Take A Chance On Me

Chapter 15

None of this was supposed to happen. If only she had stayed away from that man, then none of this would've happened. He never would've started targeting the Hardy's but his ultimate target was the last one to go for. Then she would have nothing and she'll have to come running back. 

'There was no way for her to know it's me.' He thought. 'I've covered my tracks, I've covered my face, I've made sure not to be facing any cameras. I knew exactly how to evade suspicion. I dated a detective for the better part of a decade.' 

For Ned, there was no way out of this. Frank Hardy had to go for Nancy to come running back to him. Who else would she go fo? Joe? No, even a blind bat could see they couldn't work together. They both would just act how Frank and Joe would act. Chet? No, he was a married man now with a family. Exactly how he had pictured himself with Nancy. She had decided to take that relationship ruining trip to Egypt. The one that had put him into this awful position. He didn't enjoy what he was doing but it was the only thing he could think of doing. 

They were supposed to be married at this point and she could've been pregnant with their first child, though it would've been hard to convince the infamous Nancy Drew to settle down and have children. Not for another couple of years but he could've convinced her to have kids. They had been together for 9 years, Ned had always thought that that would be the perfect time for them to have children. He was ready but Nancy's career had just fully started to go into full swing. She had just got promoted and was still working cases on the side. Still helping the Hardy Boys over in New York and vice versa with her. It wasn't hidden the three of them had the best chemistry. She couldn't even hide her true happiness with the brothers, especially when the eldest rang her in the middle of the night. It had happened on way too many occasions. 

Ned was sick of him. The quicker he got rid of Frank, the better. Ned and Nancy could live happily ever after and maybe when things settle down he could rekindle his relationship on the side with Sarah. Yes, Sarah. Maybe, just maybe, Ned could just move on from Nancy and start afresh with Sarah. 

No. Sarah was great but she wasn't Nancy. Sarah was always there though. She would always come home to him. Always without a doubt. Nancy was flaky like that. You didn't know where she was or even worst; who she was with. That's what annoyed him. If Nancy had just stayed away from Frank Hardy, neither of them would've been in this situation. 

In Ned's mind, none of this was his fault; he was too blinded by anger. All those late nights she had stayed awake, messaging that boy and seeing her face radiating. Nancy Drew had never looked at him the way her face brightened whenever Frank or Joe Hardy had called, messaged or showed up. She even kept that stupid teddy bear. Was it to remind her of what she was missing? What exactly was Frank Hardy giving her that he wasn't? Adventure? Action? Was he better in bed? God knows Sarah was better but that's when he was getting anything from Nancy. If she was too busy working late, she was on a different part of the planet or her head was up in the clouds.

Ned gently placed his gun on the side table and got up from his bed in the dingy hotel room. His parents had kicked him out of their home after they had found him with a firearm in their house. Understandable. It was their one rule and he'd broken it. He had to go grab his clothes from the laundry room. Nobody knows what could happen to his clothes if unattended for too long especially this part of town. 

He slowly made his way down, making sure to hide in the shadows to make sure he wasn't followed. Bright lights and sirens suddenly filled the sky and he jumped even further back into the shadows. Slowly walking into the laundry room, the news from the tv in the corner filled the room. Breaking News in a red banner and a bold letters filled the bottom of the screen. Ned didn't take any notice of it at first until he had faintly heard the news anchor explaining the description of the suspect.

'A white male, aged 25, medium build, brown hair and brown eyes,' it was at this point Ned turned up the volume. 'Authorities are led to believe that the suspects name is Ned Nickerson and that he is armed and very dangerous. I repeat, armed and very dangerous. If you do see the suspect, do not approach and contact authorities immediately. He has already targeted the respectful Hardy family bar famous detective Frank Hardy. More updates to come.'

Ned threw the remote at the window and watched it fall to pieces. How? HOW? How did they find out? He had covered his tracks in every possible way. This had pissed him off. Ned was enraged. He stormed off to his room and grabbed his gun.

This ended. Tonight.

Author's Note: this was a little different then the rest of this story but wanted to throw in Ned's perspective as well before this story came to a close.