Chapter 10

Joe's Point of View

Joe grabbed Nancy's hand and they both ran. The man behind them running and following. The people on the street were screaming as the man fired at them. They were running as fast as they could. There were a group of people coming up and if they played it right they could loose him in the crowd.

He looked behind him. Nancy did at the same time. They both saw the man was still behind them and was in better shape then they were despite the look. He was picking up speed.

"Come on. We can hide within this group of people. Besides, there should be police somewhere on the street." Joe stated to Nancy. Nancy just looked behind and they darted for the crowd. They pushed their way through as they noticed the man that was running behind them stopped. He turned instead going across the street. They had reached their destination, NYPD Blue. The police noticed they were running and made them halt. They looked behind them and saw no one.

"There was a man behind us, he had a gun." Nancy was out of breath and so was Joe. They had run from him for a good twenty minutes and he ran the opposite direction.

"What did he look like?" They took out a pad.

"He had black hair, tattoo on his right arm, wore mostly black, and with face piercing. He ran that way when we approached the station." Joe finished the thought.

"We will go out and look for him, but no guarantees. You are Nancy Drew and Joe Hardy?" They both nodded their heads. The policeman looked impressed after asking his question.

"It's good to know we have real detectives in town. Now get inside, its not safe outside right now." They got inside the police station and Nancy sighed in relief.

"Good thing we were close. This could have been a lot worse." Nancy said nervously. Joe saw Nancy wasn't rattled but he remembered cases where that happened. She was definitely prettier then what he was used to. He could see why she had guy problems. He wondered what happened to Ned.

"You all right?" Nancy looked at Joe as he asked carefully.

"Yes, I'm just out of breath. Let's go in the back." They walked around the counter saying hello to the front officers and made their way back. Tom was walking from one place or another and saw them.

"Hey you two, you look out of breath." Nancy gave a half smile.

"We ran a half mile away from a mysterious boy with a gun. We gave a description but he got away." Tom frowned.

"A mysterious boy? You two all right?" Joe gave a half smile.

"Yes, we are a little out of breath. He fired some shots, but no one was hurt. We ran into him on the subway train." Tom frowned.

"Wait, I thought you had an interview with Tina?" Nancy obviously gave her dislike to her already he could tell by her expression after Tom's question.

"She ditched us. Like she had plans and she was nervous talking to me. We meet her on Saturday that's if everything goes as planned. Joe is coming with me cause she seems comfortable around Joe. Where are Frank and Emily? Are they in the back?" Nancy asked. Joe saw she was getting pissed at the night. He wasn't that far from being calm himself. He wondered who that boy was. He was in his late twenties and looked seriously into Nancy.

"They are in the back. Hopefully we can catch this pursuer." Joe snapped his fingers.

"There are some connections coming together but we aren't sure. We need to interview this Michael. He could be our guy. He seems creepy enough." Tom looked at him.

"He isn't in our jurisdiction. We would have to get the New Jersey police department involved. I'm sure that won't be a problem. What else have you been finding out?" Joe saw Nancy look anxious but kept her cool. She wanted to go into the investigating not talking to the authorities right now phase. She has definitely changed. He is used to the calm phase of Nancy Drew. Between Frank and Nancy, they had a lot of changes between the two.

"We think the sorority might be involved." The Sheriff didn't look happy after Joe said that.

"That isn't good. What else have you found out?" Joe told him about the connection between the girls and the sorority. After a long conversation the Sheriff decided to do some investigating of his own of this organization and make sure they aren't hazing kids. They talked a bit more about the girls knowing each other, and being a slight lead on that front. Tom was a big surprised at their progress, but they still say Tad could be a suspect and so could the second victims ex-husband, the cook and restaurant owner.

"You keep me posted." Tom stated. Joe agreed and they went their separate ways.

"You look anxious Nancy." Nancy sighed and shook her head.

"I don't know. It's weird. Tina's behavior is getting to me. I want to know why she is so nervous. You said on the train she wants to nab the bad guy, the one responsible. Yet, she is very disorganized." Joe put him his hand as Nancy stated that fact. They were walking down the hallway towards the evidence room. The room was where Frank and Emily were plowing through files.

"Don't get on her case. She has been through a lot." Nancy went to open the door as Joe defended Tina's behavior.

"Look, I'm not saying she is a suspect but she acted odd and stood us up basically, and that means she has something to hide. You know how it works Joe." Frank looked up from his paper work, as they entered.

"Wait, I thought you were meeting Tina?" Joe decided to answer quick before Nancy's personal feelings got in the way.

"She stood us up basically." Nancy got in though, and Joe sighed.

"What do you mean stood you up?" Emily's voice came from her seat. He forgot about Emily.

"She didn't stand us up. When we got there, she didn't let us into the house for one. I guess that was weird, she claimed she needed to clean up her house real quick. We waited a half hour outside on her porch. Then she came out claiming she had to go to the airport to pick up a friend, so she couldn't be with us. She couldn't drive into the city, but dropped us off at a subway station into the city. It was a bust, but we see her on Saturday." Joe finished. Nancy sat down and took a file. Joe took a seat and Emily took off her glasses.

"Sounds odd. What was her behavior like?" Joe gestured at Nancy.

"Nancy claims she has something to hide cause she had been nervous the whole time. Besides that, some mysterious dangerous guy with a gun chased us. He fired shots out, but didn't hit anyone. We don't know who he was or what he wanted, but he finally ran the opposite direction when we came up to the station." Emily frowns and Frank turns to Nancy.

"You all right?" Joe wanted to laugh and Nancy gives him the look, that she is fine.

"I'm fine. Joe and I ran like hell for a half mile." Frank frowned and Emily didn't look happy.

"What was he after? Do you know?" Emily asked as Joe gestured at Nancy.

"I think it was for a free ride, then kill later." Joe stated.

"I think you don't walk the streets of New York alone at night Nancy. It could be a warning if he didn't follow you straight to the police headquarters and that he fired shots but not hitting anyone. This could be a warning to back off all ready." Frank stated and looked at them both.

"You do look out of breath." Nancy waved a hand.

"You try running full tilt for a half mile. Now where are you in these files?" Emily leaned back in her chair.

"We are reading on Michael, and the more that I read the more I want to bring him in for questioning. He has a history with the law first off, second has known to molest boys and girls when he was in college. He is a bit older, in his thirties. He isn't suppose to be around college students cause of his parole officer gave him strict orders not to. He could go to jail. I'll question Michael. We were just about to wrap up for tonight." Joe nodded his head.

"A lot of information I gather?" Emily just gestured at the amount of paper work still to go through.

"Someone needs to go through it but if we go through it all at once, we won't absorb the interesting parts. Like did you know Tad knows Michael from high school, so this night seems to be pointless but paper work usually has some sort of trail." Joe wasn't sure about Emily. She was sure pretty but was she a good detective?

"Yes, there is a big pile of paper work. So should we brain storm?" Nancy looked distracted as she sat down. Frank was reading a sheet of paper and Joe seemed to go ignored, even though he was asking a question.

"It looks like either someone is on to you guys already, or that was someone just after a good time. What do you think?" Nancy was being addressed by Emily. Nancy looked at Emily.

"I thought he was kind of flirting but I didn't think he had a gun." Joe didn't think he would have a gun either.

"It shows that they need more security on those trains. You look like me, well not in looks but in concept of attracting trouble. That's why when women join the FBI they get paired up with a guy because it wards off fights and dangers to the women doing the investigation. But back to the crime at a hand, Michael is a character that I want to interview. So I'll interview him, I don't feel comfortable with you interviewing him." Joe thought, thanks a lot. We can handle it. He had interviewed worse in his times and dangerous foes.

"Like you said, just in case something goes wrong. I'll go with you." Frank stated. Joe could kiss his brother. He didn't trust Michael. Emily looked at Frank.

"I interview him tomorrow at his job in NYC. You can come but I ask the questions." Frank shrugged.

"That's fine. I think its time to take a break. I'll pick you up at nine thirty. We meet at the station." Emily said to Frank. Nancy smiled and Joe sighed in relief. At least Emily wasn't one of those FBI agents that hogged all the fun, he thought to himself.

"So when do we meet with Tad tomorrow?" Joe turned to Nancy.

"I meet him at three then we go to dinner. I can meet you at the station at one, and we can take…" Joe waved a hand.

"I'll pick you up from the hotel. I do have a car." Nancy laughed.

"don't worry about the car, we are meeting in the city and parking is a bitch." Joe shook his head.

"Not after tonight. We ride in style, my beat up van that's still in use."

"Well I better get to the hotel, George and Bess will be back and they will worry." Emily looked at her wristwatch as the rest of them did. The time read twelve thirty one AM.

"I guess it's a night." Emily stood up.

"I'll drive you Nancy, and Frank you have a car?" Frank gestured to himself.

"Yes, I'll drive my brother and stuff. We meet tomorrow where?" They went quiet for a second.

"Right here. We meet here at nine to ten o'clock depending what happens. Bring notes of the day, and we will start making plans on doing some on site investigating."