Another chapter up, yeah. Don't know how long before I'll get the next one done, hopefuly won't be to long. R&R, negative comments are welcome.

How do You Say Goodbye – Chapter 7

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Bess leads Joe to a secluded couch in a corner of the lobby. Joe sits down and turns to face Bess. "Now will you tell me what has you and Nancy so spooked?" Bess takes a deep breath then answers. "Joe, all the flowers in our room aren't from an admire, but rather from Nancy's stalker," says Bess quietly.

"What," screams Joe. Every on in the lobby turns to see what the shouting is all about. Bess notices all the attention that Joe is attracting. "Please keep your voice down," she begs. "I want this conversation to stay between the two of us. Also I don't want to get kicked out of my hotel." "Sorry," he mumbles.

Bess waits until everyone has gone back to their own business before continuing. "Nancy has been receiving a bouquet of flowers every Monday for the past 9 weeks. There is always a note accompanying the flowers. The last 4 deliveries also included photographs of Nancy, taken the week before.

"The stalker always orders the bouquets off the internet, but mails the payment with the note. The police have no leads because he never uses the same account on the internet, leaves no finger prints, no saliva, and he always drops the payments at the post office. There are absolutely no clues.

"At first we thought it might have something to do with the case Nancy was working on. She solved that case and two subsequent ones in the last nine weeks. No one involved in any of the cases knew about the flowers."

Joe has been quiet during Bess's explanation. "Wow, I had no idea. Why didn't she tell us?" Bess's face becomes pained. "I begged her to call you guys. I kept telling her 'there's nothing that can't be solved when Nancy Drew teams up with the Hardy Boys.' Nancy would give a slight chuckle at my joke then would become serious again. She said there was nothing you could do, but I think she didn't tell you because she didn't want to worry you guys."

"You mean she didn't want to worry Frank," Joe says with a smirk. Bess gives him a sly smile. "That could very well be the reason, but I'm officially sticking to my earlier story. That way I don't have to hear another one of Nancy's soliloquies on how she isn't in love with Frank Hardy." Joe laughs, "I know what you mean. I get them from Frank about Nancy as well. They usually end with him telling me either shut up or get out." Bess joins Joe's laughter.

Once Joe catches his breath he says, "What do we do know?" Bess looks at Joe. Her whole expression changes from mirth to worry. "I don't know. I know Nancy is more affected by the stalker then she lets on. Mr. Drew has asked George and me to try to get Nan to talk about it, but so far she has blocked all our efforts. I'm hoping Frank will have more luck. Which is the reason I've been trying to get her to contact you guys."

"And that is probably the real reason she didn't want to," adds Joe. Bess nods her head. Joe glances up at the ceiling. "That is one conversation I don't think I want to interrupt." There is silence, and then she starts to sob. He quickly puts his arms around her and pulls her to his chest.

"Don't worry Frank will get Nancy to talk, and together we will find her stalker," says Joe as her caresses Bess's hair. She looks up at him with tear filled eyes, "you promise." Joe removes one hand from her back and wipes her tears away with the back of his had. "I promise. Frank will take care of Nancy and I'll take care of you," he says huskily. He leans down to kiss Bess.

"Um, excuse me," says a male voice. Bess and Joe quickly separate and turn to face the intruder. A man stands before them dressed in black kaki pants and a red, with tribal dragons in black, button down shirt that he wears out. He had a newspaper tucked under one arm. Just when I was getting somewhere with Bess. "Can we help you," Joe asks in an irritated voice.

"I was wondering if you knew the outcome of the race between Greymyst the Magnificent and Man's Best Friend," asks the Man. What in the hell is he … oh shit. Joe straitens up. "I haven't yet had the chance to check out the races. Would you mind if I borrowed your paper." Bess has a very confused look upon her face. She is about to speak when Joe holds his hand up to stop her. "Sure I'm finished with it," says the manin red and black. "I believe you will find what you need on page C4."

Joe takes the paper from the man and opens it up to page C4. There is a piece of stationary between pages C4 and C5. He picks up the stationary and reads it. Room 112 bring Miss Marvin. What could he want with Bess? Nothing good. While Joe contemplates weather or not to bring her to the meeting, Bess read the message over his shoulder.

"Joe, what is going on? Who are we meeting," asks Bess in an uncertain voice. Instead of answering, her crumples the note in his hand and throws the paper on an end table. Bess reaches up and touches Joe on the shoulder. "Joe?" Joe covers her hand with his. "Come on we have to meet my boss," he says with venom in his voice.

Joe turns to face Bess. "Don't ask," he pleads. She shakes her head in agreement. The two walk towards room 112.

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The Grey Man can't have possible meant that he wants Frank and I to pose as a married couple again, can he? Nancy glances over at Frank to see if he was having similar thoughts. Instead she finds him pacing between the beds. Oh he looks really mad. I don't think I've ever seen him so upset. I wish he would stop pacing. He is making me more apprehensive then I already was.Frank stops pacing and walks over to the dresser. He studies each one of the photographs, taking twice as long with the last one. Finally he turns to face Nancy.

"Nancy," Frank begins. Nancy flinches, now I know he's mad. He almost never calls me Nancy. "You have to tell me everything that's happened," he says as he walks over and sits down in the remaining chair. Nancy looks down at her hands. She contemplates not telling him everything, but knows he will be able to tell she's holding back. She sighs, looks up into his dark eyes, and starts at the beginning.

When Nancy finishes, Frank gets up and starts pacing again. She allows herself a small smile, for she recognizes that he is in full blown detective mode. Now this is a Frank Hardy that I'm familiar with. She knows he is trying to digest all the information she has given him. "What did each of the other eight notes say," he asks.

Nancy gives an involuntary shudder. Pull yourself together Drew. You can do this. She takes a deep breath. "The first note said, 'I'm watching you.' The second, 'Let's play a game. You win, you live. I win, you die.' The third, 'The object of the game is to find me before I find you.' The fourth, 'I have two rules. Rule one: you have to stay in Riverheights (or the game ends sooner then attended).' The fifth, 'Rule two: No help. You have to find me yourself or you forfeit. Now let the game begin.'

"After the fifth note he started including photographs of me taken during the previous week with the notes." Nancy's voice starts to crack but she continues anyway. "The sixth note said, 'I almost had you, but your friends interfered. You won't be so lucky next time.' The seventh 'Shall we meet in the air or on land? After all we've already meet in the sea.' The eight, 'It took you less then two weeks before, why not now? I grow impatient, but I remind myself the game must go on.'

"The police and my father were the only ones who knew what was written on each note." Nancy's eyes threaten to overflow with tears, but she manages to hold them back. Frank walks over to her. He takes her hands and gently forces her to stand up. His eyes are full of confusion, betrayal, anger, and compassion. Nancy feels a lump in her throat as she looks into his eyes.

A single tear falls as Nancy adverts her eyes. "Nance," Frank says softly. "Why didn't you tell me before?" She tries to walk away, only to find his hands have a gentle yet firm grip on her own. "Frank, please let me go," she whispers. "Not till you answer my question," he answers.

"There was nothing you could have done to help. There are absolutely no clues. Besides it is against the rules he set," Nancy says in anger. Her eyes dart across the room. I need to get out of here. "I don't believe you," he says sadly. Her eyes go wide in panic. Don't make me say it, please.

"I don't know what you're talking about," lies Nancy. Frank just raises one eyebrow at her. "Fine," she yells. "You want to know the truth?" He is so startled that he drops her hands. Trying the best to suppress his surprise he says, "Yes." Nancy turns to face away from him, but doesn't move away.

"I was scared OK. I was afraid you would do exactly what you are doing to me right now. I was afraid you'd get me to admit how frightened I am," whispers Nancy. Frank wraps his arms around her from behind and pulls her towards him. "It's OK to be frightened, Nance. I'd be more concerned if you weren't." She starts to cry. He continues to hold her close.

Finally Nancy's sobs stop. Frank releases her. She turns to face him with a weak smile on her face. "Thanks, I needed that." He grins back, "That is what friends are for. Now if I'm not mistaken, you originally came back here to get a change of cloths. George won't appreciate it if you show up to meet her wearing coffee stains. She stifles a giggle. "You're right, but Bess was so post to help me with that." Just as Nancy finishes her sentence in walk Bess and Joe.

"Where have you two been," asks Frank. "Getting our pictures taken by the Grey Man," answers Joe. "I can't believe I was asked to go undercover by a secret government agency," exclaims an excited Bess. "Trust me, it's more trouble than it's worth," complains Joe.

Frank ignores Joe's comment. "Did he tell you what your assignments are?" Joe shakes his head. "Not really. He said were to act as Nancy's bodyguards, until her stalker is caught. He also said we would have to go undercover to do that, but didn't tell us what the cover was."

Frank glances at Nancy. She shakes her head at him, as if to say don't mention the word honeymoon. He gives a slight nod in agreement. "Same here. We'll just have to stay our curiosity for a few hours," states Frank.

"We have a lot to do before we can leave for the airport," says Nancy. Bess gives her a questioning look. "We have to pack," says Nancy answering the unasked question. "Unless you brought enough money for a whole new wardrobe," she teases. Bess's face turns red. "I didn't bring quite that much."

Nancy turns to face the Hardys. "Why don't you go back to your hotel and pack? We can meet back here in two hours. That will give us enough time to get to the airport." Both Frank and Joe give her skeptical looks. She sighs, "Look Bess is also one of my bodyguards. I'll be fine."

Frank nods, "OK we will be back in two hours. Remember to just pack. Don't check out and don't take the bags downstairs. The network will take care of everything." He gives Nancy one more look before he and Joe leave the room.