Line of Fire (5 page)

***

The next morning dawned beautifully. The sky was clear, and the sun bounced pink light off the few clouds scudding by. A heavy dew covered the tall grass, and the whole world smelled fresh and new.

Frank Hardy sneezed, then picked up his binoculars. "This is stupid," he muttered for the tenth time. "And I'm freezing." He shivered in the dawn chill.

Frank and Joe were standing in the woods at about the same spot the hidden gunman had fired at them. Behind them was their van, pulled off the road and hidden among the trees. They had slogged through grass and weeds, the dew soaking their pants from the knees down. At last they'd found a vantage point where they could watch the Payson house. Every window was still dark.

"I've got half a mind to go down there and wake Denny up." Frank let the binoculars hang around his neck as he rubbed his arms, trying to warm them.

"I know how you feel," Joe said, throwing his arms out and cracking a big yawn. "But think you might be giving him just a little too much warning. We both agreed last night that he shouldn't know we were around "Yeah," Frank said glumly. "So we stand out here cold while he lies in bed."

"Where else could we pick him up?" Joe asked. "This is the only place where we know he'll be."

"Right," Frank agreed. "But this is going to get worse before it gets better."

Through the field glasses, they watched Denny and his mom enjoy breakfast — they had a perfect view through the kitchen window. Then Mrs. Payson left for work, and Denny went up to his room. The Hardys watched him work at his desk for a while. : Midmorning came, and Denny switched off the radio, headed downstairs, and got into his car.

"Get ready," Frank said, following Denny with his binoculars.

"I've got a quarter that says he turns left, heading for Bayport," Joe said, fading back to · start the van.

"Then, you're out twenty-five cents." Frank grinned as he tracked Denny's gray sports car making a right-hand turn onto the county road.

"Well, come on," Joe called as the van roared into life. "We don't want to lose him after all this."

They stayed well behind Denny's car as they started off, not wanting to advertise their presence. They hoped he wouldn't recognize the black van. They had spent some time changing its appearance after they had pulled off into the woods. Carefully applied bands of red and white tape gave the impression of pinstriping on the all-black exterior. And a pair of magnetic signs on the side panels identified the van as a delivery truck for Clover Cleaners.

Joe had even added a touch to partially obscure his face at the steering wheel. A pair of red fuzzy dice dangled from the rear-view mirror, and he pulled a baseball cap down to shade his eyes. Frank stayed in the back of the van; a cleaners that sent out a two-man delivery team might be noticed.

Joe moved a bit closer as Denny came to the first big intersection, but the gray car continued straight, farther away from Bayport "Where's he going?" Joe asked as they kept driving.

"I've got an idea," Frank said, bracing himself against Joe's seat. "If I'm correct, he'll be back in his car. He drove toward Bayport again. making a left soon. You should head over to the right."

They were passing a large industrial park, and sure enough, the gray car's lights flashed, indicating a left turn.

"Okay, pull past him, then turn into the parking lot of this fast-food joint. We can keep an eye on him from across the street there."

Joe coasted to a stop at the end of the lot. Denny's car was still in sight, stopped at the entrance gate. "The mystery is solved," Joe said, as he read the sign by the gate. "So this is the new home of Crowell Chemicals."

"According to the reports, it's one of the safest plants in the country," Frank said.

"Crowell must be awfully proud about it."

"Or awfully guilty about the last one," Frank added.

"Well, it doesn't look as though Denny's going to get a guided tour," Joe said as he watched.

Across the street, the gates were still closed in front of Denny's car. A security man in a brown uniform was shaking his head and pointing at something on his clipboard.

"Guess he's not on the welcome list," Frank said.

Finally Denny gave up arguing and climbed a long drive for a short visit." Joe started the van, watched the traffic, then pulled out smoothly behind Denny's car.

He held the van's speed down, letting Denny take a big lead, which was lucky. From out of another gate in the industrial complex roared a large dark green car, which slid in right behind Denny.

"The plot thickens," said Joe. "You think Denny's got himself another tail?"

"Well, it makes a change from the usual big black car," Frank said, joking. "Let's see what happens."

The car stayed almost on Denny's rear bumper. When he switched lanes, it pulled in right behind him. When Denny speeded up, so did the green car. When he slowed down, the new shadow didn't take the chance to pass.

"Get over in the fast lane," Frank said. "We'll pass both of them. I want a look at the driver of the green monster."

As Joe sped up, Frank headed to the rear of the van. He stood by the back window, positioning himself so he could see without being seen.

They were just passing the green car, and Frank had a clear view of the driver.

It was George.

"Well, well," said Frank. "It must be the butler's day off."

They passed Denny, and Frank went back up front. Joe was constantly glancing in the rear-view mirrors, keeping his targets in sight. "This is the hardest way to tail somebody," he said. "I hope they give us some notice if they decide to turn off."

Frank scanned the road before them. "Get behind that old station wagon ahead there. He's moving slowly enough to let them get past you again."

They drove almost to Bayport, Denny in the lead, Joe drawing near, then dropping back, and George carefully staying on Denny's tail. Together they got off the county road and drove up to a major intersection. Denny slid to a stop as the traffic light turned red. Then he roared across, running the light.

George never even had a chance to start. The cross traffic cut him off.

And for the Hardys, two cars back, pursuit was impossible.

"I told you we should have a helicopter rig for times like this," Joe said.

"It would make us too noticeable," Frank answered. "Besides, we haven't lost him yet."

"Oh, no?" Joe asked. "Well, that was the sweetest imitation escapes I've ever seen."

Frank grinned. "Stop thinking like a detective for a second and think like a real person. This is Clarendon Avenue. Who lives around here?"

The light changed, and Joe shot a look at his brother. "Barbara Lynch."

As George went roaring off in the direction Denny had taken, Frank and Joe headed straight for Barbara's house. A couple of minutes after they took a position on the corner, Denny's car pulled up. Barbara came running from her door, and the chase was on again.

For the rest of the day, the Hardys followed Denny and Barbara all over Bayport as they visited house after house. The same pattern repeated itself at each house. Denny's car would stop outside, Denny and Barbara would go in. A few minutes later they'd come back out, looking unhappy. Denny would make a mark on a piece of paper, and they'd be off again.

Inside the van, Frank was busy noting each address that Denny stopped at. After he'd collected a page full of addresses, he used the mobile phone to dial his father.

"I'm glad you're in, Dad," he said. "Could you use that special directory you've got to put a name to some addresses?"

Fenton Hardy laughed. "I thought that story you gave us sounded pretty fishy," he said. "What's up?"

"We're just keeping an eye on Denny, and I'd like to know who he's meeting." Frank read off a few of the addresses, and his father consulted the directory. The first three names he gave Frank were those of complete strangers, but the fourth rang a bell. "Catherine Gunther — that sounds familiar."

Suddenly he remembered a newspaper page, with the pictures of five men. One of them was Denny's dad, and the caption on another read ... "George Gunther," Frank said, snapping his fingers. "He was one of the people who died in the Crowell disaster. Thanks a lot, Dad." Frank hung up the phone.

Now Denny's wanderings made sense. "He must be trying to track down anyone who was at the fire," Frank said. "The plant would be the easiest place, but Lucius won't let him talk to anyone who's still working for the company. So Denny's trying ex-employees."

"But why visit Mrs. Gunther?" Joe asked. "He'd know Gunther was dead."

Frank shrugged. "Maybe they had friends who worked there. Who knows? At least we have a handle on what he's doing. He's looking for witnesses."

"And not finding any, from the look on his face," Joe added.

Denny and Barbara were looking very discouraged as they drove into downtown Bayport. They parked the car and then walked into the low-rent district. It was crammed against the commercial area, across the railroad tracks from the neat homes they'd been visiting.

Here they passed shabby frame houses with weed-filled front lawns and sagging porches. Some of the houses had been painted white in an attempt to spruce them up. Others had been painted gray or brown to hide the dirt. On most of them, the paint was peeling.

As Denny and Barbara walked along the cracked pavement, Frank and Joe followed far behind. They were afraid they'd be recognized instantly if Denny and Barbara turned around.

It was getting dark and the streetlights were just coming on. Frank didn't think they made the neighborhood look better.

Denny apparently agreed. He had stopped and was talking with Barbara, who was shaking her head. Barbara pointed back the way they had come, and Frank and Joe both became suddenly interested in the window display of a hardware store.

"Look," said Joe. "A sale on drills."

"Very funny," Frank answered. "We're going to look really smart when Denny starts walking Barbara back."

They stole a glance and saw that the discussion was getting warmer.

"No, I think Barbara has taken Callie Shaw lessons," Joe said with a grin. "She's going to walk back by herself."

Even as he was saying it, Barbara started walking. Denny reached out to stop her, then shrugged. The Hardys didn't have time for more. They had to get down a side street before Barbara recognized them.

TUrning the nearest corner, they walked halfway down the block. Then they turned, waiting for Barbara to pass by. She crossed the street and marched on at top speed, never once looking their way.

Immediately Frank and Joe headed back to the corner. "I hope we don't lose Denny because of this," Joe said.

"I hope Denny isn't staring after her and sees us coming around," Frank replied. Before they reached the corner, they stopped, seeing a familiar bulky figure diagonally opposite from them. It was George, leaning against a building Somehow, he had caught up with Denny and Barbara. But as he stepped away from the building, his eyes weren't trained in the direction Denny had gone.

No, he was looking the other way, the way he started walking a moment later.

After Barbara Lynch.