3 HARDYS & A PRINCESS

by

PiperMerlyn

Chapter 6

The Chapters

INTRO

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

EPILOGUE

Outside, the warehouse looked like it could collapse if a strong wind blew at it wrong. But inside, the once-cavernous room had been divided into several smaller rooms where there were pool tables, ping-pong tables--Joe thought he spotted a poker table in one room. Metal shelves were the "walls" of the rooms and were stacked with boxes of stuff. In the center was what looked like two Colman stoves on a free-standing counter. Three small refrigerators were scattered around a stained and dented wooden table. The benches were planks of wood perched on up-ended cinder blocks.

The five of them had had no problem walking into the warehouse, no one had been standing outside to keep them out. Kane Rogers turned from one of the Colman stoves and started toward them, scowling. "Sattler, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Didn't you once say I could come play pool anytime I wanted?"

Kane took a deep breath and jabbed a finger at Frank and Joe. "What the hell are they doing here?"

"Friends." Jordan shrugged. "I thought mi casa su casa," he added, giving another shrug.

Kane shook his head. "Sattler, go home. Pool table's messed up."

"Hey, Kane," shouted someone from one of the smaller rooms. "Is that why I keep losing?" The speaker walked out and stopped, seeing the newcomers. "Man, Kane, since when did you let anyone come in?"

"Lay off, Brad."

Brad, a tall, gangly black boy, snorted. His black hair had been twisted into long dredlocks and he had a nose ring. "Yeah, whatever." He turned to go back into the room and then stopped. "The girl can stay."

"What girl?" asked a new voice. "Brad, I thought I told you--" The new voice's owner came forward and skidded to a halt. She had short spiky red hair and hazel eyes. She was dressed completely in black and had thick eyeliner around her eyes. Her left ear sported a row of tiny silver hoops, while only one long earring dangled from her right ear. "Uh, hi, domestic problem." She hurried into the room Brad had disappeared into.

In a matter of moments, several guys and two girls joined Kane in the larger room. One guy looked like he was nearly six foot six inches while the the other two appeared to have come straight from the beach, although the weather wasn't really warm enough to go to the beach.

"Hey, dude, what's up?" asked one. He had shaggy brown hair and was wearing a T-shirt and jeans. He nodded to Jordan. "Sattler, my man, you came."

Jordan snapped his fingers. "Right, sorry, Kane, wrong person. Linc invited me."

Kane swiveled around to look at Linc. "You did?"

"Hey, why not. Sattler's a natural at pool. Come on, I'll rack up."

Jordan grinned. "Be right with you, Linc." He grinned at Kane. "I can always leave with my buds here but Linc might wonder why you kicked us out."

Kane heaved a loud sigh. "Fine." He motioned for Sattler to go on. "Go." He gave Jordan a glare and then stalked away.

A tall black-haired girl stepped forward. "Hi, I'm Judith but everyone calls me Jude."

The other guy who looked like a surfer as well, grinned. "Yeah, we get a kick of out saying, 'Hey, Jude.'"

Rick arched an eyebrow. "Kind of funny. Never took you for a Beatles fan, Mitch."

Mitch shrugged. "Gotta have something to kick back and listen too." He waved at Rachel, Frank and Joe. "Don't mind Kane, he's kind of tense right now. Thinks everyone is out to get him."

Joe nudged Frank and carefully shook his head but Frank ignored him. "Why?"

Mitch looked in the direction Kane had disappeared and then stepped closer. "You probably heard about the double murder a couple of nights ago. You know the cops always pin it on the guy from the bad side of town. I'm sure they've already tagged Kane as the killer and that it was drug related."

The tall guy had dark reddish brown hair and vivid blue eyes. He shrugged. "We gave up trying to convince people we're any different than what they think we are." He nodded down to Frank and Joe. "Name's Matt."

Frank nodded distractedly and thought about Bernard Thorne and his brother's dream. "You think someone did it to lay the blame on Kane?"

Joe gave his brother a sharp look. "What do you mean?"

Mitch narrowed his brown eyes. "So, where are you two from anyway?"

"Bayport," said Joe. "Not too far from here."

"No." Mitch looked suspicious now. "Jude, come on."

Jude frowned, her blue eyes darting from Mitch to Frank and Joe. "What's going on?"

Mitch sighed. "Not much, come on."

Rachel watched the two of them walk away and shook her head. Then she looked at Frank and Joe. "Why didn't you ask if Rory was here?"

The other girl was still standing across the room. She had long black hair and slanted eyes. She walked over to them. "Rory is here," she said in a whisper. "Rory is wherever Kane is. Why are you looking for her?"

"She's in danger," said Joe. "The killer knows Rory saw him."

The girl darted a look over her shoulder. "She's safe here."

"Is she?" asked Rachel, quietly. "Missy, she might not be as safe here as you think."

"Kane wouldn't let anything happen to Rory," said Missy and walked away.

"Well, nice to know we're always welcome here," said Rick in the sudden quiet.                               

Rachel swatted his shoulder. "You be quiet."

Joe and Frank shared a long look. Joe folded his arms across his chest. "I know what you're thinking."

Frank arched an eyebrow. "You do?"

"Yep."

Frank copied his brother's stance. "All right. What am I thinking?"

Joe glared at Frank. "Not here."

Frank frowned. "I'm thinking not here? As in, Rory's not here? As in....what?"

"As in, we're not discussing it here, in front of anyone."

"It can't be that bad," said Frank. A second later, he remembered Joe's embarrassment when he'd brought up the dream. "On the other hand..."

"Like I said," Joe continued, looking way too smug for Frank's peace of mind. "I know what you're thinking."

                                                                   ***

It was quiet, realized Fenton Hardy, seated at his desk. He took a deep breath and sat back in his chair, glaring at the computer screen. He tore his gaze from the screen and glanced at the open door. "I wonder where Ella is," he muttered, pushing his chair back.

He stood up and walked to the door. He could see the living room and foyer were empty. Gertrude's bedroom door was shut tight. He walked through the living room and stood in the foyer. He didn't hear anything coming from the kitchen or the dining room. He angled his head and looked up the stairs. Where was Ella?

Fenton glanced at the door and then shook his head. It was too cold outside still for her to go outside. He'd expressly told her to stay indoors. He started up the stairs, a little curious and a little more worried. "Ella?"

Before he could call again, he saw a thin silver wire stretching along the length of the upstairs hallway. Fenton followed the wire with his eyes all the way to the half-open door that led to the stairs that went to the attic. He narrowed his brown eyes and moved as quietly as possible toward the door.

"..I'm not, you take that back, Brandy. He does look like Bo....I will. You do that and I will.."

Fenton paused outside the door and frowned. He hadn't told Ella not to answer the phone or use it but he hadn't thought she would actually call anyone. He pushed open the door and there sat Ella on the second to bottom step, the phone to her ear. She went still as her hazel eyes met his. "Gotta go, Brandy." With a clatter and a clunk, she slammed the phone down. "Uh, hi."  

Fenton Hardy stood there, frowning. "Who were you talking to?"

"Um, Brandy. She's my best best friend in the whole world." Ella set the telephone on the step and scrambled to her feet. "I had to talk to her."

"And what if she tells someone where you are?"

"She wouldn't," snapped Ella, her eyes narrowing. "Brandy would never tell something I've told her in secret. Never."

Fenton slowly shook his head. "Are you willing to risk your life on that?”

"I--" Ella stared at him, her eyes going wide. "But--" She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. "But you're gonna get the bad guy. Right?"

Fenton swallowed hard. He hadn't really intended to scare her. "We're working on it, Ella. But while we're working on it, there's still danger in talking to just anyone."

Ella shivered. "But Brandy wouldn't tell, she wouldn't."

"No, not to some stranger but what if she told her parents in a public place and someone overheard?"

Ella went pale and she sat down heavily on the step.  "I want my Dad," she  said, sounding close to tears.

Fenton crouchd down in front of her. "Ella, I'm sorry. I don't want to scare you but I want you to realize that until the police apprehend the killer, you are in danger."

Ella stared at the tops of her shoes. A tear traced the side of her nose and slowly fell off the tip of her nose. She raised her head to  look at Fenton. "I-I'm sorry."

He touched her shoulder lightly. "It's okay. I don't think any harm was done this one time."

She shuddered and in a sudden move, lunged at Fenton, knocking him on his rear end and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. She buried her head in his shoulder and cried.

Fenton held on to her as she sobbed  on his shoulder, brushing her long hair back from her face. He  sat there and gently rocked her until the sobs   finally faded to sniffles.

After a long moment, Ella pulled away. She wiped her nose on the sleeve of her blouse and swallowed hard. "I got you all wet."

Fenton gave her a gentle smile.  "I won't melt, Ella."

She gave a jerky nod and sighed. "I just wanted to tell Brandy about Joe and how he looks just like Bo."

Fenton shifted postion to get comfortable on the floor.  "Bo?"

Ella nodded again and told him about her favorite show, how her uncle had gotten her hooked on the adventures and car chases and that she thought the guy who played Bo with his wavy blond hair and gorgeous blue eyes was just perfect. "And Joe looks just like him."

Fenton bit back a grin. His youngest son even attracted pint-sized girls. "I think I'm beginning to understand--"

"And Luke has dark hair just like Frank." Suddenly, she smiled. "And you're just like Uncle Jesse."

Fenton did smile then. "Thanks. I think."

"Uncle Jesse's nice." Ella took a deep breath and started to say something when the sudden ringing of the telephone made them both jump.

Fenton picked up the receiver. "Hello?...I see....So you haven't actually seen her....Well, it seems to me you have two choices, Frank. Either you  do everything in your power to convince Rogers to let her come back with you or trust Rogers and his friends to protect her....It's a difficult decision, Frank...All right, son.....You did?....Your mother and aunt will like it very much, Joe."

Ella leaned forward. "Can I say hello?"

Fenton nodded as he listened to his younger son's question. "I'll let her tell you." He handed the phone to Ella and got to his feet.

"I'm okay, Joe. I had tea with your dad last night. He's really really nice." She took a deep breath and looked like she was about to cry again. "Tell her I need her, Joe. I need her really really bad." Ella's lower lip started trembling and she wordlessly handed the phone back to Fenton.

"Joe?...This is very hard on her. Do what you can to get Rory to come back with you. If Rogers insists on coming as well, let him come...All right. Bye." Fenton hung the phone up and nodded to Ella. "We're going to get her to come back, Ella."

Ella nodded and gave him a hug. "Thank you," she whispered.

Fenton held her close and closed his eyes. "You're welcome, Ella. You're very welcome."                                     

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