Chapter 5
For a split second, everyone in the room froze and stared at the ringing phone. Then, the man with the harsh voice grabbed the phone and held it to Laura's ear.
"Say hello!" he ordered.
"H-hello," Laura answered, her heart thumping painfully. She nearly went limp with relief when she heard her husband's voice on the other end.
"Hi, Laura. Look, I'm sorry I'm late ringing but things have just been crazy here today…"
"Oh, Fenton," Laura broke in, her nerves finally starting to go. "Thank goodness you called!"
"Why? What's wrong?" Fenton asked immediately. But before Laura could answer, the leader grabbed the phone.
"Laura can't come to the phone right now…but if you'd like to leave a message!" he chortled gleefully into the phone. Laura could see that he'd been waiting all evening to do that.
"Who are you? Where's my wife?" said Fenton at once. He was practically shouting and Laura could hear every word.
"Right here beside me, Fenton, and your two boys too," the leader answered.
"Who are you?" There was an edge of panic in Fenton's voice.
"Who I am doesn't matter. The only thing that should concern you right now is that I have your family…"
"You'd better not have hurt them!"
"Your family are alive and unharmed," the leader told him. "How long they remain that way is entirely up to you."
"What do you want?" asked Fenton desperately.
"Co-operative and to the point. I like that in a man," the leader continued to torment him. "You and I will get along just fine as long as you keep up that attitude."
"What do you want?" spat Fenton.
"Two things. First, I want you off the case you're working on. As of this second, it's no longer your concern!"
"Fine," said Fenton. "What's the second?"
"You have access to a man I'm very anxious to speak with; his name is Tim Hanley. I want him in exchange for your family."
"You want me to exchange one life for another?" asked Fenton, shocked.
The man chuckled coldly. "No, Fenton. Three lives for one…and not just any three lives, the lives of your family. Is the life of one man, a crook no less, more important than that of your family?" He glanced at Laura, enjoying the effect his words were having on her.
"Please," Fenton begged. "My family are innocent, leave them out of this."
"But they're in this because they're your family," the man continued gleefully. "Surely you see that?"
"But you know where Tim Hanley is," said Fenton desperately. "He's in jail and…"
"Of course I know where the stinking turn-coat is!" growled the leader. "Why do you think I need you to reach him?"
"But how can I get him to you?" The desperation and panic were clearly evident in Fenton's voice now.
The leader smiled. So the man did care about his family. "You could always try breaking him out," he informed Fenton calmly.
"What?" Fenton spluttered.
"A prison break," the man reiterated.
"But I can't…I…How…"
"You need further convincing? Fine!" The leader strolled across to Frank. "Say 'hi' to your daddy, kid."
He put the phone to Frank's ear.
"D-dad," Frank whispered.
"Oh God, Frank! Are you alright? Have they hurt you, son? What about Joe and your mother?"
"They haven't hurt us," Frank answered, the lump in his throat becoming more protracted by the second. "But, Dad, they have guns and masks and…they're real scary, Dad." Frank could feel tears prick his eyes and sniffed.
The leader pulled the phone from his ear and turned to Joe. "Your turn."
"Daddy?" Joe's voice was small and scared.
"Joe? Are you okay? Oh, son…"
"Mom and Frank are being very brave, like you," Joe told him. "I'm trying to be brave too…but Dad, I'm scared, please come get us!"
The last words were almost a whimper.
The leader took the phone again just in time to hear Fenton proclaim; "I'll bring you all home safe, Joe! I promise, I'll do whatever it takes…"
"You know what it will take, Fenton," the man said. "I suggest you get going on it because I'm giving you just three days. I'll contact you at the end of the three days to arrange a swap."
"Three days? But that's not enough time!"
"That's all you've got! And don't waste time coming up to this cosy little cabin here, because as soon as I hang up, we're all taking a little trip to a more private location. And don't even think of involving the cops! You do and they all die, slowly and painfully!"
"Please…"
"Tick-tock, Fenton, tick-tock!" said the man, and hung up the phone.
He turned to face everyone in the room. "Now, to make this trip as easy as possible for us, you three are going to take a little nap!"
"I'll get the van," said the man with the English accent, and he stood up and left the room.
The leader pulled a rag and a small brown bottle from his pocket. Quickly, he unscrewed the cap and poured some of the bottle's contents onto the rag, then approached Laura.
"Wha-what are you doing?" she asked apprehensively.
"Putting you to sleep," he answered and immediately put the rag over her nose and mouth.
Laura struggled, but it was hopeless and within minutes she was out like a light.
"MOM!" Frank and Joe screamed in panic.
"Relax," said the man. "I just put her to sleep and now it's your turn." He strode over to Frank and did the same to him.
"FRANK!" screamed Joe, as his brother's eyelids began to droop.
Joe was terrified. Several months ago, the Morton's dog had fallen sick and needed to be put to sleep. He never woke up, and when Joe had asked his mother why, she had explained that it was a special sleep which sent the dog to heaven. Joe understood then that the dog was dead. And now here were these men doing the same thing to his mother and brother.
Frank was now asleep and the man turned to Joe.
"NO! NO! GO AWAY!" Joe thrashed in his bindings in an attempt to evade the cloth. "Hold still!" the man grunted.
But Joe jerked his head away, then threw it from side to side.
He wasn't going to be put to sleep! He wasn't!
The man grabbed his head. "Hold still you little shit!"
The rag was placed over his mouth and an overwhelmingly sweet smell floated around him. Joe felt dizzy and the room spun.
Hold your breath! his mind screamed at him and Joe immediately did so.
Joe could hold his breath for nearly a full three minutes. He and Frank often had underwater competitions to see who could hold their breath the longest. Joe usually won; it was one of the few things he could beat his older brother at.
"Why's he turnin' purple?" asked the man with the harsh voice, after two minutes had passed.
The cloth was pulled away and Joe sucked in a breath.
"I won't go to sleep! I won't!" he cried, sounding a lot braver than he felt.
The leader struck him across the face. "This isn't like wanting to stay up late, you brat!"
The cloth was put over his mouth and again, Joe held his breath.
"He's turnin' purple again," observed the man with the harsh voice.
"Fine, let him kill himself then!" snarled the leader, not removing the cloth. "Stubborn little shit!"
"We need him," the man with the young voice reminded him.
The leader pulled the cloth away and glared at him. "There are other ways of putting him out you know…"
"Why don't you just gag him leave him awake?" the young man suggested. "We don't have time for this and we need the kid in one piece. Look at him, he's tiny! How much trouble can a kid that small be?"
"He's been plenty of trouble already," the man with the harsh voice put in.
"Just find some tape and gag the brat!" the leader spat in temper. "But I won't forget this, kid…"
Fenton Hardy stood in the hallway of his home on the corner of Elm street, staring in shock at the phone in his hand.
This can't be happening…
Fenton didn't know what to do. His own family was in danger and his mind wouldn't work; he couldn't think.
This can't be happening…
His son's scared voices echoed in his head, and Fenton shook his head vigorously trying to clear it.
Think! he scolded himself.
His family needed him.
Slowly, Fenton replaced the phone on it's receiver and walked into the kitchen, massaging his temples.
Tim Hanley, he moaned to himself. Anyone but him.
Tim Hanley had been a small time hood for a big time crime lord. He had been arrested on charges of racketeering and murder, and had turned state's evidence to get a lighter sentence…and the state's protection.
The FBI were now mere weeks from closing down one of the biggest drug smuggling rings in America with Tim Hanley's help, and his testimony was going to put away a lot of very powerful and very dangerous men.
Fenton hadn't a hope in hell of getting his hands on Tim Hanley.
Tick-tock, Fenton, tick tock…he heard the mocking words of the kidnapper in his head. Fenton knew his family were in the hands of some very dangerous and desperate men.
I need help, Fenton realised.
Again, the voice of the kidnapper rang in his head…don't even think of involving the cops! You do and they all die, slowly and painfully…
Fenton thought for a moment then walked back to the phone. Picking it up, he dialled quickly and listened to the phone ring on the other end.
"Hello?" a deep voice answered.
Fenton took a deep breath.
"Sam? It's Fenton. I need your help."