Witness to Murder (12 page)

The lot was full of police officers and spectators, although the police officers were trying to keep the onlookers pushed back. Fenton Hardy stood beside Frank, the two of them watching, wondering what to do.

"I'm fine, Frank," Joe called loudly, trying to act casual and put the police at ease. "I'm taking the Nova to help Annie get to the airport, but wait for me before you go to dinner, Frank. I'm practically dying with hunger."

Frank's eyes widened for a second as he realized that Joe was trying to send him a message. He shouted back, "That figures. Will do." And he smiled, a little nervously. Whatever Joe had planned, his smile said, Frank would try to play along.

"Shut up, Joe," Annie said, poking him with the barrel of her gun and glancing at the policemen. "You're making me nervous. I'm sure you don't want me nervous with this gun in your back and my finger on the trigger."

Joe stopped talking, but when they were as close to Frank as they were going to get, he made his move. Suddenly he melted into a dead faint at Annie's feet.

At the same time, he rolled into her, pushing her backward and off balance. Her finger squeezed the trigger of the gun she held, but since her gun was pointed into the air, the shot zipped off harmlessly.

Frank was ready. He sprinted toward the pair. But just as he reached for Annie's gun, she regained her balance and took a step back, giving herself a split second in which to shoot.

As Frank's momentum propelled him forward toward the weapon, he looked up at Annie. Tense and trembling, she had the gun aimed at Frank's chest and her finger on the trigger. Her eyes met Frank's. In that instant he knew that no matter how much Annie wanted the diamonds and her freedom, she couldn't shoot the gun.

"Annie," Joe said off to the side. When she turned to him, Frank quickly chopped at her arm and she dropped the weapon. Then it was only a matter of Joe and Frank holding on to her, not an easy task, since she fought like a wild woman.

Officer O'Hara closed in with handcuffs. With her arms pinned, Annie finally realized she had lost.

It was a quiet foursome who stood at the police station after all the formalities had been taken care of. Cutter and his men were behind bars. Annie had surrendered the diamonds, and they would be handed over to Selden Brookshier, who would return them to the manufacturer who had ordered them.

Brookshier thanked the Hardys for their help on the case and apologized for treating them so roughly.

"We must avoid publicity in these cases, you understand," he said again, trying to justify his methods. "That's why I had to hit and run from the start. It's vital that not too many people know that millions of dollars' worth of diamonds are delivered all over the country every day. As far as Annie goes—well, you see I had to scare her to get her to lead me to the jewels."

Officer O'Hara made her way to where Callie, Frank, Joe, and Fenton Hardy stood. "Joe," she said with some difficulty, "I guess I owe you an apology." She put out her hand. Joe took it with no hard feelings. "Before I met you and your brother, I had the idea that teenagers couldn't be trusted. I guess I'd better revise my thinking."

"What about the charges against Joe?" Fenton Hardy asked.

"They've all been dropped," Officer O'Hara said. "Annie finally told us the whole story, clearing Joe. Phil Sidler was already dead when Annie pushed him in front of the van Joe was driving."

"Annie killed him?" Frank said in an astonished voice. He had figured out that Annie pushed Phil, but not that she'd killed him first.

"She had a gun in her purse," O'Hara explained.' 'She hit him in the back of the head with it. Then she pushed him so it would look like Joe ran over him."

"Those staring eyes." Joe's face, already grim, showed even greater grief. Although he was glad to hear the charges against him were dropped, he didn't want to hear that Annie was a murderer.

"I think she may have even planned it, Joe," Officer O'Hara said. "She definitely meant from the beginning to set you up. She's a regular Black Widow. I'm arresting her for first-degree murder."

Joe shook his head in utter disbelief, but said nothing.

"Joe, she asked if she could see you again," Officer O'Hara said. "It's all right with me if you want to see her."

Joe hesitated. Then he shook his head slowly again. "No — I don't want to see her."

"I think this case is finished," said Frank, taking Joe's arm. "Let's get out of here, Joe."

Frank steered Joe toward the front door of the police station after taking the car keys that Callie slipped into his hand. He smiled at her gratefully, knowing she understood that he and Joe needed time alone.

In the lot, they climbed into the car and sat quietly for a minute. Joe stared into space, utterly exhausted.

"Want something to eat, little brother?" Frank asked, starting the engine.

"It's funny," Joe said in a quiet voice. "I really am hungry. But I don't want pizza."

"Fine, pizza it's not. I'll surprise you."

"I may never eat pizza again. And remind me of one thing, Frank." Joe looked out the window at the growing darkness. "Not even to look at the waitress."

Joe spoke in a flippant manner, but Frank knew the remark covered a lot of pain. He also knew the pain would stay with Joe for a long time.

"Good idea, partner. We need to keep our minds on business anyway. And food. How does this sound - double cheeseburgers, fries, extra-creamy chocolate malts?"

"Mind-boggling." Joe smiled wearily.

The End.