"I’m going to Camille’s," Frank said after Chief Collig had hung up.  "We have to know if Joe made it there."

"If he did then Camille must have been taken as well," Fenton said.  "And that would mean they don’t think Joe is on Sorrel’s side and that would be a very good thing."

"I’ll call you as soon as I find out something," Frank said taking off.  He didn’t like the idea that Camille may have been abducted as well but if she had, then perhaps Joe might still be alive.  ‘Ah, Baby Brother, how do you keep getting into these messes?’

Frank arrived at the Lane residence a little before nine.  He parked the van and hurried up the steps to where an officer was standing by the open front door.  "Hello, Frank," Officer O’Neil greeted him.   "Con said you would probably show up.  Go on inside."

"Thanks," Frank replied and entered the house.  He followed the sound of voices to the living room.  His heart sank when he saw Camille standing beside Judge Lane whom he recognized from a recent picture in the paper.

"So Joe never made it here?" Frank asked as silence took over the room.

"Actually, he did," Judge Lane said, looking at Frank apologetically.  "Sergeant Riley explained the situation to me just now.  See, I saw Joe talking to Piers and I assumed Joe was associated with Sorrel.  When he arrived to pick up Camille, I sent him away."

"How long ago was that?" inquired Frank.

"Five on the nose," Judge Lane answered.  "I looked at the clock after I closed the door on him and started upstairs to talk to Camille.  I had no idea the boy that Camille was going to see tonight was the boy I saw talking to Piers earlier and was shocked to see him on my doorstep."

"Daddy!" Camille snapped, a wounded expression on her face.  "How could you ever think I would see someone you wouldn’t approve of?"

"I’m sorry, honey," he apologized, holding out his arm as she moved close to him.

Camille moved into the circle of her father’s arm and looked at Sergeant Riley.  "Do you have any idea who might have taken him?"

"Sir," an officer entered the room before Con could respond.  He held up a plastic bag with a white cloth inside.  "I believe it’s had chloroform on it," the officer continued.  "Officer O’Neil nearly fell over when he picked it up."

"Where did you find it?" Con asked.

"At the base of the hedge on the side near the road," the officer answered.

"So Joe was grabbed before got back in the car," observed Frank in a grave tone.

"What?" Camille demanded, recognizing fear in Frank’s voice.

"It’s possible he was kidnapped by Tippoli’s men," Judge Lane answered for Frank.

***

Joe moaned as he opened his eyes.  A sudden bump made him groan when his head banged against the inside of the car trunk he was currently imprisoned in.  He had no idea how long he had been unconscious, where he was being taken , or even who had grabbed him.  But he was glad Camille’s father had refused to let him take her out.  Otherwise, and he shuddered at the thought, Camille would have been in just as much trouble as he was.

Joe tried to move around but the ropes binding his hands behind his back and his ankles kept his movements to a minimum.  Another bump and Joe’s stomach bubbled.  He swallowed behind the foul bandana that had been put in his mouth.  He had been chloroformed before and recognized the way he was feeling as being caused by the chemical’s side effects.  He only hoped he didn’t have to throw up.  In his current position, he could easily choke on his own vomit.

Joe closed his eyes and willed himself to relax.  As the car continued its journey, Joe fell into a dreamless sleep.

 

 

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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.