Con had followed him down, supporting him, to the ground, and now paid some attention to Kiwi’s urgent plea. "Bearden!" he snapped. "Get a set of cuffs on that one," pointing at Albright’s prone figure. "and take that off!" he ordered, indicating Kiwi’s manacle. "He’s not the one under arrest!"

"Ambulance…" Kiwi panted painfully. "Between…Frank and…Joe…." He tried to laugh; even in pain, he still felt awesomely relieved and joyous. "…Albright needs – aw, who cares what he needs?" He paused as Bearden released him from the handcuff. "Thanks…." He cupped the freed hand carefully about his right eye, which was swelling badly, and gripped his midsection a little tighter.

"Call for an ambulance," Riley directed the officer. "But I want it here for Barton and the Hardys, not him!" He cast a disgusted look at the now-manacled Albright.

Joe crossed the locker room now, leaving Fenton and Frank, and began scooping up items from the floor: the contents of the box from the locker. "Here’s all your evidence, Con." he said. "Stuff taken from detectives and victims all across the globe! And the clothing he was wearing the night he tried to strangle Frank." He paused over one particular item. "Kiwi? Look, pal." he said gently, and held up the little red teddy bear for his friend to see.

Kiwi focused, and grinned.

"I suggest," Chief Collig raised his voice and stepped to the center of the group, flanked by the two FBI agents…or whoever they were. "that someone tell me what exactly went on here!" He glanced about the locker room.

"And I suggest," Captain Lee interposed. "that we do it somewhere a bit more comfortable – the third-floor conference room." He took the box from Joe, and opened the door. "Come with me."

Joe crossed the room and crouched down at Kiwi’s other side. "Are you good to go?" he said, winking as he surreptitiously shoved the little red, stuffed animal into his pocket, to return to his friend later. He knew he’d get into trouble for that, but: Hey, what the heck?

"I’ll manage," Kiwi averred, and aided by both Con and Joe, lurched to his feet. "Been…quite an evening, hasn’t it?"

"Understatement of the century."

Lee led the way through the swinging doors and marched down the corridor toward the elevators, followed by Collig, one of the plain-clothed policemen, Fenton – who was gripping Frank’s arm tightly, guiding his elder son’s faltering steps; Con Riley and Joe, who supported Kiwi between them. Terry Bearden and the other plainclothes officer remained in the locker room, guarding James Albright, who still hadn’t stirred.

Joe leaned over towards his brother. "What happened?" Joe asked quietly, as they paced slowly down the hallway.

Frank looked back quizzically, not grasping what Joe meant by the query.

There was a long pause before Joe realized Frank hadn’t understood what he wanted. "In there—" He indicated the locker room with a backward jerk of his head. "When Kiwi was fighting Albright – where were you? What happened?"

"Oh!" Frank exclaimed, in sudden comprehension. He massaged his throat tenderly, and winced before continuing. "I was standing by my locker—" he said in a subdued tone. "And Albright came up behind me. I heard him – luckily! – and we started tussling. And that’s when it happened…I recognized him, and I remembered what happened in the woods!" He stopped talking, and swallowed gingerly. Joe, Fenton, and Con waited anxiously for him to continue; Kiwi was too dazed to pay much attention. The others in their small party were getting further and further ahead of them.

"And?" Fenton urged, finally, anxious to know what had taken place. They halted in front of the elevators, just as Captain Lee and the others were stepping into one of them.

"Don’t forget – get off at the third floor – we’ll be waiting for you." Lee reminded them, as the door slid closed.

"I remembered chasing him towards the woods," Frank resumed speaking. "And when I got there, I couldn’t see him…thought I’d lost him. I kept moving through the undergrowth, trying to be quiet. I guess I didn’t succeed at that too well, because all of a sudden, someone dropped down from a tree behind me. I felt an explosion across the back of my head," he winced, his hand automatically seeking the bruised area. "Next thing I knew, I was down on the ground, stunned, but not completely out."

He leaned wearily against the wall next to the elevator, Fenton still gripping his arm securely. "I heard Albright laughing. He was gloating about how he’d set Dad up, and how there was nothing I could do about it!" Frank paused again for a moment, his eyes faraway and haunted. "He knew exactly who I was; recognized me because I look so much like Dad. He was triumphant about that, like it improved his score, or something.

"Then he turned me over, and was on top of me, trying to pin me down, but I put up a fight and managed – don’t ask me how! – to pull his mask off, and I got a good look at him! At that point, Albright must have realized that if I could identify him, the game was over, so he lifted me up and smashed my head against something – a rock, maybe….Then I couldn’t move; everything was dark, and spinning and hurting.

"He went through my pockets, and took something out – I guess my keys – and then I sensed his face, right up close to mine, and I felt his hands on my neck….I couldn’t stop him; my arms wouldn’t work." Frank shuddered, and his listeners felt the horror as he re-lived it. "I think I heard my cell phone ringing…and the pressure on my throat increased. Maybe he realized Joe was coming, and he had to end it quickly…." He paused, his eyebrows contracting in a frown. "…and that’s the last I do remember, because the next thing I knew, I woke up at the B & B." he concluded quickly, not wishing to drag the story out any further than he needed to…who needed the reminder? Certainly not him!

Frank shook both himself and his head out of his personal terror, and realized his father was staring into his eyes, hands gripping his shoulders.

Joe muttered a string of highly descriptive words regarding Albright; Fenton looked slightly startled at his son’s choice of language, but when he regarded Frank’s pale countenance and the bruises on his throat, he felt like echoing Joe’s comments, and adding a few his younger son probably hadn’t heard of. "What happened after that, son?" he asked quietly. "In the locker room?"

"That seems to be one of his favorite ploys." Joe observed. He pounded on the elevator button, in a futile attempt to summon the elevator more quickly, before Kiwi ended up in a heap on the floor – he was starting to sag heavily against his friend. "Come on!" he muttered under his breath.

"Yeah." Frank agreed. "But I got lucky. Because Corporal Walker had jimmied the lock, it didn’t fasten securely any more. Once I figured that out, I was able to shove the door open…but it took a little while, even so." He sighed. "I was barely in time – and at that, it was you who took Albright out, Joe."

"After you and Kiwi tired him out," Joe returned, grinning. He looked up at Kiwi, who managed a faint smile. "Hang on, pal; we’ll be there pretty soon." he encouraged. They stepped into the elevator car when it arrived, and rode it to the third floor, where they found Captain Lee, Chief Collig, and the unidentified man waiting outside a room marked "conference".

"In here." Lee motioned to them. "There are plenty of chairs, and even a couple of couches, for Andy – that is, for Frank? – and Dave." They entered, and settled into the chairs, after establishing Kiwi on a sofa. Frank insisted he was okay perching next to his friend.

"Now," Captain Lee continued. "I want to hear all about this!" He looked from one face to another, grimly.

"I’ve heard most of it, I think," Collig grumped. "Riley here, talked me into springing Fenton, and coming down here. But I don’t mind hearing it again."

It took a combined effort from them all to tell the tale; and words tumbled over each other, and interruptions were frequent. Eventually, however, the story unraveled and became clear. Collig had heard most of it before, of course, from Con – who had developed cold feet at the audacity of the Hardys’ plan. He had gone to where Fenton was being held, discussed it with him, and at Fenton’s urging, had unveiled the whole story to Chief Collig.

Just as Joe was finishing up showing the box of "souvenirs" Albright had stashed in his locker, there came a knock on the door, and three paramedics entered, followed by Officer Bearden and the other plain-clothed agent.

"Albright’s been tended to," he told Chief Collig. "And he’s been sent to a hospital, with an escort from the MP’s. He’ll be kept under heavy guard there."

"All right," Collig grunted. He waved a hand impatiently at the paramedics. "The two on the couch, and the blonde one." he instructed. Mr. Hardy, Con Riley, Captain Lee and Collig moved to the far end of the conference table while the medics did their work.

Joe was pronounced merely bruised and scraped; his skinned knuckles were bandaged lightly and he was told to get a good night’s rest. Over Frank, the medics looked more concerned, and they spent a considerable amount of time checking his vitals, his vision, and his reactions to stimuli, with Frank fighting them all the way and insisting he was fine. Finally, they admitted that he probably would be all right, and could go home. "As long as you promise to take it easy!" the lead medic emphasized sternly.

Frank nodded agreeably, but sighed an aside to Joe. "I guess they don’t think I follow doctors’ orders very well, huh?"

"Well, can you blame ‘em?"

Kiwi took the longest time, for he was far more battered than either of the Hardys. His eye was almost completely swollen shut by this time, and the bruising was turning dark already. His ribs were excruciatingly tender to the touch.

"I really think we’d better take you to the hospital," the lead medic said, finally. "Those ribs should be x-rayed, and you may have cracked a bone in that eye socket – not to mention that you were unconscious for a period of time!"

Frank looked appealingly at his father. "Dad…?"

Mr. Hardy smiled. "Yes, of course." To the paramedics, he said. "Can I request we take him home? He can rest at our house and we’ll keep an eye on him overnight. If anything develops, we’ll get him to a doctor, right away."

The paramedics looked from Fenton to Kiwi, and then back again, doubtfully.

Fenton pushed his argument. "We’ll bring him in to the hospital tomorrow morning, and the doctors can run their tests then," he negotiated. "After all, there’s not all that much you can do for cracked ribs or an eye socket injury, is there?"

One of the medics shrugged his shoulders in resignation. "Let me talk to the doctors at the ER and see what they say." He stepped out of the room in order to speak freely on his two-way radio.

"My – stuff." Kiwi muttered. "At the bed-and-breakfast…"

Con Riley beckoned to Officer Bearden. "Terry, go over to the Bennetts’ place – across the street from Hurd Applegate’s house – and get all the things from their rooms. Oh—" as Bearden turned to go. "they’re booked under the names Josh Douglas, Andy Harris, and Dave Randall, by the way."

"And pay the tab!" Collig added gruffly. Frank and Joe exchanged elated glances at that! Evidently Collig was in a mood to forgive their iniquities!

The medic re-entered the room and addressed Fenton again. "I’ve spoken to the doctor, and she agrees that if he’s brought to the hospital tomorrow – or if there’s any sign of his condition deteriorating during the night, any sign at all, that you’ll bring him in right away—"

"Of course." Mr. Hardy agreed emphatically.

"—then he can go home with you."

"Yes!" Joe exulted.

The paramedics packed up their equipment and departed. Captain Lee and Chief Collig, accompanied by the other two men, who had been identified as FBI agents, but their names undisclosed, went to the captain’s private office, to begin filling out a long series of reports for several agencies.

For a few moments, the Hardys, Kiwi, and Con Riley sat in silence. Then Mr. Hardy got to his feet. "Let’s go home." he said, gently…and then grinned. "It’s so great to be able to say that!"

They arrived in tandem; Frank and Fenton in Frank’s car; Joe and Kiwi in Joe’s. Alighting from the vehicles, Frank and Joe each took a side, and assisted Kiwi gently toward the house…and the three of them watched as Fenton hurried up the steps.

Just as he reached the top step, the porch lights came on, the front door was flung open – and Laura emerged, to be caught close in her husband’s embrace. For just that moment, no one else – not children nor guests – mattered.

"Awww," Joe murmured…and he chuckled a little – very quietly.

*****

Laura had just flipped the switch on the coffee maker to On when she was startled by the shrill and rude ringing of the telephone. Early-morning calls weren’t unknown in the Hardy household, but not necessarily welcome, either! She made a hasty grab for the cordless, hoping to catch it before the noise awakened anyone else in the house. "Hardy residence."

A minute later, she was hurrying up the staircase, carrying the handset. She gently eased open the door of the guest room, and went in.

"David…" She bent over the bed, speaking softly. "David dear, wake up."

Kiwi stirred slightly, but made no other response. He was still surrounded by the pillows that had been strategically placed about to keep him from rolling over and hurting himself, but the towels and melted ice packs were now on the floor around the bed. Laura shook his arm a little. "David – you have a telephone call. Wake up."

Slowly, the undamaged eye cracked open a trifle. "Wha—?" He regarded her as if she’d been some alien with two or three heads. "I’m tryin’ to sleep, Mrs. Hardy….sorry, don’t mean to sound rude…." he added, his voice slurred.

"I’m very sorry to disturb you," Laura sat down gently on the edge of the bed. Her gaze was as compassionate as if she’d been looking at one of her own sons. "But you have a telephone call, and he says it’s very important."

"Phone call?" Kiwi asked, blearily. He attempted to prop himself on an elbow, but desisted with a groan. "Tell ‘em to get lost."

Laura couldn’t help grinning at that. "It’s important…" she insisted.

Kiwi was finally awake enough to be coherent. "Okay, okay…" He stretched a hand out for the phone. "Who is it, did they say?"

"He said it was Mark – from England."

Kiwi sagged back against the pillows and closed his eyes. "This had bloody well better be important," he growled. "Because otherwise I’m gonna kill him…." He pressed the handset to his ear. "What is it, Mark, and this had better be good – I should be in the hospital, by rights, so I’m in no mood for – yeah, the hospital!"

Laura backed out of the room, closing the door behind her, but still managed to hear Kiwi exclaim "No way – good on ya, mate!" at his friend.

She headed slowly down the stairs, to check that the coffee was percolating. Satisfied by the wonderful smell emanating from the machine, she then moved into the family room and reached to switch on the television, wishing to view the morning news. Now that Fenton was back home, she wanted to get into a normal routine – which included her morning treat of TV!

She turned it to a local channel, and the image of a house popped up. That place looks familiar, she thought, frowning. There was a reporter standing in front of it, speaking into a microphone. Laura pressed the Volume button on the remote, hoping to figure out what was going on – and then jumped as arms encircled her from behind.

"Oh! You’re awake!" she smiled affectionately at her husband. Fenton kissed her, then rested his chin on her shoulder, and they both stared at the screen…both coming to the same, sudden conclusion.

"THAT’S OUR HOUSE!" they shouted as one.

Joe chose that moment to appear in the doorway. "What’s all the excitement about?" he asked, and then saw the TV images, and moved slowly towards the set. "Is that our house?" he asked stupidly.

"It would seem so." Fenton answered wryly.

Someone tapped at the back door. Joe moved into the kitchen, and saw Liz Webling outside. Judging by the smudge marks on her otherwise pristine white suit skirt, Liz had scaled the back fence to gain entry. A cameraman was with her, standing just behind, with an expensive tripod and camera hanging from his shoulder.

She waved a tape recorder at him and shouted the words: "Daaaaaarling! Exclusive interview time!"

"Uh-oh. I forgot about that." Joe muttered…and went to admit her.