"Sorry. The forensics team just got back." Con said taking a seat behind his desk as Frank returned to the chair he had vacated moments before.

"Did they find anything?" Frank asked, hoping for good news.

"They found a hair in the closet where Joe’s gym bag was. So far all they know is that it doesn’t belong to Joe or Vanessa." Con smiled encouragingly.

Frank pursed his lips in thought. "So it probably belongs to whomever planted the drugs in Joe’s bag."

"That’s the theory." Con agreed, opening the folder and flipping through several pages. Taking out two sheets of paper, he slid one of them across the desk. "This is the test result on the unknown DNA that was found under Joe and Vanessa’s nails." He paused giving Frank a moment to look it over, before sliding the second sheet across. "And this is the result of the DNA test run on the hair samples you took from Ryan Bender’s apartment."

Con watched, becoming amused, as Frank scrutinized both reports, once, twice and a third time. Frank finally looked up and broke into a smile.

"They match."

"Exactly."

"At least now we know for sure Ryan is the one we’re after." Frank leaned back. "When will the test results be back on the hair sample the forensics team found?"

"They put a rush on it. Hopefully by tomorrow." Con responded.

"Going on the assumption it will match the DNA found on Joe and Vanessa…" Frank began.

"The person it’s from will still be unknown as far as the court is concerned." Con warned. "The only reason we know it’s Bender is because of the hair sample you took from his hairbrush. Which was obtained illegally."

"I know that, Con." Frank rolled his eyes. "I was going to say, based on what Sam and I learned from Rick Moreno, do you think the judge would issue a search warrant for Ryan’s apartment. Then we could get a DNA sample legally and they could issue an arrest warrant for Ryan. Or at least bring him in for questioning."

Con considered Frank’s question, unable to come to a firm conclusion one way or another. "Honestly? I don’t know. The judge who presided over Joe’s bail hearing is pretty conservative and by the book. He may say the evidence against Joe is substantial and the evidence against Ryan is all circumstantial. He may think Joe tried to kill Vanessa and staged it to look as though he were set up just to get the inheritance himself. Plus, if you go back to court, the D.A. may try and enter Vanessa’s identification of Joe as her assailant into evidence."

"Andrew said he would block that." Frank said hotly. "He said it would never make it to court. You heard him."

"Just don’t get your hopes up, Frank." Con warned. "Personally, I think you’ll need something more concrete to get him to see Joe as a victim and Ryan as a suspect."

Having the air taken out of his sails, Frank stood up to leave. "I better get going. I don’t want to leave Joe alone too long."

"How’d he take the news?" Con asked cautiously.

"What do you think? He pretty much fell apart." Frank replied dismally, still angry with himself for forcing the issue.

"For what it’s worth, I don’t think Vanessa even had a clue what you were asking her. I think she was just asking for him."

"If only I could get Joe to believe that." Sighing, Frank gave Con a half-hearted wave as he turned to leave. "Call me as soon as those test results come back."

"Will do." Con replied.

*****

Lying on the couch in the living room, Joe stared up at the ceiling. Forcing himself to do what Frank asked and try to come up with a way to get Ryan behind bars, an idea had formed in Joe’s mind. He knew Frank would hate it, but he hadn’t been able to come up with anything else that would have even the remotest chance of catching Ryan. Hearing Frank’s car pull up, Joe sighed knowing it would be a fight to get Frank to agree to his plan.

Joe sat up when Frank came in, making room for him on the couch. Listening intently to what Frank had learned from Con, Joe was at least glad they knew for sure Ryan was the one they were after, even though Joe had been certain of it for quite a while now.

"So what do you say we come up with a way to get him off the street and into a jail cell where he belongs?" Frank suggested.

"All ready done." Joe replied, preparing himself for battle.

"Really?" Frank smiled and patted Joe on the back. "That was quick! Let’s hear your plan."

"We set a trap to draw him out. Make him think he’s outsmarted us."

"Sounds good." Frank agreed. "What to do we use as bait?"

"Me." Joe replied, staring his brother in the eye.

"Excuse me?" Frank said, hoping he had misheard.

"You said yourself I was probably a target now. Assuming I am, what better way to get him out in the open than to let him think he’s got a clear shot at me?" Joe patiently explained.

"Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no. Absolutely not." Frank vehemently disagreed, shaking his head for emphasis.

"I suppose you have a better idea?" Joe challenged him.

"Give me a little time. I’m sure I’ll come up with something." Frank snapped. "Vanessa is already in the hospital because of him-"

"Don’t you mean because of me?" Joe corrected.

"No, I mean because of HIM! And he is NOT going to put you in the hospital too. Not if I have anything to say about it." Frank said angrily. Getting up he began to pace, causing Joe to wonder if the carpet would make it through the day without getting a hole in it.

"And you will have something to say about it. You’ll be following me. Everywhere. So when he does make his move, you’ll be right there. I trust you, Frank. I’ll be fine." Joe tried to convince his brother he would be in total control of the situation.

"No, Joe! What if something goes wrong? What if I lose you? What if he kills you before I can stop him?!" Frank said, becoming more convinced that Joe’s plan was a disaster waiting to happen.

"Who cares if he kills me in the process!" Joe blurted out. "I won’t have much of a life once this is over anyway but at least Vanessa will be safe – forever!"

Frank stared at Joe critically. "What exactly do you mean by you won’t have much of a life anyway? Vanessa is going to be fine, Joe. Once this is over, you two can get on with your life together."

Joe realized he’d said too much, having decided to keep his decision to break up with Vanessa to himself at least for the time being.

"Nothing." Joe responded trying to brush it aside. "Just listen to me. I’ve got it all worked out…"

"Uh-uh. I want to know exactly what you meant." Frank crossed his arms over his chest and fixed Joe with a no-nonsense glare. "Now."

Sighing heavily, Joe sank back into the couch, knowing Frank would be relentless until he got the answers he wanted. "How many times has Vanessa been in danger because of me? Because some psycho with a vendetta tried to use her to get to me? How many times has she been hurt?"

"Unfortunately it comes with the territory, Joe." Frank responded. "And she knows that. She made the choice to be with you despite the risks."

"Yeah, well I’m making the choice now. She is never going to be put in danger again because of me." Joe said firmly.

"What are you saying?" Frank asked, suddenly getting a chill.