Nearing the teenager, Vanessa watched as the girl stopped at the guard rail.

"Don't do this," she said.

"Why not?" Melissa replied. "It's what I did to Sara. It's what I did to Miss Lawson. Well, sort of. Why shouldn't I do it for me? Besides, if I'm gone, Maggie can tell the truth and they'll let her out of jail."

Vanessa edged closer, watching the hand that held the knife. "It's Vanessa." When she saw the confusion in the girl's eyes, she elaborated. "My name. You said you didn't know my name. It's Vanessa." She took a deep breath. "I just wanted you to know, that if you're dead, they won't have anyone to corroborate Maggie's story. She could still end up going to prison for those deaths."

"No," Melissa said, facing to Vanessa. "I told Nancy the whole truth. How I got into a fight with Sara and pushed her over the bluffs. I didn't mean to, but that doesn't really matter, does it? I told her why I killed Miss Lawson, too. She can back up Maggie's story." She turned and put one foot on the bottom guard rail.

"Wait," Vanessa said, getting within arms reach of the girl. "Before you bet you're sister's life on the police listening to Nancy Drew, maybe I better tell you what Nancy did near this very spot five years ago."

Melissa placed her foot back on solid ground. "Did she hurt someone, too? You just said I could trust her."

"No," she shook her head. "It's not that, exactly. It's just that the police chief here isn't her biggest fan. I'm not sure he'll hear her out." Vanessa began to relate what had happened along the bluffs. How Nancy had wrecked her car, then disappeared into the night, leaving the police to assume she was dead. How hurt her friends had been, thinking the worst. How Joe had blamed himself, and had eventually left. Leaving only to discover Nancy alive in California, and getting her involved in a mystery that tied back to something Frank had been working on, which eventually brought her back into Frank's life.

"She's back here now, with Frank and Joe. She made some major mistakes, Melissa. But she owned up to what she did and she's working through it now. She's trying very hard to regain the trust of her family and friends."

Melissa's voice quivered. "But she didn't kill anyone."

"No, she only let her friends and family think she was dead for five years. And kept Frank from knowing that he had a little girl. But that's still not good, is it?"

"But..." she looked lost now. "They couldn't put her in prison for that, could they? Or in an institution? They can me."

Vanessa shrugged. "I'm not sure. She did break some laws in order to disappear. I mean, she was living under an assumed name. I think that her father, who's a lawyer, and Mr. Hardy both helped to smooth the way to help her reassume her own life." Melissa stood quietly, lost in thought.

Vanessa reached out and took the knife from her, tossing it out to the churning waters below. "You realize that I could have taken that for several minutes now, don't you?"

The girl nodded mutely. "Vanessa? I don't want to go to prison." Tears were coursing down her cheeks.

Vanessa took her in her arms and slowly sank to her knees with the girl. "And we'll do everything we can to prevent that from happening."

"You're kidding, right?" Joe asked. Nancy had just finished relating everything that Melissa had spilled, along with her theory that Melissa planned to jump to her death from the cliffs. Disbelief showed in his eyes. "Do you seriously think that Melissa's going to take her own life?"

Jeff answered for her. "She isn't kidding, Joe. Trust me when I say that Melissa is just crazy enough to do that. She's been slowly going over the edge for the past year. She never meant to kill Mrs. Taylor. That was an accident. But she needed help to work through it and thanks to Maggie covering it up, Melissa never got any help. And it's been eating away at her for two years, slowly driving her nuts. Literally. I would know. I‘ve been dating her."

Nancy resisted the urge to glance back at Jeff as she merged her car into the light evening traffic on the highway that led to the bluffs. "How long have you known that she was responsible for the death of Sarah Taylor?"

He grimaced. "Since last spring. She needed to talk to someone about it, so she told me."

"And you haven't told anyone else this until now?" Nancy asked.

"No, she begged me not to. She was afraid of what might happen to Maggie for covering it up."

"This is what Jeff was fighting with Melissa about that day at school," Joe said. "They'd been arguing for days over what she needed to do when it finally came to blows."

Jeff sighed in the backseat. "After that, I didn't bring it up again. She was already starting to pull away from me and I didn't want to lose her. I figured that I could try to keep an eye on her. If she started to come unglued, maybe I could find a way to get her some help." There was a slight quiver in his voice as he continued. "I messed up though. I totally missed the signs that she was losing it. If I'd told someone what I knew, maybe Miss Lawson would still be alive."

Despite the fact that part of Frank wanted to throttle this boy for not immediately telling someone in authority about what Melissa had done to Sarah Taylor, he still felt sorry for him. After all, Jeff was still just a kid himself, not even out of his teens. He had done what he'd thought was best for his girlfriend. Regardless of how stupid it was, his heart had been in the right place.

"You might as well quit beating yourself up over this," Frank told the boy. You had no way of knowing just how much damage Sarah's death had done to Melissa. It would have taken a qualified professional in the psychiatric field to have figured that one out." He started to say more, but was cut off as Nancy whipped around on a sharp curve as they neared the bluffs.

"Um, take it easy up there guys," Frank said.

Nancy's hands gripped the steering wheel as she took another curve. "I know what I'm doing," she replied.

As she whipped around yet another curve, Frank leaned forward. "Maybe you should pull over and let me drive," he offered.

Nancy slowed a tiny bit as she answered him. "Are you questioning my driving skills, Hardy?"

"I just want get to there alive," Frank said.

"Sit back and let her drive," Joe told him. "The clock may be ticking for Vanessa. There's no telling what Melissa plans to do with her. Especially if she's going to kill herself. She's got nothing left to lose." I just hope she doesn't plan on making Vanessa drive them right over the bluffs, he added silently.

"Quit worrying," Nancy said as she easily negotiated the next tight curve. "I'm a graduate of Los Angeles traffic and the California freeway system. I can handle this road quite well. Now." Easing up on the gas, Nancy recognized the stretch of road she was currently on. In the back of her mind, she saw darkness rather than late afternoon sunlight and heard the roar of rain, along with the rhythmic beat of the windshield wipers as her Mustang tore much too quickly along this same road late at night five years ago. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she recognized Vanessa's car parked at an angle mere yards from where she'd skidded into the guard rail on that awful night. Of course, they had to pull off the road here. Sara's death couldn't have happened further on up the road, Nancy thought to herself as she gently pressed the brakes to slow her car.

Joe was already untangling himself from his seatbelt and flinging open the door as Nancy pulled off the road next to Vanessa’s car. Spotting Vanessa kneeling by the guardrail, holding on to someone, he broke into a run. "Vanessa!" he cried out. He could hear the footsteps of the others behind him.

As he reached his girlfriend, he stopped short in amazement. Vanessa knelt on the ground, holding a sobbing Melissa in her arms. There was no knife in sight. Melissa visibly stiffened as the others approached. Vanessa tightened her grip and murmured quietly to the girl.

"It’s ok, Melissa," she whispered softly. "They’re not going to hurt you. They’re only here to help."

Joe cautiously bent down next to the pair. "Are you alright?" he asked Vanessa.

She nodded as she stroked the young girl’s hair. "I’m fine, Joe. Melissa never intended to hurt me, did you Melissa?"

Melissa lifted a tear stained face. "No. I just wanted it to be over." She looked at Nancy. "I’m didn’t mean to hurt you, either."

Nancy gave the girl a serious look. "You didn’t. My shoulder and arm will probably be a mass of bruises tomorrow, so I won't be wearing anything sleeveless for awhile, but otherwise I’m fine." She looked up as the sirens sounded in the distance. "That would be our back up," she said. Fear filled Melissa’s eyes, but she didn’t move from Vanessa’s arms.

"They’re going to have to take you back to the station," Frank told Melissa. "What you’ve done is very serious. Do you understand that?"

Melissa nodded, her eyes wide and solemn. "If I tell them everything, will they let Maggie go home?"

Frank wanted to reassure her that Maggie would be clear, but found that he couldn’t lie to her. "I don’t know, Melissa. When Maggie covered up Sara’s death, she broke the law. And it was illegal for her to confess to crimes that she didn't commit." As the tears began to flow again down Melissa’s cheeks, he sighed. "Look, Melissa, she did it because she loved you. Maybe a judge will take that into account. Then she won’t have to stay in jail a long time."

Flashing red lights reflected off the railing as two patrol cars pulled in by the group of young people. Con Riley stepped out of the first car and approached them.

"Why am I not surprised? My first day back and I find you two gentlemen right in the thick of some kind of trouble. Guess Bayport’s back to normal now that it’s two most famous sons have returned home. Or should I have said infamous? " he finished with a grin.

Frank met his grin with one of his own. "Where have you been? Joe and I figured we’d have run into you before now."

"On vacation, of course," Con told them. "I heard you two were back in town." He noticed Nancy. "Make that you three. I figured I’d better get that vacation time used up now before you keep me so busy that I can’t find the time for it." Shifting his weight from one foot to another, he peered at Vanessa, who was now helping Melissa to her feet. "One of you guys want to tell me what we have here?"

Frank explained to Con and the other officers what had transpired during the past few days with the case that he and Joe had been working on. Con listened intently, never looking away from Melissa, who now stood in front of him with her eyes downcast. Vanessa kept an arm around the girl, half afraid that Melissa might attempt to bolt. Her fears were unfounded, though. Melissa never moved. Not even when Con pulled out his handcuffs.

As Con assisted Melissa into the back of the patrol car, she finally spoke. "Can Vanessa come with me?" she asked.

Con shook his head firmly. "Sorry. She can’t. I’m sure she’ll be at the station, though. I’m going to need her to give a statement concerning what happened this evening." He closed the door and shook his head in amazement.

Nancy stepped forward. "Melissa, I can still get that lawyer if you want him. I promise, he's one of the best."

Melissa looked at her in amazement. "Even after I did what I did?"

Nancy nodded. "I told you that I wanted to get you help. I know he'll do that. He always wants what's best for his clients."

"Are you sure he'll help?" she whispered.

Nancy nodded. "I think he'll stand by you if I ask him just right. He’s stood by me for a really long time."

Melissa smiled slightly. "You're talking about your father, aren't you? You'll really ask your father to help me?"

"Yeah," Nancy said, wondering how Melissa knew her father was a lawyer. Melissa's smile widened.

"You know, you were wrong earlier, Nancy. I think I could use you as a friend. Even if we're not the same age."

Joe was walking Vanessa back to her car as Con stepped towards them, to remind them meet him at the police station. "I must say, Vanessa, that I’ve never had a suspected murderer request that their hostage ride with them in the police car. You must have made quite a connection with her."

Vanessa smiled wanly. "She may be a murderer, but she’s also a confused, scared kid. A kid who is in need of help. I talked her down tonight. Kept her from killing herself. That’s all."

He smiled. "I’d say that’s a pretty important connection. Maybe you should have went into counseling troubled teens." He winked at Vanessa. "Of course, keeping that guy in line may be all the trouble you want to deal with right now. I’ll see you two at the station." With those final words, he turned and got into the patrol car.

"Would you listen to that?" Joe grumbled. "Everyone gives me a hard time."

Vanessa laughed as she kissed him on the cheek. "It’s because you have such a great sense of humor. And because everyone loves you." She dropped her car keys into his hand. "Not as much as me though. Care to drive?"

"Don’t mind at all," Joe said, grinning. "Anything for the woman that loves me. And that I love right back." He waved to Frank as they prepared to drive off.

Jeff had been silent all this time, watching from a distance. After speaking to the officers, he walked over to Frank and Nancy. "Um," he began. "I’m going to go with those guys. They want me to give a statement about what Melissa told me. You know, about Mrs. Taylor’s murder. Thanks for letting me come along. I needed to know that Melissa’s ok."

Nancy leveled a gaze at Jeff. "She’s safe, Jeff. However, I’m not sure she’s okay. It’s going to take a lot of counseling before anyone will be able to safely declare that she’s okay."

"I know," he said. "Still, thanks to you guys, she’s going to get help." He joined the officers in the second patrol car.

As the car left, Frank turned to Nancy. She was staring out at the water, watching the sky turn a dusky blue. He frowned, wondering what she was thinking. He opened his mouth to ask if she was okay, but instead found himself asking "Are you ready? The Chief’s going to want statements from us, too."

She sighed and gave the water one last glance. "Yeah, let’s go." Turning around, she headed for her car and got into the front passenger seat. Frank gave her a quizzical look.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

She leaned back against the headrest as he opened the driver’s side door. "I’ve done enough driving for today. It’s your turn." She faced him and smiled. "Just be careful of those curves, Frank. They can be real killers."

By the time Chief Collig had everyone's statements and had sorted out truth from fiction, darkness had settled. They'd all set out for the Hardy's house, knowing full well that Laura would expect to see that her sons were still in one piece now that they'd wrapped up yet another case.

After listening to the events of the day, and feeding the exhausted crew, Laura and Gertrude decided that no one was going home that night.

As Nancy started to voice her reasons to head on home, Frank stopped her. "Believe me, Nan. I've had twenty-six years of experience with this. When their minds are made up about something, it's best to go with the flow. You won't win the argument. Besides, Laurie's already asleep." He directed her attention at their little girl, sound asleep on the couch. "Why wake her up, just to take her home and put her back in bed?"

It didn't take Laura long to get Nancy and Vanessa set up in Frank's old room. Frank was sent to bunk with Joe for the night. As he got ready for bed, he told his brother, "Isn't it amazing how quickly our parents can reduce us to kids again?"

Joe chuckled and sprawled out on left side of the bed. "Yeah, but what's more amazing is how quickly they can reduce Vanessa and Nancy into kids. The way they guilt tripped those two into staying the night, you'd think they raised them, instead of Andrea Bender and Carson Drew."

Frank slept restlessly. Hearing footsteps in the hallway, he raised his head to glance at the bedside alarm clock. 4:45 A.M. Getting up, he threw on his t-shirt and went to investigate.

Following the sound through the house, he glanced at his sleeping daughter, curled up on the couch. He held his breath in quiet amazement and reflected on how quickly she'd worked her way into his life - and his heart. Leaning down to pull the blanket she'd kicked off, around her, he heard the sound of a car starting up outside.

Going outside, he saw Nancy backing out of the driveway. Taking the steps two at a time, he reached car as she pulled into the street.

Peering through the window at her, her face bathed in moonlight, he frowned. "Where are you going this early in the morning," he asked.

She leaned across the seat. "I'm running off in the middle of the night - never to be seen again."

"Oh," Frank said, opening the door and getting in next to her. "Now you're a comedian. Seriously, Nan. What's up?"

She glanced away from him. "I'm going demon hunting." Putting the car in drive, she started down the street.

"Demon hunting?" he asked.

"Yeah. Tonight, out by the bluffs, I was nervous. I mean really nervous. I tried not to show it, but being back out there kind of rattled me. Then tonight, I had that dream again."

"Dream?" Frank was confused.

"Yeah," she sighed. "I used to have these dreams all the time, where I relived the accident. Sometimes you were in them. Sometimes you weren't. But the rest was always the same. I was back at the bluffs. Except in the dream, the car was always heading toward me, blinding me with its headlights as it went over the edge. I haven't had it for several months."

"But tonight it came back?" Frank ventured.

Nancy shrugged. "With a vengeance. I thought that maybe I should go back out there and just, oh, I don't know. Stand there awhile maybe. See that it's over once and for all. Like I said, demon hunting."

Frank was silent for a moment. "You should've invited me along. Maybe I have some of my own demons that I could hunt down out there."

She smiled, her white teeth standing out in the darkness. "I made enough noise in the hallway and then again starting the car in the drive to wake the whole house up. Who says I didn't invite you?"

Frank smiled. As the pair reached the spot on the bluffs, Nancy killed the engine. Getting out, Frank walked to her side and opened the door. Taking her hand, the two walked to the spot where her car had taken the plunge from so long ago. Wordlessly, they stood there, watching as the darkness began to lighten and the first rays of sunlight spread out across the bay.

"Not so bad," Frank finally said, as the eastern horizon welcomed the new day with a growing array of color.

"No, it's a beautiful sunrise," Nancy said. "I'd forgotten how pretty sunrise can be here."

"I didn't mean that," Frank said. "I meant being here, at this spot. It doesn't hurt anymore. Not like it did."

Nancy turned. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to dredge up bad memories."

"No more apologizing," he told her. "Bad memories are meant to be dredged up. How else can we get over them if we don't. That was Melissa's problem. Maggie never allowed her to bring her bad memories up. Look what happened because of it."

Nancy shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself. "I know she killed Emma in cold blood, Frank, but I still feel sorry for her. In her own warped way, she was only trying to feel loved. By Maggie."

"I know," Frank said, putting an arm around her shoulder. As Nancy winced, he pulled the arm back slightly. "Didn't mean to touch that shoulder," he said. "I forgot."

"Don't worry about it," she said. "I hope Maggie gets the full punishment for what she did, though. It's really her fault this happened."

"And yet," Frank said. "She too, had her sister's best interest at heart. Covering up Sara's death was wrong, but she did it because she loved her sister. She'd do anything for her. I sort of understand that."

Nancy looked up in surprise. "Are you saying that if Joe killed someone, you'd break the law to cover it up?"

"I don't know," Frank said truthfully. "I'd like to think I wouldn't, but..." He gazed out at the water. "I can't say for sure that I would turn him in, either. I think it would depend on the circumstances."

Nancy shook her head. "Sibling bonds are quite deep, aren't they?"

"They can be," Frank said. "For some people, anyway."

"I feel like I've done Laurie a great disservice. If I'd stayed, who knows what would have happened. Maybe we would have gotten married and given her a brother or sister of her own by now."

"Oh, we would have definitely gotten married," Frank mused, thinking of the ring box still resting in the bottom of his sock drawer.

"I think she would have liked having siblings," Nancy said.

"Yeah, well we can work on that." Noticing the startled look she gave him, he quickly amended, "Not now, of course. Later - in a few years maybe." Smooth, Hardy, he thought. Real smooth.

Nancy laughed. "Watch it, Frank. Move that fast and people will start mistaking you for Joe."

"Yeah, well, maybe that would be a good thing." He looked down at her. "Maybe I should try being Joe once in a while. Maybe I'll try it now. How about this - Will you go out on a date with me tonight?"

Nancy furrowed her eyebrows. "So soon? What happened to taking it slow?"

Frank grinned. "We took it slow the last time, remember? Took us over a year to go out on an official date, as I recall. We were only going to go slow while we got to know each other again. Well, I know you. You're still the same Nancy Drew I once wanted to spend my life with. A little older, a little more mature, but still her. So how about that date?"

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm feeling inspired to start anew." Frank swept his hand out toward the water. "Look at that dawn. It's a new day, Nan. Let's really start out fresh."

"Well, can't argue with that," she said. She turned and started back toward the car.

"Where are you going?" he asked, following her.

"Back to your parent's house," she said. "Apparently I've got a date tonight." Winking at Frank, she finished. "If I'm going to look my best, I'm going to need some sleep, aren't I?"

He got in beside her. "Yeah, but you won't get any sleep there. I'm not the only one you woke up when you left."

"Oh?" she asked, heading back into Bayport.

"Nope. I saw Joe open the door as we pulled away from the house. Chances are, he'll be waiting up for us, just waiting to give us the third degree about where we've been."

"Let him," Nancy said with a grin. "I'll just tell him that he's a detective. He can figure it out."