Hey everyone, I'm sorry for the short chapter with no explanation yesterday. Life has been really crazy lately, things have settled down some though. (I now have weekends free. Some of them, anyway). So anyway, that being said, hopefully I'll be able to update soon! Thanks for everyone who reviewed. Chapter number three up.
090909090009090909009009090909000909090900900909090900090909090090
Frank was in a mild state of panic, but he couldn't reveal that to anyone. Dr. Bates was already angry enough with him. He hated this, the fear. He couldn't wait until his father discovered Dr. Bates was Hobbes; his father would surely kill Dr. Bates then. Or at least put him in prison for life.
He wanted Joe. Joe would recognize Dr. Bates as Hobbes. Hopefully, Joe had already recognized Snoopy as Jake. Who else could betray them now? He silently wondered. He also wondered what on earth they met by fact they didn't know who Joe was. Heck, Dr. Bates knew their entire family history; Jake knew Joe better then anyone else but his parents and Frank!
If he had to guess, he would say it was something they had come up with to make Joe feel bad. Then again, he hadn't recognized either of the drivers in the van, maybe they didn't know very much about Joe. Still, the whole situation didn't make since. He was terrified of Bates, remembering with a sick stomach just how joyfully the man had squeezed his throat.
Now he knew why they had said they could get him anywhere, anytime.
That was his last thought before he surrendered to the drug Dr. Bates had slipped into his water.
090909090009090909009009090909000909090900900909090900090909090090
Joe was exhausted. They wouldn't let him sleep. Anytime he even looked like he was about to drift off, someone would come and hit him, or dump water on him, or something. He was terrified. Even when he (if) got out of there, "Snoopy" – aka Jake, would know exactly where he was, every minute.
"Time to make another video!" Hobbes said cheerfully. He didn't recognize Hobbes, even though he recognized Jake. He had the sinking suspicion that Hobbes, too, was familiar. If only he could talk to Frank, Frank would know. "What do you think, Snoopy? Should Scooby help make it?"
Jake shook his head. "No, Hobbes. Scooby's too close to the investigation. Hardy would recognize his voice instantly."
Scooby stepped in the room. "I could do the video without speaking."
"No," Jake said firmly. "You're too close to the investigation. You're our only link to it. You're not allowed."
Scooby glared. "Look, the kid already knows who you are. We can't let him go without him forgetting that. Let me remind you that you're not the boss here."
"I never said I was the boss, but I think Boss would not want us to take that risk, to have you in the video."
"I agree." The one who was apparently called Boss raised himself from his seat, and Joe paled.
"Boss" was Chief Collig.
090909090009090909009009090909000909090900900909090900090909090090
Fenton Hardy was livid.
Dr. Bates had practically ordered him from the hospital, something he'd never done before. Sure, Frank was getting agitated; all the more reason for someone to be with him – someone that he knew! It wasn't like it was his fault that Frank was in this predicament.
Also, Chief Collig wasn't making the investigation a priority. "We just had a murder, Fenton, and I'm not at liberty to discuss it, but I think it's involved in the case. If I solve this murder I could find the link between them."
He had contacted the FBI, who were looking for Joe, but they had very little evidence to go on. They were questioning Fenton and considering putting Frank in Witness Protection.
"After all," the FBI assigned to the case replied, "They did say that they could get him, at any time. At the risk of offending you, I'm calling a full-class investigation on your friends and family."
Then he'd left and Fenton hadn't heard from him since.
Laura was willing to put Frank in Witness Protection, but only, she said, if someone was with him. Namely Fenton or her.
Gertrude, who would normally help out in this situation, wasn't anywhere to be found. It wasn't that she was missing, but she was still unreachable. Besides; she had a job now, and it wasn't fair of Fenton to interrupt her life just because he needed help. That, and after the spat Laura and Gertrude had had last year at Thanksgiving, he wasn't too eager to have her back at the house again.
He sighed as the FBI agent stepped into the house. "I didn't see you at the door," Fenton said apology.
"In my previous life, I was a ninja," the FBI said with a smile. "Fenton, we have to move Frank into witness protection – now."