Making a U-turn, Frank pulled off the road just in front of the turn off. Hidden by the darkness, he could now see anyone going in or coming out without being seen himself. Settling back against the seat, Frank kept watch on both the receiver and the surrounding area, intending to head for home the second Joe started moving again. Staring into the black night, Frank thought back on his conversation with Joe earlier that day.

‘I do trust you, little brother,’ Frank thought gazing at the entrance to the dirt road. ‘It’s the bad guys who have me worried.’

Thinking about everything that had happened to Joe in the past year, he wondered if his brother somehow attracted trouble or if it just followed him wherever he went. Frank thumped the steering wheel lightly with his fist in frustration, knowing Joe still had some difficult times ahead before the year was out. While a date still hadn’t been set, the trials of Keith Rashman and Dennis Malick, the two men who had abducted Joe in Chicago and nearly killed him, were still looming ahead of him.

Joe would have to return to Chicago and testify in graphic detail about the torture and abuse he had endured. While Joe had finally opened up to Frank and confided in him about what had gone on during his captivity, Frank wasn’t at all sure Joe was ready to talk about it in front of a courtroom full of strangers.

‘We’ll get you through it together.’ Frank thought, recalling his promise to be by Joe’s side through the entire ordeal.

Checking his watch, Frank frowned. It seemed to be taking an awfully long time to simply pick up the ransom demands. Not knowing what Joe had been instructed to do once he got out of his car, Frank decided to give his brother a bit longer.

Ten minutes later, Frank was certain Joe should have been back in his car and on the move by now. Reaching under the seat, Frank pulled out a heavy-duty flashlight and got out of the car. Shielding the light with his hand, Frank quietly made his way down the dirt path. Staying to the side of the road, Frank forced himself to move slowly not wanting his presence to be discovered. Periodically playing his light over the road, Frank noted there were no tire tracks other than Joe’s.

‘At least nobody followed him in before I got here.’ Frank thought, not quite sure if that was a comfort or not.

Half a mile down the heavily wooded road, Frank made out the shape of a car up ahead. Every sense on high alert, he made his way to Joe’s car. Cautiously circling the vehicle, Frank noted Joe had stopped because the road came to an abrupt end.

Moving the flashlight over the ground as he walked, Frank stopped momentarily when the beam of light picked up a piece of paper lying in the grass. Focusing the light on the discarded paper, Frank saw it was actually a large manila envelope. Taking a pair of latex gloves from his pocket, Frank slipped them on and gingerly picked up the envelope by the corner, noting it was still sealed and obviously had not been exposed to the elements at all.

Studying the area around where the envelope had been lying, Frank noticed a small, dark, wet spot on the grass. He moved the beam of light once more and picked up a few more spots leading towards the driver’s side door of Joe’s car. Walking closer, Frank’s stomach twisted in a knot, as the drops grew larger and more frequent.

Holding his breath, Frank shone the light on Joe’s car picking up the same dark, wet spots. He played the light back and forth over the trail of spots and splatters, not wanting to admit what he knew had to be true.

As he stared at one particular spot on the car, it formed into a drop and rolled down the frame. The knot in his stomach seemed to explode as the drop fell to the ground making a small indentation in the dirt. Reaching out, Frank tentatively touched one of the wet spots on the car with a single gloved finger. Holding his finger in the beam of light, he stared at it in disbelief.