Read Online The Deadliest Dare by Franklin W. Dixon - Free Book Online
Authors: Franklin W. Dixon
Ads: Link
in two days."
"All we have is your word on that."
Branders gave Joe a thin smile. "That's about the best guarantee you can hope to get, right now. But I keep my word," he said. "So just relax, don't try to escape—and I won't have to kill you."
When Jeanne realized he was serious, she started crying again.
"By the way, Joe," Branders went on, "why not keep your detective theories to yourself? There's no need to upset this innocent young lady. Talk about homework or music — something safe." "You're going to be outside listening?" "Someone will, around the clock." Joe nodded, saying, "That's sure comforting.
Branders glanced over his shoulder and spoke to someone as yet unseen. "Get in here and tie these two up. The less they can move around, the better I'll feel."
***
Meanwhile Frank hung from the window, staring down at a thickset man of about thirty-five who stood in the high weeds directly under him. The guy was almost completely bald, his fringe of hair and droopy mustache almost the color of straw. In his right fist was a .45 automatic. It was pointed straight at Frank.
"Now, here's what I'd like you to do, kid," he said. "Just drop on down here. Then I'm going to turn you over to some friends of mine for a little chat."
"Hey, mister, don't turn me over to the cops," Frank pleaded, faking a shaky, scared voice. "I didn't mean any harm. And you can see, I didn't steal anything."
"It's not the cops I'm taking you to, punk."
"You're not going to tell my folks?" Frank started to shake as he clung to the sill. "I've never done this before, honest."
"Are you going to get down here? Or do I have to shoot you off?"
"D - don't shoot! I mean, hey, I didn't swipe a single thing. I was just — "
"Look, kid, I'm getting awful tired of this. Just do like I tell you and drop down here." The man's gun wavered a little in annoyance, and Frank took his chance.
He came down, all right, but not in the way the gunman expected. Releasing his hold on the window ledge, Frank kicked hard against the wall with both feet.
That sent him out, as well as down. He landed right on top of the surprised thug.
Even as he was flying through the air, Frank was lining up his first blow. As they fell to the ground in a tangle, Frank's hand reached out for the gunman's wrist.
But the thug was strong. Before Frank knew what hit him, the blond guy had the gun muzzle pressed against Frank's forehead!
Chapter 11
Joe, tied in an antique wooden chair with more of the same plastic line, scanned the ceiling of the cluttered storeroom. He couldn't see anything that looked like a video camera. That meant Branders and his thugs could only hear what was going on, not see Joe or Jeanne. "You go to Miss Sheridan's School, don't you?"
The dark-haired girl was still on the sofa. But now her hands were tied behind her and her ankles were bound. "Are you really going to carry on some dumb conversation like that guy suggested?"
Joe winked as broadly as he could. "Well, we'll be stuck here for two days, Jeanne. Might as well pass the time as pleasantly as we can."
"I don't believe you, Joe Hardy. I thought at least — "
He shook his head and winked again. "Come on, I know when I'm beaten."
Jeanne stared at him for a long moment, then nodded back. "Well, maybe you're right."
"I hear it's a pretty good school."
"Not really. It's boring, very strict, and there are no boys. It was my mother's idea, sending me there."
"What are you taking?" After speaking aloud, Joe mouthed another sentence, "I'm going to tip this chair over — make it break." It was barely a whisper.
"Isn't that danger — I mean, I'm taking English. I hate it, though, because I have to read and write so much."
"What else do you take?" He mouthed, "Keep talking to cover the noise."
"Oh, political science. I really like that. I read the Bayport Times every morning."
"After I fall and get clear, start screaming," he whispered.
"Yes — uh, I think it's the duty of our
"All we have is your word on that."
Branders gave Joe a thin smile. "That's about the best guarantee you can hope to get, right now. But I keep my word," he said. "So just relax, don't try to escape—and I won't have to kill you."
When Jeanne realized he was serious, she started crying again.
"By the way, Joe," Branders went on, "why not keep your detective theories to yourself? There's no need to upset this innocent young lady. Talk about homework or music — something safe." "You're going to be outside listening?" "Someone will, around the clock." Joe nodded, saying, "That's sure comforting.
Branders glanced over his shoulder and spoke to someone as yet unseen. "Get in here and tie these two up. The less they can move around, the better I'll feel."
***
Meanwhile Frank hung from the window, staring down at a thickset man of about thirty-five who stood in the high weeds directly under him. The guy was almost completely bald, his fringe of hair and droopy mustache almost the color of straw. In his right fist was a .45 automatic. It was pointed straight at Frank.
"Now, here's what I'd like you to do, kid," he said. "Just drop on down here. Then I'm going to turn you over to some friends of mine for a little chat."
"Hey, mister, don't turn me over to the cops," Frank pleaded, faking a shaky, scared voice. "I didn't mean any harm. And you can see, I didn't steal anything."
"It's not the cops I'm taking you to, punk."
"You're not going to tell my folks?" Frank started to shake as he clung to the sill. "I've never done this before, honest."
"Are you going to get down here? Or do I have to shoot you off?"
"D - don't shoot! I mean, hey, I didn't swipe a single thing. I was just — "
"Look, kid, I'm getting awful tired of this. Just do like I tell you and drop down here." The man's gun wavered a little in annoyance, and Frank took his chance.
He came down, all right, but not in the way the gunman expected. Releasing his hold on the window ledge, Frank kicked hard against the wall with both feet.
That sent him out, as well as down. He landed right on top of the surprised thug.
Even as he was flying through the air, Frank was lining up his first blow. As they fell to the ground in a tangle, Frank's hand reached out for the gunman's wrist.
But the thug was strong. Before Frank knew what hit him, the blond guy had the gun muzzle pressed against Frank's forehead!
Chapter 11
Joe, tied in an antique wooden chair with more of the same plastic line, scanned the ceiling of the cluttered storeroom. He couldn't see anything that looked like a video camera. That meant Branders and his thugs could only hear what was going on, not see Joe or Jeanne. "You go to Miss Sheridan's School, don't you?"
The dark-haired girl was still on the sofa. But now her hands were tied behind her and her ankles were bound. "Are you really going to carry on some dumb conversation like that guy suggested?"
Joe winked as broadly as he could. "Well, we'll be stuck here for two days, Jeanne. Might as well pass the time as pleasantly as we can."
"I don't believe you, Joe Hardy. I thought at least — "
He shook his head and winked again. "Come on, I know when I'm beaten."
Jeanne stared at him for a long moment, then nodded back. "Well, maybe you're right."
"I hear it's a pretty good school."
"Not really. It's boring, very strict, and there are no boys. It was my mother's idea, sending me there."
"What are you taking?" After speaking aloud, Joe mouthed another sentence, "I'm going to tip this chair over — make it break." It was barely a whisper.
"Isn't that danger — I mean, I'm taking English. I hate it, though, because I have to read and write so much."
"What else do you take?" He mouthed, "Keep talking to cover the noise."
"Oh, political science. I really like that. I read the Bayport Times every morning."
"After I fall and get clear, start screaming," he whispered.
"Yes — uh, I think it's the duty of our
Similar Books
![Saved by Sin [Paladin Protection Agency 1] (Siren Publishing Classic)](https://fs.dianahicksbooks.com/624672/thumbs/152x264/saved-by-sin-paladin-protection-agency-1-siren-publishing-classic.png)
