At that moment, Joe himself jolted Jack back to full awareness. "Jack!" The younger Hardy joggled Jack’s elbow sharply. "Either get your head out of the clouds, or get left behind!"

"Right! Right!" Jack became aware of Dani speaking now, off the cell phone.

"There’s a fire on campus – the Art building. This time, though, they think the fire department might have a chance to save the building. They hope the crews got there in time." She looked around at the anxious faces. "Let’s go!"

They swept out the front door and half-ran, half-walked towards the parking lot, everyone pulling keys from various pockets as they hurried along.

"This might be a chance to see if there were any witnesses!" Joe exclaimed in excitement. He jogged a step or two and tapped Dani’s shoulder. "Did they say if there were any victims? Were there classes going on in the building?"

Frank answered him grimly before Dani could. "There are a few night classes in the art building, and it’s early enough in the evening that they would still have been in session."

Dani turned around, walking backwards for a few steps. Her mouth set in a grim line. "If that’s true, Frankenstein, then whoever did this is in more trouble. He – or she – has gone from straight arson to attempted murder! Or out-and-out terrorism!"

"Want me to drive?" Joe queried his brother, as they reached the lot. "Van can take my car." He carefully didn’t say why he was offering, but it was clear to them all: Frank’s driving skills were badly hampered by his cast, and Megan…what would Megan’s reaction be to getting behind the wheel of a car, just now?

Frank shook his head, holding Megan’s hand tightly. "We’ll be fine, scram, get going." He clicked the button to unlock the Saturn, and Megan flung herself into the passenger seat, tossing her backpack into the rear seat and grabbing for her seat belt, seemingly in one motion. She suspected she’d be stiff and sore again tomorrow, but right now adrenaline was masking all her aches.

The ride back to campus was swift, as swift as they could make it, despite the traffic congestion caused by the emergency vehicles’ passage. There was no way they could drive close to the fire, but Joe led the way to the closest parking lot, with Jack, Dani, and Frank following close behind. As they hurried across the campus grounds on foot, they could see the flashing lights from the engines, and plumes of smoke rising into the air from the building known as the ‘Everding Fine Arts Center.’ Half art gallery, half classrooms and studios, the Everding Center was one of the newer buildings on campus, built with the funds provided by Joshua Everding, an alumnus who had donated a sizeable amount of money to the college for the sole purpose of creating the center. And now, all that money and all that beauty – going up in a puff of smoke!

"It’s so senseless," Frank murmured to Megan as they trotted down the sidewalks. "I can’t figure out what someone is trying to prove, burning all these buildings! If they wanted something, that would be one thing – but as far as I’ve heard, no one is asking for anything, at least not yet! It just doesn’t make sense!"

"Like Jack said, if it’s a psycho, it doesn’t have to make sense, Frank," she reminded him. "But what I’m wondering is, why can’t they seem to stop the fires? Aren’t they patrolling the buildings now?"

"I’m sure they are, Baby, but it would take an army to keep the whole campus safe," he replied grimly. "But what I don’t get is why the security systems aren’t picking anything up! They have cameras in all the buildings, I know they do!"

"Maybe the arsonist is able to disable the cameras, or something…." She shivered. "Or is setting the fires in places where the cameras aren’t, somehow."

They pushed through the crowd of onlookers surrounding the fire scene. It seemed as if everyone who was on campus that evening was there, despite the fire crews’ best efforts to keep people back. Joe, Vanessa, Dani and Jack were there ahead of them, and Dani had gone to speak with the fire chief. Frank and Megan joined Joe and Vanessa, waiting to see what Dani might find out. Jack followed her, his eyes switching back and forth from the girl to the activity surrounding them.

Megan smiled and nudged Frank gently. "He’s got it bad, doesn’t he?" she whispered, nodding towards Jack.

Frank grinned a little. "Jack deserves some happiness in his life," he observed lightly. "That is, IF he can screw up the courage to make the first move!"

"Won’t he?" she asked curiously. Her mouth twitched a little. She recalled another dark-haired young man who had needed a shove or two in the right direction….

"I’m not holding my breath," Frank confided, unaware of Megan’s thoughts. "I think Dani is going to have to do it, assuming she’s interested; I’ve never thought of Jack as being SHY before, but there must be some reason he’s never had a girlfriend. Well, that I’m aware of, anyway," he added.

Dani returned to the group before Megan could reply. "The chief says that everyone got out of the building – at least, they’re pretty sure everyone did – before it got bad," she reported. "Someone pulled a fire alarm, and the whole building evacuated at that time."

"Pulled the fire alarm?" Joe echoed. "Who could have done that? Someone who just happened to be in the building and smelled smoke – or could the arsonist have done it?"

Dani looked at him with humorous respect in her eyes. "Very good, Golden Boy. The chief thinks that it was probably the arsonist, but that’s off the record. They don’t know what started this one yet. The guy – girl – whatever – hasn’t used the same M.O. twice. It’s like he uses what’s at hand, or what he can bring in cheaply. And, unfortunately, an art building is just crammed with potentially flammable substances!"

"Oil paints, canvas, lightweight wood," Vanessa nodded, "turpentine, paper…" She shuddered. "It’s a wonder the whole place didn’t go up in a mushroom cloud!" Her face tightened. "I had classes in that building," she muttered grimly, and Joe pulled her into a comforting embrace.

Dani nodded. "I’m going to see what I can do to help," she announced. "My gear isn’t here, so I can’t go in, but there are things I can do outside, and that will free up someone else to go inside." She started towards the trucks again, evidently intending to offer her assistance.

Jack followed her. "Can I do anything?"

"You can stay back, out of the way!" came the answer from one of the firemen, who nodded recognition at Dani at the same time. "Hiya, Dani."

Jack sighed and stepped back, deflated. Dani turned, and smiled at him, and slowly, the unhappy expression on his face lightened into an answering smile.

"It was nice of you to offer, though," she murmured, moving closer again. "Look, I’m probably going to get very busy here, and we might not get a chance to talk more – how would you like to get together some time? Uh – that is – I should have asked, I guess. You’re not…married…are you?"

Jack shook his head. "Not married. Never have been. Don’t even have a girlfriend. Do you? Have a boyfriend, I mean, not a girlfriend, although you could have a – a girlfriend – I mean, if you…" Miserably, he stumbled to a halt, flushing profusely. Swell, Jack, you really put your foot in your mouth that time!

Dani smiled. She reached up to pat his cheek gently "I’m single, straight, not taken, and interested. Good enough?"

Jack’s grin split his face. "Yes, good enough!"

"Look, I’ve got to get to work," Dani gestured towards the fire trucks. "But if you’re not busy for lunch or dinner tomorrow, I’d like to…could we maybe get together? I’m off for the next two days, but then I go on for a 48-hour shift. Two 24-hour days, straight."

Jack looked worried. "I have to fly a run in the morning," he admitted. "With April and Frank both in school now, I’m the only pilot available to fly morning runs." Kindly, he didn’t say that Frank wasn’t available to fly any time, at present. "But I could get back for a late lunch, maybe."

"Good." Dani abruptly pulled out her cell phone. "What’s your number? I’ll code it in, and leave you a message with mine. That way you can call me back."

As Jack recited his telephone numbers, Frank and Joe, watching from a slight distance, exchanged amused looks.

"If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes," Joe chuckled, "I’d never believe it. Jack Wayne on a date – with Dani Tanner! I notice that she had to ask him!"

"Well," Frank said consideringly, "I think I can see it…I think I can, anyway…." He shook his head, watching Dani trot off to her duties, and Jack stand there watching her, mesmerized. "Joe, why don’t you and Van—"

"Why am I not surprised?" A new voice interrupted him. .

Joe jumped about a foot, and let out a yip of surprise. He whirled around. "Con! What are you trying to do, give me a heart attack?" he gasped.

"Not particularly," Con Riley answered mildly. "Here I am, fresh on the scene of a crime, and who do I find already here ahead of me? None but the Hardy brothers and their friends!" Riley shook his dark head, not surprised to find them there, but shocked that it had taken them so long. He eyed Frank’s cast. "Three whole fires, and this is the first time I’ve seen you two on the scene. Are you slowing down? I wouldn’t have thought you’d let something like a broken arm stop you, Frank."

Frank managed a laugh, while inwardly wondering if people were ever going to quit giving him a hard time about slowing down – be it age, an injury, whatever, he was getting sick of it! First Joe, now Con…Jack’s the only person who seems to think I can still be of any use… He forced a smile, and held out his right hand to Con.

"I haven’t slowed down, Con, I just thought I’d give the Bayport PD a chance to crack a case once in a while."

Con snorted. "Gee, thanks, you’re too awfully kind." He peered through the floodlight-shot dimness at the others. "Hiya, cutie," he said to Megan. "How are you feeling now? Better, I hope?"

"Yes," she nodded shyly. "And thank you again for the flowers, Officer Riley."

"You’re welcome." Con fixed the Hardys with his best official gaze. "Okay, what are you boys really doing here?"

Joe assumed his most innocent look. "Gee, Con, we’re students here, after all, and we were just passing by, as it were. That’s all!"

Con smirked. "Try again. I don’t believe you."

Frank decided enough was enough. "Con, we’re here officially. President Mitchell asked me Sunday if Joe and I would investigate the arson fires on campus, because it seems that someone was trying to pin them on him. We came to see what we could find out."

Con sighed and rolled his eyes. "I might have known," he muttered. "Listen, guys, you’re going to have to tread softly on this one, okay? It’s already getting major coverage from newspapers nationwide. And I’m warning you – if Chief Collig finds out you’re interfering with the official investigation…well, I’m not going to take the blame for Collig’s reaction! That’s all I can say!"

Joe scowled thoughtfully, but he wasn’t really angry. They’d covered this ground too many times before. "Con, we’ll be careful, we really will. And we’re not going to interfere in anything; you know that."

"And we’re not going to do anything dangerous," Frank interposed. "We’re both still recovering from the last time we tangled with bad guys," he chuckled ruefully, "and I’m sure I’m speaking for both of us when I say that we don’t have ANY desire to get hurt again!" Joe nodded in agreement.

Con grunted dubiously, but didn’t scold any more.

Megan and Vanessa, standing quietly nearby, exchanged smiling glances. Yeah, right! Close association with Frank and Joe had brought them closer with each other, and sometimes it seemed as if their minds were running in parallel grooves.

"We know better," Vanessa breathed, and Megan nodded slightly. "Well, they don’t want to get hurt, but—"

"Psst!" A hiss from behind them made both girls jump, startled. They turned to see a tall figure standing close to them. "You’re with those guys over there, aren’t you? The Hardys?"

"Yes," Vanessa replied cautiously. She looked the guy up and down. Just a regular college student, dark-skinned and dark-eyed, wearing jeans and a t-shirt, a backpack slung over one shoulder. "We’re with them…so?"

"Gotta minute?" the boy inquired.

Megan and Vanessa looked at each other nervously, then at Frank, Joe and Con, who were paying no attention to them at the moment. What if this was the arsonist?

"Look, I saw something!" he insisted, "but I’m not talkin’ to the cops, all right? I’ll tell you, and you can tell THEM. But leave me out of it! I don’t need any trouble, right? Got it?"

The girls nodded, willing to listen. "What is it?" Megan asked softly. "And – could we know your name? First name, at least?" She had no idea why she wanted to know, but…she just did.

"Not here." The boy jerked his head sideways. "Further away. I don’t want to talk here." He grinned, his teeth flashing white in the gloom. "And the name’s Corin."

"Okay…but just a little ways," Vanessa conceded. They followed their informant a few yards away, into the shadows of some trees, and waited.

"I saw somebody running – a guy – running away from the art building, right before everything went up!" Corin said. "He was carrying a big grocery sack with him…I’ll bet he’s the one who did it! The one who started the fire! He was RUNNING – hard."

"Did you see what he looked like?" Vanessa demanded.

"Short – shorter than me," Corin stated positively. "I didn’t see the face too clearly, but I don’t think it was anyone I know – recognize, I mean. He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt that covered his hair."

"Oh," Megan said, disappointed.

"I know it’s not a lot of help, but I did notice a couple of things," Corin persisted. "He had a backpack on – one of those expensive leather jobs. And his sweatshirt had a design on it – one of those environmental symbol things."

"Environmental symbol!" Vanessa exclaimed, then hastily lowered her voice. Megan’s blue-green eyes grew enormous. They were already suspicious of the S.F.E. and its members. Was this still another bit of evidence pointing towards them? What if they weren’t as innocent as Dave Wahlstrom seemed to think they were?

"Why won’t you talk to the police?" Vanessa asked then, suspiciously. "Don’t you know it’s against the law to withhold evidence?"

Corin backed away from her a step or two. "I don’t have EVIDENCE, woman! Seein’ somebody isn’t evidence! And no way am I talkin’ to the police! I don’t need that kind of hassle right now!"

"Corin, wait. You don’t have to talk to the police." Megan said hastily. She looked at Vanessa warningly. Don’t scare him off! But she knew they had to ask one more thing, and that one thing might chase him off, too! "Look, I don’t mean to sound insulting….But – how do we know that you’re telling us the truth?" she said, slowly. "How do we know that YOU didn’t do it, and are giving us false information?"

He glared at them. "I told you the truth, but if you don’t want to do anything with what I told you, that’s your business!" he snapped. Again, he stepped backwards, then abruptly turned and jogged away, disappearing into the crowd of onlookers.

"Shoot…." Vanessa sighed. "maybe our interrogation technique needs a little work, you think?"

Before Megan could reply, an explosion was heard – followed by another!

"Look out!" Vanessa shrieked, as objects began hurtling through the broken windows of the art building like shrapnel. "It’s the paint and stuff, blowing up!" More explosions resounded; it was beginning to sound like the Fourth of July on the Bayport Community College campus! "Duck!"

The girls dodged back beneath the shelter of the trees, and waited for the furor to subside. When it finally did, they started to emerge…and were startled to hear a woman’s voice scream in horror: