Thank you for all of the wonderful comments you have given this story. I am glad you are enjoying this story so much!

I might have to move my publishing time for this story to Tuesday evenings rather than Wednesday mornings for a bit due to a work commitment. Sorry.


Desperately hoping it was nothing but a misunderstanding, Frank emerged from hiding. The three adults in the room all turned to him, shock patterning their faces. Noah hurriedly tucked his son behind his back.

"Who are you?" the woman demanded.

Frank watched as the older man stormed into the back room. He returned with a shotgun, levelling it at him. Feeling a chill sweep through his body, Frank raised his hands. He held the man's gaze.

"My name is Frank Hardy," Frank said. "I'm Fenton Hardy's son."

He gestured toward Joe in a way he hoped would not startle the man into pulling the trigger.

"That's my brother, Joe," Frank continued.

"Dad, I've heard about Fenton Hardy," the woman said, turning to the older male. "He's a detective, a good man."

The older man snarled, saying Mauve has probably heard of Fenton Hardy too.

"We have no proof he's who he says he is. Mauve probably gave him that line! I mean, they don't even look alike."

Frank could see Joe shifting about, desperately hacking at the rope that bound his wrists. Even gagged and blindfolded, he could tell things were not going Frank's way.

"We have the same noses," Frank said, lamely.

With a snarl, the older man took aim.

"No!" the woman shrieked. "He's just a kid! They're both just kids!"

"Mauve is after us too!" Frank said.

"A likely story," the older man growled.

It was at that moment that Joe managed to cut himself free. He tore off the blindfold and gag, racing to his feet and hurrying to Frank's side.

"It's true. Everything he has said is true," Joe told them.

Noah turned to his companions.

"I think we should at least hear them out. I mean, if Mauve knew where we were, why just send two kids? Why not send some of his hired thugs after us?" he asked.

Frank and Joe watched as the older man's gun wavered. He lowered it but said he was keeping the weapon close to hand, ready to use the moment Frank and Joe showed their true colours. Frank and Joe merely nodded their understanding. Joe looked toward Frank, looking to his older brother to take the lead but Frank knew the explanation would sound better coming from Joe. He was the one who had come to the island first, the one Mauve was after.

"My name is Joe Hardy," Joe introduced. "When I was four years old, ten years ago, I was kidnapped and taken to New York where I lived for those ten years with no clue of who I really was. I worked for a criminal there and helped take him down when Frank and Mr Hardy came to look for me. That criminal worked with Mr Mauve and now Mr Mauve feels like he has a claim to me. He wants me to come and work for him and is willing to threaten the people I care about to do it. It's the reason I came here."

"What do you mean?" the woman asked.

Frank was thankful for the curious patience in her voice. She certainly didn't sound suspicious of Joe or like she meant him harm.

"You've heard of Fenton Hardy, the detective? He has been investigating Mauve."

The older man scoffed: "Never a good idea."

"I know," Joe agreed. "But he wants to do it to keep me safe. He wants to stop Mauve. But Mauve will kill him, my mother and Frank if I don't keep Fenton from going after him so I was looking for another case I could distract Fenton with and I am across your case, Noah."

"Who's Noah?" the young woman asked.

Frank and Joe turned to each other, shocked. Joe went to speak but Frank intervened.

"I think it's time you introduced yourselves," Frank said.

"No!" the older man snapped. "We aren't telling you a thing!"

"Oh, come on," the woman said, turning to him. "They told us who they were. It's clear they aren't working for Mauve. We have to trust someone eventually."

It was Noah who stepped forward first. He offered them a warm smile.

"My name is Thomas," he said.

"Thomas?" Joe spluttered. "No. No. You're Noah Watkins."

Noah frowned. He looked between the brothers.

"You really… That's my name? Noah?"

"You really don't know?" Frank managed.

Unable to speak, Noah turned to look toward the young woman. She stepped forward.

"Thomas… Noah… He washed up on the shore years ago. He'd hurt his head, couldn't remember a thing. We have a small boat we keep hidden so we can get supplies and stuff. We offered to take him back to the mainland the moment he was fully recovered but he decided to stay here, with us. But you two know who he really is?"

Joe went to answer but Frank stepped forward asking the young woman who she was. She told him her name was Millie. She went to ask more questions but Frank turned, fixing his attention on the older man.

"And you?"

"Robert," the man replied at the silent pleading of his daughter.

"And the little boy?" Joe asked.

"Me and Thomas are in love. We didn't mean to have a child but we did."

The brothers glanced at each other, drinking in the information. Frank studied his brother, wondering if Joe was prepared to keep pressing on their line of questioning. Joe seemed eager to learn more and yet it was obvious he wasn't sure how to go about it. Summoning the skills he had picked up from his father, Frank spoke.

"And you're out here hiding from Mauve, right?"

Reluctance was painted across their faces as Robert and Millie nodded.

"I was an art forger," Robert explained. "Mauve's best. I could forge anything, replicate any artist's style. I made him a lot of money, worked directly with a lot of his very powerful clients."

Joe and Frank drank in the information, saying nothing to see how much Robert would willingly tell them.

"And then my life, Millie's mother, got sick. Cancer. And soon it was just Millie and me. I couldn't… If I was all she had, I didn't want to be caught up in the world of criminals. I didn't want to risk going to prison and leaving her all on her own. So I told Mauve he was done."

"He can't have liked that," Joe said.

Robert hummed his agreement.

"I had always known he could be controlling over the people he worked for. He's that sort of man. But I had thought I had given him enough that he would let me retire quickly, that I had made him enough money. Mauve doesn't work like that. He doesn't let anyone walk away. Once you work for him, you're in there for life. And I knew too much."

"So we ran," Millie said. "He came after us and we realised there wasn't anyone we could trust. Mauve doesn't control everyone. There are still good people. But he can control anyone. We decided it would be safer for us to settle away from all people and only go to the mainland when we desperately needed to. At first, we thought Thomas was one of Mauve's people but it became clear that all he wanted to do was help."

Nodding, Frank asked if they would have let Joe go after they had calmed down enough to let him explain why he was there. He kept the dangerous edge from his voice, not wanting to make it clear a negative answer would make him furious. Millie and Noah hurriedly assured him they would have. Robert grumbled something below his voice but cleared his throat loudly at the sharp glare Frank offered him.

"Of course," he said.

"But you said you came here looking for me?" Noah pressed. "Please, if you have answers, I need to know them."

It was Joe who stepped forwards. He slowly, carefully, explained all that they knew about Noah Watkins, about what had happened to him. He left gaps for Noah to ask questions, apologising when Noah asked something he couldn't answer.

"But my parents? You said you know them? They're still alive?" Noah demanded.

Frank and Joe nodded, saying they had had more than enough brushes with his father.

"You should come back with us," Frank said. "We'll help you get your life back."

Noah's eyes lit up with the idea. He grinned, saying he would love to meet his family, see if it could prompt any memories. Then his face fell. He turned to Millie and Robert.

"You two wouldn't come with me back to life on the mainland, would you?"

"It's not safe for us there," Millie said. "Mauve holds grudges for life. He'll send his men after us the moment he realises where we are."

"Then I want to stay here," Noah said.

"What?" Joe gasped.

Noah turned to him, saying that he had made a home on the island. He had a child, a life there. He had no memories of being on the mainland, no recollections of the family he had left behind.

"Nor did I," Joe said. "But they were my family."

Frank turned to Joe, quietly pointing out that Joe hadn't had anything close to a family in New York. There had been no one who truly cared about his safety, who had loved him or done what they could to provide him with the best life possible. Noah had that with Millie and Robert. He had a son on the island. He had no reason to throw that all away because of people he didn't remember.

"They remember you," Joe pointed out.

"It hurts to be the ones left behind," Frank added. "The not knowing alone tears you apart."

Noah grimaced. He turned his gaze to Millie and Robert. Taking Millie's hands, he swallowed thickly.

"Would it be okay if I visited the mainland? I won't be gone more than a day."

Millie allowed a smile to form across her face.

"Of course," she told him. "You go and get your answers. You deserve them."


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