By the time the ambulance got there, the sheriff had already arrived. He urged Sally to go with Joe in the ambulance to the hospital saying he would call Laura and check out the house and lock up. He promised he would see her and Joe a little later at the hospital. After the ambulance departed, Reiner picked up the phone in the foyer of the Conroy's house and dialed Laura..

"Hello," Laura answered the phone after the second ring. Fenton, Frank and Gertrude sat at the dining room table, their voices quieting as she lifted the receiver.

"Laura, Joe's been hurt," Reiner said. "He's alive," he quickly assured her. "But he's unconscious. He's on his way to the hospital now. Sally went in the ambulance with him."

"Th..thank you for calling," Laura said, her face pale.

"Do you need a lift?" he asked her. "I can be there in five minutes," he said, exaggerating a little.

"No, no," she said. "I have a ride. We'll leave now," she said, hanging up the phone. She looked at the three Hardys. "Joe's been hurt. He's at the hospital."

The three rose at once and hurried outside to Laura's car. Fenton took the keys from her, sensing she was in no condition to drive. Laura gave him directions and it wasn't long before they were hurrying into the emergency room.

"Laura!" Sally exclaimed as she saw them enter. She leapt to her feet and rushed over and hugged Laura's neck.

"How is he?" Laura demanded, hugging the girl back.

"I...I don't know," she said. "He was still unconscious when we got here and they took him back."

Laura pulled back from the girl and took her hand in hers and the two sat down to wait for news. "I..I'll see if I can find anything out," Fenton said, terrified he might lose his son when he had just found him.

Fenton walked up to the nurse on duty. "I need to find out how Joe Daniels is doing," he said.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I can only relay information of this nature to a family member," the nurse replied. She stood up and walked over to where Laura was sitting. "Honey," she said, hugging Laura as she stood up. "Don't you worry none," she told Laura. "Joe has been hurt far worse than this before."

"I know," Laura said. "But it doesn't make it any easier."

"You just sit down and take it easy and I'll go and see how he is doing," the friendly nurse ordered. She waited for Laura to sit back down before leaving the room.

"He's been hurt worse?" Fenton demanded, coming over to stand in front of Laura. "How would you know when you don't know how bad he's hurt now?"

"Joe was attacked by a shark a couple of years ago," Laura answered him. "He nearly lost his leg."

"And he was here in the hospital for awhile," Fenton guessed, thinking this was how the nurse had known Laura.

"Actually that happened while we were on vacation with the Conroys in Florida," she confessed.

"Then how..." Frank started to ask but Laura explained.

"Joe has a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or is it the wrong place at the right time?" she corrected herself, titling her head thoughtfully. "He has been in here more than a few times, I'm afraid."

Sheriff Reiner arrived before the nurse returned. Sally jumped to her feet. "Did you find anything?" she demanded.

"Sorry, Sally," he said. "The intruder came in through the balcony on the second floor where he and Joe had their fight, but I couldn't find any reason for him having been there. Maybe you will be able to say if there is anything missing when you get back and can check it out."

The sheriff turned to Laura. "How is Joe?" he asked. "Has he regained consciousness?"

"He's conscious," said Dr. Roan, entering the room and hearing the sheriff's question. Frank glanced over at the nurse's station and saw the nurse had returned. "He has a mild concussion and I want to keep him overnight for observation," the doctor continued. "You may see him but please, don't say anything that might upset him." He looked at the sheriff. "If possible, I would prefer it if you waited until tomorrow to take his statement. He needs to rest."

Reiner nodded his head in understanding. "Sally, would you like me to take you home?"

"Sure," Sally said. "But, could I see Joe first?" she asked, looking at Laura.

"Go ahead," Laura told her. "We'll give you a few minutes."

"Do you have any idea who might have done this?" Fenton asked, looking at the sheriff.

"Who are you?" the sheriff asked.

"He's Joe's father," Laura answered.

"His..." Reiner did a double take. "Where the hell have you been?" he demanded. "What makes you think you have the right to just come barging in here now and.."

"That will do, Rupert," Laura stated firmly.

"You and Joe deserve better than this piece of..."

"I said, that will do," she declared, louder. "This is no concern of yours."

Sheriff Reiner drew himself up and stared Laura in the eyes, ignoring the Hardys. "You may have decided not to accept any advances I may have made, but I care very much for Joe and I will NOT let him be hurt."

"Rupert," Laura said, putting a calming hand on his arm. "I know you care about Joe. And I wouldn't have it any other way. But there were extenuating circumstances to Fenton's disappearance which you have not been privy too."

Rupert Reiner bit his lip and gave her a curt nod. "Rupert, we haven't told Joe yet," she added as he started to turn away.

"I won't mention it," Reiner promised. "But you have to tell him. Soon. He deserves to know the truth."

"We will," Fenton assured him.

Reiner turned to glare at him. "If you hurt Laura or Joe, I will hunt you down," Reiner vowed.

"I won't," Fenton vowed, his brown eyes locked on Reiner's.

Sally returned at this time and the sheriff led her out of the building. "He's really protective," Frank observed.

"Joe hangs out a lot at the sheriff's office," Laura replied with a shrug as she led the way to the elevator which would take them up to Joe's room.

Joe smiled when they entered the room a few minutes later. "Hi," he said. "Sorry you had to get out tonight."

"Shh," Laura told him, leaning down and kissing his forehead. "It wasn't your fault."

Joe looked at her and Fenton curiously as Fenton came to stand by his bedside. "What was it you two were going to tell me earlier before I left?" he asked.

"It will keep until you're feeling better," Fenton said, pushing a stray lock of blond hair from Joe's eyes. "What happened?"

"I was just helping out a friend," Joe answered with a shrug.

"Honey, you can tell Fenton what happened," Laura told Joe. "He's not only an...an old friend, but he is also a detective."

"Really?" Joe asked, his eyes lighting up. He wanted to be a detective when he grew up but he hadn't told anyone yet; although he was pretty sure some people had figured it out by now.

"Yeah," Frank replied. "Dad started out as a cop with the New York City Police Department," he added.

"New York, huh?" Joe asked. "How did you and mom meet?" he asked. He knew his mom had never been to New York.

"Laura helped me out with a mystery after I became a private investigator," Fenton answered, giving Laura an affectionate look which Joe didn't see because he was smiling at his mom.

"Seems I inherited that from you too," Joe said to Laura.

"What?" Frank asked, curious

"Joe has solved a few mysteries," Laura answered proudly. "He, uh, has gotten quite chummy with Sheriff Reiner through his activities."

Fenton smiled down at Joe, obviously pleased as punch. Frank felt a twinge of jealousy but was curious about the "friend" Joe was helping out when he had been attacked. "What did happen to you?" he asked.

"Pops, Remy Conroy, was arrested for embezzling two million dollars," Joe told them. "They located one account with a hundred thousand dollars and have arrested him. It's obvious he is being framed," Joe went on. "That's probably what that thug was doing when Sally and I got there. I bet he was trying to plant more "evidence" for the sheriff to find."

"Or he could be Mr. Conroy's partner and was looking for something to tell him where Conroy had hidden the money," Frank suggested, although from jealousy of his dad's obvious interest and pleasure at having another son or from the idea being an actual possibility, he didn't know. Frank was sure, however, that his dad, aunt and Laura were all displeased with him as soon as he said it.

"You don't know anything!" Joe shouted, sitting up in bed. "Keep your ideas to yourself!" His face went white and he closed his eyes and fell back, a hand going to his head as a punk rock band began playing in his head.

"Easy, Joe," Fenton said, gently rubbing Joe's forehead.

"I think you had better leave," Laura said as Joe angrily swiped Fenton's hand away.

Fenton looked sad, but nodded. She was right. They weren't supposed to upset him; yet they had. He leaned over and rang for the nurse. "Could you please come and check on Joe?" he requested when someone answered the summons.

"Yes, Sir," was the response. A few minutes later, the doctor arrived and checked Joe's pulse and eyes.

"He'll be alright," the doctor decreed. "But perhaps it would be better if only his mother stayed with him tonight," he suggested, looking at the three Hardys pointedly.

"We were just leaving," Gertrude told him. She looked at Joe who seemed to have calmed down although he was still shooting dirty looks at Frank. "You get better," she told him, then leaned down and kissed his cheek. "When you get home tomorrow, I'll have you a nice apple pie all ready."

Joe's eyes lit up. "Mmm, my favorite," he declared, smiling at her. She had seemed so gruff but after being around her he could see that it was just a mechanism to keep strangers at bay. She's a bit shy! The thought rushed through Joe's head as she smiled at him and backed away.

Fenton told Laura he would be back first thing in the morning but to call if Joe got sick. She promised to do so and the Hardys left, heading back to Laura's and Joe's house.

"I think I will go on to bed," Gertrude said once they had arrived. She gave a yawn, covering her mouth as a large one burst out. "I'm sorry," she excused herself. "I'm just so tired."

"Good night, Auntie," Frank said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Good night, Gertrude," Fenton said, looking at Frank.

"Good night," she replied and made herself scarce.

"Would you care to explain why you said that to Joe?" Fenton demanded. "You know he wasn't supposed to be upset."

"I know," Frank replied, looking down at his feet in shame. "I don't know why I said it. I guess....I guess I was jealous."