can play that game.

If he thought for one second, it would make them back off, he had another thing coming to him. Now she was more determined than ever to nail him for Abby's murder. Not only for Joe, but for Mia as well.

"Stephanie!" Mia was calling her name. Nancy looked up as Mia walked towards her. "Are you okay? I've been calling your name for the last couple of minutes."

Nancy nodded and forced a smile. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine," Mia said. "Is something wrong? Do you need to leave?"

"Everything will be fine," Nancy assured her. "So, what do you need me to do?"

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"It's done," Phil Minor said into his phone as soon as he got back into his office.

"Very good. Did anyone see you?" Stuart Grayson asked.

"I don't think so," Phil answered.

"What do you mean, you don't think so? Someone either saw you or they didn't." Stuart sounded annoyed.

Phil tried not to let his anger show. "No. No one saw me," he said through gritted teeth.

"Good–that's how I like things to be done." Stuart said.

"So, what do we do now?" Phil asked.

"We wait and see what happens." Stuart said.

"Do you think that's wise?" Phil asked, nervously.

"Are you questioning me, Phil?" Stuart asked with a deadly softness.

"No," Phil said. "I just don't want them to come after us."

"They won't," Stuart assured him. Just then his private line beeped. "I have to go, Phil. Be sure to keep an eye on things."

Stuart hung up before Phil could say anything else and switched over to his private line. "Stuart Grayson," he said into the receiver.

"Stuart, it's Tommy," said a male voice on the other end.

Stuart inwardly cringed. Detective Tommy Beltini was his inside guy in the Las Vegas PD.

"Tommy, what can I do for you?" Stuart asked.

"I just wanted to give you a heads-up. The chief has been getting a lot of pressure from the mayor–we may have to let Hardy go."

Anger boiled inside of Stuart–this could not be happening!

"How? Why?" he asked.

"Some of that evidence that we took from the hotel room was contaminated. The mayor says that the case will never hold up and he doesn't want to run the risk of lawsuit against the department." Tommy explained.

"This was supposed to be an open-and-shut case," Stuart said.

"I know, but I have to do what the chief says. Sorry Stuart," Tommy said and hung up.

Stuart slammed the receiver down in frustration. Things were definitely not going his way right now. Well, he'll just have to fix that.

It was time to put plan B to work.

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Frank and Joe jumped up from the chairs they were sitting in when Nancy opened the door later that evening. Nancy looked at them, confused, as she put down her bag.

"I didn't know I was going to get a welcome committee," she said.

"Where have you been?" Frank asked.

"I've been at the Saraphina–the same place I've been all day." Nancy answered.

"I thought you would have taken off early, after what happened with your dad and all," Frank said.

"You told me he was all right. There was no reason for me to leave, Frank." Nancy said in a tired voice.

"Listen to you, Nan. You barely even able to talk," Frank said.

"Frank, I really don't want to have this argument right now." Nancy said. She went to the cooler and grabbed an apple juice. "I'm fine–I'm not pushing myself."

Frank watched as she took a swig of juice. "I'm sorry," he said. "I guess I'm just a little more worried now, than usual."

"It's fine," Nancy said. She sat down on the sofa and took off her shoes. "So, how's my dad?"

"He's fine. We took him back to his room so he could rest," Joe explained. "The doctor gave him something to help with the pain."

"That's good," Nancy said. "So, I guess you two are waiting to hear about my day."

"Well, you did promise us something when you got back," Frank said, sitting beside her.

"You're very right–I did," Nancy said. "Well, you'll never guess who's in charge of the show over at the Saraphina."

"Who?" Joe asked.

"Stuart Grayson's daughter–Mia," Nancy said.

"So, he has a daughter," Frank said.

Nancy nodded. "Yeah, and they're close, Frank. I don't think she has any idea what kind of man her father is. And I hate that, because I really like her."

"Did she tell you anything?" Joe asked.

"Abby was her best friend. I didn't really get a chance to ask her much about it; she had me working all day." Nancy said. "But I plan on talking to her again tomorrow."

"Good," Frank said. "We need anything we can get right now."

"What have you two been up to?" Nancy asked.

"Nothing, really. We were at the hospital almost all day with your dad." Frank said.

"Did the police find anything out about who hit him?" Nancy asked.

Frank shook his head. "No, nothing. Whoever it him, took off as soon as it happened."

"I still think it had to be Grayson," Nancy said.

"Or his goon that was with him," Frank said.

"I don't know about you two, but I'm going to bed," Joe said.

Nancy let out a big yawn. "I'm going to take a shower and head that way, too. I have to get back to the Saraphina, early tomorrow."

Joe's real reason for wanting to go to sleep, was that he was hoping he would have another memory about the night that Abby was murdered. He just had to find out what really happened that night...

Before it was too late.

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Abby was smiling at Joe. Joe couldn't help but smile back at her.

"So, do you have any proof that Grayson killed this guy?" Joe asked.

"I don't have any evidence personally, but I know that he likes to keep records of his 'business transactions'." Abby said.

"What kind of records?" Joe asked.

"He has cameras hidden all over the hotel and casino," Abby said. "He believes in covering himself at all angles. And he never does these things alone–he always has hit handy little goon, Minor with him."

"Are you telling me he may have videotaped the murder?" Joe asked, shocked.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Abby said. "But don't ask me where they are because I don't know."

Just then there was a commotion outside Joe's hotel room. Abby looked at him fearfully. Joe held a finger to his lips and cautiously made his way to the door. Just as he was about to peer out of the peephole, the door flew open knocking him to the floor.

"Joe!" Abby screamed.

Joe looked through a haze of pain as two men walked into the room and approached Abby.

"Well, Abby," said one of the men. "I was wondering where you had run off to."

"What do you want, Stuart?" Abby asked, fear in her voice.

"I want you, Abby," Grayson said. "I need to teach you a lesson."

"I didn't mean to see it," Abby said, tears streaming down her face.

"I wasn't sure if you had or not–but now you have confirmed it for me," Grayson took another step towards her.

"Stay away from her!" Joe said, now on his feet.

Grayson looked at Joe, amused and then nodded at Phil. Phil walked over to Joe, preparing to knock him out, but Joe got the first swing in. It hit Phil squarely in the jaw, but he barely even flinched. Joe looked at him, eyes wide, before Phil landed a punch of his own. Joe fell back down to the ground.

"Please, Stuart! Leave him alone!" Abby pleaded.

"I can't, Abby. You've got him involved now." Grayson said. "But don't worry; I'm not going to kill him."

"Thank you, Stuart," Abby said.

"But," Grayson continued. "I can't say the same for you."

Grayson looked at Phil as he was picking Joe up off the floor. "Don't do anything to him yet; I want him to watch."

Phil held Joe in a half nelson and Joe watched as Grayson pulled a knife from his jacket. Joe started to struggle in Phil's grasp, put Phil was holding him too tightly.

Abby started to sob uncontrollably as Grayson walked to her. He put a hand to her cheek and spoke softly. "My dear, sweet Abby–it pains me to have to do this."

"Please, Stuart," Abby whispered.

Grayson didn't say anything to her. He just raised the knife and plunged it into her chest.

Joe could do nothing, but watch helplessly as Grayson kept plunging the knife into Abby. Grayson then turned to look at Joe.

"I wasn't lying when I said I wasn't going to kill you," Grayson said. He walked up and punched Joe hard in the face.

Joe fell to the ground, barely holding on to consciousness. But he heard one more thing before everything went black.

"After all, you just murdered Abby."

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Author's Note: Now Joe has finally gotten the last piece of the puzzle! As always, please review, good or bad...By the way, there isn't much left on this story. I got registered for college yesterday and I start soon, so I know I will have this story wrapped up by then!