Kurt Barrett rushed out onto the stage and knelt next to Clancy’s unmoving form. He leaned over and looked to be feeling for a pulse. He then looked over his shoulder towards backstage and shouted, "Somebody call an ambulance!"

That does it, Frank though. He turned to Vanessa. "Think your friend would be willing to help us out?"

Vanessa nodded. "If I ask him he will."

Joe could see the wheels turning in his brother’s head. "What are you thinking?"

"That he’s been poisoned."

Becka gasped. "Why would anyone want to do that?"

Frank stood. "That’s what we’re going to find out." He then began moving towards the stage, with Joe and the girls right behind him. The stage crew was running to and fro, and the group easily slipped backstage.

Vanessa’s friend Evan saw them and came running over. "You can’t be back here."

"Frank and Joe are detectives, Evan. They might can help," Vanessa told him.

Evan looked skeptical and raised an eyebrow. Frank’s foul play meter went off the scale as he looked at Evan, then scanned the room. The stage crew had calmed down and no one looked very concerned about what had just taken place. There were several knots of people quietly whispering though.

Frank looked back at Evan. He now seemed even more determined to keep the Hardys out of the area after watching Frank. And that made Frank even more determined to find out what had happened.

Then they heard a booming voice come up behind them. "Well, if it isn’t Frank and Joe Hardy! Why does that not surprise me?"

The boys turned to see the New York City police chief Sam Peterson approaching them. Chief Peterson had been their father’s partner on the force before Fenton had retired. "Hi, Chief," Frank greeted him. The three shook hands and Frank introduced Becka.

Chief Peterson crossed his arms and attempted to look stern. "Don’t tell me you suspect foul play."

Both boys saw the twinkle in his eyes, and wished they could joke with him. "Actually, Chief, we do," Frank told him solemnly.

Peterson became all business. He motioned for Frank and Joe to follow him and the three went to a more secluded area. "I hope you have something to back this up with."

"Nothing concrete, Chief. We overheard a conversation earlier. Apparently Mr. Barrett has been acting very erratic the last couple of months. We want to poke around a little, see what we can find."

Peterson nodded thoughtfully. "If you two were anybody else, I’d tell you to get lost. Just don’t go stepping on any toes, and let me know if you find anything worth following."

Frank nodded his agreement and the two brothers left.

"What do we do now?" Joe asked.

"Ask questions." Frank looked at Joe.

Just then they were approached by a young man. He looked to be in his late twenties, and had shaggy hair and a beard. "I was wondering if I could talk to you two."

"May I ash why?" Frank inquired.

"There’s something strange going on around here."

"Why us?" Joe gave the guy a once over.

"I’ve heard about you two. You’re Frank and Joe Hardy. And I overheard your conversation with the police chief."

"Alright. You know who we are, so who are you?" Joe asked.

"Sam Wilkins. Are you going to listen to me or not?"

The brothers exchanged looks. "Go ahead," Frank told him.

"Well, I’ve heard some things that make me awfully suspicious. Funny things have been going on."

"Such as?" Joe prompted.

"At first, Mr. Barrett was really nice and always on time. Well-dressed and all. Then about two weeks into rehearsal, he started acting really odd."

Frank’s curiosity went up. "Odd how?"

"He started being late, irritable, looked really sloppy." Sam emphasized "sloppy" heavily. "He would also forget what he was playing, his cues, stuff like that. Once he even forgot where he’d parked his car."

"Seriously?" Joe stared at the man.

Frank’s mind was in overdrive. While still in the hospital, he’d done some reading on poisons. Clancy Barrett’s symptoms were classic for chronic poisoning of some sort. "Can you think of anyone who might want to hurt him, or destroy his career?"

"Oh sure! Backstage Broadway is a regular soap opera!"

"Names?" Joe requested as Frank pulled out his pocket notebook and his pen, ready to scribble.

"First off, there’s Oliver O’Hara. He’s Olivia Moreau’s half-brother. Ms. Moreau isn’t exactly on good terms with Mr. Barrett either."

Frank was writing quickly.

"And of course, there’s Mr. Coleman, the producer."

At that name, Frank and Joe looked at each other. That was the second time they’d heard that name pop up. "Who else?" Frank asked.

"Well," Wilkins glanced around. He seemed to be growing more and more nervous. "The conductor."

Whittington again! "Are there any others?" Joe prompted.

Wilkins shook his head, then abruptly turned and hurried away.

The brothers watched him go. "I think we have our two main suspects," Joe remarked as they walked back over to the girls.

"I agree. Now all we need is motive and means," Frank added. "I wonder if Kurt would be willing to talk to us."

"Why him?" Joe glanced at his brother.

"We could get a list of possible motives from him, I think."

Joe nodded in agreement.

Vanessa and Becka came up to them. Vanessa planted a kiss on Joe’s cheek before asking, "Find out anything?"

"Yup," Joe answered. "Got a list of suspects."

Becka’s eyes widened. "You think it’s attempted murder?"

Frank put his arm around her. "I’m afraid so. From what we’ve been told so far, I think Mr. Barrett may have been systematically poisoned since rehearsals started."

"That’s awful!" Vanessa exclaimed. "Who would want to do something like that?"

"That’s what we need to find out," Joe stated.

"So how are we going to do it?" Vanessa asked.

"First off," Frank began, "I want to talk to Kurt Barrett. Find out if what we overheard at the restaurant is true."

Vanessa pointed discreetly towards the stage. "He’s right over there. Let me try."

Joe started to protest, but Frank placed a hand on his arm. "She’ll probably get further than we would right now."

Joe sighed. "Alright. Just be careful."

"I will." Vanessa leaned over and the two kissed. She then walked over to Kurt Barrett.

Kurt was standing back, watching the paramedics trying to help Clancy. There was a cloud of anger growing inside him, for he was convinced that Clancy was a victim of foul play.

"This is absolutely awful!" A voice murmured next to him. He turned to see a tall, ash-blond young lady standing there.

"Why would anyone want to hurt him?" she continued.

"That’s what I want to find out," Kurt said softly.

"Does he have any enemies?"

"Clancy? Enemies? Oh yes!"

Vanessa looked shocked. "Really? Why?"

"Because he’s the best." Kurt looked at her again. "What’s your name?"

"Oh I’m sorry. Vanessa Bender."

Kurt looked suspicious, for he didn’t recognize the name. "How’d you get back here?" he demanded.

"One of my friends is an electrician here. He brought me back."

"You have no business being here," Kurt stated coolly.

"You’re right. I don’t. But my boyfriend does. He and his brother are detectives and we overheard a strange conversation about your brother at dinner earlier." She paused briefly. "They think someone tried to kill your brother."

"That’s what I think!" Kurt exclaimed. "I’d like-"

He was interrupted by one of the paramedics. "Your brother is stable enough to transport now. We’re taking him to Manhattan General. We believe he’s been poisoned, and have him on medication to counter-act it."

Kurt nodded then stepped over to his brother and took his hand. "Clancy," he said softly.

The young man slowly opened his eyes.

"I’m going to find out who did this to you. They won’t get away with it."

Clancy gave a slight now, then the stretcher was taken out to the ambulance.

Kurt turned to Vanessa. "I’m not leaving this theatre until the man who did this has been arrested."

"Then let me introduce you to Frank and Joe." Vanessa then led the way to where the brothers were standing with Becka. Introductions were made, and Kurt looked at the Hardys.