The final chapter is here. I hope you all have enjoyed reading this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I'm not sure what my next story will be but I hope to begin a new one soon. Thanks again and enjoy.

8. Truly Free

George struggled against the ropes that bound her upper arms and legs. The boat was speeding away from the island with little care for George's protests. Eventually George wore herself out, grunting in disgust. What did these people have against her anyway?

George looked at the two men driving the boat. She didn't recognize either of them but assumed that one was Walker. The driver was a tall man with broad shoulders and dark hair. He seemed to be taking orders from an older man with a slight build and graying hair. Walker must be the older of the two. George wished that at least one would turn around so she could get a look at his face.

Some time passed while George tried to figure out where she was. The driver had docked and was unloading a few packages. George peeked at some of the buildings that loomed at the waters edge. Nothing looked familiar. This was not the same bay where she had boarded the ferry. But before George could guess where she was a blindfold was tied across her eyes.

The room George was unceremoniously dumped inside was musty and cold. Still blindfolded, George tried to feel her surroundings. The floor was rough wooden boards, which creaked and groaned with every step. The sides seemed to be brick or cement block. The door, George assumed from the sound, was heavy metal.

'I must be in some kind of a warehouse.' George thought worriedly.

Nancy sat on the dock, anxiously waiting for the police boat. She couldn't help but worry. George was in trouble and nobody could even begin to guess her whereabouts. And their one link to the area had turned vigilante and run off. Nancy only hoped that the police had something planned.

"Don't worry Nan. We will get to George before anything happens to her." Frank soothed as he sat down beside her.

"I wish I was so sure. I just can't see how taking George could help Walker. What does he want with her?" Nancy wailed, trying to hold back tears.

"I wish I knew. But I don't. I can't come up with any sensible reason." Frank sighed.

"Here comes the boat. They might have some answers." Joe announced. Joe led the three onto the dock as the boat drifted up beside it. As soon as the craft was near enough Joe, Frank, and Nancy boarded the boat.

Nancy stopped dead in her tracks when she saw who was on the boat. Lady Nicoletta, with her stylishly cut blond hair pulled into a ponytail and wearing shorts and a t-shirt, turned and greeted Nancy with a grim smile. Nancy smiled back, unsure what to make of the slightly older woman's appearance.

"Nancy, I'm terribly sorry to have caused you so much distress." Nicoletta grasped Nancy's shoulders in a friendly hug.

"What do you mean? How did you cause this?"

"Come, let's sit down and I will explain." Nicoletta suggested, leading the detectives to the boat seats. "You see, when I called you, not only had my necklace gone missing, but my sister as well. She had left a note that she needed some space, though nobody knew where she had run off to. Unfortunately, the same informant that tipped Walker about my necklace also told him about my sister. My sister returned early this morning, much to everyone's surprise. Your friend and my sister closely resemble each other. Walker kidnapped your friend, not to scare you, but to ransom her to me for my necklace. It has become a source of revenge for him"

"What about the informant? Why didn't he tell Walker?" Joe wondered curiously.

"My sister returned after your friend was kidnapped. That was how we discovered who the informant was. She confessed to working for Walker, in exchange for protection from him, claiming that he would kill her for her mistake."

"So does Walker know?" Frank questioned.

"No, not yet. We are hoping to use that knowledge against him." Nicoletta explained. "Unfortunately, Nicholas did not stay on the island. That will make things a little more difficult. But the police have confidence that we will succeed."

George leaned back against the wall. Rubbing her head up and down she caught a rough area in the wall. Scratching her head over the rough spot George pulled the blindfold off. The room was completely dark when she opened her eyes. George rolled onto her stomach and bent her legs over her back, and grasped the ropes that bound them. Grunting with the effort George finally untied the ropes binding her legs together.

George struggled to her feet and felt her way along the walls until she came to the door. She grasped the handle and pushed, cracking the door open. Cautiously, George peeked out through the small gap. The room was dim and empty.

George pushed the door open enough to get out of the closet that had been her prison and closed the door. A second door led off the large room. A stairwell was on the other side of the room from George. A small window was the only view she had of the outside.

Thud, thud, thud.

George whirled around and stared at the stairwell. Someone was coming upstairs. George glanced between the window and the doorway. There was no way to tell who was on the other side of the door. George made a mad dash for the window. Grasping the bottom of the frame with her hands, she pushed the window open and climbed onto the fire escape.

George raced over to the ladder and began to carefully climb down. She had made it about half way down when her foot slipped on one of the rungs. Unable to make full use of her still bound arms, she tumbled off the ladder. George closed her eyes, waiting for the impact of the concrete below. What she felt instead was a pair of strong arms. George opened her eyes to see Nick smiling at her.

"How did you find me?" George gasped.

"An undercover agent working from the inside." Nick whispered. "Let's get out of here."

Nick put George down and led her to the end of the ally. There he ducked down behind a dumpster. George ducked down next to him and Nick untied the rope that had held George's arms immobile.

Nancy and the Hardy brothers sat silently as the squad car raced down the two lane road. The officer driving had just received a tip about George that sounded like a promising lead. Nancy had been assured that Nick had taken care of all the angles before he left the island. Nancy still had her doubts but didn't dare voice them.

Frank sat beside Nancy, gently holding her hand. He could tell she was worried. He was beginning to wonder if they were being led on a wild goose chase. According to the officer Nick had an undercover friend that was sneaking information out about Walker. Frank didn't like that George's life was on the line in this power struggle.

"Stop the car!" Joe yelled suddenly.

"What's the matter?" everyone in the car questioned at once.

"That car over there. That's the same one that ran us off the road into that ravine."

"Are you sure Joe?" Nancy asked, studying the car closely.

"Positive." Joe confirmed.

Nancy, Frank, and Joe climbed out of the car and raced over to the ally. The car sat half hidden by dumpsters. Nobody seemed to be near the vehicle. Nancy studied the buildings around them. One building across the street stood out as a prime hideout. Nancy motioned to the others to follow her as she made her way to the warehouse.

The windows were filthy and the ground around the building was littered with debris. Nancy moved quickly to the side ally and looked around. A fire escape was the only way into the building from the ally. Nancy was about to climb the fire escape when she heard a rock clatter.

"Over there." Joe pointed to the dumpsters. Nancy watched as Joe and Frank crept up to the dumpsters. Frank was poised to attack should he need to when George's head popped out from behind the dumpster.

"What took you guys so long?" George asked as Nancy and the Hardys joined her and Nick.

"You wouldn't believe how hard you are to find. We have cops all over looking for you." Joe joked.

"The boat ride took forever. But as soon as we got to the mainland we had a tip on you." Nancy explained.

"Now we just need to catch these guys." Nick replied.

"How about we get out of this ally first." Frank suggested.

"We can't. Out there, George is a sitting duck." Nick answered.

Nancy thought for a moment before smiling. "If they want George, then why don't we give them George? How fast can you get a wig here?"

Nick took out a two way radio and spoke quietly into it, explaining Nancy's idea. When he was done Nick looked at Nancy and smiled. "Five minutes. Let's get everyone we can out."

Nancy nodded then she and the Hardy brothers moved away from the dumpsters. Nancy moved cautiously down the ally until she was back across the road. Joe crossed close behind her, followed shortly by Frank.

Nancy quickly went to the squad car and grabbed the packages that Nick had ordered brought for her. Silently Nancy changed into an outfit that matched Georges. Once her outfit was in place Nancy put the wig on and made her way back to Joe and Frank.

"Wow. If I didn't know any better I would say you and George were the same person." Frank marveled.

"Or twins." Joe added.

"Let's just hope this works." Nancy replied.

The three watched as Nick and George began moving through the ally. George was glancing in every direction, checking for any sign of Walker. Nick stopped at the road and glanced back at George. What he saw stopped him dead.

Walker stood behind George with a gun pointed at her head. George was frozen in mid step. Walker laughed harshly and pulled her back against him. George let out a gasp as she stumbled back.

"You thought you could beat me? You Dumonts are never going to win, not so long as I have Nicoletta's dear baby sister here."

"Do you mean me?" came a voice behind Nick.

Nick turned around and did a double take. "Cheri?" he asked; uncertainty in his voice before he realized that this was Nancy's plan.

"This can't be!" Walker shouted. He was looking between the two women, trying to decide which was the real Cheri.

"But it is. I was perfectly safe at my family's cottage. You kidnapped the wrong hostage."

"No, you are an imposter. She is the real Cheri." Walker insisted.

"Well, why don't we just find out which one is right?" Nancy suggested.

Walker watched as the mysterious girl moved into the ally. While he was distracted Nick moved behind Nancy, ready to get her out immediately should things turn bad. Nancy continued her act as she got closer to Walker. Suddenly she stopped and smiled.

"I think it's time for you to give yourself up."

"What makes you say that?" Walker demanded.

"The fact that I can take you down right now." a deep voice answered behind Walker. "Drop the gun."

Walker obeyed reluctantly. George rushed over to Nancy and hugged her causing the wig to fall off. Nick helped cuff Walker and escort him to a waiting squad car, then walked back with the man who had come up behind Walker. It was the same man who had driven the boat. Nick introduced him as Detective Wilson.

"You were wonderful Nancy." Frank cried.

"Great plan." Joe agreed.

Everyone talked and celebrated a few moments more. Finally the crowd began to disperse, leaving Nancy, the Hardys, George, and Nick. Nick and George talked quietly while Nancy and the Hardys prepared for the long trip home.

George smiled as she bid farewell to Nick. She knew that she was going to miss him terribly. Nick, too, seemed to want George to stay. Finally, though, they had to admit that it was time to part. But George and Nancy both agreed that Nick would not be gone for long.