After they had realized Devon's fingers had been cut Frank had called the police while Joe drove Devon to the hospital. Chet had anxiously went with Joe and Devon.

"But who?" Joe asked. "Does she have an enemy at Bayport High or was this just a random act?"

Chet cast a furtive look at the exam room where the doctor was treating Devon. "It can't be a coincidence. The roses and the razor have to be connected. Devon is in danger - we have to help her."

Frank nodded. "I agree. Have Devon's parents got here yet? Maybe we can find out something useful from them."

Joe shook his head. "I wouldn't begin to be able to recognize them but no one's come in asking for her. The hospital would have to call them, though, right?"

Frank nodded. Before he could say anything in reply, Devon emerged from behind the curtain. Her left hand was covered in white gauze. She ran her right hand through her long blonde hair. She seemed immediately surprised to see the three guys standing there waiting for her.

Chet smiled. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I'll live. You guys didn't have to stick around."

"We were worried about you. When you screamed I think my heart skipped a beat. When I get my hands on the creep who did this to you..."

Devon stiffened. "You won't." Frank and Joe stared at her, surprised by her sharp tone. She blushed. "I mean, it was probably some moron's idea of a prank. We'll never know who was responsible."

Joe frowned. "You don't believe that any more than we do. First, someone sends you a threatening note and black roses. Then someone leaves a razor taped to the underside of your door handle so you'll get cut. People don't go to that much trouble for a simple prank. Someone was sending you a message. Who would have a gripe against you?"

Devon shook her head, her expression unreadable. "You're the detective, is it so hard to figure out? Who doesn't have a gripe again the 'Ice Princess'?"

She stalked off. Chet followed behind her calling her name. Frank looked at his younger brother. He could see in Joe's eyes that the younger Hardy didn't completely buy Devon's story any more than Frank did. "She knows what's going on."

"But why won't she let us help her? Come on, Frank; we better catch up to them. They'll need a ride home. Maybe on the way we can convince her to trust us and open up to us."

*****

"Devon, wait." Chet lightly grabbed her arm to make her stop. "Please, I want to help you."

She shook her head; her green eyes shining with unshed tears. "Why Chet? I have gone out of my way to push you and everyone else away. Why would you want to help the 'Ice Princess'?"

Chet tenderly touched her cheek. She had said much the same thing earlier in the cafeteria. He realized then that she truly believed no one would ever want to help her with anything. He hoped he could change her mind. "I don't see you that way. I see you as a beautiful girl with a caring heart who could use a friend. I want to be that friend. Please don't shut me out."

Devon's eyes widened. "You want to be my friend? Nobody has ever said that to me before - nobody who actually meant it at least. I wouldn't even know how to begin to let anyone get close enough to be a friend."

Chet smiled. "That's easy. The first thing you do is stop pushing me away. The second thing you do is let me - and Frank and Joe - help you."

"DEVON!" A tall distinguished looking man hurried toward them. His graying hair was perfectly groomed and the concern in his voice didn't quite make its way to his brown eyes.

"Uncle Rex." Devon hugged the older man briefly. "What are you doing here?"

"When you didn't come home at your usual time, I got worried. I drove by the school to see if you were still there and was horrified to discover the police surrounding your car. One of the officers told me what happened. Are you okay?"

"Just a few cuts. I didn't even want them to bring me to the hospital but Chet here insisted."

The man seemed to notice Chet for the first time. He frowned. "I don't know you, do I?"

Chet smiled and stuck out his hand. For a moment he wasn't sure if the man before him would take it but finally he shook it briefly. "Chet Morton. I'm a friend of Devon's from school."

"Rex Avery. Thank you for your help this afternoon but I should get Devon home." Without giving her a chance to even say goodbye, he led her down the hall toward the exit.

Confused and a little hurt Chet watched her leave. After a couple of minutes Frank touched his shoulder. "You okay, Chet? Where's Devon?"

Chet turned his attention to his two friends. "Her uncle picked her up. Man, I was so close to convincing her to trust me and then he showed up. He shuttled her out of here quicker than anything."

Frank frowned. "Her uncle? Did the hospital call him?"

Chet shook his head. "No, apparently he drove by the school and one of the officers there told him what had happened. It was weird though. He acted all concerned about her, but I don't know; I wasn't convinced. I don't think he was upset that she'd been hurt at all."

"We could always go by her house and check on her. We still need to find out what she knows about both incidents today." Joe suggested. He could see how worried Chet was. He hadn't seen his friend this upset and concerned since right after Iola had died. Joe felt a small pang in his heart as he remembered Iola. He knew what it was like to want to do anything to find out who was responsible for hurting the girl you care about.

"I'm afraid I don't even know where she lives. Should we be worried? Maybe she's in more danger with this guy. Maybe he's no uncle and he's the one responsible for both the roses and the razor. Maybe she was too frightened not to go with him." Chet grew more concerned with every maybe.

"Don't borrow trouble." The ever-practical Frank warned. "Did she act scared of him? Do you have any reason to think she didn't go with him willingly?" Chet shook his head.

Frank continued. "Well, maybe she learned her people skills from him. We can't do anything more right now. Especially not standing here in the emergency room. Joe and I'll take you back to your car and we'll head home. Dad should be in by now. Joe and I will fill him in on what happened today. Maybe he can find out something new for us to work with. I promise you Chet, whether she wants us to or not, Joe and I will get to the bottom of this."

For a moment, Chet said nothing but finally he nodded. "Okay, I really appreciate that, Frank. But you have to promise me one thing. You and Joe won't leave me out of the investigation. I want to know the second you find out anything."

*****

"So what was that all about?" Rex Avery looked at Devon as she fastened her seat belt.

Now Devon didn't try to hide her fear. Her body began to shake and tears filled her eyes. "I'm scared, Uncle Rex. The razor on my door handle wasn't the only thing that happened today." She told him about the roses. "I'm scared to think what might happen next."

Rex didn't take his eyes off the road. "Who do you think would do such things?"

Devon absently wiped her eyes. She looked at him. "Who else? Come on, Uncle Rex, you know as well as I do who's responsible." She rested her head wearily on the back of the seat. Tears filled her eyes faster than she could wipe them away. "I thought I had left all that behind me when I left Austin. I thought I was safe but I was wrong. What are we going to do?"

Rex frowned. "The first thing you are going to do is get a grip on yourself. What happened today has nothing to do with what happened in Austin."

"How can you say that?"

Rex pulled into his parking space at the condo where he and Devon lived. He tweaked her chin and smiled. "Because I care about you Devon. You are my best friend's daughter and I don't want to see you hurt yourself. You came here because I was the only one who believed in you. Your grandparents certainly didn't. Do I have to remind you what they were planning to do?"

Devon took in a shaky breath. "I know and I appreciate everything you've done for me but I'm not being paranoid about this. Chet even agrees."

"The boy at the hospital? When did he come into the picture?"

Devon shrugged. "Today, I guess. I've seen him around school since I started at Bayport High. I guess I've talked to him a couple of times before. But he was worried about me when I got those black roses. And then he was there when I got cut. I don't know what I would have done today if he hadn't been there."

"Maybe he's the one responsible. Devon, don't trust him. He'll only end up hurting you."

"I don't think so. I really think he's interested in me. Though I can't understand for the life of me what he sees in me. He wants to help me, Uncle Rex. He and his friends. I was reluctant at first but I think if I told them everything, they'd help me. Frank and Joe are detectives."

Rex shook his head. "Don't tell them anything, Devon. Stay away from all of them."

Devon opened her car door. She looked at the man who'd promised to take care of her. "I don't know if I can. Uncle Rex, this may be my chance to finally have friends."

Rex sighed. "I know how important that is to you, Devon, but I don't want to see you hurt. I'm afraid if you tell those three what happened; they won't understand. Then where will you be? Trust me, Devon; if you tell them only one thing will happen."

He made sure he had her complete and undivided attention before he continued. "Devon, you know as well as I do that they'll lock you up if you tell them about the murders."