Lily was livid. Joe had ruined everything!!  After towing them back to the marina, Joe drove Frank home while she took her own car.  She had tried to convince her new beau that they could still salvage some of the day, but the younger brother was worried about hypothermia, of all things!

Sure the water was cold but, please…talk about overreaction!  Lily didn’t buy it.  Siblings don’t care about each other like that.  Not enough to worry over a bit of cold water – no, Joe had put on the display just to convince Frank to go home.  And it worked.

The beautiful girl was still scowling an hour later when her brother got home.  Davis looked just about as impressed.

“Your boyfriend’s little brother is a big pain in the ass,” Davis growled, pouring himself a cup of coffee and then sitting down across the table from his sister.  Dried off, warmed up and changed now, Lily was nursing her own cup of the black java.

“Did he recognize you?” the girl asked, looking at her brother intently. He could see the anger simmering in her translucent blue eyes, and shook his head.

“No.  Not a chance.”

“Good,” she said, “That’s something anyway.  I’ve obviously underestimated just how meddlesome Joe is going to be.”

“You knew they were close.  One hardly makes a move without the other,” Davis reminded her, and Lily fixed him with a withering look. “I’m afraid, sister, that if you try to push your way into Frank’s life, you’re going to find little brother pushing back.”

Lily thought about that for a moment.  She was used to just going in and taking over; this was going to require a change of tactics.

“Okay,” she mused, “so what I need to do is let Frank make the decisions to cut his brother out, in favor of me.”

Davis shrugged and sipped his coffee.  “Or I could just take care of it for you.  Either way, Joe’s out of the picture.”

The girl looked at her brother, amused.  “You really don’t like that kid, do you?”

“Is it that obvious?” Davis asked.

Lily smiled.  “Why does he bother you so much?”

The older teen regarded his sister for a long time before he answered.  And then he just said, “Actually it isn’t him I have a problem with.”

Realization dawned on the teenage girl and a small smile played across her pretty mouth.  “You don’t like my Frank.”

“Bingo,” Davis said, “but you won’t let me touch him…”

“So you’re chomping at the bit about the brother?”  Lily put forward and her brother nodded, his eyes almost coal black with intensity.

“You hurt one; you hurt the other.”

“Why don’t you like Frank?” she asked, her curiosity aroused.  She never paid much attention to what motivated Davis before, but she found this very interesting.  Probably because it involved a sibling relationship so foreign to her own.

Davis finished his coffee, got up and started towards the door.  Lily didn’t think he was going to answer her, but then he turned and said to her, “Because he looks at me like I’m nothing.  And I am anything…but nothing.” And then he was gone.

Lily was actually stunned by the venom she heard in his voice.  Davis did not like very many people, but he actually only hated a few. Apparently, Frank Hardy was one of the few….

* * *

Laura Hardy was aghast to see the shivering, drowned rat version of Frank when he and Joe got home.

“Oh dear!” she said, quickly putting on the kettle to make him some hot chocolate to help him warm up.  “What happened to you?”

Frank was actually colder than he cared to admit, although Joe had turned the heater up in the car to try and stave off some of the chill. Opening his mouth to speak, he shivered and was glad when his brother spoke up instead.

“Some jerks in a stupid speedboat tried to swamp the sailboat Frank was in,” Joe summarized, failing to hide how angry he was over this attack.

“Are you and Lily okay?” Laura asked, and Frank nodded.  “Good. Joe, draw your brother a warm bath; Frank looks half frozen to death!”

“B-b-bit c-c-cold,” Frank admitted, and then followed his brother upstairs.  Five minutes later he was lying in a warm bath, glad that he’d gotten Joe to drive him home instead of trying to continue the picnic, like Lily was suggesting. 

He hadn’t actually noticed how cold he was until he got into the car. And then b-r-r-r-r, not something he was anxious to repeat!  As he soaked the warmth back into his body, Frank frowned, not liking what he felt was too much of a fluke.

Two guys in a black truck run Joe and Biff off the road yesterday, and now two guys in a boat try and swamp him and Lily today?  Frank did not believe in coincidences.

He’d have to talk to his father about it later.

* * *

“What did they take this time?” Fenton asked Chief Collig as he sat in the office across from his old friend.  A workaholic, Collig was at the precinct seven days a week!  The Chief of Police had called the detective in to tell him about the latest robbery.

“A picture,” the police chief said.

“A picture?” the detective repeated, and the cop nodded his head.

“Yes.  Nothing else.  Just a picture that was hung over the bed in the master bedroom.  Not even a valuable picture – it was a tiger print. Cost the family under $100.00 to buy it, two years ago.”

Fenton ran a hand across his face.  “This case is just bizarre.”

“No kidding,” Ezra agreed.  “Did you check out the scenes last night?”

“No,” admitted the detective, “I had a personal matter that needed to be taken care of first, so I’ll check it out tonight.”

“Nothing’s wrong, I hope,” the police chief commented sincerely.  He was very fond of Fenton’s family.

The sleuth sighed.  “Fallout from that case of beer Biff Hooper bought.  He wasn’t exactly honest with his father, and Ross came by the house and took it out on Joe.”

“He thought it was Joe’s?” Ezra speculated, and Fenton nodded.

“Yeah, and he said some things he shouldn’t have…hell, he shouldn’t have said anything.”  Fenton paused for a moment and then continued, “Joe’s still pretty upset…. Anyway, I went by to talk to Ross myself, and got things straightened out, so I’m taking Joe by tonight, after supper.  Ross wants to apologize to him.”

Collig shook his head.  “That’s really too bad…. Speaking of the beer, we ran a check on the guy who sold it to Biff, and turns out this is not his first offense; so we’ve hauled his ass in, and the liquor board is suspending his alcohol license pending a full investigation.”

“Good,” Fenton said, “It’s pretty scary that he’d be doing that.  Biff is only sixteen.”

“What is really scary, Fenton, is that Joe could have easily walked in and bought that case instead of Biff.  Size meant nothing to this guy, as long as you had the money!”

Fenton was still shaking his head ten minutes later when he left the precinct.  Selling booze to babies…and he might have gotten away with it if Joe hadn’t been with Biff yesterday morning.

* * *

Frank looked at his cell phone and sighed.  It was dead.

“Didn’t take too well to water?” Joe’s voice from the doorway speculated as he watched his brother pry the back off the phone.

“Not really,” the dark-haired teen sighed.  “Maybe when it dries out…”

“Maybe,” Joe agreed, coming into his brother’s room and sitting down on the edge of the bed.  Frank had gotten out of the bath and was once again dry and dressed in warm clothing.

“You know this really bugs me,” the older boy said after a moment, as he turned around in his desk chair to talk to his brother.  “Who were those guys?  And what did they want?”

“Well I think that was obvious,” Joe quipped and then became more serious.  “You’re thinking it’s somehow connected to yesterday’s hit-and-run?”

Frank shrugged and then ran a hair through his still damp hair.  “Yes and no.”

“What do you mean?” Joe pressed.

“Well, I don’t believe in coincidences...” Frank started slowly, “But how in the world did they know that Lily and I were going sailing today…when I didn’t know that myself until a couple of hours ago!”

“And it was a spur-of-the-moment thing for me to catch a ride with Biff too,” Joe continued his brother’s line of thought.  Frank nodded; his face grim.

“We’re being watched?” Joe speculated.

The older boy shrugged.  He really did not like that idea at all.  “Maybe.”  And then he added, “Just keep your eyes open and watch your back, okay?”

“Same goes for you bro,” Joe said, and then grinned when he heard his mother’s voice calling out that lunch was ready.  “Let’s go downstairs.  All this rescuing stuff has given me an appetite!”

Rolling his eyes, Frank got up off the chair and followed the younger teen downstairs.

The rest of the afternoon was a lot quieter.  Lily called Frank, and he disappeared into his room for over an hour to talk to her. Tony dropped by, and he and Joe went down to the park to shoot some hoops. They invited Frank along but he declined, saying he had to get started on an assignment that was due in the morning.

“Not like Frank to leave it so late to start an assignment,” Tony mused as he pulled into an empty parking spot next to the court.

Joe hopped out and shut the door.  “Well, he’s been a bit preoccupied this weekend.”

“So I noticed,” Tony quipped as he pulled out the basketball and dribbled it towards the court. Joe never commented, as the last person in the world he wanted to think about right now was Lily Getty.

It was suppertime before Joe got home.

“Hey Dad,” the blond teen greeted his father after he’d washed up and then come downstairs for dinner.  Fenton was on his way into the kitchen, and held open the swinging door for his son.

“Joe,” he greeted warmly, “Did you have a good time this afternoon?”

“No complaints,” the teen said, smiling at his mom and Frank as he slid into his place across the table from his brother.  “How about yourself?”

“There was another robbery last night,” Fenton admitted, and then went on to tell them about the tiger print that had been stolen.

“That is bizarre,” Frank echoed his father’s sentiments from earlier.  “It’s almost as if whoever is doing this isn’t too interested in what they actually take.”

Fenton thought about that for a second and then admitted, “You know, son, I hadn’t even thought of that….” he pursed his lips, “But I think you might be onto something.  Good observation, Frank.”

Frank blushed slightly under his father’s praise.

“Speaking of bizarre,” the teen picked up a few minutes later, “when Lily and I were sailing today, two guys in a powerboat tried to swamp us.”

Fenton looked at his son.  “Are you okay?”

The dark-haired teen nodded.  “Thanks to Joe.  He and Tony showed up in The Sleuth before they could sink our boat, no pun intended…. “

“Two attacks in two days, that doesn’t sound very random.  I don’t think I like the sound of this!” Laura said, frowning as the three males turned to look at her, surprised; she scoffed, “Please boys, and that includes you Fenton, give me a bit more credit than that. You don’t live in a house surrounded by detectives and…” she looked at her sons, “up-and-comers, without being able to come to that conclusion!”

Three mumbled ‘sorrys’ and embarrassed looks later, Fenton picked up from where his wife left off as he looked at his sons.  “Did you get a good look at the boat or the two guys?”

Frank shook his head.  “Sorry, I was too busy trying to keep us from capsizing. The boat had twin engines, was blue with a silver canopy, but that’s about it.”

“It was bigger than The Sleuth,” Joe said, and then added sheepishly, “Sorry Dad, I was too busy trying to back them off the sailboat. The two guys were wearing ski masks, I do remember that much…. Of course,” he admitted, shooting Frank a look as he grinned, “I never knew it was Frank we were rescuing, or else I wouldn’t have been so quick to come back and check on them.  I’d have chased the boat down!”

Frank just rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything.

“Well then, let’s consider that a good thing for now,” Fenton commented after a moment, when the brothers gave him their attention again.  “I want you boys to be extra careful, just in case.  Did you report the incident?”

Frank nodded, and his father said, “Good.  I’ll talk to the harbor authorities and see if they’ve come up with anything yet.  Who knows, someone else might have witnessed what happened and recognized the boat.”

“Please be careful,” Laura admonished as she looked from one young face to the other.

“We will, Mom,” Frank promised immediately.

“Aren’t we always?” Joe quipped, trying to lighten the somber mood that had settled over the meal.  A chorus of groans told him he’d done his job!

Finally supper was over and Fenton turned to his younger son.  “Ready to go?”

The blond teen scowled even as Frank asked, “Where you guys going?”

“I’m taking Joe by the Hoopers’.  Biff’s father wants to apologize to him,” Fenton said as Joe left the room to get a coat, without answering.

“That’s good,” Frank said, nodding his head.  “I really wish I had come downstairs as soon as I’d heard someone at the door.  Maybe things would have been different.”

“Possibly,” the investigator agreed, standing up from the table.  “However, it doesn’t change what was done or what needs to be done, now.  Tell your brother I’ll be in the car.”

Fifteen minutes later, Fenton pulled up outside the Hoopers’ house and glanced over at his son.  “You ready?” he asked, taking in Joe’s pallor and incessant fidgeting – the teen was nervous…very nervous.

“Piece of cake,” Joe said, sounding braver than he felt.  He gave his father what he hoped was a confident smile, and then got out of the car.

The sound of a slamming door told him his father was right behind him.  Silently they walked up to the front door and Fenton knocked.  A few moments later the door was opened by Ross.

As soon as he saw the big man, Joe felt sick. His heart started pounding loudly, as his mouth went so dry he wondered what he would do when he had to say something!

Joe felt his father’s hand rest on his shoulder and give it a squeeze. He concentrated on that; imagining it pouring strength into his body and fighting off his fear.

Ross smiled, clearly awkward about this situation too, and stepped back.  “Fenton.  Joe.  Please come in.”

“Ross,” Fenton greeted, and then stepped inside.  Joe saw Biff standing in the kitchen watching them, but so far he hadn’t said anything.  He caught his friend’s gaze, but then Biff glanced away. Joe just felt cold and strangely unwelcome in this house, for the first time in his life.

“Joe...”  The teen jumped when he heard his name, and forced himself to focus on Biff’s father.  He was looking down at him, his face strangely pale and remorseful-looking; such a change from the last time Joe had seen him.  Ross shifted on his feet but continued, “Kid, I owe you a major apology. I was out of line yesterday and had no right to say anything to you about this, or anything else.”

The teen licked his lips, nervously ready to say ‘it’s okay’ so he and his father could get out of here, but Mr. Hooper’s voice stopped him.

“I used to have a little brother…Gary.”  Ross looked intently at Joe. He had seen the fear in the teen’s face and knew he had been the one to put it there.  So, although this was going to be painful for him to admit, he felt it was the only way he could ever hope to explain to Joe why he had behaved so inappropriately.  And maybe…just maybe, the fifteen-year-old might be able to forgive him.

“When Gary was fifteen, I took him to a party with me.  No big deal.  I was sixteen and went all the time.  But this was Gary’s first time…he was such a good kid…“ Ross closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them and continuing; his eyes were suspiciously bright.  “There was beer at the party.  Lots of it…for anyone who wanted to drink it…. I did and so did Gary….”

“Mr. Hooper—” Joe tried to interrupt, uncomfortable by how upset he was seeing Biff’s father become.  This story was obviously very hard for him to tell, and Joe wanted to spare him, but Ross shook his head and smiled softly at him.

“Joe.  Please…I owe you an explanation beyond an apology.  So please, just hear me out.”  Behind Ross, Joe saw Biff come closer, and got the feeling that this was the first time his friend was hearing this story as well.

He nodded, and Mr. Hooper continued, “When it was time to go home, we left.  I drove…I always drove.  It used to make Gary crazy but I told him…I told him that it was okay, that he’d had too much to drink anyway, and I could hold my beer better…I was older…so I knew better….”

Now Joe did see a tear, and he glanced up at his own father.  Fenton squeezed his shoulder again as they continued to listen.

“What do you know?  I was wrong,” Ross’s pale blue eyes were almost transparent with grief as he spoke.  “I killed him, Joe.  I was driving…we went off the road and Gary was killed.  So – so when…so when I thought that damn stuff was yours…I just lost it.  I am so sorry…but I got terrified.  I looked at you and I saw Gary….”

Joe took a few moments to digest what he’d just been told.  And he was surprised to find that in place of his fear for Mr. Hooper, there was something else: compassion.  He was still upset by what had happened, but he now understood where it had come from…what had driven Mr. Hooper’s harshness.

Ross had closed his eyes now, and his cheeks were damp from tears.  Tentatively, Joe reached up and put his hand on the big man’s shoulder.  When Mr. Hooper opened his eyes and looked at him questioningly, Joe just said, “I understand.”  He couldn’t say it was okay, because it wasn’t.  But he did understand and he accepted the apology.

Biff’s father nodded as he placed his larger hand over Joe’s briefly and he whispered, “Thank you.”

And then Joe just turned around and left the Hooper house.