Chet's heart broke for the girl beside him. A couple of tears slid down his cheeks. He looked at Joe and Frank and realized they were equally moved by her story. He silently begged them to say something that would help. He was too afraid he wouldn't be able to speak over the lump that had formed in his throat.

"You aren't a horrible person, Devon." Frank assured her. "What you witnessed was horrible. Joe and I have seen a lot of things - we've faced danger many times before. But I'll be perfectly honest with you. I don't know how either of us would react if we saw what you saw happen to our mom and dad."

"'Laney wouldn't have psychoed out like I did. She would have done something - prevented the deaths or at the very least made sure the police caught who was responsible. 'Laney wouldn't have zoned out for a year and a half."

Joe shook his head. "You don't know that. You can't know that."

Devon nodded. "Yes I can. 'Laney was perfect. We may have shared a womb together for nine months and we may have looked just alike but that's where the similarities ended. 'Laney could make friends just by walking into a room and I had to struggle through every bungled attempt to have just one friend. 'Laney made straight A's while barely cracking open a book and I studied five hours hoping I could pull a C or a B. Like I said, 'Laney was perfect."

"No, she wasn't." Chet insisted, finally able to get past the lump in his throat. Devon looked up at him sharply. "Maybe DeLaney could make friends or good grades with little effort but she wasn't perfect. If she made you feel inferior even once in your life; if she didn't do everything in her power to make sure you didn't feel like less than you were then she wasn't perfect. I don't think I'd even want to have been her friend."

Devon lowered her head. "Don't say that. 'Laney loved me. She tried to include me."

"Then why didn't she include you in the plans for going to the dance?" Chet pushed.

Devon twisted her head and looked up at him blinking back tears. For a moment she was silent like she didn't know what to say.

Joe, while he agreed with what Chet had said, knew they had to steer the conversation back to what had happened.

"What happened to DeLaney?"

Taking a deep breath, Devon turned her attention back to the Hardy brothers. "I'd been out of the hospital for several months when the pranks first started happening. It was little things, not even as major as what's happening here. It would be things like my jacket not being where I left it or my tire being flat. Nobody thought much about it but it scared me. Everywhere I went I thought I was being followed. It got to where I didn't want to go anywhere. I just knew that the person who killed my parents was going to make sure I never identified him. My grandparents didn't know what to do with me but 'Laney seemed to understand. We'd never been the sort of twins who were always switching places and fooling people but suddenly 'Laney suggested that we try. If I had to go somewhere that wasn't totally necessary, she'd pretend to be me and go in my place."

"Was she pretending to be you when the accident happened?" Frank ventured a guess.

Devon nodded. "Imagine my surprise and horror when the police department showed up at Gram and Gramps to tell them I had been killed in a traffic accident. It took some time to sort out that it was really 'Laney who had died."

Joe remembered the guilt he had felt after Iola's death. That day she had asked him to retrieve some flyers from the car but he'd been too busy flirting with some girl to do as she asked. Instead she had gone and only moments later she was dead. He felt an empathy for the girl before him that he saw mirrored in Chet's eyes.

Chet gently massaged her shoulder. "You said earlier at Mr. Pizza that you thought it wasn't an accident."

"I don't. The police officer that came to the house said she apparently lost control of the car. That just didn't make sense at all to me. I could see me lose control but not 'Laney - she was too good a driver. I think she was run off the road and murdered because the person who killed Mom and Dad thought she was me."

"But nobody believed you." Given her reluctance to tell them what had happened before this, it wasn't much of a stretch for Joe to believe that Devon's fears had been dismissed.

"No, the police insisted there was no sign of foul play. They were as convinced that it was an accident as I was that it was murder. I became more paranoid than before. I refused to leave the house. I quit eating and nightmares plagued my sleep. There were no more mysterious incidents but I overheard Gram telling Gramps one day that she thought I should go back to the hospital. I couldn't do that so I called Uncle Rex and asked if I could come here and stay for awhile. I figured I was safe here but I couldn't bring myself to participate in life in Bayport except for what was absolutely necessary. And I was convinced I was safe here until yesterday. So I guess now you think I'm crazy too."

Frank and Joe looked at each other. Frank could see Joe was thinking the same thing. The older Hardy looked back to Devon. "Devon, we don't think you are crazy. I think you are in more danger than you think. Your parents let the person into the house so they had to know him. He knew your schedule enough to be there to cause your sister's accident. He knows you are here. He knows everything while we essentially know nothing."

Devon blew out a breath slowly and Chet could feel her tremble. "I think I would have preferred hearing you say I was crazy."

Joe chuckled. "Trust us, we don't let knowing nothing slow us down. We will figure out who's after you. And we will make sure he doesn't get away with anything he's done to you."

Devon forced a smile. "For some reason I believe you will. You three can't know how much it means to have you on my side." She looked up at Chet and bit her lip. "Especially you. Somehow you saw something in me that I can't even see and you decided I was worth looking past my cool exterior. You're pretty special, Chet Morton."

Stretching up she kissed him lightly on the cheek. Frank and Joe exchanged a grin when it was obvious it was impossible to tell which of the two looked more embarrassed. Turning bright red, Devon pulled away and ducked her head.

To keep them from being further embarrassed, Frank cleared his throat. "So, what's our first move?"

"We talk to Dad and see what he's found out in Austin." Joe suggested.

Devon nodded. "While you do that, I'm going home."

Chet looked at her in surprise. "But I thought you were upset with him."

Devon nodded. "I am but I can't keep running every time things get rough. I've done that too many times now. You three believe me. I told you my story and you didn't look at me like I'm crazy. Now I have to convince Uncle Rex."

Joe frowned. "Aren't you worried he might try to have you committed if you don't convince him?"

Devon shook her head. "He can't. He can urge me to sign myself in but he has no authority to do anything without my consent. Gram and Gramps had trouble getting their insurance to cover my hospital bills so they got a judge to grant me partial emancipation. That way I was able to get state aide. That's why the hospital didn't call Uncle Rex either yesterday or today when I was brought in. The only way Uncle Rex can have me committed against my will is to prove I'm a danger to myself. That's not going to happen."

Chet nodded. "If you are sure. Joe, you mind giving us a ride?"

"Of course not. Let's go."

*****

Rex Avery was waiting for them when Chet walked Devon to the door. He gently hugged his goddaughter. "I was worried about you, Sweetheart. I feel bad for what I said at the hospital."

"I didn't cause those accidents." Devon insisted evenly.

"I know. I talked to the officer that was at the hospital earlier. He says your brake line had been cut. I know you aren't capable of doing that. I never should have doubted you. Will you forgive me?"

Devon smiled. "Of course I do. I know you were just worried about me." She turned to Chet and once more kissed his cheek. "Thanks again for everything. I'll call you tomorrow."

Chet smiled. He hoped it wasn't obvious that his heart was thumping wildly against his chest. "Call sooner if you just need to talk or something."

Devon's cheeks turned rosy once again as she watched Chet turn around and retreat down the walk. It was only after he was in the Hardy van and Joe had pulled out of the driveway that she turned to face her godfather. He looked at her, his expression unreadable.

"The two of you have gotten close I see."

This time her smile lit up her eyes. "Uncle Rex, for the first time in my life I feel like I am liked - maybe even loved - for who I am. Chet likes me warts and all and I'm not standing in 'Laney's shadow."

Rex gently squeezed Devon's shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "I'm happy for you, my dear. I really am. I just don't want to see you hurt."

Devon laughed, the sound both foreign and wonderful at the same time. "Don't be silly. Chet is a great guy. He could never hurt me. And what's even better, he and his friends are determined to help me find out who killed Mom and Dad."

*****

"So you haven't heard from your dad yet." Chet frowned into the phone. It was almost ten and he was hoping Frank and Joe had found something - anything - that would help Devon.

"No but we left word at the hotel for him to call as soon as he comes in." Frank paused. "So things are good between you and Devon."

Chet blushed and smiled. "Joe told you, huh?"

"Yeah. I'm happy for you Chet. You deserve to be happy and Devon seems like a great person. I think you'll both be good for each other."

A beeping alerted Chet to a second call. He glanced at the caller ID and grinned. "Hang on Frank, Devon's on the other line." He hit the flash button. "Hello."

"Chet?" It was Devon's voice but she sounded upset and odd.

"Hey, Devon. Is something wrong?"

"Chet, help me."

The boy's blood ran cold. His pulse rate quickened. "You know I will. What's wrong? What's happened?"

"I can't believe I was so stupid. Please help me, Chet. I don't want to die."