"Frank, we need to talk," the Gray Man's voice filtered through the phone line. "Cease searching for information on Matt Horace. I'm on my way to Bayport,. I will be there by eight tonight. If your father is back, have him wait for me."
"Matt's an Assassin," Frank guessed, his face pale. It had been horrible to find out his brother's natural mother was the head of the Assassins and wanted Joe to take over but when she had been arrested, he, his father, and the Network had all assumed Hardin's second in command would take over leadership. Had Joe been taken for revenge? And why were the Assassins getting involved in a Mafia dispute?
"More than that," Gray told him cryptically. "But I will fill you in tonight," he said before hanging up.
The phone rang again almost as soon as Frank hung up. "Frank?" Fenton's voice came through. "Joe.."
"Wasn't there, I know," Frank cut him off. "You had better come home," he continued. "I have a lot to tell you and we're having some very important company later. You need to be here."
"I'll be home by six," Fenton promised.
After Frank hung up, he logged off and leaned back in his father's chair with a heavy sigh. How was he going to tell his mom?
"Frank?" Laura poked her head in Fenton's office. "Was one of those calls from your father?"
"Yes," acknowledged Frank. "He'll be home by six."
"Have you already found out about that Horace man?" she asked, coming all the way inside the office and seeing the computer screen flashing its saver.
"Some," Frank admitted. "But someone is coming by tonight around eight who can tell us a lot more."
"The other phone call?" Laura guessed. Frank nodded. "Who?" she asked.
"Arthur Gray," Frank answered, using the Gray man's pseudonym.
"The Network?" Laura gasped, her eyes going wide. "The Assassins have Joe? But...but Tippoli?" she begged, not wanting her son in the Assassins' possession even for a second.
"Still has Joe," Frank calmed her. "Apparently, one of his men is an Assassin."
"Why would he have an Assassin in his organization?" Laura asked in confusion. "I thought the Assassins had their own group."
"They do," acknowledged Frank. "Which means Sorrel was right. Horace does have his own agenda."
"Frank, your brother," Laura said, feeling feint. "The Assassins. That woman...she..she is in prison, still. Isn't she?"
"Yes, mom," Frank said with a nod.
"Then why take your brother?" she asked. "Revenge? They won't kill him, will they? Not when he's her son. Unlesss..unless she no longer has anything to do with them and they have cut her off entirely. They wouldn't do that. Would they?" she demanded fearfully.
"Mom," Franks aid, not wanting to answer. The truth was, the Assassins would kill themselves to avoid capture. He wouldn't put it past the Assassins to have taken Joe to force Lauren Hardin to kill herself rather than remain a prisoner.
When Fenton arrived home, Frank filled him in on everything he had learned. "Where there any leads about where Joe might be?" he asked his father when he had finished.
Fenton sighed wearily and rubbed the back of his neck. "Tippoli rented a ship from the Primal Reef Rental Agency," he informed Frank and Laura, who had joined them half way through Frank's litany. "The coast guard is looking for the ship but haven't had any luck so far."
"What next?" Laura asked.
"That depends on what Gray tells us," Fenton said, looking at his watch. "He should be here before long," he said. "I think I will go have a shower and change."
Gray arrived at eight on the nose. Frank answered the door. "Does this have to do with Joe being Lauren's son?" Frank demanded before Gray had passed through the doorway.
"Yes," Gray acknowledged. "Is your father here?"
"In the living room," Frank said, feeling sick. He had been right. Horace had wanted Joe to get at Lauren.
"Well?" Laura demanded after everyone was seated. She had refused to be left out of the conversation and had told Fenton in no uncertain terms right before Gray had arrived to not even attempt to exclude her.
"Matt Horace is an Assassin," Gray began. "But Horace isn't his real name."
"Then what is it?" Laura asked.
"Matt Hardin," Gray announced. "He's Joe's older brother."