Chapter 41

Ezra Collig smiled grimly when he recognized the voice on the other end of the phone.  He wasn’t surprised that his old poker buddy was still at work at 9:30 pm on a Monday night.  Like Collig he was a workaholic with no family waiting at home.

Ed Myers was the director in charge of Social Services in their state and once kidded to Collig that he had more then enough children to worry about without adding any of his own.

“Hey Ezra”, Ed’s voice said warmly, “Sorry I didn’t call you back earlier but it’s just been crazy around here.”

“That’s alright Ed”, Ezra grinned as he imaged the other man leaning back in his seat with his feet propped up on the desk, arms folded and a cigar pressed between his lips, “I need to ask you a favour.”

“Oh?”  Ed asked a small look of concern crossing his face.  Very good friends, he had learned from past experiences that it wasn’t usually for a good thing when the Chief of Police asked him for anything, “What’s wrong?”

“Here’s the deal”, Collig started, “A good friend of mine is in the process of adopting a kid from Foundling Hall.” 

“Okay”, Ed said slowly realizing that Collig was talking about one of the kids in his care as that was a state run facility, “Go on.”

“The adoption hearing is supposed to be held on Friday but I’m wondering if there’s some way you can postpone it without actually stopping it?”  Ezra heard the other man inhale on his cigar.

“Why?”  Ed then asked thinking about his friend’s strange request.

Ezra ran a hand through his hair as he let out a heavy sigh, “Because he’s a friend of mine and I just want to make sure he knows what he’s getting into.”

“Ezra…” Ed’s voice held a cautionary note, “I understand your good intentions but if your friend has made the decision to adopt and my people think it’s a good fit...”

“Ed there’s more to this…much more…” as Ezra went on to outline Con’s concerns Ed’s face grew grave and then he finally said, “Who are we talking about?”

“Fenton Hardy.”

The director recognized the name and he pursed his lips, “Tell you what.  Let me take a look into this and I’ll give you a call back.  Are you going to be there for a while?”

“Yeah until you call”, Ezra promised and then a few moments later he hung up. 

He just hoped Fenton didn’t get too pissed if he ever found out.

* * *

Tony Prito waited patiently outside the Hardy home with a hot Supreme Pizza in his hands.  He was looking forward to hanging out for a few minutes with Frank and Joe before going home. 

He was especially anxious to see Joe since Angelo’s cryptic warning… Just be careful.  I can’t explain but there’s just something about Will…I don’t know what.  But whatever it is, it’s just something…something that’s off…

Tony’s older brother was not one to normally be so cryptic but deep down he had actually felt some relief.  Angelo had confirmed what he himself was sensing but had not even realized it until his brother expressed it.

But the more he thought about what the older Prito said the more Tony felt it.  He just wondered if there was some way he could put the same bug in Frank’s ear as had been put in his.

After a few moments, just as Tony was getting worried, the door was opened by Will.  The darker haired boy winced when he saw Will’s face…yup, no mistaking him for Joe now.

“Pizza”, Tony said and started to go in but Will put his hand up to stop him.

“Hold it”, Will fished money out of his pocket and told Tony to keep the change.

“Hey”, Tony was not ready to be dismissed so easily, “where’s Frank and Joe?  I was hoping to talk to them.”

William sighed exasperated at his brothers’ friends.  Was this place Grand Central Station or something?

"Look”, Will said as he just wanted Tony gone.  He was hungry and anxious to get back up stairs.  He did not trust those two left alone, “Joe is still sick and Frank’s not feeling very well either so they’re both in bed.  Talk to them tomorrow.” 

And then he closed the door on Tony and locked it.

* * *

Tony stared at the door with an unimpressed look on his face.  This was a new Will for sure.  No matter what his gut instinct had told him before, William had always seemed so nice and friendly.  This rude abruptness was something new.

A something that Tony did not like.

* * *

William went into the kitchen, grabbed a can of pop, two glasses and then after balancing them on top of the pizza box, he went upstairs.

* * *

Frank froze when he heard the front doorbell ring.  His heart raced as he tried to think of some way of alerting whoever it was but before he could even think of anything, he heard the front door slam and knew the chance was lost.

Damn he muttered but then as he glanced back over at Joe, who except for the rise and fall of chest, gave no others sign of being alive, decided that maybe it was for the best.  If he had failed…Frank shuddered not liking the image of a failure.

No… they would just have to wait until a better chance. Frank hung onto the hope of a successful escape attempt for both of them.

Hearing William coming up the stairs left a bad taste in Frank’s throat and that brought a new worry to Frank…one he hadn’t really had time to think about during all this…the risk of dehydration.

Frank could only hope that Joe had somehow managed to get some water in him during William’s water treatment.

The door opened slowly this time as Will came in balancing drinks on top of a pizza box.  Frank wondered what cruel new game this was.

* * *

“Hey Frankie…I brought us a little something to tide us over ‘til morning”, William said as he placed the pizza on his own bed and then put the can of coke and two glasses on Joe’s desk, “Want a piece?”

Frank started to say “no”.  The thought of eating while Joe needed help made his stomach churn but then he realized that he needed to be strong for his brother.  It was apparent Joe had nothing left and Frank would have to be his strength.

So biting back his instinctive response, Frank eyed Will warily, “Okay.”

William didn’t seem too surprised and quickly picked up a piece and held it out to Frank who cocked an eyebrow at him wondering if Will would actually go so far as to feed him.

The younger boy contemplated the situation for a few moments before putting the piece back down and sighing at Frank, “Okay I’ll undo your hands so you can eat and get a drink…however, if you try anything stupid, Joe’s dead.  Got it?’

“Got it”, Frank said and then gave a little groan when a few seconds later the handcuffs came away from his wrists.  Although William had bound them in the nylon to stop Frank from doing any more damage to the wrists, they still hurt and fresh blood attested to his more recent agitations.

Will moved over to sit on the bed beside his unconscious twin, well out of Frank’s reach and as the older boy was still held to the chair by his legs, there wasn’t a big chance for Frank to get an upper hand anyway.  However, Frank did still keep an alert eye out for any opportunity.

Frank slowly ate a piece of pizza and took a sip of pop.  He was determined to drag this out as long as possible to keep Will from whatever else he might be planning to do to amuse himself.

And he had almost just finished a piece when he heard the phone ringing.

William jumped up off Joe’s bed and pulled the gun back out. 

“Don’t even breathe”, he warned Frank as he quickly grabbed the extension and then stepped back in the room.  It took about a second and Frank had no chance to do anything.

William looked down at the call display and then put the phone down on the bed where Frank could easily lean over and reach it.

“Ah ah”, he warned and then reaching over he grabbed Joe by the hair and pulled his head back as he put the gun against Joe’s pale cheek and then nodded to Frank, “One word out of line and he’s dead.”

Joe’s body was limp and he made no sound as William grabbed him.

Nodding, Frank picked up the phone and answered it, his eyes never once leaving his little brother.

“Hello… H-Hardy Residence”, it was so hard for Frank to get the words out.

[Hello son, is everything alright?]

It was his father!

“Y-yeah”, Frank hesitated slightly and Will tightened his grip on Joe’s hair.  The unconscious boy gave a little gasp and Frank’s grip on the phone tightened until his knuckles were white.

He had to get a grip or William would shoot Joe so he tried again, “Yeah I’m fine…just tired…very tired.”

…Another gasp from Joe…reminded him not to embellish.

[Ah, in that case I won’t keep you long.  I just wanted to let you know I’ll be back in the morning.  I finished testifying and can come home.]

Frank’s heart leapt! His father would be home in the morning.  For once he could see a light at the end of the tunnel!  They just had to hold on until then.

“That’s fine Dad”, Frank tried to keep his voice low key so William wouldn’t suspect what their father was saying.

[Are you sure you’re okay?  You sound a bit off]

Fenton had picked up on something.

Frank’s heart raced, “Everything’s fine.”

[Is Joe giving you a hard time?  And what about Will, is he okay?  I know this must be hard on him, both me and your mother being out of town at the same time he’s still trying to settle in] 

Fenton thought about his temperamental youngest son hoping he wasn’t being too hard on Frank.  His oldest son was too soft when it came to Joe sometimes.

Frank could see the indentation in Joe’s cheek from where the gun was pressed and hurried to get off the phone, “Look Dad everything’s fun.  I gotta go.  See you when you get home."

And then he hung up hoping his father would get worried by his abrupt dismissal and maybe ask Con Riley to drop by and check on them.

William looked at Frank in approval and released Joe, letting his fall back down on the bed, “Good job, what did dear old Dad want?”

“To see how we’re doing”, Frank told truthfully.

William pressed, “When’s he coming home?”

Without batting an eye, Frank lied, “He doesn’t know yet.”

“Good”, William said and then picked up the handcuffs again, “we wouldn’t want Daddy coming home too soon and spoiling all our fun now do we.”

Swallowing his pride, Frank asked, “William…please.  I’ll…I’ll do anything but please…” he hated to beg but Joe was worth more then his pride, “before you put those back on…can I… can I just touch him…please?  Just for one moment…?”

William stared at Frank with a masked expression as he contemplated this request and then he glanced back at Joe’s still body.

Turning back to the older boy he gave a little shrug, “Fine.  But just for a moment.  And Frank, so help me god, if you try anything…”

“I know…I know…” Frank cut in impatiently, “Joe’s a dead man.”

* * *

Fenton Hardy frowned as he hung up.  It was unlike Frank to be so abrupt.

Oh well, he sighed as he stretched out on the hotel bed to settle down for the night, he’s probably just having a great time…

* * *

Ezra Collig jumped when the phone rang and quickly picked it up, hoping it was Ed.

 “Collig here”, he barked and then heard a chuckle on the other end.

 “Take it easy Ezra, it’s just me”, it was Ed and the director continued before his friend could say anything, “I just took a look at that file and I will admit that at first glance I’m not very pleased by what I’m seeing.”

“No?” Ezra said leaning into the phone.

“No”, admitted Ed, “while we do from time to time speed up the processing of an adoption, it’s nothing like this one.  Yes… I can see that Fenton had already adopted Joseph…is it…” Ezra heard paper rustling and then his friend’s voice again, “yeah Joseph, however that does not automatically mean expedited processing to this extent.  Particularly when there are twins involved.”

“Really?”  Ezra was intrigued, “I thought it would make it easier to adopt a twin if you already had the first.”

“Yes and no depending on the children, “Ed explained as he looked at the black and white picture of two cherubic blond 4 year old boys, “Twins are tricky because they tend to be so close.  In a case like this one, we always have both boys interviewed separately by a staff psychologist to try and determine if there might be some adverse reactions to reuniting them.” 

He paused for a second before continuing, “In most cases it’s fine and the kids are happy to be back together… however from time to time there is just too much jealousy between them and then we try and determine if it’d be better to stagger the return or decline it outright.  We don’t look at the kids as twins…but as individuals…” his voice trailed off as he brought the picture up to his face for a closer look.

There was something about it that was bothering him… rubbing his instincts the wrong way.

Both little boys had the same intense blue eyes and were mirrors of each other well except one had a tattered old bear in his arms.

But…something wasn’t right.

Ed placed the picture on his scanner and quickly enlarged it, frowning as he was able to enlarge what had caught his attention.  It was in the face of the child holding the bear. 

Although he looked exactly like his twin, it was his expression that didn’t fit…something in his eyes that caught the director’s attention. 

Ed sat back.  He recognized what he saw in that child’s face…terror.

The child with the “J” pinned to his shirt was terrified.