‘Come in,’ she called. As Frank came into her office, she found herself blushing ever so slightly. It had been a shock to all of the staff to learn that Mark Franklin, 23 year old student teacher, was actually 18 year old Frank Hardy. Caroline had been even more shocked because she had felt herself falling for the young man! She had also fought to recall what she had said to Frank about Joe ‘Hooper’!

‘Ms. Jones,’ Frank began, but was cut off by her protest.

‘Oh for goodness sake, Frank! Call me Caroline! If you start treating me formally, I’ll feel even more ridiculous!’

Frank laughed with her and sat down. Caroline admitted to herself that he was very handsome with his regular hairstyle and clean-shaven face, minus the glasses. But the two things that had initially attracted her to him were still his most engaging features: his warm eyes and sincerity.

‘I just wanted to come by and thank you,’ explained Frank. ‘I know I was undercover and doing a job, but you were very helpful and made me feel welcome.’ He smiled as Caroline blushed slightly again. Despite the 6 years difference in age, there had definitely been some chemistry between them.

‘Frank, I have to admit this has all been so … awkward! To get to know you and like you, then to believe you had been killed, and then to discover it was all a set-up! How can you do this sort of work and not be affected by it?’

Frank smiled and then she saw his smile fade.

‘I love the job,’ he said quietly, ‘but I admit there are down sides to it.’

‘How is your brother?’ Caroline asked.

Frank looked up at her sharply. God, she was perceptive! Frank had told Joe that he was coming in to see Caroline and thank her, but Joe, it seemed, had still not forgiven him for the whole explosion incident. He had said he was going to spend some time with Vanessa.

‘He’s okay,’ sighed Frank. ‘He’s just not been very happy about some aspects of this case.’

Caroline leaned back in her chair, waiting patiently for Frank to continue.

‘He didn’t know about the staging of the explosion,’ Frank almost whispered.

Caroline frowned. ‘I didn’t think he did,’ she said. ‘When I recall the expression on his face after the blast, there’s no way anyone could pretend to be in that much emotional pain.’

Frank pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. There was no way he was going to start crying in front of this woman, but the tears were threatening to fill his eyes.

‘I’ve explained to him over and over that it wasn’t my idea. His girlfriend died a year ago in a car explosion that was probably meant for one of us. I wanted to tell him about the set-up, but I didn’t have any choice. Now I feel like he’s shutting me out and blaming me. He’ll eventually believe me, I guess. I just hope it’s soon.’

Frank spoke in a quiet, controlled manner. Caroline knew he was hurting and she was sure he didn’t deserve to. She sat deep in thought for a while and then opened her desk drawer. From a slim folder she took an essay and folded it in half. Reaching across her desk, she placed the folded paper in front of Frank.

‘Frank, in the two weeks that I’ve taught your brother, I’ve wavered between wanting to strangle him and wanting to give him an A! But of course I told Mark Franklin all about that!’

A hint of a smile showed on Frank’s handsome face.

‘It was pretty cool hearing a teacher describe how Joe can be infuriating,’ he admitted.

‘Joe Hooper left a wonderful essay on my desk the last day he attended my English class,’ Caroline explained. ‘I have graded it carefully and would like you to return it to him. I suggest you might like to have a read of it yourself first. Just to see if I missed any expression errors.’

Frank put the essay in his jacket pocket and stood up to leave.

‘Thank you for everything Ms… Caroline,’ he said, and extended his hand across the desk. Caroline shook his hand warmly, sad that this was probably the last time she would speak to Mark Franklin/Frank Hardy.

‘Take care of yourself,’ she said, ‘and each other.’