Frank eased his door open and got out, holding the door open while Joe climbed over the gearshift to join him. Releasing the door, Frank walked to the rear of the van. Before looking at the van, he saw why Joe had not wanted to exit the passenger side. One more foot and the van would have been in the air.

"It’s been shot out," Joe said, bending down to look at the rear tire. He looked up at Frank. "It must have been Langley," he said. "No one else knew we would be out this way."

"It couldn’t have been him," Frank disagreed. "He wouldn’t have had time to get ahead of us."

"An accomplice?" Joe suggested. "He could have called someone while you were calling Sam in the drive."

"Or someone could have been following us," Frank pointed out. "Come on, let’s get the tire changed." He grinned. "I’m just glad it’s on the driver’s side."

"Uh, Frank," Joe began as they neared home.

"What?" Frank asked, glancing at his suddenly nervous brother.

"I have a date," Joe said, closing his eyes as he waited for the inevitable blow-up.

Frank remained silent. Thinking it was safe, Joe opened his eyes and looked at his brother. Frank was gripping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles had turned white. "I thought you said you hadn’t made any plans to see Marie again," Frank finally spoke, his tightly drawn face belying the calmness of his tone.

"I didn’t," Joe said. "But when I called Sorrel last night he ordered me to be at his house for a barbeque this afternoon."

"You can’t go," Frank told him.

"I don’t think I have a choice," Joe argued. "If I don’t go, I have the feeling Sorrel will send someone to get me and if that happened mom would be worried out of her mind."

"I don’t want mom to worry either," Frank agreed with him on the one point. "But if someone does come after you, we can call the police."

"And have the Mafia after us for turning in one of their own just because I refused to attend a cookout. Yeah, let’s do that. Mom won’t worry that way," Joe ended sarcastically.

Frank opened his mouth to argue but closed it again. Joe was right. He was in a no-win situation. "When does Marie go back to England?" he asked.

"A week from Tuesday," Joe answered. "I can tough it out that long. Certainly I won’t be expected to go out on a school night."

"When do you have to be there?" Frank asked.

"Two."

"I’ll take you," Frank stated.

"No," Joe declined. "Then I wouldn’t have a way home. Don’t worry," he added, reaching over and putting a hand on Frank's shoulder. "I’ll be okay."

"In a den of vipers?" Frank retorted a bit too loudly. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair, keeping his other hand firmly on the steering wheel. "You will be all right," he said, hoping if he said it, he might believe it.

The two finished the trip home in silence. Since it was already a quarter after one, Joe went straight for his motorcycle with Frank following at his heels. "I’m going over to Callie’s after I run a background on Terrance and Lynne but I’ll keep my cell phone on me. Be sure and call if you even feel like you might be getting into something."

"I will," Joe promised.

"When will you be home?" Frank asked.

"By eight at the latest," Joe said. Frank nodded and moved away as Joe mounted the cycle and took off.

Frank started back to the house but changed his mind before reaching the front step. He was too upset and worried to sit at a monitor all afternoon. He returned to the van, jumped in and drove over to his girlfriend’s.

"Hey," Callie greeted him as she opened the door at his knock. "You’re early," she said.

"I didn’t feel like being alone," Frank told her. "Want to hit Mr. Pizza’s for lunch?"

"I’ve already eaten," she told him. "But I’ll keep you company." Frank smiled gratefully. "Let me tell my folks."

Twenty minutes later, Frank and Callie entered Mr. Pizza and joined some of their friends at one of the tables. "Where’s Joe?" Biff asked, asked Frank and Callie sat down.

"He’s at Marie’s," Frank informed him.

"That’s great," Chet said.

"Yeah, why so down?" asked Tony who had come over to take their order. "We wanted Joe to go out."

"But not with Cooper Sorrel’s daughter," Frank dropped the bombshell.

"Who is Cooper Sorrel?" Helen asked, her green eyes curious.

"The Mafia boss," Phil answered in awe.

"Does Joe know?" Chet asked.