Hardy Detective Agency

Frank and Joe saw Con Riley as soon as they entered the Emergency Room. It struck them that this was the second time in as many days that they'd come to the ER because something had happened to Devon Marshand. They only hoped that this time like last time that the injuries weren't serious.

"Con, how's Chet?"

The officer returned the small notepad he'd been reading to his breast pocket and looked at the two brothers. "He's lucky he's alive, both he and the girl. When I arrived on the scene I though for sure anyone in that Amigo would be dead."

Joe grew impatient with every word Con said. "So, how is he?"

"He's mostly bruised. The air bag deployed so he has a few burns from that. He was unconscious when I arrived but he woke up not long before the fire department and the ambulance arrived. He asked me to call you."

"What about Devon?" Frank asked.

Con shook his head. "She was awake when I arrived but she was so upset I couldn't get anything out of her. She was hysterical and rambling on about something but I couldn't make heads or tails of anything she said. Once she got to the ER the doctor gave her a sedative just to calm her down."

Joe shook his head. "I don't understand. Chet's a careful driver; he'd never run a red light. How did this happen?"

Con frowned. "We're going to have someone examine the car but from what I could gather from Chet, the brakes failed."

Frank and Joe exchanged a telling look. Both boys obviously found the accident too much a coincidence after what they'd learned.

Con caught the look. "Okay guys, what gives? Are you two on a case or something? Out with it, Frank, Joe. People are getting hurt here."

Frank filled Con in on the events of the day before. He didn't tell the officer what their father had learned about the murders. Frank knew all too well the danger of making accusations too early.

Con nodded. "I heard about the incident with the razor. Does she know who's behind either of those incidents?"

"If she does, she hasn't said." Joe supplied.

"Okay as soon as her parents arrive I'll talk to them."

Frank knew then that they'd have to tell Con some of what they knew about Devon's past. He simply left it that her parents had died three years earlier. "I think she's living with a man named Rex Avery; I don't know what his relationship to Devon is."

"He's her godfather." Chet offered as he hobbled out of the exam room.

Glad to see their friend up and walking around, Joe and Frank turned their attention to Chet. His left arm was in a sling and his face supported bruises and burns caused by the airbag. Chet waved off their concern. "Guys, I don't think this accident was an accident. Devon believes someone from Austin was trying to kill her."

Con frowned. "Why would she think that?"

"Because he's killed before."

"Her parents?" Joe blurted out. Both Chet and Con gave the younger Hardy a surprised look.

"You said her parents died; you said nothing about them being murdered." Con commented dryly.

"Her parents? No, her sister."

Now it was Frank and Joe's turn to be surprised. "Her sister was murdered as well?"

"No, she wasn't." Rex Avery stood next to the nurses' station, his arms folded across his chest. "DeLaney died in a tragic car accident but that's all it was, an accident. Why am I not surprised to see the three of you involved in another one of Devon's accidents?"

Con removed his notepad. "And you are?"

"Rex Avery. I am currently responsible for Devon's well being. I'm very sorry for all this trouble. I did not know it had gotten as bad as all this."

Con frowned. "As bad as what?"

Rex sighed. "Devon's father and I were best friends. After David and Leeann died I vowed to take care of Devon and DeLaney if they ever needed anything. That's why I agreed to take Devon in when she called needing a place to stay."

Alarms in Frank's head were going off. "That still doesn't answer Con's question."

"Devon had a breakdown after her parents died. I hate to say it but I don't think she ever fully recovered from it. She's emotionally unstable. She's paranoid that someone is after her."

Chet clenched his fist. Never had he wanted to hurt another person as he did right then. "I haven't seen any sign that she's unstable. Maybe she's not paranoid - maybe someone is after her. After all someone did send her black roses and someone did put a razor under her door handle. I don't think the accident today was an accident."

"Like I said, Devon is unstable. I wouldn't be surprised to find out she did those things herself."

"How can you say that, Uncle Rex?" Devon came to stand beside Chet. Her face was pale except for a bruise under her left eye. Her eyes were glazed, obviously from the sedative. Frank, though could clearly see the bewildered hurt reflecting in her green eyes even through the dazed expression.

Rex smiled. The expression reminded Joe of a snake. "Devon, sweetheart. It's not your fault, honey. I know you are sick. Maybe it is time that you got help."

Tears filled Devon's eyes. "Why? If you thought I was responsible why didn't you side with Gram and Gramps when they wanted me to go back to the hospital?"

Rex reached out to touch her but she pulled away - pulled closer to Chet. Surprised, Chet put his right arm around her thin shoulders protectively. Rex frowned. "Devon, I didn't want to see you go back to the hospital. I was hoping if you got away from Austin - if you came here - you could get better on your own. Now I think I may have been wrong."

Devon shook her head. "No, I'm not going back to the hospital. I'm not being paranoid. Someone is after me."

Rex nodded and then looked at Con and the Hardy brothers. His expression clearly said he was embarrassed they were having to see this. "Okay honey. Let me take you home. Now isn't the time to get into this. We'll talk later, after you've had a chance to rest."

"NO!" Devon stepped even closer to Chet. "I can't believe you could stand there and say those things about me. I... I can't go home with you, not right now at least." She looked up at Chet, her eyes silently pleading with him. "Can you...?"

"Yeah." Chet assured her. He looked to Frank and Joe. "You guys will give us a lift won't you?"

Joe studied the girl in front of him. He tried to reconcile the information his father had given them earlier with the information Rex had just told them. It didn't add up. It especially didn't get with the image she now portrayed of a fragile young woman who was trying to be strong. Who was Devon Marshand? A murderer? A paranoid unstable mental patient? A victim of a murderers diabolical plot?

"Sure, come on." Frank offered before Joe could say anything. "Con, we'll be at our house if you have any questions for either Chet or Devon."

"Devon, you can't do this. Be reasonable." Rex pleaded with her. "Don't force me to take drastic measures."

"What?" Devon pulled away from Chet and drew herself up to her full height. Her drug-glazed eyes held such a coldness that for a moment, Joe could readily believe she was capable of murder. "You can't force me to go to the hospital - no more than Gram and Gramps could. I'm the only one who can sign myself in for treatment."

"There is a way I can do it." Rex promised. "I don't want to hurt you Devon but I can't stand by and watch you hurt yourself. Please honey. Don't make me be the bad guy in all this."

Devon shook her head. "You and I both know that I'm in danger. Someone is after me. But we also both know that I'm not in danger from myself. There's no way you can prove that I am. Don't ruin our relationship by forcing me into something that I don't want or need." She looked up at Chet. "Can we leave now?"

Joe led the way as Chet put his arm back around Devon. Before Frank could follow, Rex grabbed his arm. "Don't get involved with her. Everyone close to her has ended up dead. If you and your brother and your friend get involved with her, you could end up hurt or worse."