Fenton and Frank began their search by stopping at the Conroy's. Sally opened the door and took in the worried expressions of the two and immediately knew something had happened. "Dad?" she asked fearfully.

"No," Fenton quickly reassured her. "We haven't heard anything about him. We're looking for Joe."

"Joe?" Sally asked. "He left about three hours ago."

"But he hasn't returned home," Fenton said. "Do you know where he was planning on going after he left here?"

"The sheriff's office," she replied. "He was going to take the necklace there."

"Necklace?" Frank inquired.

"Joe found a silver medallion on a chain under the nightstand in Pops' bedroom," Sally explained. "He said that had to be what the intruder had been after and he was going to take it to Reiner."

"Can I use your phone?" Fenton inquired. At Sally's nod, he picked up the phone and dialed the station. He was transferred to the sheriff's home.

"Hello?" came Reiner's voice through the receiver.

"Have you seen Joe since Frank and I left the station?" Fenton asked, not bothering with any pleasantries.

"No, why?" asked Reiner, instantly alert.

"He found something at the Conroys and was on his way to take it to you," Fenton answered. "But now, we can't find him."

"I'll get right on it," Reiner said, planning on calling everyone who was connected to the case. "Keep in touch," he added, hanging up.

"Thank you," Fenton said to Sally as he hung up the phone.

"You will call me when you find Joe?" she demanded.

"Of course," he agreed at once, seeing genuine concern in her eyes.

The two Hardys left Sally and drove down the street heading towards the station. Fenton set the speed at five miles per hour and they each kept watch along the roadside for a sign of Joe or a struggle. At the station, Fenton turned around and headed to Laura's, still maintaining the reduced speed and vigil.

It was with heavy hearts they parked the van in the driveway and went inside. Laura and Gertrude met them at the door. Fenton took Laura in his arms and led her into the living room while Frank went with his aunt into the kitchen for a glass of water.

Gertrude excused herself and went to the room she shared with Laura and left Frank alone. He finished his drink then returned to the living room where he found his dad and Laura sharing a passionate embrace. Feeling awkward, and a little angry that they could act that way with Joe missing, he went up to Joe's room.

Kicking off his shoes, he sat down on the bed and looked around. There were two stacks of automotive magazines in the corner near the closet and a stack of comics under the desk by the window.

Two model cars sat atop the chest of drawers and there were notebooks, a couple of shirts and a few more magazines scattered in the floor near the bed Joe slept in. On the dresser were the usual grooming items, a couple more magazines, a paperback thriller and some pictures.

Frank got up and walked over to the dresser, giving the pictures closer attention. One in particular captured his attention and he picked it up. It was of Remy Conroy sitting in a rocking chair with a younger Joe, Sally and another boy, Dawson, Frank guessed, clustered in the floor around him, paying avid attention.

Frank went downstairs, picture in hand, and entered the living room where Laura and his dad were sitting on the sofa, talking quietly and holding hands.

Frank cleared his throat to announce his pressence. "Hello, Frank," Laura greeted him with a faint smile. "Would you like me to leave?" she asked, thinking maybe he wanted to speak privately with his father.

"No ma'am," Frank denied. "Actually, I wanted to ask you something."

Fenton looked curious but said nothing and waited patiently as Frank crossed the room and handed Laura the picture he held. "Did you take this picture?" Frank asked her.

Laura smiled. "I did," she admitted.

"They look very close," he commented.

"They are," she admitted. "Remy has alwasy treated Joe like his own son. And after Dawson died, that didn't change." She paused for a bit, looking down at the photograph. "The same night this picture was taken, Remy asked me to marry him. Not because we loved each other, but because he thought Joe needed a father and Sally and Dawson needed a mother. It would never have worked out," she added, sniffing.

"I'm sorry," she said, sniffing again and laying the picture in her lap as she dabbed at her eyes. "First we lost Dawson and now Remy and Joe are missing..." she looked into Fenton's eyes. "You have to find them," she begged.

Fenton wrapped an arm around her and held her tight. "It's no wonder Joe believes Remy is innocent," he observed, looking at Frank.

"Joe knows Remy better than just about anyone," Laura said, leaning away from Fenton. "If you two will excuse me, I think I'll go to bed now," she added as she stood up, her back stiff.

Frank waited until she had left the room before speaking. "We've been working on this case on the assumption that Conroy was guilty," he said. "Let's try it from Joe's point of view."

"Then we should look for someone who has something against Remy," Fenton stated. "Although, I haven't met anyone yet."

The next morning, Frank and Fenton headed down to the bank and Frank introduced his father to Bill Burton.

"And how may I help you gentlemen?" Burton asked.

"Joe never came home last night," Fenton said.

"Yes," Burton said, looking upset. "Sheriff Reiner called me last night and asked if I had seen him. I do hope he turns up soon. He's a fine young man."

"Would you mind if we talked with some of your employees?" Fenton asked. "We think whoever kidnapped Remy also took Joe," he continued. "Perhaps if we can find someone with something against Remy Conroy, we can find our guilty party."

"What?" Burton seemed startled. "I thought.."

"Yes?" Fenton inquired, narrowing his gaze on the man.

"Um, I thought Frank believed Remy was guilty," Burton stated.

"What gave you that opinion?" Fenton asked.

"When I met your son the other day, he seemed surprised when I said I believed Remy was innocent," he replied.

"I was at the time," Frank admitted, although he was beginning to get some bad vibes from the man.

"Feel free to look around and ask questions," Burton invited the Hardys. "If I can help in any way, don't hesitate to ask."

"Maybe we should check him out," Frank whispered to his dad when Burton was out of earshot. "I can't lay my finger on it, but something about him bugs me."

"Mmm-hmm," agreed Fenton, smiling as he neared one of the tellers.

They had been there for thirty minutes and had made no progress when Frank spotted the man Joe had been playing around with the other day. He pointed him out to his dad. Fenton started over to speak with him but Frank stopped him.

"Look at his neck," hissed Frank.

Wallace looked up and noticed the Hardys attention focused on his medallion. He quickly turned away, tucking it in his shirt as he did so. Fenton located Burton and thanked him for his cooperation and he and Frank left the building. "I'm going to go see Reiner and see if there is anyway we can check out Wallace's apartment," Fenton told Frank. "You stay here and follow Wallace if he leaves."

His dad hadn't been gone more than fifteen minutes before Wallace exited the bank, looking around to see if anyone was watching. Not seeing Frank, he walked over to a Mazda parked on the corner of the street, climbed in, and drove away.

The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The authors 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 them without express permission of the authors.