Vanessa and Callie pulled up outside the Morton house and sounded the horn. The front door opened, Chet and Biff appeared and slipped into the back seat.

"Hi girls," said Biff, "What does Joe want to see us about?"

"He says he has news of Frank, but he wouldn’t go into details. He did tell me that he has regained consciousness though".

"That’s great!" Chet said.

"Yes, but he sounded strange on the phone - he definitely wasn’t telling the whole story." said Vanessa.

It was a short drive to the Hardy house and when they pulled up they could see Joe standing impatiently on the doorstep, looking agitated. He signalled for them to come inside quickly and ushered them into the family room.

"What’s the problem Champ?" Chet asked.

Joe outlined the day’s events at the hospital. When he’d finished, Callie shook her head and raised her hands to her temples. "So, what you’re telling me," she said slowly and deliberately. "Is that Frank has no memory of me whatsoever?".

"Not at the moment. Not of you, Vanessa, Biff, Chet, me, or even Dad".

"Oh," her eyes swam with tears and Vanessa moved to sit next to her, encircling her shoulder in a gesture of comfort. Chet folded his arms and Biff whistled through his teeth.

"He’s being released from hospital tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Chet said in amazement, leaning forward.

"Yep, Doc thinks it will do him good to be surrounded by familiar things. Apparently, it should help him to recover quicker." He also filled them in on Chief Colliq ordering them off the case.

"That makes things a little awkward," remarked Vanessa.

"Not if we don’t tell him, but if we get caught, we could get into serious trouble with our folks," said Chet.

Joe looked around at his friends. "If any of you would like to pull out of the investigation, now is the time — no one will hold anything against you."

"No way man, I’m in till the bitter end!" said Biff.

"You can count on us too," agreed Vanessa, catching Callie’s eye.

"Me too," said Chet.

"Thanks guys," said Joe gratefully.

"So, what’s the next plan of action?" asked Biff.

Joe pulled a notebook and pen from his pocket. "I’ve written down everything I can remember of the events of yesterday and I think it would be a good idea to compare notes with Vanessa and Callie — we may unearth something we didn’t previously consider as important".

Vanessa, Callie and Joe put their heads together and started to read through the notes. Meanwhile, Chet and Biff went into the kitchen to make refreshments. Biff came back with a tray of drinks and started unloading them onto the table. "Any luck?" he asked.

Joe sat back, frustrated. "No, but I’ve got the strongest feeling we’re missing something."

"Keep at it then." Biff took the tray and headed back to the kitchen, he put his hand out to open the door, only to find it being opened quickly from the other side, it collided with Biff, who fell on his rump. "Hey!"

Chet entered the room backwards having used his shoulder to push the door open, his legs became entangled in Biff’s and the huge plate of sandwiches he was carrying was in danger of being dumped all over the floor. He hit the ground, managing to hold the plate steady enough not to loose a single one.

Callie started to laugh.

"I’m glad we cheered someone up," grumbled Biff.

Joe shook his head in amazement. "Chet, you’re the only person I know who could do that and not lose a single crust of bread!"

"Hey, what can I say – I’ve been in training for years!" Chet replied.

Vanessa took the plate of sandwiches from Chet in order to allow the boys to disentangle themselves. "Are you okay?" she asked, stifling a giggle.

"Yeah, no thanks to Chunky here," scowled Biff, rubbing his backside.

"Hey, less of the ‘Chunky’ Lanky Boy!!"

"If you two could just stop squabbling for just a second, and let me get a word in edgeways," began Callie. "Your little escapade has just jogged my memory."

They all turned to her in excitement.

"Fire away," said Chet, grabbing a sandwich from the top of the pile.

"When the truck pulled off with Joe, did you notice that the back doors were still wide open?" Callie asked Vanessa.

"Of course, I’d forgotten that!"

"I also remember that there were a number of items in the back. Is it conceivable that some of the contents may have spilled onto the road?"

"It’s certainly a possibility - a very good possibility. The vehicle was certainly swerving all over the road at one point. Well done Callie! You may have just provided us with our first lead!" Joe leaning forward and planted a kiss her on the cheek, she blushed bright red.

"I hate to be a party-pooper, but wasn’t it my collision with Biff that actually got us the new lead?" said Chet.

"I’m sorry, would you like a kiss too?" Joe lunged forward at his friend.

"Erm, no, that’s okay, thanks for the kind offer though," Chet spluttered, fending him off.

After they’d all calmed down again, Joe said. "Tomorrow we should visit Jefferson Park and examine the site thoroughly."

"Wouldn’t the police already have done that?" Vanessa asked.

"Yes, but I doubt they investigated much further than the parking lot, I think we should walk the route the van took after leaving the park — they may have dropped some of their load along the way."

***

Joe was pushing his meat around the plate with his fork.

"Not eating is not going to help Frank’s situation, you know," Fenton said sternly.

Joe looked up at his father like he was mad. "It’s not that I’m not hungry, Dad, it’s that I can’t cut up my dinner."

"Oops, sorry son, give me your plate."

Joe slid his meal across and his father began to cut it up into small, mouth-sized pieces.

"I’m going to visit Frank after dinner, " Joe announced. "I think I might take some family albums with me. What do you think?"

"Sounds like a good idea," his father replied, handing back the plate.

Joe looked in consternation at the devastation that was once his meal. "For some reason, I’ve suddenly lost my appetite."

***

Joe climbed from the cab and paid the driver. Heaving the holdall filled with the photo albums in one arm, he entered through the automatic doors. What he’d failed to notice was that he’d been followed since leaving the house by a black, non-descript car. The car pulled up silently and a figure alighted, running quickly after him. The person watched as Joe entered the elevator, noted the floor number he asked the lift attendant to press for him, turned to the stairs and began sprinting upwards.

The elevator doors slid open and Joe found his way barred. "Oh, hi Mom."

"Hi Sweetie, what’s in the bag?"

"Photo albums".

"Good thinking. Go rightalong-in, I’m going to re-fill his empty water-jug."

"Okay," he entered the room.

Laura halted in her tracks, turned back, and went to listen at the door. A figure also stopped in the stairwell waiting for Laura to leave.

***

Joe entered, feeling awkward and nodded at his brother. Frank peered back, warily.

"Hello," said Joe uncomfortably. "I’m your brother, Joe."

"Yes, I know who you are, Mom’s told me all about you and Dad," said Frank seriously.

"Has she?"

"Yes."

There was a long, embarrassing silence. Suddenly, Frank’s face broke into a huge grin. "You don’t have to look so worried, I’m not going to bite you—yet!"

"I was starting to wonder," Joe let the breath out he’d been holding and grinned back.

***

Laura smiled and decided all was going to be fine. She opted to leave them both alone for a while and headed towards the cafeteria. The figure in the stairwell used the opportunity to sneak to the door to listen.

***

"I’ve bought some photographs for you to have a look at — if you’d like to."

"Yeah, cool. I was starting to get a little bored anyway, let’s have a look bro." Joe sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled out the first album. They began to flicked through the pictures, with Joe explaining who was who.

"Who’s the chunky kid?" asked Frank.

"That’s Chet, he’s a really good friend of ours, he’s been helpful to us in quite a few of our cases."

Frank looked at him, amused, "Cases? You make us sound like Batman and Robin!"

Joe regarded his brother like he was an alien. "Anyway…this is your best friend Biff…"

"BIFF? Where’d he get a name like that?" laughed Frank.

"His real name’s Allen. He once had a distant relative who was quite a successful boxer and he was called Biff - seemed only apt that Biff should inherit the nickname."

"Biff-Bash," Frank muttered and turned to the next page. "Now this is more like it, who’s the cute chick?"

"I’m glad you think that, because she’s your girlfriend, Callie."

"Wow, things are looking up at last, do we get on well?"

"Yeah, you do."

"Cool, when can I meet her?"

"You’ll probably meet her tomorrow."

Frank turned the page again. "Man, who’s the old-dear? She looks a bit fierce. A look that could melt an ice-berg."

"That’s Aunt Gertrude, she lives with us, but is out of state visiting an elderly friend."

"Thank goodness for that, she look’s way too scary - ice-maiden, brrrrrrrrr."

"I wouldn’t let her hear you say that…" Joe suddenly stopped, mid-sentence.

Frank’s eyebrows shot up in surprise as his brother put his finger to his lips to indicate for Frank to stay quiet. Getting up from the chair, he crept to the door, reached slowly for the door-handle and yanked it open. Laura almost fell into the room.

Frank roared with laughter, "Playing detective again are we little bro. Careful Mom, he may have you arrested."

"Sorry Joe," Laura said. Joe shrugged his shoulders and glared at his brother.

"Erm, I think it might be time for you to go now Joe," said Laura, sensing her son’s impending explosion. "I’ll walk you to the elevator." Joe bid a grudging farewell to Frank and they left the room together.

"Mom, why were you listening at the door?" he asked, still feeling annoyed.

"I just wanted to check you were both getting on alright. Frank’s not his normal self at the moment, and I know what your temper‘s like."

"I agree, he is very different. He doesn’t seem like our Frank at all."

"I know, but once he’s home tomorrow, I’m sure we’ll see an improvement."

"I sure hope so. See you tomorrow Mom," he kissed her on the cheek and stepped into the elevator.

***