Another chapter for you all! Thank you for all your kind words on the last chapter! I hope you enjoy this one just as much!
Fenton Hardy was a mess of emotions as he strode into his house. The receptionist's apartment had been full of all her things, her trip out of town having been unplanned. But there had been nothing of use to him, no clues about Mauve.
Laura was the only one home. She was sitting on the sofa, a notebook before her. Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she gripped her coffee. Then she heard someone enter, she hurried to wipe her eyes. She froze when Fenton walked in.
"Oh, I thought you were Frank," she said.
"Frank went out?" Fenton frowned.
"He went to see Dr Miller," Laura said. "Don't worry. He called me to say he got there safe."
Fresh tears began to roll down the mother's face. Fenton's anger melted away. He sat beside his wife, coaxing her into his arms.
"It's happening again," she whispered. "We're going to lose our little boy again!"
"We're not," Fenton said, firmly. "I am not going to let that happen. We know Joe is alive. We know Mauve wants to keep him alive. And we have leads. We can work this case, Laura. I'm not going to rest until our little boy is home."
He pressed a kiss into his wife's hair, letting her curl up into him.
"He's just a little boy," Laura whispered. "He doesn't deserve this."
"I know," Fenton assured her.
He let his wife cling to him for several minutes move, soothing her whimpering cries as she pleaded with the universe to return her youngest son to her safely. Eventually, her cries feel away. She directed her husband's attention to the notebook on the table.
"I booked us a visit to see Marsden," she said. "I might have implied we were booking on Joe's behalf but he's willing to meet."
"No doubt hoping he might be able to manipulate Joe further," Fenton growled.
"We're going to need something to offer him in exchange for information," Laura said. "And it's not like we can talk to the authorities about putting together some sort of deal. None of the authorities even know Joe is missing."
Fenton was forced to agree with his wife. He wished there were more people he could trust but Joe had made it pretty clear Mauve's organisation was enormous and powerful.
"I think we should call your parents," Laura said.
She had noticed they had not been told by Fenton. She knew why. When Joe had disappeared the first time, it had been Mr and Mrs Hardy who had helped with all the emotional heavy lifting. In fact, there had been a time where Laura had considered packing up their things and moving to New York so they could be closer to Fenton's parents. Neither of them wanted to make the two seniors have to worry, have to once more take on the burden they had carried back then.
"They're in New York right now, Fenton. They could be looking out for Joe, asking around to see if anyone has seen him or heard from him."
Fenton nodded unsteadily, asking how he was meant to tell them.
"I could do it," Laura offered.
"No. No. It should be me. Would you… Check in with Frank, please? I need to know he's safe."
Laura agreed. Then she pressed a kiss into her husband's cheek.
"You can do this. I know you can."
Fenton made the call up in his bedroom. He called his father's mobile, hoping to avoid having to hear his mother's voice. He feared it would break him and his family needed him to be able to hold it together. Joe needed him to be able to hold it together.
"Fenton? Wasn't expecting a call from you today. Not that it isn't always wonderful to hear from you."
Fenton drew in an unsteady breath. He swallowed thickly.
"Dad, it's Joe," he said, his voice shaking.
"What's wrong? Is he hurt?"
"He's… He's been taken."
There was a horrified gasp from down the phone. A dozen questions were sent in Fenton's direction. He couldn't keep up with them. He was thankful when his father caught himself. Grandpa Hardy had been in similar situations during his time on the force. He knew that clear communication was important and that giving a person chance to speak generally made things go a lot after than attacking them with a barrage of questions that asked things that didn't matter.
"There's this… criminal mastermind called Mauve," Fenton explained. "He's been after Joe all this time. And he was paying the receptionist of Joe's therapist to give him information on him and… How did I mess up so badly? I should have taken better care of him. I…"
"Don't you dare go thinking that," Fenton heard his father say. "You adore those boys. You would die for them. No one is doubting that you have done your best. And I know you won't rest until-"
"But what if my best isn't good enough?" Fenton snapped.
He knew he would regret it later, letting his anger get the better of him. He hadn't wanted to lash out at his father. In fact, it had been what he had been trying to avoid when he had not called his father in the first place.
"This is the second time this has happened. The second time Joe has been taken. And I was right there, right there in the office when she walked him out. I should have done something, stopped them somehow."
His father knew, of course, that there had to have been something that stopped him from intervening or else Fenton would have done just that. He asked his son about it, not at all surprised when he learnt that Joe had been blackmailed into going with the receptionist, that Fenton had felt like he couldn't do anything without putting lots of other lives at risk.
"You will get him back. And I'll help. I'll see what I can learn about this Mauve brute around here."
Thanking his father, Fenton paused.
"Joe called me Dad. First time since we said it was his choice. And I want to be happy about it, I do… But it felt like he only said it because he felt like it was his only chance left. That he would regret it if he never called me Dad to my face."
"Or perhaps it was his way of showing you that he has total faith that you are going to get him back."
Frank had returned home by the time Fenton had come back downstairs. The father had composed himself the best he could, slotting on a brave face for his son's benefit.
"I know who has Joe!" Frank rushed. "I know who Mauve is."
"What?" Fenton pressed.
Frank was almost bouncing off the walls with excitement. He flapped papers around in front of his father. Laura stared, not sure if she should allow herself to believe it. She had been through too much. As much as she wanted to believe she might be able to get her youngest son back quickly, she told herself she needed proof before she allowed herself to imagine they might have him back the next day.
"It's Regenbogen," Frank said.
"Who?" Fenton pressed.
"Joe's art therapist," Frank replied. "I know it sounds crazy but it makes sense. I mean… Wouldn't you like to personally interact with someone you've become obsessed over? Miller told me his receptionist was the one who recommended him. Mauve probably told her to do that!"
Fenton looked toward Laura. He grimaced. His son sounded so sure but there was no real evidence.
"Frank, that's hardly enough to stake your brother's life on," Fenton said.
A betrayed look flickered over Frank's face. He looked between his parents, making lingering eye contact with his mother as he silently begged her to agree with him.
"Joe knew," he said. "He was having nightmares about art, about statues. He subconsciously knew this guy was something to do with art. That's probably why Mauve wanted him so badly! He knew eventually Joe was going to be able to put all the pieces together."
Fenton shook his head.
"Nightmares are not evidence, Frank. We need hard evidence if we are going to find your brother. That's why we need to talk to Marsden."
Fenton paused. He considered what he had said. Considered the situation they were in. He couldn't take his family to New York. He couldn't take them into the lion's den. He'd done that once before and Frank had disappeared, almost been killed. The stakes were so much higher too. Mauve was so much worse than Marsden, so much more powerful.
"That's why I need to talk to Marsden. Alone. I'm going to arrange for you two to go to a safehouse, somewhere remote. Somewhere Mauve won't be able to find you."
"What?" Frank screamed incredulously. "You can't do that!"
"I'm not going to lose you too," Fenton said firmly. "Now go upstairs and pack a bag. I'm going to start organising somewhere for you to stay."
Frank scowled at his father. Then he let out a shout of frustration. He raced up the stairs. Fenton watched him, chest heaving.
"That's something we should have discussed," Laura said, her voice tight. "You can't just order us away like that. Joe is my son too."
"I'm sorry. I just… Someone needs to stay with Frank," Fenton told her. "And I… I am not in a place to do that right now. I need to be out there, doing something. And I can't do that knowing that you and Frank could be in danger too. I've already failed one of my boys."
Laura shook her head.
"You haven't failed Joe," she said. "We're going to get him back. But I am not letting you force me out of this investigation. Joe is my son too. I am not going to hide away in some safe house. And you think Frank will to?"
As if to answer her question, they heard a noise from outside. Laura moved to the window, seeing Frank had just climbed out of his bedroom window.
"Frank Fenton Hardy, you get back inside right now!" she shouted.
Frank looked like he was about to bolt. Laura understood. He wanted to be able to help his brother. He wanted to be able to ensure Joe was safe. The thought of his father pushing him out of the case was no doubt horrific for him.
"Me and you are going to New York whether your father likes it or not."
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please consider leaving a review!