"I wonder why the boys aren’t home," Laura said noting the absence of the brothers van, and Vanessa’s car parked at the curb. "Surely they’re not still in the mountains at this late hour."

"I’m sure they just went out to eat or something," Fenton replied.

As they entered the house, the phone was ringing. Laura made it to the phone first, hoping it was Frank or Joe. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

"Hello?"

"Hi Laura," She heard Con Riley say. "Is Fenton or Frank in?"

"Fenton is home Con, hold on and I’ll get him for you," Laura replied.

Moments later, Con heard Fenton’s deep voice come over the line. "What can I do for you this evening Con?"

"I was just calling to update you and Frank on the murder case, and see how Joe is feeling today," Con said; unaware Fenton had no idea what he was talking about.

"I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage, Con. I wasn’t aware the boys were working on a new case. They went to the Adirondacks on a hiking trip with some of their friends; and as far as I know, Joe is fine," Fenton replied puzzled.

Laura had just returned to the room with a cup of coffee in each hand. When she heard Fenton’s comment to Con her heart skipped a beat.

"Oh," Con sheepishly replied. "I’m sorry, Fenton. I was sure the boys would have told you by now. It seems that Joe stumbled across a hit last night at old man Henry’s station."

"A hit… at a gas station?" Fenton said incredulous. "Are you sure?"

"Listen, Fenton I think it would be better if I went over the details in person," Con said awkwardly.

"I think that’s a very good idea. Can you come to my home office? I want to be here when the boys get home from their hiking trip. They have a lot of explaining to do," Fenton said, sounding more than a little miffed. "One more thing, Con; why did you ask me how Joe was feeling?"

Con hesitated for a moment… he did not want to be the one to tell Fenton Hardy that one of his sons had been injured while witnessing a murder. "Joe took a pretty good hit to the head last night. The medics checked him out, but he refused to go to the hospital. You know how Joe is, Fenton."

"All to well," Fenton replied with a sigh. With that said, the conversation was ended. Con Riley left, headed for the Hardy home, when something Fenton had said struck him. ‘They went out hiking with a killer on the loose? That kid must have a death wish.’

As soon as Fenton hung up the phone, he was assaulted with several rapid fire questions from his wife. "What’s wrong with Joe… is he hurt? What new case are the boys working on? Why is Con on his way over here?"

"Calm down, Sweetheart," Fenton said, knowing full well he was just as upset as she was. "If I understood Con correctly, Joe wound up in the wrong place at the wrong time last night. I don’t know all the details yet, that’s why Con is on his way over here. He also said that Joe took a hit to the head, but he was fine afterwards."

"What? Why weren’t we notified? Joe could have been seriously injured!" Laura shrieked. "Did Joe get checked out at the hospital?"

"No," Fenton replied, knowing this would further enrage his wife.

Joe was famous for avoiding hospitals at all costs; however unwise it proved to be. Once as a child, Joe had hidden the fact that he had hurt his arm falling from his bicycle from Laura for an entire afternoon. It was only discovered when Frank had found his brother pale and trembling while trying to take off his shirt. A forced trip to the hospital revealed that Joe had broken his arm in two places.

"He refused treatment didn’t he?" Laura said knowingly. Deep down Laura knew why Joe avoided hospitals; but she couldn’t think about that right now.

Fenton nodded his head at his wife, too perplexed at the moment to say anything else.

While Laura rattled on saying something to the effect, that Joseph Michael Hardy would have to answer to his mother, Fenton ran over what few details he knew in his mind.

‘Joe witnessed a murder, was knocked unconscious and they didn’t even bother to tell me?’ Fenton was almost as hurt as he was worried. Frank and Joe were adults now. Joe had just turned eighteen the week before, and he knew his sons were responsible young men but the fact that they had not sought him out was weighing heavily on him.

Before he could fall any deeper in self-doubt, he reasoned with himself; ‘Laura and I were already asleep when the boys came in last night, and we left this morning before they awoke. They didn’t have a chance to tell us’, That realization made Fenton feel better, but one look at his wife told him Joe would not escape his mother’s wrath.

Hearing a knock at the door, Laura took a deep breath and rose slowly. Opening the door, Laura found a smiling Con Riley. She forced a smile and asked him in. After all, it was not his fault she was blessed with a hard headed child.

"Good evening, Laura. How are you?" Con really didn’t have to ask, he could tell by looking Fenton had filled her in on the situation.

"I’m fine Con," Laura replied. "Would you care for a cup of coffee?"

Con thought briefly before answering. "Yes, that would be great…and make it black, please." With the information he had just received from headquarters, he would need a stiff cup of coffee. The Hardy’s were not going to like what he had to say.

Noticing Con’s anxiety, Fenton calmly said, "Forgive me for my bluntness, but just what have my boys gotten themselves into now?"

Laura handed Con a cup of coffee and took a seat next to Fenton. Con took a sip of his coffee and began telling the Hardy’s what had taken place the previous night and ended with the fact that he had just been notified by dispatch that the unidentified body of a young man had just been found.

"The chief thinks this might be the man Joe saw being shot," Con finished, looking at a speechless Fenton and Laura Hardy.

"Do they have any leads?" Fenton questioned, breaking the silence.

"Not at the moment. The body was taken to the Coroners office for an autopsy…" Con said his voice trailing off.

It was what he had to tell the Hardy’s next that tied his stomach in knots.

Fenton sensed his hesitation, and asked Laura to make some more coffee. He figured what ever else Con had to tell him Laura did not need to hear.

"Okay, let me have it…what are you holding back?" Fenton asked, dreading the answer.

"The man had indeed been shot, but it appears the bullets were…removed," Con didn’t elaborate, he didn’t have to. Fenton knew exactly what he meant. Someone was going to great lengths to cover their tracks.

"I’m afraid we’re dealing with some very desperate young men. Chief Collig wants Joe to come down and see if he can positively identify the body as the man he saw being shot last night. Are the boys’ home yet…?" Con was interrupted by the ringing of the telephone.

Fenton jumped on the phone quickly, relieved when he saw Frank’s cell number displayed on the Caller ID.

"Frank, where are you two?" Fenton asked, without even saying hello.

"Mr. Hardy, it’s Callie… Frank needs you. Joe is missing."

Fenton gripped the phone tightly, and closed his eyes.