When Joe saw Wallace, the realization that Burton was the embezzler hit him full force. As he was rolled over onto his back, he lifted his hand, already clenched into a fist and brought it up but Wallace was quicker and blocked the punch, landing a solid one to Joe's right jaw. Just as everything faded to black, he heard Burton ordering Wallace to put him with Remy.

Joe awoke as the car he was in came to a stop. He tried to move but his hands had been tied behind his back and his ankles bound together. A bandana had been tied around his head, stifling any attempt to yell.

The driver got out of the car, turned down the seat, and hauled Joe out by gripping him under his arms. Wallace dumped Joe on the ground, fixed the car seat, and shut the door. He looked down into Joe's eyes. "This is all your fault, you know," he said. "You were supposed to get into Remy's computer at the bank, check the unverified transaction and find out it was Todd Mavis not Remy. We had everything arranged so you would get the evidence against Mavis. But you had to bring that other kid with you and let him in the computer. He thought Remy was guilty so we had to rearrange things a bit." Wallace shook his head. "But you couldn't stay out of it and let the kid and his old man look into things. No, you had to keep looking into the matter. So, here Bill and I are with a plan in danger and two prisoners we don't know what to do with."

He bent down and hauled Joe into a fireman's carry. "Now," he said, grunting a little at the added weight. "We have to figure out what to do with you and Remy," he added, pulling out a flashlight and turning it on.

When Wallace entered a log cabin with Joe over his shoulder, the lone occupant looked at the doorway in alarm. Wallace dropped Joe on the floor, then lit a lantern and turned off his flashlight.

Joe looked at the cabin in the dim light and saw Remy, bound and gagged, but in otherwise good shape. Wallace picked up the lantern and walked into the bedroom, leaving Remy and Joe in the dark. He was back in less than five minutes and without a word or glance at the two prisoners, flipped his flashlight back on, extinguished the lantern, and left.

Joe rolled over in the direction of Pops until he hit an obstacle. Grunting, he lifted his legs and twisted his upper body so that he averted the obstruction by rounding it's corner. Lowering his legs back down, he wiggled until he was once again in position to roll in Pops' direction.

He stopped as he came into contact with Pops' legs. Joe wiggled until he was in a sitting position then he and Remy scooted close together, back to back. Joe began working on the knots in the ropes binding Remy with his fingers.

Joe worked on the ropes all night and as the sun presented itself through the window he felt the ropes give. He gave one final tug as Pops yanked his wrists apart. The ropes came loose and fell to the floor.

Remy twisted around and untied Joe's wrists before pulling the gag from his own mouth. "Are you all right?" he asked Joe, his face a mask of worry.

"I'm fine," Joe assured him after removing his own gag. He set about untying his feet as did Remy. Joe stood up and stretched then offered a hand to Pops. "Do you have any idea where we are at?" he asked.

"We're at Bill Burton's cabin," Pops answered. "About five miles from town." He paused and shook his head. "I just can't believe Bill is involved in this."

"Believe it," Joe said, his own expression grim. "He sicced Cody Wallace on me." He looked around. "We had better get started back to town," he continued. "Sally is worried sick about you and I guess my mom is about me too by now."

"We better leave then," concurred Remy. "It's a long hike back into town."

***

Wallace pulled the Mazda out of his parking space and headed out of town with Frank not too far behind.

"Should have borrowed Laura's car," Frank muttered, all too aware of how obvious the van was on the almost deserted road. He stayed as far back as he dared without losing sight of the Mazda. But when it turned onto a dirt road, and it became next too impossible to avoid being seen, he slowed down even more, losing sight of the car several times. The car, however, seemed to be maintaining a normal speed, oblivious to the vehicle following it.

The Mazda rounded a curve and Frank followed at a distance. After a series of curves, the road straightened out. Frank slowed down because he had noticed something shining just off the road behind some bushes. He drove the van down a few more yards then hiked back to the spot where he had seen something glinting.

As he neared, he saw the shine was the sun reflecting off the bumper of the Mazda. Where had the driver gone, he wondered, peering in the driver's window. As he straightened, he caught a glimpse of Wallace in the side mirror. But it was too late. Before Frank could turn to defend himself, Wallace had brought down a heavy branch onto the back of his head.

***

Joe grabbed onto Remy's arm and quickly pulled him off the road and into the brush. "What..." Remy began but Joe clapped a hand over his mouth and put a finger to his own lips before moving it away in one fluid motion and pointing down and across the street to where Wallace stood.

Joe released his hold on Remy's mouth and gave his full attention to Wallace. He was putting Frank's unconscious form into the back of his car. "Peachy," growled Joe.

"You take the van and go after them," Remy ordered Joe, seeing the van parked only a few feet away. "We're close to town. I'll hike the rest of the way and get some help. You keep Wallace from hurting that boy."

Joe nodded his agreement. The two waited for Wallace to pull out and head down the road before coming out of their hiding place. Joe ran for the van and Remy stepped up his pace and headed up the road.

As Joe neared the cabin, he pulled off the road and parked the van. Going the rest of the way on foot, he paused about ten yards from the cabin and watched Wallace pull Frank out of the car. Wallace hauled Frank into a fireman's carry as he had done with Joe the previous evening, and made his way into the cabin.

Joe quietly made his way to the side of the cabin and peered through the window. Wallace had dropped Frank on the floor and was angrily grabbing the ropes from where Remy and Joe had left them.

Frank moaned and Joe bit his bottom lip. Wallace was mad because they had escaped. He could take his anger out on Frank. Frank moaned again as his eyes fluttered open. Wallace walked back over to him. "Keep your mouth shut," he ordered in a guttural voice.

Frank must have sensed Wallace's short leash because he said not a word as Wallace tied his hands behind his back and then bound his feet. Lastly, he gagged Frank. Standing up he ordered, "You just sit there nice and quiet." He turned and went into the bedroom.