Hardy Boys - More Than Just The Fun Uncle

Good Morning, Joseph

A bit longer chapter for you guys! Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

Con Riley sat in the chair across from Frank, Callie and Vanessa, who were gathered together on the couch, awaiting the news of the test results. It had now been nearly twelve hours since they last met up with the officer. The results had come back a while ago, but they had all agreed to wait until Frank arrived to hear them.

"What can you tell us?" Frank asked, eagerly. The dread and fear of what the results would be, mixed with the excitement and hope of where it could lead them bubbled together to create a bittersweet feeling in the pit of his stomach.

If I had a dime for every time I've had this feeling, I might just have enough money to pay for all of Joe's hospital bills. Frank thought to himself. He almost smiled. Perhaps once they'd found him, it would be a mending joke in their relationship.

Con's voice drew Frank back to the problem at hand. "The only prints found on the phone were Joe's, which goes to confirm our original beliefs that the phone really is his. It can now be used as sure evidence in this investigation."

They had already known what the results would be on the phone. The real question was whose blood was left at the scene?

"And what about the blood?" Callie asked.

"Well, I've got good news and bad news." Con sighed. The 'good news bad news' thing was anything but unknown to the Hardy family. "We compared the extracted DNA to Joe's, but the results came back negative. It wasn't his."

Vanessa's worried voice spoke from the other side of the couch. "Then it was one if the girls'?"

Frank didn't voice it, but the same thought plagued his own mind as well. Their worries were soon put at ease, though, when Con spoke once more.

"It wasn't the correct blood type to be either of the girls', which means that the one who left it must be the perpetrator."

"So now we just need to find a suspect. We can pin him with the DNA." The news about the blood was great. It wasn't Joe's or the girls' so that eased one more thing off all their minds. "So where do we start? People who have an agenda against me or my brother? Or even dad, I suppose."

Con shook his head. "There will be no need. After the results came back negative on Joe, I decided to try running them through the database. We have a match to the blood."

Frank's eyes widened. A match? Already? "Let's investigate! Look into his connections or hideouts!"

"Mr. Hardy." The officer said, sternly. "I know you are eager to get this moving, but it will only take me longer to relay this information to you if you keep interrupting. I assure you that this investigation is being conducted professionally and thoroughly. If there's anything to find, we'll find it."

Frank took a deep breath and nodded. He could feel Callie's hand rubbing comforting circles on his back. The thought that he could lose his own little girl was more than he could bear, but he was glad that he didn't have to bear it alone. Ever since Callie entered his life, she was there for him. She may look sweet and fragile, but she was one of the fiercest, strongest people Frank knew and he was proud to call her his wife.

"If it was as simple as you are trying to make it, we would be searching right now and maybe even have found them." Con's face momentarily flickered with doubt. He tried to hide it, but Frank caught it right before the officer's face returned to its previous stone, unreadable expression. He knew something the Hardys didn't, and it wasn't anything good.