April’s terrified sobs lasted only a few minutes. Although tears streamed steadily down her cheeks, she managed to catch her breath, and tried to think what to do. How can I help Jack? She struggled awkwardly to her feet, and attempted to open the closet door, but it seemed solidly wedged shut. Frustrated, she slapped at the surrounding clothing…and felt her hand hit something hard.

Ouch! What the…? April shook her stinging hand, then reached out again, trying to ascertain what she had struck. The closet’s interior was almost completely dark; only the smallest crack of light came in from around the door. Where was it…? Something in a pocket? Ahhhh…my suede jacket! My cell phone!

With trembling fingers, she pulled the tiny phone from the pocket and felt over the buttons. This is so hard with my left hand…where’s the power button? Finally she managed to push the right one, and a comforting soft glow lit up the little screen. April started to punch in 911…and then hesitated.

If Jack’s done something wrong – gotten mixed up in something illegal, like I suspect – I can’t call the police. He might get into even more trouble…. But those men will kill him, if I don’t get some help here! Holding the little instrument in her left hand, she managed to press three digits with the fingers of her right, and after a moment was rewarded with a response.

"Bayport, New York."

"Hardy – Fenton Hardy."

When she was switched to a recording for the number, April repeated it several times, committing it to memory. She squeezed her eyes shut as loud voices penetrated her prison; Ernie and Deke yelling at Jack, apparently. That means they haven’t killed him yet, at least! She opened her eyes again and dialed as swiftly as she could.

At the Hardys, Frank had arrived home with Megan in tow, holding her hand tightly clasped in his own as they entered the house. Joe turned from where he was standing by the window and smiled affectionately at the little redhead.

"Hi Megan, did you have fun in New York?"

"Loads!" she answered enthusiastically. "Beautiful clothes…we shopped and shopped, for hours – but we didn’t actually buy much!" She walked over to give Joe a hug, and didn’t miss his wince as her arms went about him. "What happened to you now?"

"Just an encounter with a couple of unpleasant people," he replied. "Don’t tell Vanessa, huh?" He hugged her gingerly.

Megan eyed him skeptically. "Will you tell her, if I don’t?" She looked up at Frank. "Are you going to tell me?"

"Maybe," he hedged. "maybe later."

"Hey, there’s Vanessa now!" Joe exclaimed, looking out the window again. "She didn’t say anything about coming over!" He started toward the front door, but the telephone rang, and he automatically swerved to answer it.

"Hardy residence….yeah, this is Joe…Who? Slow down…April? What’s wrong….? What?….okay, what’s your address?….got it; we’re on our way."

Joe slammed down the phone and headed again for the front door, yelling "Come on!" at his mystified older brother.

"Joe, what in the world…?" Frank called after him.

"April says there are two guys at her house, trying to drown Jack in the bathtub!" Joe shouted as he grabbed his jacket from the closet. "Come on, Frank!"

Frank gave Megan a hasty kiss and an apologetic smile, and started after Joe. As the younger Hardy yanked open the front door, he nearly catapulted into a surprised Vanessa, who was just preparing to ring the doorbell.

"Joe!" she gasped.

"Hi Van, sorry, I’ve gotta go! I’ll see you later!" Joe dashed past her and ran toward the van, closely followed by Frank. Joe had the engine running and was shifting into reverse as Frank flung himself into the passenger seat.

Vanessa stared after the departing vehicle. " ‘Hi Van, bye Van,’" she mimicked. "Hey, don’t I even get a kiss, you louse?" she shouted, then plopped herself down on the front steps, her chin in her hands.

"Oh Vanessa," Megan sat down beside her and put a comforting arm about the disconsolate younger girl. "They got a phone call – you know how it is."

"You get accustomed to it eventually." A new voice sounded above their heads; Laura Hardy stood in the doorway. "But you never get entirely used to it." She beckoned to the girls. "Come on in, you two. We can console ourselves with cookies and hot chocolate…topped with whipped cream and marshmallows!" As Megan and Vanessa filed past, Laura hugged each of them. "The boys will be back soon – I hope."

When Frank and Joe pulled up in front of the Waynes’ small brick house, they saw no Land Cruiser anywhere near…but they noticed that the front door stood slightly ajar. The boys got out of the van and hastened up the walk, then slipped through the open door cautiously. They paused in the front hallway, listening intently, but heard nothing .

"April said they were in the bathroom," Joe breathed, close to Frank’s ear. "Probably upstairs…." They moved quietly up the steps, their feet making no noise on the carpeting. When they reached the upper floor, they looked around – and then both Joe and Frank were running toward the far end of the hall, where they could see long, blue-jeans-clad legs on the floor, extending into the hallway.

"Jack!" Frank knelt beside the young pilot and laid his hand against the side of Jack’s throat. "Whew, there’s a pulse – thank goodness…."

"He’s breathing – sort of," Joe murmured, bending over their friend’s sprawled form. "Do you think he’ll be okay, Frank?"

"I don’t know…." Frank watched Jack’s chest rise and fall. "I’ll stay with him; you find April."

"Oh jeez, April!" Joe turned to the other doors opening off the hallway. "She said those creeps locked her in a closet!" He began yanking doors open, one after another. "Aha!" Seconds later, Joe jerked the chair from beneath the doorknob and opened the closet door. April nearly fell into his arms.

"Oh, Joe, thank God you came!" She leaned against him, burying her tear-streaked face in his jacket. "Did they – is Jack—"

"Jack’s okay; he’s unconscious, but he’s breathing." Joe patted her back reassuringly. "Come on and see for yourself." He put his arm about her to aid her limping steps. "You did great, April…but why didn’t you call the police, instead of us?"

"I was afraid to, Joe," she whispered miserably. "If Jack’s involved with those men in something…I was afraid to have the police here!"

Joe grimaced, realizing the truth of her words. She’s going to have to face it some time, though, a little voice in his head reminded him.

The sounds of harsh coughing and Frank’s murmurs of encouragement greeted April and Joe as they moved into the hallway. Jack was sitting up now, leaning against Frank’s arm. His face, which had been pallid, was rapidly becoming flushed from the exertion.

"Jack!" April bent down and tried to hug him with her good arm. "Oh Jack, I was so scared for you! Why did those men come here and do this?"

Jack shook his head, indicating he could not yet speak, and continued to cough. Finally, he sagged against Frank’s shoulder; the boy gently leaned him against the wall.

"Joe, get some towels; Jack’s soaking wet, and he may get chilled…." Frank stared searchingly at Jack. "Other than waterlogged, are you hurt, Jack?"

"N-no." Jack dragged in a deep breath and coughed some more. "Just – water….Thanks, Joe," he added, as Joe wrapped a bath towel about his shoulders and handed him another to dry his hair.

"Those guys are persistent," Joe muttered. "But why were they here?"

"I – don’t know." Jack rubbed his hair, then ran the towel over his face. "I never thought I’d see them again, honestly."

"But who are they?" April demanded again. "Why did they come to my hospital room, and why did they come here and do this to you?"

"April, I—"

"Yeah, Jack." Joe broke in without considering his words too carefully. "I thought you said everything would be fine, now that they had their shipment of cocaine – uh…"

"Cocaine?!" April’s voice elevated several notches. "This is about drugs? Jack, I can’t believe you got mixed up in a drug deal! Don’t you remember – drugs were what got Jesse killed, a few months ago! And now you’re involved with it? What, you didn’t think having Dad die last summer was hard enough on me; now you’re going to get yourself killed too? Or sent to prison?" She stared at him, tears coursing down her face, her hazel eyes wide with shock.

"No!" Jack spat. "Of course I remember about Jesse…why else would I – oh, never mind!" He buried his face in the towel for a moment, then lifted it and gazed pleadingly at the Hardys. "Guys – April’s not safe here anymore. Could I ask a really big favor? Do you suppose she could stay over at your place for a little while?"

"Hey, I’m not exactly the pet cat, that you can just send to the neighbors for pet-sitting!" April snapped, but her brother ignored her, and continued to stare from Frank to Joe and back again. "Jack, I am not going to impose on the Hardy family!" she insisted.

Joe spared her a quick glance, and grinned. "It’s not an imposition, April. Mom mentioned just this morning that she wondered if you needed any help, while your arm is healing." Inside, however, his mind was racing. I want to know that April’s safe, true…but doing a favor for Jack, now? After what he’s done? I don’t want to do him any favors!

Frank’s thoughts were following a similar resentful path. He’s got some nerve, asking us to shelter April – but he is worried about her. And he’s right; she isn’t safe with him, or here alone. Dad said not to judge until we knew the whole story…hmm, maybe that’s exactly what we need…. Aloud, he said: "Okay, that’s probably a good idea. April, suppose you pack some things – enough to see you through until Sunday, maybe, when vacation ends. Jack will come over with you to our house, and make sure you’re settled okay. And then, Jack – you and I and Joe are going to have a nice, long, heart-to-heart talk." And this time, you’re not leaving out one single, solitary detail!

*****

The four of them reached the Hardy home half an hour later, with April still protesting feebly that she didn’t wish to impose. Jack had changed into dry clothes, and seemed to be recovering from his enforced immersions, but he remained very quiet. He had agreed to tell the boys everything, but he didn’t look happy about it.

Laura, alerted by Frank’s phone call to the prospect of having company, was waiting to welcome the Waynes. She showed April upstairs to the guest room, while Joe carried her suitcase. Vanessa and Megan hovered solicitously over the younger girl; when Laura and Joe went back down the stairs, April was already seated on the bed, having her hair re-plaited into a French braid by Megan, and Vanessa was busily unpacking the suitcase.

"We’re going to use Dad’s study for a while, okay?" Frank asked his mother as she and Joe entered the family room where Frank and Jack were sitting.

"Frank, is your dad around?" Jack asked, then. "I’d like to have him join us."

He wants Dad in on this? Joe thought, and saw that Frank shared his surprise.

"He’s already in the den," Laura told them. "Go on in."

Fenton looked up from his work when the three young men filed into the study. "Hello Jack. How is your sister doing? I’m glad you brought her over here; I’m afraid she’d have a hard time on her own for a few days." He looked from one to the other. "What can I do for you?"

"Dad, Jack has some things he wants to talk over with us…and he asked that you be in on it too." Frank said carefully. They sat down, and Jack stared down at his hands, clenched into fists in his lap, for a moment. Finally he looked up and began to speak; his deep voice steady.

"This whole thing started about four months ago. You heard April mention someone named Jesse? Jesse Robertson was a pilot that flew for Northeastern Flyways; it’s another cargo-and-charter service that uses the same buildings and runways we do. We became really good friends, he and his wife and I; he was about the same age as I am.

"Well, someone – those two pleasant guys you’ve met, Deke and Ernie – asked Jesse to take part in some drug-smuggling. He was offered quite a bit of money to take kilos of cocaine, add them to his cargo, let someone offload them along with the rest of the stuff, and turn a blind eye. It probably was a temptation, because Jesse and his wife had a baby, less than a year old, and they could have used the money…but he refused. He told me about it." Jack swallowed hard. "A week later, he was killed."

"How?" Frank asked intently.

Jack glanced surreptitiously at Joe. "There was a bomb rigged up in his car," he almost whispered. "when he started the motor, the car blew up. He died on the way to the hospital. The police hit nothing but dead ends, but I know who did it, all right."

Oh God…. Not a car bomb. No, not a car bomb…. Joe shut his eyes, feeling a little ill; remembering Iola Morton’s death. A wash of guilt swept him; he felt like a heel for not trusting Jack’s integrity.

"I decided they weren’t going to get away with it." Jack continued after a moment. "I wanted to make them pay for killing Jesse…but I didn’t know how I was going to do it. And then, as luck would have it – they came to me, with the same offer." He looked over at Fenton, who smiled encouragingly at his former pilot. "I knew I couldn’t do it on my own, though…so I came to see your dad. I asked him for his help in setting up a sting operation."

"Dad! You were in on this?" Joe exclaimed, incredulous. Frank leaned close to his younger brother.

"See, Joe? I told you not to make snap judgments!" he muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

Joe glared at him, his blue eyes shooting daggers. Like you didn’t think exactly the same thing! he thought, but realized it would do no good to say it. His scowl deepened as he remembered the conversation where Frank had made the remark about snap judgments. You turkey, you told me not to make a snap judgment about April, not Jack! He forced his attention back to Jack’s narrative.

"This was the plan: I would make this one run for Deke and Ernie, and set them up to be caught. It was all supposed to be so simple…I would have to make an emergency landing somewhere along the route, due to plane trouble. At that point, a couple of DEA agents were to board the plane and travel with me the rest of the way As soon as Deke and Ernie entered the plane to get their stash, they’d be arrested. Your dad helped me contact the people at the DEA." Jack sighed wearily. "It was supposed to be so simple." he repeated. "The destination was Washington D.C….and Fenton was going to be there for the arrest."

"That’s why you went to D.C., Dad?" Joe exclaimed.

"Well, I had other business there too," his father replied. "But that was part of it."

"But April took your flight instead," Frank recalled now. "And unfortunately, something went wrong, and the plane crashed in the woods."

Jack winced. "I had to make it look real," he muttered. "I didn’t dare let Deke or Ernie suspect anything. So just before I got tied up with that phone call, I loosened the oil line, knowing that would be a good reason for me to make an emergency landing. That way, if Deke and Ernie had anyone watching the flight, they’d see smoke coming from the plane, and not get suspicious."

The good feelings Joe had felt toward Jack Wayne instantly disappeared when he realized what Jack had just said. "You did what?" he gasped. "You tampered with the plane so it would crash? You – you—" His fury choked him.

Jack didn’t even seem to notice the interruption. "I couldn’t believe it when I heard April take off – I knew her plane wasn’t loaded yet – and I saw she’d taken my plane! I tried to make her come back – I radioed her and told her to come back – but she wouldn’t listen. She even turned off her radio. What was I to do?"

Joe stared at him, his mind returning to the North Woods. He remembered holding April close, trying to keep her warm, while she told him the same thing…."He made me so mad – so I turned off the radio…and then went on with the flight." "There wasn’t anything you could do." he agreed reluctantly.

"Joe, I’m not as bad as you think I am. If I was, after the way you were on my case when we went to the crash site, I would have let Deke hit you with that crowbar a few times before I stopped him." Jack reminded the younger Hardy, with a wry grin.

But Frank was leaning forward now, his dark eyes full of animosity. "Jack, you’re a pilot. What kind of a pilot would sabotage his own plane? You had no way of knowing what would happen."

"Frank, nothing was going to happen. I knew the oil line was loose and I knew what I had to do to keep from crashing. I didn’t expect anything to go wrong." Jack said defensively.

Frank glared at him. "But something did go wrong. April took your flight, and she didn’t know about the fuel line. Jack, she could have died – and it would have been your fault!" Like when the plane crashed that I was flying, and Callie was so badly hurt. Someone had tampered with that plane, too….

Jack cast a look at Fenton. "I just can’t win with your sons, can I?" he said ruefully. "Okay, Frank, I admit it was my fault. But remember, April wasn’t supposed to be flying that plane, I was. I was risking my own life, but I had no intention of risking hers."

Frank settled back in his chair, still frowning, but no longer quite so irate. "Go on," he prodded.

"You know what happened yesterday," Jack resumed his story. "After Joe and I picked up the stash you two took out of the plane, he encountered Ernie and Deke—"

"Ernie and Bert!" Joe muttered resentfully. Fenton covered his mouth to hide a grin.

"—in the parking lot at the airfield. I’d intended to turn the coke in to the DEA, but when I saw what was happening, I knew I’d have to give it to them." He looked over at Joe, a straight, affectionate look. "I couldn’t let Deke hit you with that crowbar, you know…even if you did get on me all the way to the North Woods."

"You gave the kilos to them," Fenton interposed now. "So why did they come back today, Jack?"

The young pilot shook his head in bewilderment. "I don’t know, Fenton. They kept saying I’d switched it; that what I gave them was a fake. I think the only reason they didn’t kill me was because I passed out…and they knew I couldn’t tell them anything if I was dead, anyway. But I didn’t switch anything! As far as I knew, they had the real stuff. I gave them what was taken out of the plane by Frank and Joe."

Joe caught his breath with a gasp. "That means that someone else switched it, Jack. Someone changed the contents of that compartment before April took off with the plane!"