"No." Frank admitted. "If I go to the police, Jarrell will kill them immediately."

"So it’s just you and Sam who will be searching?" Vanessa asked incredulous, not giving Frank a chance to respond. "Forget it. I’m not leaving. You’re going to need all the help you can get. I want to help find Joe."

Frank sighed even though he had expected as much. "I’m going to call the guys for help." Frank said, referring to the childhood friends he and Joe were still close to, deftly leaving out the fact that Sam wouldn’t be assisting in the search. "I’ll have plenty of help. But if I’m worrying about when Jarrell’s men are going to make a move on you and Callie, it’ll slow us down."

Vanessa continued staring at him, not happy about being sent into hiding, but Frank could see she understood the logic behind his request even if she didn’t like it. When Vanessa remained silent, Frank played his trump card. He felt bad using Vanessa’s love for Joe against her but he knew it was the only way she would agree to his plan.

"Vanessa," he began, "Joe would want you to be safe above all else, you know that. And if he’s not here to ensure that happens, he expects me to do it. He knows I’ll do it. Please, Van," Frank begged, "you’re not safe here."

"That’s low." Vanessa said crossly giving him a mild glare.

"Maybe." Frank agreed. "But if it works, I don’t care."

Vanessa thought a moment longer, more for effect than anything else. "Fine. I’ll go." She said reluctantly.

"Thank you." Frank smiled with relief as he turned to Sam. "Can you take Vanessa home so she can pack a bag, then come back here and get Callie?"

"Sure," Sam replied. "Be back soon."

The second Sam and Vanessa were out the door Callie confronted her husband. "Okay, what is it you don’t want Vanessa to know."

"I’m pretty sure Joe’s hurt. I just don’t know how badly." Frank said, concerned. "And I don’t intend to keep it from her altogether. I just don’t want her to know until she’s at the safe house. If she knew Joe was hurt, she’d never leave." He explained. "Sam’s going to tell her as soon as you get there."

"Why don’t you tell me what happened and I’ll help him explain it to her." Callie offered.

Pulling her into his arms, Frank held Callie closely. Early on in their relationship, Frank had known Callie was the one; he’d never had any doubts. Even when Callie had been blackmailed into deceiving him, Frank knew deep inside they’d work through it and come out that much stronger and he’d been right. So often Callie sensed exactly what Frank needed from her, sometimes even before he did, just as she did now.

"Thanks." Frank kissed her softly. "I know Sam will appreciate it."

Accompanying Callie upstairs, Frank described what he’d found while he watched her pack. As he told her about the bloody bat hidden in the underbrush, he couldn’t help but think he should have done more than simply relying on the tracking device.

"I should have made him wear a wire. Or at least planted a bug on him." Frank said miserably. "Then I would have known he was in trouble and I could have helped. Instead, I was sitting in my car totally oblivious while Joe was being attacked. Brilliant plan." He said derisively.

Her bag now packed, Callie sat on the bed next to Frank, taking his hands in hers.

"It was a good plan. Joe would never have gone along with anything else and you know that. In fact he’ll probably let you have it when he finds out about the tracking device." She said, letting Frank know she expected Joe to land on his feet and have everything turn out fine in the end. Hearing a car outside, Callie got up and walked to the window overlooking the driveway. "It’s Sam and Vanessa." She announced.

Nodding, Frank picked up her overnight bag and followed her downstairs, meeting Sam and Vanessa in the foyer.

"We better get going." Sam said looking at his watch. "It’ll take a few hours to get there."

Escorting them out to the car, Frank kissed Callie goodbye and gave Vanessa a quick hug telling her not to worry.

"I won’t." She replied, reverting back to the positive outlook Frank was so used to seeing from her. "Between Joe and your Dad, they’ll probably be home before morning."

Frank glanced at Sam questioningly. He felt bad keeping the truth from Vanessa even for a short while. Almost imperceptibly, Sam shook his head no indicating they should stick to the original plan. As Callie and Vanessa got settled in the car, Sam told Frank where they’d be, promising to call as soon as they arrived.

Frank watched as they pulled out of the driveway and disappeared down the street. Slowly, he made his way back into the empty house. After he’d righted the end table, picked up what was left of the lamp and vase and vacuumed the floor, Frank sat on the couch, alone and lonely.

More out of habit than anything else, he picked up the remote and turned on the television. He tried to concentrate as pictures flashed across the screen, but the only images Frank saw were the drops of blood on the grass, the dirt and Joe’s car…and the bloody bat.

Frank tried to find consolation by reminding himself that Joe was probably with their parents by now, who would do their best to treat whatever injuries Joe might have. Turning off the television, Frank got up and headed for the stairs. He needed to be doing something – anything – to try to find Joe and his parents. Smiling, Frank realized he was acting more like Joe than himself.

Walking into the office, he sat down and turned on the computer. Frank knew Jarrell had to be hiding out somewhere in the vicinity of Hunter’s Crossing, probably deep in the woods. He’d been at the trial everyday so he couldn’t be all that far away. Not being familiar with the area, Frank decided to use the Internet to learn all he could about the small town and the land surrounding it. Just as he was about to begin, the phone rang.

"Frank Hardy." He answered. The voice that responded chilled him to the bone.

"Frank, so good to hear your voice again." Jarrell replied as if speaking to a long lost friend. "We weren’t able to acquire your wife or your brother’s fiancée, but we do have Joe and your parents."

"Let me talk to Joe." Frank demanded.

"I wish I could, Frank, but he’s a little, shall we say…incapacitated…at the moment." Jarrell chuckled.

A shiver ran down his spine as Frank recalled just how vicious Jarrell could be when he felt he’d been betrayed by one of his men. "What do you want?" Frank responded, keeping his voice neutral.

"Instructions will be delivered to your house in the morning. They’re self-explanatory. You will follow them to the letter or your family will be killed. We’ll start by letting your parents watch their baby boy die a very slow and painful death. Have I made myself clear, Frank?"

"Yes." Frank replied through gritted teeth.

"Good. Have a pleasant evening."

Hanging up the phone, Frank turned back to the computer as Jarrell’s words echoed in his ears. ‘…a very slow and painful death…’