Chapter 15

Fenton, despite his earlier proclamation, was crushed to learn that Moore did not have his son. "We have nothing," he told Sam, his voice empty, as the police led Moore away. "No clues, no leads, nothing."

Sam remained silent. There was nothing he could say that would console Fenton or the rest of the Hardys. The investigation into Joe's disappearance had just come to a screeching halt and they all knew it. Sam could see it in their eyes.

He glanced at Con Riley for some words of reassurance but Con just shook his head, looking every bit as helpless as Sam. "How did Moore get into the house?" asked Sam, looking instead for something matter-of-fact to say.

Frank glanced up guiltily from where he was slumped on a chair. "I let him in," he mumbled. "I never closed the back door after putting out the trash."

"The phone rang and you just ran to answer it," said his aunt, who was being examined by the paramedics who had just finished examining Frank. "It wasn't your fault, you were just anxious for some news. Oh for heaven's sake, will you stop fussing over me!" she snapped at the paramedic who was trying to take her pulse. "I'm perfectly alright!"

"Of course it wasn't Frank's fault," said Chief Collig, as he returned to the room after escorting Moore to the Patrol car. "If anything, the person at fault here is Officer Munroe." Chief Collig glared at the young officer who blushed and stared at the ground. "Just how did Moore get around to the back of the house? I gave orders that you were to perform a sweep of the garden around the house every twenty minutes!"

Officer Munroe blushed even more and mumbled something inaudible. Fenton took pity on the young officer. "It's not his fault, Ezra. Moore was just lucky. And we probably should have known that tip wasn't genuine when it was anonymous. No one was seriously hurt, let's just leave it." Fenton's voice was weary.

"That's not the point!" snapped Chief Collig. "The man was on duty and should have known better!" He caught sight of Fenton's downcast face and sighed. "Fine. Officer Munroe, you can go with Officer Daniels and escort Moore back to the station. I'll contact Phoenix to let them know we've picked him up."

The young officer nodded, mumbled his apologies and shot out of the house. Irritated, Chief Collig turned to Con. "Can you watch the house tonight?"

Con nodded. "Of course."

"Good," the chief grunted and turned to Fenton. "Fenton, I…"

Laura interrupted them. "Con, you don't need to watch the house tonight." They all turned to stare at her and Laura shook her head. "Moore is back in prison so he's no longer a threat."

"Laura…" Sam began.

"Don't try and 'Laura' me, Sam, I'm not stupid! Whoever has Joe has no interest in coming after us to hurt us. He doesn't need to, keeping Joe from us hurts more than enough."

"Laura," Fenton tried, but Laura cut him off too.

"Don't even say it, Fenton," she warned bitterly. "I've had all I can take! If I hadn't heard Frank yelling at you on the phone, then I wouldn't have come downstairs and it's the Coroner who would be here, not the paramedics! So stop trying to sugar-coat everything and tell me exactly what are the chances of getting Joe back!"

"Laura, please," Fenton implored. "We'll get Joe back, you just need…"

"I need my son!" Laura yelled. "I can't stand not knowing! Fenton, you have to tell me what's going on!"

"But we don't know anything," said Fenton desperately, approaching his wife and trying to take her hands in his.

"You have to know something," his wife pleaded and Fenton shook his head. "Nothing?" Laura whispered. The look on her husband's face gave her the answer. With a wail of anguish, Laura finally snapped. "I…w-want…my son," she sobbed as Fenton put his arms around her. "I want m-my…little boy!"

The men in the room glanced away uncomfortably, unused to seeing the normally strong Laura Hardy lose control like this. It was Gertrude who silently ushered them all into the hall, keeping a tight grip on her nephew's shoulder as she did so.

"Go home," she told the men. "You've done more than enough for one night."

"But…" Sam started to protest. Gertrude cut him off.

"But nothing, Sam Radley! You go home to your wife and get some rest. I'll handle things here. We'll see you all in the morning." She looked so fierce that none of the men dared argue.

"Okay," Sam agreed. "But call me at any time if I'm needed."

"And me," Con added.

"I will," said Gertrude quietly as they left. "And thank you."

It was a long night for the Hardy family. None of them slept properly. Each one was troubled by their own thoughts and nightmares, and shortly after six they all began to rise.

The kitchen was silent as Laura and Gertrude prepared breakfast. The fear that they might never see Joe again had been a constant presence the last few days, but now it was fast becoming a reality. As Fenton glanced at the grim, silent figures of his family, he realised that they were coming apart at the seams…and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Just before nine, Sam and Ethel arrived. Both noticed the change in the Hardy household at once; it seemed hope had been replaced by despair.

"I take it you're not going to school today, Frank," said Sam, making a brave stab at conversation. Frank shook his head in response.

"Gertrude," said Ethel, making another stab. "I was going to get some groceries. Would you like to come with me?"

"Alright." Gertrude nodded her agreement.

"What about you, Laura?" asked Ethel.

Laura shook her head. "I think I'll stay here," she mumbled quietly.

"Okay," said Ethel gently. "Gertrude, are you ready?"

Gertrude nodded. "Just let me get my coat."

The two woman were heading out the door just as a blond boy came up the path. For a moment, Gertrude's heart leapt hopefully but then she realised the boy was much too tall to be Joe.

It was Biff Hooper. "Morning, Aunt Gertrude," he greeted her.

"Biff?" said Gertrude. "Why aren't you at school?"

"I had the flu," he explained. "Today's the first day I've been up and Mom didn't want to send me to school yet."

"So she let you come here instead, did she?" asked Gertrude, peering at him shrewdly. Biff blushed and Gertrude sighed in understanding. "Call your mother and let her know where you are, I'm sure she'll be worried." Turning back, she called into the house, "Frank, you have a visitor!"

As Frank appeared in the doorway, Gertrude walked with Ethel to the car. "It's good to see you, Biff," she said quietly.

Biff smiled and turned to face Frank who was looking at him surprised. "Biff, what are you doing here?"

"I came to get some information seeing as nobody bothered to ring me with any!" Biff retorted, glaring angrily at Frank.

Frank winced. He had completely forgotten that Joe's best friend would want to know what was happening. "Sorry," he muttered. "Things have been a little crazy here the last few days."

Biff's anger disappeared immediately. "It's okay," he shrugged and came up the porch steps towards Frank. Frank couldn't help but stare at Biff. The boy had only turned twelve a few weeks ago, but already he was taller than Frank.

"What's happening, Frank?" asked Biff bluntly. "Any news on Joe?"

Dejected, Frank shook his head. "We know nothing. We don't know who has Joe, we have no clues, nothing," he finished dully.

Biff was shocked. "But hasn't the kidnapper asked for a ransom or anything?"

"No! The only thing we got was a tape!" Frank spat bitterly, then told Biff about the tape. Biff looked sick.

Both boys were standing in silence when Fenton suddenly appeared in the door way. "There you are, Frank," he said. "Hello, Biff."

"Hi, Mr. Hardy."

Fenton looked at them expectantly. "Well? Are you boys going to come in, or are you planning on standing out here all day?"

As the boys followed Fenton into the house, Biff turned to Frank. "Uh, Frank? I sorta need to call my Mom. I didn't tell her where I was going."

XXX

The hours dragged on into late afternoon.

Biff had called his mother who had shouted herself hoarse down the phone at him before agreeing that he could stay at the Hardy's for a while. Gertrude and Ethel had returned from shopping and Ethel had then returned home with the promise that she would be back later. Meanwhile, Fenton and Sam had locked themselves in the study and were pouring over Fenton's files.

As Laura and Gertrude tried to busy themselves in the kitchen, Frank and Biff played computer games in the living room. Each one played worse than the other. They couldn't concentrate; all they could think about was Joe.

Around four, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" Frank yelled as he headed into the hall. He pulled open the door to see a courier standing there.

"Package for Frank Hardy," said the man.

"That's me," answered Frank, staring at the courier.

"Sign here please," said the man in a bored voice, waving a clip board in Frank's face. Frank signed it and the man thrust a large package at the boy. "See ya," he mumbled, heading back down the path to his van.

Frank stood stock-still, holding the brown package with trembling hands. He hadn't ordered anything and was too young to be receiving packages. The teenager knew at once who had sent it.

Joe's kidnapper.

"Frank, who was at the door?" his mother called as she appeared in the hall, wiping her hands on an apron. She froze when she saw Frank standing there, the brown package in his hands. "What's that?" she whispered and Frank looked at her, his face white.

Laura knew at once. "FENTON!" she screamed.

Fenton Hardy appeared at the door of his study. "What is it? What's wrong?" he demanded.

Laura pointed a trembling finger at the package in Frank's hands. Slowly, Fenton's face drained of colour. "When did that arrive?"

"Just now," answered Frank. "A Courier dropped it off."

Sam appeared in the door behind Fenton. "What's going on?"

"Frank just got a package," answered Fenton moving towards his son.

"What?" said Sam. "Oh!" he exclaimed as realisation dawned. Quickly he hurried after Fenton and grabbed his wrist just as Fenton was reaching for the package. "No!"

Fenton was startled. "Sam…"

"There could be prints on it," Sam reminded him.

"But Frank and the Courier have already touched it!" argued Fenton.

"All the more reason for you not to," said Sam firmly. "We need to call Chief Collig. Frank, place the package carefully on the floor."

As Fenton dialled the Chief, Frank gently placed the package on the floor. By now Biff and Gertrude had joined them in the hall. They all stared apprehensively at the parcel as though it were a bomb that could explode at any minute.

The police and the forensics team arrived twenty five long minutes later, and the Hardys were forced to endure another nerve-wracking twenty minutes while forensics examined the outside of the package.

"There's nothing," said the senior CSI.

"Now can we open it?" demanded Frank, his hands shaking with fear.

"Yes, but we have to do it carefully," answered the CSI. "There might still be prints on the inside." Frank's face dropped and the CSI added, "don't worry, it won't take long."

As the CSI carefully opened the package, everyone held their breath. "It's a jacket," he announced, holding it up.

"That's Joe's!" Laura cried, then froze as she caught sight of the long slash in the right sleeve, blood staining it heavily. "No!" she whispered.

Frank was also staring at the jacket with growing horror. He hurt him! Oh my God, he hurt him! Frank could feel an uncontrollable panic threatening to overwhelm him.

"Hey, there's a note!" said the younger CSI, not seeing the warning looks the senior CSI was sending him. Quickly he reached down and pulled out a piece of paper between gloved fingers. His superior glowered at him. He had been hoping to save the two boys in the hall from hearing the contents of the note.

"What does it say?" asked Fenton sharply, moving forward and reading the note. His eyes hardened and his face turned ashen.

"What does it say, Dad?" asked Frank.

Fenton didn't look at him.

"What does it say, Dad?" said Frank, raising his voice.

"It doesn't matter," his father mumbled, still avoiding his eyes.

"Yes it does!" Frank yelled. "It's about Joe, isn't it? I want to know, Dad! He's my brother, I have a right to know!"

"So do I," Laura spoke up quietly.

Fenton swallowed and read out what was written on the piece of paper; This is what happens to bad boys…they get punished. Tell Fenton this won't be the first 'piece' of his son to arrive!

There was silence when Fenton finished reading. Laura was shaking like a leaf as she stared at her husband, but it was Frank who reacted first.

"NO!" he screamed.

"Frank…" said his father, moving towards him.

"You stay there!" spat Frank viciously and his father stopped in shock. "You're supposed to be the hotshot detective, Dad, so find him! Do you hear me? FIND HIM!"

XXX

Miles Denton frowned to himself as he entered the basement. The music had been turned off. Quietly he opened the door and peered into the room. The boy was asleep. Scowling, Miles moved towards him, then stopped as Joe coughed and moved restlessly in his sleep. The sleeve of his sweatshirt pulled back a little and Miles caught sight of the bandages on Joe's arm.

His scowl deepened. Where the hell did those come from? Then realisation hit him. Kevin!

Miles clenched his fist. He would need to have a word with that bleeding-heart brother of his.

Quickly he retreated out of the room and slammed the door shut. Furiously, he threw the bolt into place and banged on the music. Shrill wailing filled the air once more and Miles smiled to himself as he heard a moan from inside the room, followed by choked coughing. Turning up the music, Miles went back upstairs humming tunelessly. He supposed he shouldn't really care about the bandages.

After all, this time tomorrow, Joe Hardy would be dead.

A/N: Thanks to Penguinlover, shee1, Paperdaises and astalder27 for the reviews, you guys are the best! But I'd really appreciate it if other readers took the time to add a comment or two; all authors love a little feedback, inspires us to write more!!!!! I see the statisticss and I'm getting over 100 reads per chapter but only 3 reviews! Please guys, I'd really appreciate any feedback at all...this story took alot of time to write and I'd really like to know what you think of it. Thanks!