Thank you to the reviews of caranath, leyapearl, and EDuse2! Also, Thanks to my friend who checked over this chapter before I submitted it:)

D: I do not own the Hardy family, their friends, nor their associates.

Chapter 3

Kailey was sitting comfortably in the guest bed with her computer on her lap. She needed to see if her intuition was correct. Was she in danger? Why did her father not elaborate if she was in danger? Oh, well, there she was, egging on her slow-paced laptop. One just needs to know how to navigate the web to be able to locate a certain person within recent police data, so it was no problem for her to find the name she was looking for after a few minutes of sifting through information. The statement: Elena Richardson last sighted in Texas two days ago sent a shiver down her spine. The rest of the information regarding her current return to civilization was nonexistent, leading to the assumption that her under FBI jurisdiction.

She let out a sigh. That woman was back with vengeance, no doubt. She debated on what to do. There was no easy way to grab the information. If she used her codes for the FBI database, then people would be alerted another person outside the allowed group of agents was accessing the files. Kailey was stuck between a rock and a hard place. For her own sake she needed to know, but couldn't necessarily let everyone else know she knew.

It was decided. She put her computer aside and went on a search for her phone. On the way to the living room, she was taken aback by the explosion of male voices from the study. Concerned and curious Kailey made her way over there after snatching her phone off the counter.

"WHAT!" and "So what are you saying dad?" was heard, muffled, through the door. Intrigued she was going to continue eavesdropping, but considered Mrs. Hardy in the other room. Not wanting to get caught looking bad, she knocked quietly and quickly.

A rough, "Yes," was heard followed by moving chairs and the door swinging open by Joe.

"Hello," Kailey responded in a small voice, "Is everything okay?"

Both boys turned to their father as she stepped in. Mr. Hardy answered the lingering question, "Yes, everything is fine, thank you for your concern Kailey." It seemed as though he was trying to slyly dismiss her.

She gave him an odd look before saying anything else, "Mr. Hardy, I know who it is and I'm going speak to my father about it. This lack of communication and trust from him hurts. I'm sorry he had to bring you into this family affair."

Mr. Hardy hardened up, putting on his fatherly persona. "Kailey, why don't you take a seat and calm down before calling your father. I do not believe he would appreciate your anger right now. He is working day and night with agents to track down her and her accomplices."

Kailey's burst of energy and attitude simmered down as she took the empty seat. "I'm sorry Mr. Hardy. That came out quite harshly. I just want to let you know I am really grateful for your family taking me in on such short notice. I feel like I should just try to talk to him before you do."

"That's very nice of you to suggest, but I would like you to be frank with us," Joe could barely hold back his laugh and smirk as his father continued, "Do you feel safer up here?"

"Yes," she paused, "I do, but..."

"But what? You don't think she could locate you, do you?"

"Well…" She began and looked off to the sides.

"Is there something we should know?"

"It's silly, just my gut telling me something is wrong. I know she could find me. Anywhere. So why wouldn't she just let herself be seen, have my dad relocate me, and track me from there?"

Mr. Hardy's brow creased in deep concentration, "That, m'dear, is a reasonable concern. Oh, and how did you find out about her?"

"Online."

"Really?" Frank asked, "How did you find something when we found nothing?"

"What do you mean?" Kailey shot back.

"Well, dad was told by your father. I remember this case, it would not be presented to the public because be kept under wraps. For some reason there is FBI involvement, which does not allow much to be in the Texas police county records, therefore making what little information there is only available to those officers working the case. So I'll ask again - how did you find it?"

The tension in the room grew with the heat. Kailey felt backed into a corner, unsure of how to answer without them looking down on her for how she had accessed the information. When there was a knock on the door, she let out a deep breath relieved from the intense interrogation.

Mrs. Hardy came in, cheery, but her look turned stern after she took in the faces in the room. Her tone harsh, she asked, "Fenton, what is going on?"

"Honey, we were just talking to Kailey about the case."

"About what case? The one you refused to discuss at dinner? What exactly has changed now?"

"She knows why she was sent here, or better yet because of whom."

"You don't think she already knew or at least had an inkling because of the way you were at dinner? Honestly Fenton, I don't see why she can't know. It does involve her after all. It would have been better to have heard it from her father, but I can understand that he is rather preoccupied at the moment."

Joe added, "Dad, it was pretty obvious, you were like Harry Potter when he was trying to tell Umbridge he had no contact with Sirius Black. No wonder we came to talk to you and she found out herself. We should lay off the third degree. What does it matter how she found it, doesn't it just matter that she did?"

"Yeah, I agree," Frank said, "Her knowledge can help figure out that woman's next move."

"Okay, thank goodness you all toned down, before I could cut the tension with a butter knife," Mrs. Hardy said and left the room.

Mr. Hardy gathered his thoughts and looked at the teens. "Okay well, you are advising me with this and only in this office. You are not tangling in this federal investigation. You weren't asked and probably won't be. So, I have your complete and utter understanding that you will listen to me?"

"Yes," each of the teens responded.

"Good," Mr. Hardy said and sat back in his chair satisfactorily. "Let's begin. Anything else unusual happen lately? Any indication she may have returned?"

"No."

"Has your family's routines changed at all from the time she was your father's girlfriend?"

"Well Matt and Mark moved out. I'm even busier, much like my brother Josh. Brian's still there, he's a senior. Of course the locks have been changed. We still take the same route to school that is not on many side streets. I left from the airport closest to our house."

"Wait dad, maybe we could ask someone to check out the footage from the airport, maybe someone was there keeping tabs on Kailey."

"Yes, but Kailey, how many brothers do you have?"

"Five. The oldest one is Tom and he's off at college in Colorado."

"Wow. I knew it was too good to be true."

"What do you mean by that Joe?"

"Uh, nevermind."

"Come on Joe, tell me," Frank nudged his embarrassed brother, smirking. Joe shoved him off the edge of the chair earning a stern throat clearing from their father. They shrugged it off and looked at Kailey.

She continued, "Joe, I would still like an answer?"

"Hey, why are you giving me the third degree now? Give it a break?" He smiled.

"So what is too good to be true?"

"Well, the fact that you are quite good looking, smart and single. I knew there had to be a catch. You have five brothers, no need to say any more."

Kailey and Frank just giggled at Joe's defeated look. Mr. Hardy decided to focus them sooner rather than later, "Okay, I just sent a message to the agents I'm working with on the case about checking up on that footage. No I didn't mention my sources, so relax. Now, if we can't think of anything else, why don't you get back to studying and washing up."

Glances between the teens registered that there were no further questions, so they got up and left, thanking the great detective. The night finished out with the three of them alternating studying and using the bathroom, then going to sleep.

…..

An alarm was blaring and would not stop. Kailey pulled herself out of bed and almost fell, forgetting this wasn't her room. There was quite a bit of space between the bed and floor. Trudging through the mess on the floor and into the next room, she came to a stop in front of the bed as an arm flailed around, finally hitting the switch off. The blond headed boy wasn't fazed; he just dug back under the warm covers. She glared at the clock. 6:30, read the red numbers. Too early and I'm not even going to school, she thought. About to step out of the room, she stopped as another door opened. Frank came in quietly and motioned for her to back away. Then he ripped the covers back and screamed, "wakey wakey, eggs and bakey!"

Joe let out a muffled yell and threw his pillow out blindly. Kailey couldn't hold back her laughter at the scene in front of her. An angry Joe getting up, blinded by the shades Frank had opened, was trying to collect his covers and pillow. He gave Frank an evil look when he noticed Kailey was there. He managed a gruff, "Get out!" to the retreating figures of Kailey and Frank.

She cleaned herself up, determined to make a good impression before going to breakfast. Joe was still not down there by the time Kailey was. Frank was sitting at the table chatting with his mother and motioned for Kailey to sit next to him. Then he said, "Sorry you had to see his room. That's probably about as clean as it gets." She just laughed in reply while taking a seat.

"Thank you Mrs. Hardy, this looks delicious."

"No problem sweetheart. Fenton, can you tell your son his food is getting cold so he better hurry it up?"

Mr. Hardy started to yell it, but was greeted with a less than enthusiastic, "I'm coming, I'm coming."

While everyone munched, Frank asked, "So Kailey, what are you doing about school?"

"Oh, well, I brought all my work with me. Yes. I had it all at home because I was preparing for finals over the break. We don't really do much for Thanksgiving holiday, so it's just an extra few days to the weekend to me."

"How about the exams though?"

"Well, I hope to be back in time, but if not, I can turn in the papers and exams online. I already spoke and emailed with my teachers."

"Oh, any more questions Mr. Inquisitive?"

"No," Frank shook his head embarrassed. "Boys! You need to go, and drive to school safety. It still looks like the winds are still howling," Mrs. Hardy encouraged.

"Yes mom," was the reply and both boys got up to leave.

They were on the road in only minutes and well on their way to school. It was interesting that not too many cars were about, so the boys paid special attention to the car increasing speed as it approached the van from behind. Frank moved the car as far to the right as would be allowable and safe. That car did not seem interested in passing them.

"Frank watch out!" Joe shouted as they came around a turn and there were some tree bits in the road. Frank eased up on the acceleration only enough to maneuver around branches. The dark colored car behind them kept coming towards them and eventually was right on their tail. Nearly at school, the boys hoped this person would stop harassing them. They did not get such good luck. The car gave their van a nudge, causing the van to slide on the icy roads. Frank maintained control, but when the car hit them one more time the Hardy Boys spun off to side of the road on to the snowy embankment as the dark car sped away.

Author's Note: I'm not exactly sure how jurisdiction works, just a brief idea. Correct me if I got something wrong and it just kind of goes with the story. There is a lot more going on behind the scenes. I hope you enjoyed it:) Please Read and Review, I really appreciate it!