EDITING: Politics and Poison

Chapter Five: Some Hearts Break, Some Hearts Stop

Nancy Drew: When Ned re-entered the restaurant, he was fuming. He gathered his wallet and keys , without looking at anyone. "Nancy, we're leaving." He addressed me, as if I were a child. 

"Fine," I said. "But you're not driving. You've drunk too much."

He looked mean, ready to argue with me. But he glanced around and saw my father and his friends, all watching curiously. Silently, he grit his teeth and handed me his keys. 

The drive to my place was tense. I didn't ask where he wanted to go. I just knew that all I wanted at that moment, was to lock myself in my room and fall onto my bed, scream into my pillow. I parked by the curb, in front of my dark, empty house. Hands still upon the wheel, I turned my face to look at my boyfriend, who was slumped against the window.

"Okay Ned; what gives?" I asked.

His nostrils flared. "How can you ask that? Frank Hardy just walked into our lives again."

"He hasn't been in our lives for the past three years, and yet, every day, you've had a problem," I said evenly. "So why don't you tell me what it is?"

"Cut it out!" he snapped.

"Cut what out?"

"The diplomacy, the calm. Stop acting like your Dad, the fucking lawyer, the calculated detective, for just one second!" he exploded.

"There. That's the problem, isn't it?" I demanded. "You always want me to be someone I'm not. Each day, you wish I were a normal woman, who wanted to be your wife, the mother of your children. You'd be happy if I had a regular and safe nine to five job; wouldn't you? Well guess what. I'm not regular, and I never have been. I'm never going to be who you want. I'm Nancy Drew, daughter of a lawyer, training FBI agent. So if I don't know how to be anything but calm and calculated, excuse me."

"Frank Hardy told me I didn't know you," Ned hissed.

I held his gaze. "He was right."

"So, this is over, then?" Ned asked eventually. "You're going to go back to Virginia, and continue learning how to shoot like a man. Then, you're going to crawl right into Frank Hardy's bed."

I gave him a hard look. "You really don't know me, do you?"

"Or maybe I do. After all, you've done it before."

I pushed open the door, and felt the cold wind of the outside world, rush in like an icy wave. Before I closed the door, I said to him, "really Ned, it isn't any of your business anymore."

Joe Hardy: The next morning was chilled but clear. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. Nancy had already gone, with Carson and my father. She'd left her keys on the kitchen bench, however, and a note that said I could drive her blue mustang convertible if I wanted.

So after a quick breakfast of toasted crumpets and jam, I drove to the convention. When I arrived, McGuinness was giving an introduction to the convention, and Bess and Deirdre were walking through the crowd, handing out flyers and pamphlets, as well as 'show bags.' Taking one, I peered inside and noted that there was embossed stationary, paper and information. I was admittedly disappointed by the absence of cool gadgets and candy.

"Through the convention, we will be lucky to be fed by Matre'd's owner, Norman Gruen, and his team of wonderful volunteers," McGuinness was saying to the assembled crowd. "So please, after the first event of the day, join us for luncheon. But first, please give it up for Carson Drew, barrister, aware winning author, advocate for racial equality and member of the Chicago Bar Association."