Note: I am so appreciative for the many people who have taken the time to leave reviews- they make such a difference! I have enjoyed seeing your guesses about what will happen. To that end, many thanks to EastBlue, TinDog, hlahabibty, Caranath, Red Hardy, SnowPrincess88, ulstergirl, Hero76, max2013, and Paulina Ann. Th next chapter will be up Thursday!

The Secret Spaces

Chapter 5

"I don't know," Frank said to his brother the next morning. "That's a stretch." He was referring to Joe's theory that the finale of Criminal Hunters had anything to do with the current case they were working on.

"Come on, Frank. Obviously, I know it's a stretch. But it's weird. The hotel that they get kidnapped to is "The Woods."

"And there is no hotel in these cases," Frank pointed out.

"The people are killed in alphabetical order- and there are five of them," Joe countered.

"Yes," Frank agreed. "But we have four deaths so far and one more that hasn't happened yet and hopefully won't. Plus, our case might skip to "E" or "F" or "G". What else?"

Joe sighed and spoke, frustrated. "There's a serial killer who is trying to get revenge on Johnny's character. And he's a detective."

Frank met his eyes. "Exactly. And what detective do we have? None. There is no indication whatsoever that this case has anything to do with us, personally."

"The ads are in Bayport!" Joe emphasized, trying to hold his composure.

"And WE are not," Frank answered. "I haven't been contacted personally about anything. You haven't. As far as I know, dad hasn't. Collig asked dad to take on the case. No one's been threatened. Joe, you have to calm down. Your nerves are on edge. The chance that a case we're working on has anything to do with a television show is kind of out there. Maybe it's just cause we're friends with Johnny?" He placed a hand on Joe's shoulder. "I appreciate that you're thinking outside the box, but I think that you need to refocus your energies on facts right now."

Joe didn't let it go. "Frank. Johnny's a detective. On the show, he's best friends with a blonde girl. Then, another blonde woman, who happens to be pregnant AND the wife of a detective, is kidnapped along with him."

Frank dropped his arm from Joe's shoulder and fought back his wave of frustration as it dawned on him what Joe was implying. "Really, Joe?" he asked, angrily. "I can't even believe that you'd imply that I have any more to worry about than I should. What the hell does Callie have to do with anything?! You're crazy now." He walked towards the door, then turned back to his brother. "Joe, it's a SHOW. The finale ended- it's done. Johnny is an ACTOR who plays a detective on tv, one who happens to be on location in New York now, but who otherwise has nothing to do with Bayport. He lives in Los Angeles. Callie is blonde and pregnant and the wife of a detective- so what? You're mixing up real life-Johnny the actor versus the Johnny the person. Please- just STOP."

"His name on the show is Bryan Durant- BD," Joe muttered.

Frank threw up his hands in frustration. "I'm over this ridiculous theory!" he replied, voice rising. "And-"

"Boys!" Fenton's voice boomed as he came into the room. "I can hear you down the hall! It's 8:00 in the morning. Why are you arguing? Can you please knock it off?"

"Joe's being nonsensical," Frank answered, uncharacteristically moody. "And I don't have time for it. I'm heading out now to Bayport- it'll take a good six hours to get there. I'll call you when I arrive. In the meantime," he went on, glaring at Joe," I'd suggest that you tell your son that sometimes facts actually matter in a case, and maybe we'd all be better served if he actually concentrated on them!" He turned around, grabbed his bag, and slammed the door.

Fenton raised his eyebrows quizzically at Joe. "Should I even ask how you managed to rile up your even-tempered older brother at this hour of the morning?"

Joe rubbed his temples and bit back an angry retort. Instead, he managed to calmly tell his father his whole theory, methodically and slowly. When he was done, he looked up and was relieved to see that his father wasn't laughing at him. "So what do you think?" he asked, more apprehensive than he thought he would be. "Do you think there's a connection?"

"No," Fenton replied straightforwardly. "I don't, especially since the finale was probably filmed months ago. But look. I've been around long enough to know that nothing should be ruled out until you can rule it out for sure. Frank's heading to Bayport now. I'll call him when he's calmer and have him touch base with Johnny- or, better yet, you call Johnny. Ask him what you want to about the production of the show, if for no other purpose than it'll set your mind at ease. Is that fair?"

Joe let out his breath slowly. "I guess. Yes."

Fenton smiled kindly at his younger son and gave him a gentle pat on the back. "And go easy on your brother. He's stressed out about the baby; he's worried about Callie. He has a ton of nervous energy and he hasn't slept well. I think you hit some sort of nerve with him that Callie could be in trouble and that he wouldn't be there to protect her. Even if he doesn't believe a word of your theory, and it IS far fetched, that's always been Frank's greatest fear, and you just inadvertently tapped into it."

"Okay," he replied with a small nod. "I guess you're right. I'm normally the edgy one. I'll apologize later."

"You're a good kid, you know that?" Fenton said affectionately.

"Dad, I'm 25," he replied with a small blush.

"You'll always be MY kid," he said with a small laugh. "And if it makes you feel better, I think you're an excellent young man-and detective- as well."

"Thanks," Joe replied. "I know I've always been your favorite," he teased.

Fenton smiled in spite of himself. "Don't tell your brother," Fenton teased back.

Joe gave a thumbs up sign as he chuckled.

"Uh oh," Fenton said as he heard his phone start to go off and recognized the number. "Hang on." He reached for a pen and paper as he picked up the line.

Joe watched as his father's face became very serious and he took notes, murmuring brief questions again to whomever was on the other end of the line. After a few moments, he hung up.

"What's up?" Joe asked, concerned.

Fenton put the paper down. "I can't believe it. This time, it was only two days. A body was just found- Gertrude Idhig of Glens Falls. Same method."

"But a woman again?" Joe asked, clenching his fist in frustration. "Now we're back to women? And I'm sure she's 52, right?"

"No," Fenton said solemnly, meeting Joe's eyes. "She's 72."

Joe raised his hands in confusion. "What?!"

"I know. It doesn't fit the pattern."

"Was there another ad in the Times?" Joe queried.

"I don't know. Let's look online- it's probably faster than calling Mr. Webling." Joe went to the desk on which he had his laptop and went to power it up, at exactly the same time that Fenton's phone started ringing again. Fenton waved him on to continue as he picked up the phone.

Bringing up the link to the Times, Joe immediately hit the "Classifieds" link. As he stared at the screen, his mouth fell open. "Dad!" he almost shouted. "Look at this!"

Fenton came over to Joe, his face a mask of confusion. "Collig just called. Let me see it," he said.

Joe pointed at the screen. This time, there was no eighth ad. Instead, filled in spot #5, where it had been blank just two days before, was a small poem. "seeker of truth/ follow no path/ all paths lead where/ truth is here".

"Dad?" Joe asked. "I have no idea what's going on, but I don't like it. I think we need to go back to Bayport- now."

Fenton sighed heavily before speaking. "Call Frank. Tell him about this. I don't get it, either, but I have a bad feeling about it. We'll all meet at my house tonight- 7:00? Let's go."

Following his father, Joe couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong with this whole case. And it was killing him that he couldn't see what was probably right in front of him.