Chapter 3 - Something in Common

Frank Hardy gave a sigh as he sat down on the sofa after work. It had been a long day and his mind couldn't escape thinking about that news bulletin...

"Dad we saw the report. Is it true?" Sam asked.

"Yes, Son, it's true." Frank's eyes misted over and he suddenly seemed very far away.

"Would Joe have been a good uncle?" Questioned Natalie curiously. Frank was jolted out of his reverie.

"Yes, I think he would have been, although he might have spoiled you rotten!" Frank tried to hide it, but his voice cracked just a bit as he said this. The pain of his brother's disappearance still stung like a newly inflicted wound. Frank remembered with a smile what Joe had been like when their cousin had been born. He could still see Joe romping on the floor with the toddler and buying him all kinds of sports equipment he was too small to even pick up! Frank's lip quivered and a single tear made its way down his cheek. He brushed it away hastily and looked over at his children.

Little Sam smiled at his twin. Frank noticed this and gave a laugh "Do I even want to know?"

"No, you don't" Callie said as she kissed his cheek. "They've been guessing all day about Joe's looks, and attitude and the things you had in common. Looks weren't that hard because of the pictures but you know teenagers!" she continued with a twinkle in her eye.

"Well guys I can tell you for a fact that one thing we always had in common was that we wanted to be detectives."

Just as Sam was about to reply Biff Hooper walked in and said "Sophie and Jenni let me in." Frank smiled at his two youngest children. Sophie was six and a looked a lot like Callie. Jenni, who was five years old, much more resembled Frank. Sam actually looked a lot like Joe, only with Frank's soulful brown eyes instead of Joe's sparkling blue ones. Natalie was a mix of both her parents, she had her father's brown hair and her mother's beautiful green eyes.

"That's fine, how was the interview?" asked Callie.

"Well, Joe works out of the main office in Virginia. He's the main man along with Jack Ryder and Tim Thompson; I had my interview with Jack. He got curious when he heard my name and remembered the news report. When I explained that I was looking for a job in the 'EYN squad' he was really interested in my experience. I ended up regaling him with some interesting tales from our teenage years!" Biff smiled and Frank nodded knowingly. "When I asked about Joe, he told me all about Joe's family and then some. Joe has three children. Liam is 13 and a miniature Joe, Katie is 8 and looks just like Kayley, and their youngest is James, who is two, and with Kayley's brown hair and Joe's eyes, he seems to be a mixture of both of his parents."

"Wow!" Callie murmured in shock.

"That's what I said!" Biff said with a grin. "Apparently Joe's famous in Virginia!"

"Really?" asked Callie "What'd he do?"

"He and 'EYN' organize events to help children. They have done some amazing things in the area." Replied Biff.

Callie shook her head in shock. Frank was unusually quiet and just nodded as Biff spoke.

"Well, he and Dad have something else in common!" said Sam smiling.

"What?" asked Sophie and Jenni at the same time.

"They're both famous." Natalie deadpanned for her twin. Everyone laughed and then Biff smiled and said "That's true!"

As they continued to talk and discuss their teenaged years with the kids, no one could have suspected that during the next week Frank

would come face-to-face with a father's worst nightmare.