Give it up for Dragonmaster65 - Thank you for putting up with my insanity and pushing me to constantly improve.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, favourited and followed this story – Much appreciated!

Chapter 3

Joe eyed the woman in front of him. She had just recounted to him an intriguing story, and he was not quite sure what to do. They were inside the office, and she was sitting on the couch trembling. He had given her a glass of water to drink. Her hands shook so bad that all the water ended up on the carpet and finally she gave up and put the glass down on the table.

"Vanessa," he started tentatively. He paused until she collected herself enough to nod. "I really need you to calm down. I want to help but you aren't making much sense."

A voice called out from the doorway, "Oh brother of mine, this 'case' you texted about better not have just been a rouse to get breakfast from me. I will annihilate you….oh hello?" Frank stopped short at the sight of Vanessa.

"Vanessa, this is my brother Frank Hardy. Why don't we start again with what happened from the beginning so we can fill him in as well," Joe said as he nodded at his brother. He paused to bite into the bagel Frank passed him as he took his seat on the far corner of the room.

Joe consulted his notes. Maybe having his brother here would put some of the burden off his still-aching head as they figured out what Vanessa was telling them. "You came home last night to find your co-worker dead in your living room floor; a James Obler who appears to be a victim of homicide?"

"Yes," Vanessa said with a nod. "I immediately called the police. When they got there I told them that he was a co-worker and that I had no idea what he was doing at my place. However, I didn't tell them everything."

Vanessa repeated the events from the day while breaking down a few times. It took coaxing from both Joe and Frank to open up about her concerns. Eventually she told them everything, her hand wringing.

"I figured that audio clip could have been the reason he got killed in the first place, and I certainly didn't want the people responsible to know that I was aware of the clip. But now that's made the police suspect me," she explained.

She sniffled and accepted a tissue from Joe. "I knew about your father - about Fenton Hardy always doing what he could as a private investigator - and, well, I didn't have much else of a choice. I thought maybe he or you-" she gestured to Joe "-could help out someone like me.",

Frank whistled. "You certainly have got yourself in a jam," he commented.

Vanessa flushed once more and wiped under her eyes. "Look, I'm not stupid. I know what this looks like. But I am telling you I have no idea what was on that damn audio file," she insisted between little huffs and sniffs. She was moments from tears again. "I never even heard it or asked who was having an affair with Michael Emerson. And I most certainly did NOT kill James."

"It wasn't me. Please. Please, you have to believe me," Vanessa pleaded and then broke down crying.

"We believe you," Frank said quietly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Perceptive in nature, Frank had noticed how scared the girl before him was and her body language spoke volumes. Either she was a really good actor, or she was telling the truth. Frank decided the latter.

"If these people are eliminating everyone that came in contact with the audio tape, you may not be out of the woods yet. Vanessa, do you have a place you can stay? Your apartment is out of question as these people obviously know where you live," he asked.

Vanessa shook her head. "I've got friends, but… well I don't know anyone I'd want to risk putting in danger like this," she said.

"You can stay with us. You'll be safe at our place," Joe volunteered quickly. Then he turned to look at Frank to confirm. He didn't leave Frank with much of a choice to say no about it.

Frank slowly nodded. Joe trusted easily and always chose to see the good side in people. Frank on the other hand didn't trust easy, and he was still sizing Vanessa up even though he believed her fear to be genuine. There still could have been more to her story. They needed to get cracking on their investigation to be sure one way or the other.

"We need to get our hands on the recording. It may very well be the key to solving this whole thing," said Frank as he opened his laptop and got busy.

With Vanessa resting in the couch of Joe's office, the brothers tried to learn as much as they could about Michael Emerson and Ophelia Pharmaceuticals. Frank called up a familiar friend.

"Hi Frank!" Callie's voice rang out as she answered her phone

Frank smiled. She had that effect on him, always. "Hey beautiful, we need a favour. What do you know about Ophelia pharmaceuticals?" he asked.

Callie had access to a huge database thanks to her job. The brothers decided that was as good a place to dig for initial leads.

"Hmmmm, let's see. We haven't really published much about the company. We have a Michael Emerson getting married to Mr. Virtanen's daughter. Then we have the consistent increase in the stock prices for Ophelia attracting investors from all around the world. Those are the big pieces. What are you looking for?"

"Anything you can find, anything at all," Frank said. He still made note of the first two bits of information. Anything could end up being useful. It was better to be over-informed than under. He listened to Callie's keyboard clacking away under her fingers as she searched.

Air rushed by the speaker as she shifted her phone. "Okay here is something," she said after a minute of searching. "A few years back the company was to release a promising drug for migraines that was going to increase its global brand and hopefully boost its stock price. However, the drug was never approved by the FDA, so the company had to put it on hold. This article never got past editorial review. I'm assuming because it didn't make for sensational news."

Frank could hear Callie tapping away once again on her keyboard. After a few moments of silence, she apologized to Frank, "Sorry honey - that's all I have."

"Okay, well thank you, Callie. See you tonight?" he offered.

"Only if you promise to tell me all about your case," Callie countered.

Frank laughed, "Will tell you when I see you. Love you!"

"Love you too - bye now!" Frank hung up the phone and turned to face his brother. Of course he'd been listening in.

"Sooooo, seemed like you got squat," Joe said. "Maybe we should follow Michael Emerson around? He doesn't know that Vanessa doesn't have the audio clip, and he may still come after her."

"That may be a tad bit difficult during the day when he's at work. I'm sure he's either inside his office or in confidential meetings. We can't follow him in there," Frank countered.

"Unless we can somehow plant a bug in his office," Joe proposed.

"Definitely. Just need to devise a way to plant it. It may also lead us to the woman Emerson is having an affair with. Our priority, however, is still to get that audio clip," Frank said. He picked up his phone to make another call, this time to Con Riley.

Con Riley was a respected detective of Bayport PD. He had often assisted the brothers and their father in their cases. The Hardys trusted him implicitly - Frank included - and they were very close.

"Whatever you want, the answer is NO," Det. Riley answered huskily.

Frank grinned. Typical Riley. "Awww, C'mon now," he said "No need for such tough love. Besides don't you want the collar when we solve this case like the last time. Or every other time before that?"

Static crackled as Riley sighed into the receiver. "Always ready with a quip, bright boy. What do you need?" he acquiesced.

After a few minutes of conversation and thanking Det. Riley once more, Frank turned to Joe. "Get this. Laptops acquired from both houses, Vanessa's and Obler's, are no good. Drives have been fried and nothing can be recovered from either," he relayed.

Joe let out a small whistle. "They really don't want the audio file surfacing. How about a little old fashioned search of both houses? You know - it is bugging me as to why Obler was at Vanessa's place. Maybe he hid it there?" Joe suggested.

"Why don't you check with Vanessa and see if it is okay for us to search her place and I can get Det. Riley to let me into Obler's place," Frank said.

Joe nodded. Then he bit his lip. "By the way," he said quietly, his eyes on the closed door to his office behind which Vanessa slept. "Are you okay to sleep on the floor? I'd rather not, given my ordeal last night."

Frank laughed and said, "Oh yeah, I did wonder the secret behind your ruggedly handsome look this morning. You actually have me beat today in the looks department".

"Get lost Frank! I did you a huge favour last night. As far as looks are concerned, I could roll outta bed a perfect ten compared to you!" Joe insisted.

"A delusion of grandeur."

"Whatever," Joe rolled his eyes and went off to speak with Vanessa as Frank's phone rang. It was Callie.

"Miss me already?" Frank answered.

"You wish, but that's not why I called," she replied. "Ophelia Pharmaceuticals has just issued a statement saying they discovered early this morning that one of their employees, Vanessa Bender, had tampered with confidential files. They are planning to file a lawsuit against her."