Nowhere to Run (6 page)

"Thanks," Joe said as he jumped to his feet.

"Any time," Frank replied.

"Kill 'em!" yelled Switch as he held his broken wrist, his face twisted in anger and pain.

The remaining Sinbads backed Frank and Joe against the garage wall. Clubs were raised and chains spun in the air. The two Hardys were in a fight for their lives.

A roar split the air. Behind the Sinbads, Frank and Joe could see a black-clad cyclist bearing down on the group.

"Biker!" Joe shouted.

The cyclist turned and braked the bike, ramming the three Sinbads. The bikers yelled as they flew into the air. The cyclist twisted the throttle handle and darted away.

Taking advantage of the confusion, Frank and Joe knocked the three guys out.

The cyclist rode up to Frank and Joe.

"Nice going, Biker," Joe said as the cyclist shut off the engine. Then the cyclist unstrapped the helmet and pulled it off. Joe was stunned. "What?"

Long auburn hair fell from beneath the helmet.

"Sue!" exclaimed Frank with a laugh.

"Glad I could help," Sue replied as she stepped from the Harley.

Callie pulled up in her car behind Sue and jumped out. "Surprise!"

"How did you know to find us here?" Frank asked as he put an arm around Callie.

"I called your house and found out about Brandon. Then I called the hospital to check on him," Sue replied. "He suggested that while you two were checking this place out, I should go back to Queens and look at Frost's apartment. I called Callie and asked if she wanted to come with me."

"And I suggested we meet here and tell you two," Callie added.

"I'm glad you did," Frank said with a smile.

"Where did you get that other cut?" Callie asked when she noticed the scrapes left by Switch's brass knuckles.

"From him," Frank said, pointing to the unconscious Switch. "We met here last night, too. This morning was round two."

"We found some evidence that will clear Biker," Joe said as he picked up one of the watch boxes.

"Great," Sue replied.

"It doesn't clear Biker yet," Frank said. "First we've got to prove that these are the watches that were stolen, and then that Frost actually hijacked the shipment."

"You think Frost hijacked his own shipment and then framed Biker?" Callie asked.

"Stranger things have happened," Frank replied.

"Frost hated Biker after he kicked him out of the company cycle club," Sue said thoughtfully.

"We'll explain later," Frank said in response to Callie's puzzled expression. "Let's tie up these clowns and try to find Dad."

Callie called the police while Frank and Joe tied up Switch and his pals.

"Why did Brandon want you to check out Frost's apartment?" Frank asked Sue.

"He's never believed that Biker stole those watches, and he thinks that maybe Frost had something to do with the hijacking."

For the second time that day, Frank felt as though his mind were an open book.

"But why would Brandon send you to Queens? Why not Sims?" Joe asked.

"I don't know," Sue replied with a shrug. "Brandon just said he was going back to the motel room to rest."

"He's out of the hospital?" Frank asked.

"Checked himself out," Sue responded. "He claimed the hospital was too noisy and he couldn't get any rest."

"Did you hear him leave this morning when he went to meet Biker?"

"I heard a phone ring in the next room early this morning," Sue said. "It woke me up, but I was too sleepy to notice anything else."

"You didn't hear a cycle pull away?" Joe asked.

"I guess I went back to sleep," Sue said apologetically.

"She's not a sleuth like us," Callie said as she rejoined the group. "She doesn't distrust people the way we do."

Joe looked at Callie skeptically.

"Let's leave Callie's car and Sue's bike at the house," Frank suggested. "If we can't find Dad and Sims, we'll all go to Queens and search Frost's apartment."

While Callie looked for lunch stuff in the Hardys' kitchen, Frank tried to locate his dad and Sims. "No luck," he said to Joe.

"Don't you guys have anything besides fish sticks?" Callie yelled from the kitchen.

"No!" Frank shouted back. "Joe ate all the cold cuts last night."

"Brandon isn't answering his phone," Sue said as she returned from the den. She had tried to call Brandon on Fenton's private phone.

"He's gone?" asked Frank suspiciously.

"I doubt it," Sue replied. "He said the hospital gave him a pretty strong sleeping pill and he was going to take a taxi back. He's probably out like alight."

"You thinking that Brandon is involved in this somehow?" Joe knew his brother well enough to read his thoughts.

"Why not?"

Sue laughed. "Brandon Dalton doesn't have the guts to say boo to his own shadow. He's all good looks and air."

"Guess what?" Callie said as she emerged from the kitchen. "You guys will have to buy us lunch along the way — unless you want fish-stick sandwiches."

"We've got to get gas," Frank announced as they headed for the highway.

"Hey, remember what one of those Sinbads said to Switch?" Joe suddenly asked with a start.

"What?"

"They were supposed to meet Frost at Daryl's. That's the gas station on Tenth."

"That was a while ago," Callie pointed out.

"It's worth a try," Frank said as he turned the van down Tenth. "Maybe someone can tell us which way Frost went."

Daryl's was one of the last full-service stations left in Bayport.

"Why are you stopping here?" Callie asked as Frank pulled the van into a vacant lot across the street from Daryl's.

"Look." Frank pointed to a Harley parked by the gas pumps.

"Let's check it out." Joe hopped from the van before Frank could say anything.

"Wait here," Frank said to Callie and Sue. "That might not be Frost's bike."

Joe was kneeling beside the bike when Frank approached.

"Ever seen an oil leak like that?" Joe asked. Directly beneath the engine was a dirty black patch of oil.

"Must have been here awhile," Frank noted, "to leak that much oil."

"Not so long," Joe said. "The tank isn't filled yet." The nozzle was in the bike's gas tank, and the pump was still working.

"Can I help you guys?"

Frank and Joe spun round. The station attendant leaned against the doorway leading into the office, wiping his greasy hands on an even greasier T-shirt. Joe recognized him from school.

"Hey, Randy," he said with a friendly wave. "Know whose bike this is?"

"No." Randy walked over to Frank and Joe.

"Know where the guy is?" Frank asked.

"Why?"

"I've been looking for a bike like that." Joe forced a smile.

"That piece of junk! I thought you knew something about bikes," Randy scoffed.

Joe sighed. "Just tell us where he is."

Randy shrugged. "Guy said he was going to the bathroom." He turned and wandered back inside the office.

"I'll check around the side," Joe said. "Try to phone Dad. Maybe he's — "

Joe's last words were cut short by the blast of a gun. The bullet smashed glass on the pump next to Joe. Frank and Joe jumped behind the pumps.

"Where'd that come from?" Frank yelled.

"Over there!"

Frank followed Joe's pointing finger. A small-barrel .38 was sticking out around the edge of the building, held by someone wearing a black cycle helmet.

"What's going on out — " Randy began as he stepped outside the station office.

"Get back!" Joe shouted and jumped up, waving the attendant back.

Frank yanked Joe back down as the gunman fired again.

Two more shots quickly followed. The last bullet struck the gas hose leading to Frost's Harley. The rubber hose split in two and fell to the ground. Gas spread around the cycle and the island.

"The gas pump!" Frank yelled.

Joe reached over to shut off the pump, but before he could, a fourth shot rang out. The bullet hit the concrete, sending sparks in all directions and hitting the rapidly spreading pool of gas. The gas exploded.

In a fraction of a second, the entire island of pumps was enshrouded in bright blue flames— with Frank and Joe caught in the middle!

"WE'RE SURROUNDED!" Joe yelled as he held up his arms to protect his face from the flames.

A thick black plume of smoke rose into the air like a dark mushroom.

Frank spun around. Joe was right. Flames encircled them. Worse yet, the flames were getting thicker as more gas ran out. Running through the flames would mean getting seriously burned. But staying there would ensure a horrible death.

"The pump's going to explode!" Joe stared in horror as the fire ran up the split hose and engulfed the pump.

Frank spotted their one chance to escape.

"Over here, Joe!" he yelled above the crackle of the fire. He grabbed the faucet of the island's water hose and twisted it open. There was no way water could put out a gasoline fire, but ... he held the hose over his head until he was completely soaked then he turned it on Joe. "Ready?"

"Yeah," Joe replied.

"One, two, three."

The Hardys threw themselves into the flames and emerged singed but safe seconds later. Simultaneously, they rolled on the ground to smother any flames. Callie and Sue covered them with their jackets.

"You okay?" Joe asked as he brushed himself off.

Frank nodded.

Screams sounded from inside the station's office.

"Randy!" Joe yelled. "He'll be trapped inside."

Frank turned—to find Callie dashing into the small building. She grabbed the terrified attendant by the arm and tried to pull him toward the door. But Randy was crazy with fear. As Frank burst through the door, Randy's terrified thrashing had sent Callie spinning into a candy machine. She hit hard, gasped, and slid to the floor. Frank helped her up, grabbed the attendant, and began pulling him toward the door.

A sudden rush of air and heat hit Frank. He jumped back, watching helplessly as a wall of gas-fed flames rose up to block their only exit.

"We're gonna die!" the attendant screamed as he pulled away from Frank and ran to a corner of the office.

Frank grabbed a chair and threw it into the picture window on the side of the building. He dragged the attendant from the corner and hurled him out, sending him staggering to safety. Callie wobbled to her feet. Frank put his arm around her and both scrambled through the broken window.

Joe rushed forward to grab the dazed attendant. All four sprinted away from the building.

A loud crack shattered the air as the pumps exploded. The concussion and blast slammed them all to the ground. Thick black smoke rolled over them and began to choke them. Frank and Callie crawled away from the smoke as Joe and Sue dragged Randy away from danger.

Seconds later the gas station was surrounded by fire engines, police cars, and ambulances. Half an hour later the fire was extinguished, leaving the station a charred skeleton.

"Are you boys okay?" asked Officer Con Riley with concern. He had arrived with the fire engines and had waited till the paramedics had checked Frank, Joe, and Callie over.

"Yes," Frank replied. "But I don't think I'll want to roast hot dogs anytime soon."

"Mind telling me what happened here?" Officer Riley asked.

Frank hesitated, then explained that he, Joe, Callie, and Sue had been looking for Frost when they spotted his cycle at the gas station. "Next thing we knew, someone was shooting at us," Frank finished his story.

"And you think it was Frost firing at you?" Con asked.

"Yes," Joe said without hesitation. "We had a run-in with some members of his gang earlier. He knew we were on his tail."

"Hey, Con, come over here and look at this!" a fire fighter yelled as he pointed into a ditch next to the station.

"You four stick around. I'm not through getting your statements," Con Riley said as he walked toward the fire fighter.

"Shouldn't we tell him about the watches you and Frank found at the Sinbads' garage?" Sue asked Joe.

"Not yet," Joe replied. "The watches by themselves don't prove Frost was in on the hijacking. We need to check out Frost's apartment first."

"Frank, Joe, come over here," Officer Riley shouted.

Frank and Joe walked over to the ditch.

"Know who he was?" Officer Riley asked, pointing into the ditch.

They saw the body of a dead man with a switchblade in his back. On his left forearm was a tattoo of a snowflake with a blood-drenched knife sticking through it. But Frank stared at the gaunt, scarred face.

"It's Nick Frost, isn't it?" Frank asked.

"Right you are," Con replied. "Know how he got here?"

"No," Joe said quickly.

"I guess someone else must have been shooting at you two," said Con Riley. He walked down into the ditch and knelt beside the body. "What's this?" he asked, pulling a wallet from beneath the body. He opened it, took out a driver's license, and then stood. "You two know somebody named Robert Conway?"

Frank and Joe looked at each other with stunned expressions.

"He's a friend of ours," Frank finally said.

Officer Riley signaled for Randy to join them, then gestured at Frost's body. "Is this the man who came in to get gas?" he asked the attendant.

"Y - yes," Randy answered. His face went pale when he looked at the dead man.

"See anybody else?"

"Another guy on a bike pulled up after he did," the attendant replied.

"What did he look like?" Joe asked. He glanced at Con Riley, who didn't appreciate Joe's butting in.

"I couldn't tell. He had on a black helmet and a black leather motorcycle jacket and pants."

The attendant looked at Con Riley. "Can I go now? I think I'm going to be sick."

Officer Riley nodded, and the attendant hurried away.

"Conway," Con Riley said thoughtfully. "I arrested him about three years ago for buying stolen motorcycle parts. He's an escaped con, isn't he?"

"He's as innocent now as he was three years ago," Joe rapped out.

Officer Riley, tapping the license against his hand, looked skeptically at Joe. "The description we have at the station says he rides a new Har-ley."