A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting. Life got a little busy.

Chapter 16

The luau was officially over. Bess, Nancy, and the Hardys bid a fond good-night to the other couples at their table. Off went the Mansvilles, Westins, and Jameses.

Bess turned to Nancy and Frank. "Joe and I are going to the Puahlua Bar and Grill. I hear they have a DJ on Tuesday and Friday nights. You guys want to go dancing with us?"

Frank had been hoping for some quiet time alone with Nancy. Maybe a stroll on the beach. However, when he saw her face light up at the mention of dancing, he didn't want to disappoint.

"Sure, sounds great." His voice lacked enthusiasm. Dancing was on the list of things Frank did not care for or feel comfortable doing. Well, except for slow dancing – that he could handle – and with pleasure. Slow dancing got you up close and personal. Only one problem, you had to wade through a bunch of fast songs before you got a slow one.

Joe pulled a face and looked at his brother. "Dancing sounds great to you? This has to be a first."

"Hey." Frank was slightly miffed at his brother. "You know me and dancing. It's not my strong suit. I mean, I can dance. It's just that I .. I .."

Nancy looped an arm through Frank's. "Don't worry. I'm a good teacher. You're safe in my hands."

Joe held out an arm and Bess took it. "Great. Let's go," Joe said.

The couples walked to the Puahlua Bar and Grill arm in arm.

Frank whispered to Nancy, "I was kinda hoping for some time alone tonight. Just the two of us. Maybe a stroll on the beach later?"

"I think we can work it in." Nancy smiled. She'd been hoping for a private moment alone, too. It was nice to know Frank was thinking the same thing.

Frank directed his next comment at Joe. "Hear anything from Detective Lau or Butch? Are they still searching or if have they given up for the night?"

"They'd call me if they've called off the search. I'm sure of that. And I can say without a doubt that Butch won't stop searching until he finds Rosita."

Frank and Nancy exchanged meaningful glances, but said nothing.

# # # #

The Bar and Grill was every bit as intimidating as Frank imagined it would be. The music was too loud. The people were too loud and the place was packed. Frank thought it might be pushing the fire-code capacity. He pulled at his collar under the lei.

Colored lights swirled around the room, illuminating young and old couples gyrating across the dance floor. Some were graceful, some not so much. Bodies of all shapes and sizes twisted and turned to the pounding beat.

Okay, Frank thought, if these old guys could make the effort, so could he. He escorted Nancy to the dance floor just as another up-tempo song started. The smiling duo of Joe and Bess were already on the floor and moving to the music. And very smoothly too, Frank thought with a pang of jealousy.

Frank need not have worried. He didn't step on Nancy's toes or make a fool of himself. He followed Nancy's lead and mimicked the moves of the dancers around him. Nancy seemed pleased with his efforts.

Several songs later, all fast ones, Frank had worked up a sweat and suggested a break. He needed water. Nancy agreed. They got glasses of water from the bar and threaded their way, hand in hand, through the hot bodies movin' and groovin' on the dance floor. They found an empty table for two near the open doors leading onto the terrace. The music was muted at this distance and the ocean breeze drifted in and cooled their dance-warmed skin.

They sat companionably sipping their water. Frank took off his lei and dropped it on the table. Nancy did the same. Their eyes met. Frank's, intense and dark, said he wanted to take that stroll along the beach and have Nancy all to himself. Nancy's, a midnight blue, shone with matching intensity. She was about to suggest they leave when the DJ started a slow song.

Frank's eyes lit up. He'd been waiting all night for a slow song. "Finally," he whispered and took Nancy by the hand.

Nancy was pleasantly surprised at being lead back to the dance floor. She turned to Frank and her breasts brushed his shirt. She slid her hands up and onto his broad shoulders. She reveled in the hard strength that passed beneath her palms and fingers. A slight tension pulsed in those well-defined muscles, a tension that begged to be massaged away. Nancy fought the urge to do just that.

She had led most of the dances tonight, but Frank was firmly in control now. His arms went round her waist and he pulled her close. The closeness was electrifying. A razor sharp thrill zipped from the top of Nancy's head all the way down to her toes.

Frank's warmth enveloped her like a log fire on a cold winter night. The scent of his aftershave hung in the air and brought to mind their interrupted kiss behind the staircase. That had only been two nights ago yet it seemed a lifetime.

They moved in sync to the music, his hard thighs brushing hers. His hip sliding past hers as they moved to the slow steady rhythm. The heat of arousal spread through Nancy's body as she followed Frank's lead. They were igniting a fire she wasn't sure they could contain and she didn't care. Being in Frank's arms was heaven on earth. She laid her head on his shoulder and his hand came up and caressed her back. His gentle touch relaxed her completely and the soft lines of her body melted into the hard contours of his.

They moved across the dance floor melded together. Frank's hand worked its way down the curve of her back, caressing, massaging. His hand stopped at the swell of her hips.

Nancy and Frank were so comfortable and relaxed it took them a moment to realize the song had ended. Frank straightened but kept an arm around Nancy's waist.

His voice was husky and rough, "I think I'm ready for that walk on the beach."

"Yeah, me too." Nancy's hands slowly slid off Frank's shoulders and down his chest.

Frank and Nancy slipped out the doors leading to the beach and stole through the night. Hand in hand, they ran toward the ocean, a full moon lighting their way.

"Hold up," Nancy yelled, "I can't run in these sandals."

She used Frank's shoulder for support as she leaned over and removed her shoes. They continued their stroll, Nancy's sandals dangling in her free hand, her other hand wrapped in Frank's.

A small dark object moved on the beach. Nancy stopped and pointed. "Did you see that, Frank?"

"It might be a sea turtle." Frank fished a penlight out of his shorts' pocket. "They like to bury themselves in the sand."

He shone the light over the sand and found the animal. It moved. Nancy let out a squeal. It wasn't a sea turtle. It was a crab and it was headed straight for her. Well, not exactly straight because crabs do not move in straight lines. They move sideways. This only compounded Nancy's problem. Which way should she run? The little crab was fast and it waved its big claw around its head like a lasso.

Nancy kept an eye on that big claw as she ran.

Frank kicked sand at the creature hoping to distract it or run if off.

"Hey, where's the fearless Nancy Drew?" he teased as he kicked. "It's just an itty, bitty crab."

"Easy for you to say. He's not after you." Nancy ran in a wide arc around the crab. She made the mistake of zigging when she should've zagged and the crab was hot on her heels again. "Yikes!"

Frank chased the crab and gave the sand a good hard kick. He covered the little fellow in sand. The tactic seemed to work. The crab stopped and shook off the sand. Oh dear, now it was angry. It took a moment to appraise the situation and changed direction. It headed for its tormentor.

Now it was Frank's turn to run. He took off without looking and collided into Nancy. He knocked her to the ground and lost his balance in the collision. He fell on top of Nancy, catching himself in the nick of time. His hands slammed into the sand on either side of her. She was trapped beneath him.

Nancy, still worried about the crab, placed a hand on Frank's shoulder and scanned the beach. "Where is it? Where'd it go?"

Frank looked around and spotted the dark outline of the crab scurrying toward the shore. "I think he's had enough. He's headed for the ocean."

Nancy's head dropped back on the sand. "Thank goodness!"

Frank gazed upon Nancy lying beneath him. Her hair was fanned around her head. She was a vision of loveliness.

He lowered himself onto her and the mood changed.

Nancy felt the strength and hardness of his body along hers. Her breath caught in her throat. The intimacy of lying on the beach with Frank was staggering. His gaze, direct and honest, captivated her and took away her ability to think, almost to breathe.

She saw desire and longing in Frank's dark eyes. There was another emotion there, too. One she wasn't sure she was ready for. That four-letter emotion packed a powerful punch. Love wasn't something Nancy took lightly and she was sure Frank didn't either.

At the moment, she didn't think about that. Frank was on top of her, his body hot and masculine, stirring up sensations she hadn't felt for a long time and that made them all the more pleasurable.

Frank braced himself and brought his lips down on hers. The kiss was sweet and gentle, his lips soft and warm. He shifted position, slid a hand into her long hair splayed on the sand, and deepened the kiss. Nancy ran her fingers through the strands of his hair and felt their silky coolness.

Frank's lips moved against hers. He took his time, learning. His tongue sought entrance and she granted it. Their tongues met, timid at first; touching, tasting, stroking, then became bold and exploded deeply.

Her rubbed her bare feet along his calves. They'd lost their shoes in the tumble, she by tossing hers aside and he by falling. The hem of her dress had ridden dangerously high and the slit exposed a whole length of thigh.

It took Nancy a full two seconds to realize the vibration against her thigh was Frank's cell phone. It took Frank a second longer. He groaned in frustration and rolled off of Nancy. He yanked the phone off his shorts and brought it reluctantly to his ear.

Nancy pushed herself to a sitting position and adjusted her dress as she listened to Frank's side of the conversation.

"They have? Yeah. Okay. Where? Yeah. We'll be right there." He helped Nancy up. "That was Joe. Butch found Rosita. Lau wants our help until the forensic team arrives."

"Sure." It took Nancy a moment to process the information and the abrupt change in mood. It was disorienting going from lying on the beach, wrapped in Frank's arms, to being detectives again.

"My shoes." She looked around in the dark while she brushed sand off her dress and legs.

Frank scooped his penlight off the ground where it had fallen and shone the thin beam over the sand. A few seconds later, he and Nancy were racing across the beach, shoes in hand, Nancy's strawberry-blonde hair bouncing on her shoulders.

When they got to the tenth floor of the hotel they found a grim faced Detective Lau waiting for them.

"I've sent Joe and the young lady that was with him to the lobby to wait for the ambulance and escort the medics here as soon as they arrive. I figure it'll save time." A dark brow rose as he surveyed Frank and Nancy.

Frank sucked in a ragged breath. "We ran all the way. We were taking a stroll on the beach when Joe called." Hopefully, that explained their breathless, disheveled appearance.

Lau nodded and got right to business. "Do you have your PI badges?"

Frank pulled his out of a pocket and clipped it to his shirt. Nancy dug hers out of a slim case attached to the waist clip on her dress. The case, only big enough to hold her badge, slim cell phone, comb, keycard, and lip gloss, had been hidden between the folds of the dress.

"Good. Kim and another officer are guarding that end of the hallway. I'd like both of you to guard this end of the hall." Lau pointed where he wanted Nancy and Frank. "Station yourselves so you can see the stairs and elevators. Check all personnel trying to enter this floor. Only guests or law enforcement personnel are allowed access. If it's a guest, I want one of you to escort them to their room."

Nancy slipped the chain of her PI badge over her head and around her neck. "How's the maid?"

"Barely alive. Good thing Butch Overton found her when he did. He's with her now. I hope she makes it."

# # # #

The medics took Rosita away, strapped to a gurney, and the forensic team stepped in to examine the room. Now, Nancy, Bess and the Hardys learned what had happened.

Butch never gave up his the tenth floor. Throughout the evening he called Rosita's apartment to see if she made it home. As the night wore on with no sign or word from Rosita, Butch got to thinking, he should search the storage rooms again – really search them. And that's when he found her, wedged behind cleaning carts, crumpled on the floor, clinging to life. A pool of congealed blood under her head. Someone had thrown a pile of dirty sheets over her.

Butch had called Joe and Lau the minute he found Rosita.

Butch gave Lau a statement and left for the hospital. It was 12:30am. Detectives Lau and Kim left shortly after Butch. Uniformed police officers were left to guard the tenth floor.

Nancy, Bess, Joe, and Frank stood outside the elevators on the tenth floor.

"I'm beat," Bess said. "This has been a very, very long day. I'm glad they found Rosita and I pray she survives."

"We all do," Nancy said. "I'd like a shower and then it's straight to bed for me." She wanted to wash the sand out of her hair, however, she didn't mind how it got there. The thought caused her to smile.

Joe looked around at everyone and shrugged. "Guess we're all calling it a night."

"I have to check my email," Frank said. "Walter might have sent information on Diana Collins or Gwen."

The elevator doors opened and the group entered.

Nancy pressed the number for her floor. "There has to be a connection between those two women and their murders."

Joe leaned against the wall. "If we can figure out what it is we can probably solve this case."

Nancy mused, "I wonder if they knew each other in high school or college. Maybe they worked together in the past."

"Maybe they did," Frank said. "I'll e-mail Walter tonight and ask him to check and see what high schools and colleges Diana Collins and Gwen went to. I'll also have him double check their employment history. If they crossed paths in the past, Walter will find it."

# # # #

At the hospital, a uniformed police officer relieved Butch. Butch had stood guard outside Rosita's room. Butch was glad Detective Lau saw things the way he did. Rosita needed protection. Sooner or later the killer was bound to find out she was alive and then she'd be in real danger.

Butch ran a rough hand down his weary face. He was dog-tired and needed a shower and some sleep. It was after two-thirty in the morning. He'd been awake for close to twenty hours, but at least he knew Rosita was going to make it.

The doctors had determined she'd suffered blunt force trauma to the back of the head. The result was massive brain swelling and a coma. Doctors had performed surgery to relieve the pressure and fluid. Now it was a wait-and-see game. Once the swelling went down, Rosita should come out of the coma.

The lead doctor had given Butch hope. He'd said Rosita should make a complete recovery. It might be a few days or it might be several weeks before she woke up and they could fully assess her brain functions.

Butch took one last look at Rosita resting peacefully. No one saw the tenderness nestled behind his small dark eyes. The big guy had a soft heart, softer than anyone would ever know.

Life support systems surrounded Rosita's bed. Tubes and needles snaked their way into her arms and nose. The faint beep of a monitor seemed to echo in the eerie silence of the gloomy room.

The police officer, sent by Detective Lau, pulled up a chair outside the door and sank into it.

"Take care of her," Butch told the officer.

"I will. I hear she might be able to identify the murderer."

"She might." Butch narrowed his eyes. "Which means nobody, and I mean nobody, gets near her." He bit off each word.

"You can count on me." The officer gave an emphatic nod.

The nod didn't convince Butch. He would've felt better being the one guarding Rosita, but at the moment he was so darn tired he couldn't even think straight. Time to go home, get a shower and some sleep. He'd be back tomorrow. You could count on that.

Rosita slept, the endless sleep of a coma. The rise and fall of her chest was the only sign she lived. As she slept she dreamed. The same terrifying dream over and over again. Somewhere in her subconscious she knew that if she could awaken the dream would leave and take its terror with it. But she didn't have the strength to pull herself out of the deep sleep that immobilized her.

A figure approached. He came from behind silently, stealthily. He attacked before she had a chance to spin around. A hard push slammed her into the wall and she fell to the floor. White hot pain shot through her right knee and elbow as she hit the cold, hard, floor. She lay dazed and confused. Protect yourself, she thought panicking. But she had no time to react. A sharp blow exploded on the back of her head accompanied by a sickening crack.

Then everything went black, until the dream started again.