Fenton told the sheriff about finding Deputy Greene in Conroy's cell. "Remy's been kidnapped?" Reiner shouted in disbelief.

"Why do you automatically assume he was kidnapped?" Fenton asked, amazed because he and Joe had shared the same response.

"Because I know Remy Conroy," Reiner told him. "If I had left the cell unlocked, and no guard here for twenty-four hours, he would still be here when I got back. Remy is an honest man. If he makes a mistake, he takes the consequences, no matter what they might be. Unlike some people," he sneered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Fenton demanded.

"Where's Joe?" Reiner asked, looking around. "His van is outside."

"He went for a walk," Fenton told him. "Now explain your remark."

"You left Laura seventeen years ago. Pregnant," Reiner told him. "And you have the nerve to come back sixteen years later with your son..." he spat the word as he glanced n Frank's direction," and act like nothing ever happened. Laura and Joe deserve better than you."

"And you think you're it?" Fenton asked, standing up straight; prepared to fight the man if necessary.

"No," Reiner surprised Fenton. "But you don't deserve Joe or Laura. If you were any kind of man, you would have at least tried to find out how she was; what your son was like. But you didn't come around at all. When Laura's dad died last year, you didn't even have the decency to call and offer your condolences to your own son!"

"I didn't know," Fenton defended himself. "I had amnesia."

"I know. And then you got your memory back and Laura didn't matter any more. You treated her like some cheap whore," Reiner accused.

"I didn't mean to," Fenton told him. "I would never knowingly do anything to hurt her or Joe."

Reiner snorted. "It's true," Frank interrupted the two men. "Dad had retro-amnesia. He only remembered after a bullet scraped his head the other day. We came here as soon as he was released from the hospital."

Reiner looked at Fenton is disgust. "I don't know if that is true or not. But I do know Laura and Joe are decent folk. You had better treat them right now that you're back."

"I intend too," Fenton replied.

Reiner stared hard at Fenton then harrumphed and walked behind his desk. "Have you looked the cell over?" he asked.

"Joe did," Frank said. "But I didn't see any reason for it."

"Too see if whoever attacked my deputy and took Remy left any clues," the sheriff explained in a voice generally reserved for speaking with young children.

Fenton put a hand on Frank's shoulder as he bristled at the condescending tone. "Why do you think Remy's innocent?" Fenton inquired.

"Why do you think he isn't?" Reiner countered.

"You have two accounts..." Fenton began.

"With a grand total of three hundred and fifty thousand dollars out of two million," Reiner finished for him. "He is innocent and if you believe otherwise, you're wasting my time here. Please leave."

"We're waiting for Joe to get back," Frank said.

"The keys were in the ignition when I got here," Reiner informed them. "If Joe isn't here, then he probably wasn't planning on coming back. Especially if you two were on about Remy being guilty."

"We'll get out of your hair then," Fenton said and ushered Frank outside.

"I wonder where Joe went," commented Frank as he and Fenton headed the back to Laura's.

"Probably to see Sally," Fenton replied.

As Fenton turned onto the road leading to Joe's house, a red Jeep Cherokee passed him whose driver shot a venomous glance his way. "Another friend of Joe's and Laura's," he said, feeling guiltier than ever.

Gertrude met them at the door. "What have you two done?" she demanded crossly, standing before them with her legs partially spread and her hands on her hips.

"What do you mean?" Fenton demanded, his gaze narrowing on her in alarm.

"An Ike Lowell was just here," she informed the twosome. "He told Laura he had met Joe in town and Joe didn't seem too happy with you."

"He's right," Fenton admitted, sighing dejectedly as he ran a hand through his mane of brown hair. "We had a disagreement at the sheriff's office and he took off on foot."

"Ike told us Joe was letting you use his van," Laura said, coming up behind Gertrude. "What was the argument about?"

"We found Deputy Greene unconscious in Remy's cell and Remy was gone," Frank informed the women. "We think Remy lured the deputy into the cell then knocked him out and escaped."

"But Joe believes he was kidnapped," Fenton put in.

"Don't worry," Laura told Fenton, going over to him and putting a hand on his arm. "Joe will realize your theory is sound, even if he doesn't agree with it."

"You think he was kidnapped too?" Frank demanded in disbelief, picking up on the tone in her voice.

"Yes," she admitted. "But what I think doesn't matter. What Joe thinks, does. If he believes you are trying to get Remy convicted, then you have a fight on your hands."

"It's getting late," Gertrude said, looking at Frank. "You go on up and get ready for bed."

"I called Sally," Laura informed them before Frank left. "She said Joe left about twenty minutes ago. He should be home soon."

Two hours later, Joe still had not returned home. "Frank!" Fenton shouted up the steps. Frank came to the top of the stairs clad in nothing but a pair of silk pajama pants. "Get dressed. We're going to go and look for Joe."

***

After Joe made the realization Wallace had lied to him, he decided to go see the bank's CEO, Bill Burton. He glanced at his watch; nine forty-five. It was getting late but he doubted Mr. Burton would be in bed yet. Joe ran the four blocks to his house and rapped on the front door.

"Joe!" Burton exclaimed on opening his door, surprised to find the youth there. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked, stepping to the side and ushering him inside.

"I finally have a lead on who's trying to frame Remy," Joe told him excitedly.

"Well, come in and tell me what you've found out," Burton invited, leading the way into the living room.

Joe took a chair and then told his host about finding the medallion; meeting up with Ike Lowell; and Cody Wallace lying. He handed the silver medallion and chain to Burton.

"It does indeed sound like Wallace is involved," Burton commented, looking at the necklace. "Perhaps we should go and talk to Remy about this. He might have an idea how Wallace is involved."

"Can't," Joe told him, frowning as he told him of Remy's abduction from the jail.

"What does Sheriff Reiner think about Remy's disappearance?"

"I don't know," Joe confessed. "I kind of got mad and left."

"Mad at the sheriff?" Burton inquired, lifting his eyebrows expressively.

"No, at Frank and Fenton," Joe told him.

"Frank is the boy who was with you at the station?" Joe nodded. "And who is Fenton?"

"His father, Fenton Hardy."

"The detective?" Again, Joe nodded. "Why did you get mad at them?"

"They believe Remy is guilty and lured Brad into his cell, hit him and escaped," Joe replied, snorting in disgust.

"Ridiculous," Burton agreed with Joe. "Why don't I call Ike Lowell and have him come over?" he continued. "As a member of the board, he should know about this."

"Good idea," Joe agreed.

Burton left the room. When he returned a few minutes later he handed Joe a canned cola. "He'll be right over," he told Joe, sitting down and opening his own soda.

The two talked for a bit and soon the doorbell rang. "That must be Ike," Burton said, rising.

Joe waited patiently for the two men to return. Hearing their footsteps approach, he looked at the doorway. His eyebrows shot up as he leapt to his feet and made a dash toward the door leading to the patio. Before he could make it, however, strong arms wrapped around his waist, bringing him down. Joe was rolled over onto his back and he found himself looking up into the angry eyes of Cody Wallace.