"Well?" demanded Frank when his father called that night. "What did you find out?"
"From Lauren? Nothing," Fenton growled in disgust. "She wouldn't even open her mouth to tell me off."
"But you do know something?" Frank pushed, a surge of excitement coursing through him.
"This line isn't secure," Fenton said. "I'll be home soon," he promised.
"All right," Frank acknowledged with a disappointed sigh. He was no more eager to let the Assassins know anything than his father was.
Frank hung up but picked up the receiver again almost immediately when it rang beneath his fingers. "Frank?"
"Mr. Sorrel," Frank returned, recognizing the speaker at once.
"I have some disturbing information. Tippoli's body, or what was left of it, I should say, washed up on the beach this afternoon," Sorrel informed Frank.
"I'm not surprised," Frank replied, running a hand through his already mussed up brown hair. "Matt Horace is really an Assassin and his entire involvement with Tippoli was to get at Joe."
"But why?" an intrigued Sorrel inquired.
"The Assassins want Joe to be one of them," Frank answered truthfully.
"Never happen," Sorrel dismissed the idea. "Your brother has too much integrity," he stated from experience. "That's one of the reasons I decided to send Marie back to boarding school."
"Thank you," Frank replied, grinning. "You're right. He does."
"Is there any way I can help?" Sorrel inquired. "I do feel responsible for his disappearance."
Frank bit his tongue. It would have been so easy to blame Sorrel for letting Tippoli use Joe as a pawn but the truth was that Matt would have found some other way to get Joe. "It isn't your fault," Frank finally admitted. "Joe was the target. Matt would have gotten him somehow."
"I do have one more bit of news," Sorrel said. "And it is entirely due to you that I obtained the information."
"What is it?" Frank asked, puzzled.
"The security guard that witnessed Kern leaving Jordan's home the night of the murder had only been working there for two weeks. His references for the job included one Matthew Orache. That's Horace with a couple of letters transposed."
"I thought Kern was innocent," Frank said. "Matt killed, or had someone kill Jordan just to get you and Tippoli interested." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair again. "Thank you."
"Of course," Sorrel replied. "Frank," he continued. "I don't like being played. I intend to help."
"Please don't," Frank begged. "Joe..."
"Will not be endangered," Sorrel promised.
"You can't guarantee that," Frank argued.
"But I can guarantee the choice isn't yours," Sorrel retorted before hanging up.
Frank scowled at the receiver before slamming it down. 'Another problem!' thought Frank. He started to move away from the phone but was once again forced to pick up the receiver when it rang. "Hello?" he snapped, not ready for more bad news.
"Frank?" Chief Collig asked, a bit shocked at the anger in the youth's voice.
"Chief?" Frank said, calming down a bit. "What's up?" he asked. "Have you found out anything?"
"Just more bad news, I'm afraid," Chief Collig replied. "Camille Lane and Callie Shaw were abducted from the Lane residence this afternoon."