Frank leaned back. He reached up and turned a light on. Joe was laying on his back o the floor. He was still wearing the clothes he had on when he joined the group. Joe sat up.

“I’m glad you’re on your toes,” Joe said with a smile.

“Where have you been?”

“Hanging out.” Joe grabbed Frank’s hand and was helped to his feet. He moved over to Frank’s bed and sat down at Frank leaned against the dresser. “Frank, I’m sorry I hit you.”

“It’s okay,” Frank said, touching his face. “Were you able to come up with anything?”

“Were you able to come up with anything?”

“I found Vicki. She latched onto me as soon as I joined the group. I’m taking it slow. I don’t want to scare her off. I’m not sure if she latched onto me because wanted to or if someone is making her.” He looked his brother in the eye. “I told the group I was staying in a motel. This place is a little too fancy for them. I think I’ll get a room there for appearances.”

“That sounds like a good idea.”

Joe looked around the room. His gaze stopped on his bed. “What’s that?”

Joe pointed to his bed as he raised his eyebrows. Frank followed Joe’s finger to the bed. Frank looked back at Joe. “That’s Nancy.”

Joe’s eyebrows creased even more. “What’s she doing here?”

“That’s a long story. I’ll tell you later.”

“All right.”

Frank moved over to the bed and tossed Joe a pillow. “You get the floor.”

“Fine.” Joe got off Frank’s bed. He stretched out his six-foot frame on the floor at the foot of his brother’s bed. “Night.”

“Night,” Frank said. He climbed back into his bed and went to sleep.

* * * * *

Nancy woke Monday morning. When she opened her eyes, she was disoriented and her head throbbing. She was facing a wall that seemed unfamiliar to her. She could hear snoring coming from the other side of the room.

She rolled over. She saw Frank asleep in the other bed. She recalled what had happened the previous evening with her coming to talk to Frank and breaking down. As she watched him sleep, she realized he wasn’t the one snoring.

The noise was coming from the foot of Frank’s bed. She could see a pair of feet on the floor. The rest of the body was hidden by Frank’s bed.

Nancy pushed the covers off. She quietly sat up and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. She set her feet on the floor. She got off the bed without it squeaking. She noticed the water pitcher on the table between the beds. She wasn’t going to take any chances. She picked the pitcher up.

She slowly moved toward the foot of Frank’s bed. She raised the pitcher over her head. She reached the end of the bed. She looked down at the body. Nancy let out a breath when she realized it was Joe lying there.

As she lowered the pitcher, she relaxed. The pitcher slipped from her hand and shattered when it hit the floor. Nancy jumped back as Joe jumped to his feet and Frank sat up.

“What happened?” Frank asked quickly.

Nancy looked at Frank sheepishly. “I’m sorry. I dropped the pitcher. I didn’t expect to see Joe on the floor. I was startled. I’m sorry I woke you both.”

“It’s okay,” Frank said. “It was time to get up anyway.”

Joe sat down on Frank’s bed and Nancy sat down on the other one. Nancy looked at Joe. “Did you come up with anything?”

“I met Vicki. I plan to talk to her today.”

“Joe’s also going to a motel,” Frank said.

“Why?”

“This place is a little too classy for the group I’m hanging with. It’ll be just until we solve this case,” Joe said. He turned his gaze to Nancy. “So, what are you doing here?”

Nancy looked at Joe. “I’m here to help.”

“What would Ned think?” Joe asked.

“It doesn’t matter what Ned thinks,” Nancy said, realizing the conversation with Ned the previous evening put everything into perspective. She was her own person and that if Ned didn’t want to talk and work things out, then she didn’t have to tell him what she was doing. “He’s not my boss. I can do as I please.”

Frank and Joe looked at one another. They both then looked at Nancy. Joe asked, “What are you talking about?”

“Basically, Ned and I had a fight. I think things are over between us.” She looked at each of them. “And that really doesn’t matter. Right now, we have a case to solve. So, we better get moving.”