“I can’t believe this! I’m not made of glass you know and I’m not worthless just because I can’t remember everything!” Joe face was turning red with anger. “I’m going anyway.” He jumped up from the couch and swayed on his feet as a wave of dizziness overtook him and his head began to throb.

Frank bolted up and grabbed Joe’s good arm before he could fall. Fenton joined him on the other side of Joe and they eased him back down onto the couch.

“Are you okay Joe?” Frank asked him quietly, worry showing on his face.

“Y-yeah…I’m okay. I guess I’m just a little shaky that’s all,” Joe replied as he lay his head back on the couch and closed his eyes willing the dizziness to pass.

“Joe,” Fenton said softly. Joe opened his eyes and blearily looked at his father. “What you remembered is very important and critical to many people’s safety. I will need yours and Frank’s help with research to narrow down the museum. Right now though, I will go talk to Erza myself while you get some rest. You just came home from the hospital and still need to take it easy. After you take a nap, you and Frank can start doing some research from here on the possible locations and timing of the heist.”

Joe nodded briefly but remained unmoved on the couch. Frank thought he looked exhausted.

Frank answered his father when Joe didn’t say anything, “I think both of us can use a rest. We’ll start looking for that information this afternoon.”

“I’m going to head out to the station then. Frank, can you come and check out the alarm panel in the kitchen?” Fenton asked him. He really just wanted to speak to Frank alone.

When Frank and Fenton got up, Laura went to Joe and got him to lie down on the couch. “I’ll go get you one of the pain killers Dr. Bates prescribed. It looks like you could use one and I think it will help you get some rest.”

Joe just kept his eyes closed. The light was bothering them and making his head pound. Though he wanted to rush out the door on his own, he didn’t think he would get too far at the moment.

Laura joined Frank and Fenton in the kitchen. Fenton had just grabbed his coat and keys and turned towards Frank. “Frank, I don’t want Joe going anywhere for this case. He’s not doing as well as he wants us to believe and he still hasn’t remembered the last year. Think for just a minute about all the cases you two handled in the last year and the things you’ve learned. Joe can’t remember those things. It is really too dangerous for him.”

“I understand Dad. We’ll stay here and do research. I’ll start working on it and Joe can join me when he wakes up.”

Laura stood there with a prescription bottle and a glass of water in her hands. “I’m giving Joe more medicine now so hopefully he will sleep.” She looked pointedly at Fenton, “I’ll make sure they don’t leave the house. You just worry about resolving this case.” She leaned up and gave him a kiss. Then she left the kitchen to tend to Joe.

“I’ll set the alarm when you leave Dad.” Frank said. He waited for his father to go and pressed the activation keys.

“Frank,” Laura called from the living room. “Can you help Joe up to his bed? I think he will be more comfortable there.”

Joe protested only slightly as Frank helped him up and guided him up the steps to his room. “He must be hurting if he is not complaining about being babied,” Frank thought as he helped Joe settle onto his bed and covered him up. Joe was asleep before Frank left the room.

Frank used the time while his brother was sleeping to start researching the museums in the area of Bayport and their current exhibits. After a short time, Frank had identified the likely target as an exhibit of rare gems including the Hope Diamond usually displayed at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., which was on loan to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The exhibit was scheduled to close tomorrow. That only left one day for the heist. What Frank found as the most troubling though was that directly under the museum was a stop for the New York subway.

“I have to call Dad with this information,” Frank thought. Just then, Joe stumbled into his room and sat on his bed.

Frank turned around, “How are you feeling now? Any better?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Did you find out anything we can use?” Joe asked as he rubbed his eyes.

“Actually, I think I’ve got it narrowed down,” Frank said as he went on to describe his findings.

“The subway stops under the museum? If they want to create a diversion without having to breach the museum security, they could do it from the subway! Frank, this could be a disaster. An explosion big enough could give them the time they need during the chaos to get away with it,” Joe said as all of the pieces started falling into place.

“I know it,” Frank said grimly. “Let’s call Dad with this information.”

Frank and Joe went to their father’s study and called him on the speakerphone. After they had explained the information that Frank found, Fenton assured them that he had it covered and would work with the police on the case.

“Well, it looks like our part of the case is done. It sounds like Dad has it covered from here,” Frank hating saying this as he was just as anxious as Joe to see this to a close, but he felt it just wasn’t safe right now.

“I think we should go to the museum and see if there is anything suspicious. I really don’t like sitting here waiting. I just feel like something bad is going to happen,” Joe said.

When Frank didn’t respond, Joe turned and walked to the kitchen leaving Frank in the study. His mother was no where to be found, for which, right now he was grateful. He didn’t need any more fussing over him. He just wanted to go out and get some fresh air. He went over to the alarm panel and keyed in the code to deactivate the alarm.

As he pushed open the back door though, the alarm blared loudly. His heart rate jumped and he thought, too late, that the code had probably been changed in the last year. Laura and Frank came bolting down the steps and running towards him.

“Joe, are you okay?” Frank yelled over the alarm as he went through the back door towards Joe.

“Joe, what were you trying to do? Your father and I told you we wanted you to stay here,” Laura asked as she tried to guide him back in the house.

Joe held his ground. “Mom, stop please. I just need a little air. I’m sorry about the alarm; I thought I knew the code. I guess it changed.”

Frank had stepped inside to turn off the alarm and to the officer stationed out front know that it was a false alarm.

“Joe, it’s not safe for you right now. You need someone to take care of you until you are better. Come inside,” Laura said firmly, looking up at her blond son.

“I’ll be right there Mom, just give me a minute…please,” Joe said his anxiety showing on his face. Laura nodded briefly and went inside to help Frank.

Joe was so frustrated about all the things he couldn’t remember and his emotions were threatening to overwhelm him every time he thought of Iola. Being forced to remain in the house and away from this case gave him no distraction from the grief he was feeling.

Joe was trying to get his emotions under control but it just wasn’t working. He glanced over his shoulder and saw his motorcycle with the key in the ignition sitting just inside the garage door.

Joe knew he shouldn’t. But right then, it really didn’t matter.

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Disclaimer

The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The Hardy Boys Fan Fiction authors of the Hardy Detective Agency have just borrowed them for an adventure or two. The authors promise to put the boys back when they are done with them. The authors do claim copyright to the original characters in this story. Please do not borrow original characters without express permission of the authors.