Read Online Witness to Murder by Franklin W. Dixon - Free Book Online
Authors: Franklin W. Dixon
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right on target this time. Or if not, you tell me why both Cutter and the tall man think Annie has the diamonds. Doesn't that strike you as strange, Joe? Face it, Annie isn't telling us the whole story. She's not only a girl dealing with a jealous boyfriend, she's a stranger with a gun and a mean karate chop — "
"If you're trying to convince me Annie's a jewel thief, forget it. I admit that everything doesn't fall into place, but Annie Shea is not a crook."
"You're not thinking, Joe."
"Yes. I am. And what's more, I've decided that Annie isn't staying in Bayport a minute longer. I'm going to take her someplace safe."
"Where? Dad wants us all to go down to the Bayport police station tomorrow, to tell them about everything that's happened. They specifically want to see you at ten o'clock. And then we'll probably have to talk to New York cops— since we were taken by Cutter and his goons there."
"I'm taking Annie upstate, Frank. That's it. Once I get her safely hidden away, I can work on the case and talk to the police."
"Joe, not being available to the police tomorrow morning is like admitting you're guilty. They'll think you skipped out on your bail. Dad could get in big trouble, too."
"Hold on, Frank." Joe started to move to the kitchen door. "I'll be back before they know I'm gone."
"I'm not going to let you go, Joe." Frank stepped in front of his brother.
Joe laughed. "You're not going to let me go? Out of my way, Frank. Please, get out of my way."
Frank faced him and realized what he knew all along — it would be impossible to stop his brother once he made up his mind to go.
"If you screw up, Joe, don't expect me to cover for you," Frank said to his back.
"I won't, Frank. I promise. And I will be back on time." Joe patted his brother on the shoulder and took off.
Frank banged his fist on the counter in frustration as Joe Hardy disappeared up the stairs.
Chapter 10
Joe knocked at Annie's door. "Annie, you asleep?"
"No, Joe. Come on in. What's wrong?" Annie sat on the side of her bed, still dressed, her suitcases unopened. "I've been trying to figure out what to do. I've already caused too much trouble."
"I have a plan, Annie. I'm glad you haven't unpacked anything. We're leaving here."
"Where are we going?" Annie stood up and slipped on her shoes.
"I have a friend who has a cabin upstate. There are a couple of small motels in the area. I'm going to take you up there and hide you out in a motel until this mess gets worked out. Then I'll come back for you."
Annie stared at Joe. "Joe, I told you I'll just leave town, disappear."
"No, Annie. Trust me. If you lay low for a few days, I can crack this case. But I can't if I'm worrying about you."
"I can take care of myself," said Annie.
"I did notice that," Joe said with admiration in his voice. "But something might come up that even you can't handle."
Annie's eyes held his for a moment and she said nothing. "This is Frank's idea, isn't it?" she said finally. "To get me away from you."
"Frank wants you to stay," Joe insisted. "He's — he's concerned about you."
Annie laughed bitterly. "He's never liked me," she said. "Maybe it's because I'm not like Callie. I don't have parents who take care of me and have money and — "
"Annie," Joe interrupted, taking her hand. "Who cares what Frank thinks? I like you — a lot. And I want you to be safe."
At his words, Annie's troubled face cleared, and she smiled gratefully at Joe. "I guess that's why you're the Hardy I decided on," she teased, and gave him a happy kiss on the cheek.
It was around eleven when Joe and Annie climbed into the van and pulled away from the house.
"You hungry, Annie?" Joe asked.
She smiled ironically. "No, but I bet you are."
The first fast-food place they came to, they ordered and then ate as they drove along the highway. It's good being alone with Annie, Joe thought as he checked the rear view mirror and switched to the fast lane. Inside the van they were safe, in a warm and
"If you're trying to convince me Annie's a jewel thief, forget it. I admit that everything doesn't fall into place, but Annie Shea is not a crook."
"You're not thinking, Joe."
"Yes. I am. And what's more, I've decided that Annie isn't staying in Bayport a minute longer. I'm going to take her someplace safe."
"Where? Dad wants us all to go down to the Bayport police station tomorrow, to tell them about everything that's happened. They specifically want to see you at ten o'clock. And then we'll probably have to talk to New York cops— since we were taken by Cutter and his goons there."
"I'm taking Annie upstate, Frank. That's it. Once I get her safely hidden away, I can work on the case and talk to the police."
"Joe, not being available to the police tomorrow morning is like admitting you're guilty. They'll think you skipped out on your bail. Dad could get in big trouble, too."
"Hold on, Frank." Joe started to move to the kitchen door. "I'll be back before they know I'm gone."
"I'm not going to let you go, Joe." Frank stepped in front of his brother.
Joe laughed. "You're not going to let me go? Out of my way, Frank. Please, get out of my way."
Frank faced him and realized what he knew all along — it would be impossible to stop his brother once he made up his mind to go.
"If you screw up, Joe, don't expect me to cover for you," Frank said to his back.
"I won't, Frank. I promise. And I will be back on time." Joe patted his brother on the shoulder and took off.
Frank banged his fist on the counter in frustration as Joe Hardy disappeared up the stairs.
Chapter 10
Joe knocked at Annie's door. "Annie, you asleep?"
"No, Joe. Come on in. What's wrong?" Annie sat on the side of her bed, still dressed, her suitcases unopened. "I've been trying to figure out what to do. I've already caused too much trouble."
"I have a plan, Annie. I'm glad you haven't unpacked anything. We're leaving here."
"Where are we going?" Annie stood up and slipped on her shoes.
"I have a friend who has a cabin upstate. There are a couple of small motels in the area. I'm going to take you up there and hide you out in a motel until this mess gets worked out. Then I'll come back for you."
Annie stared at Joe. "Joe, I told you I'll just leave town, disappear."
"No, Annie. Trust me. If you lay low for a few days, I can crack this case. But I can't if I'm worrying about you."
"I can take care of myself," said Annie.
"I did notice that," Joe said with admiration in his voice. "But something might come up that even you can't handle."
Annie's eyes held his for a moment and she said nothing. "This is Frank's idea, isn't it?" she said finally. "To get me away from you."
"Frank wants you to stay," Joe insisted. "He's — he's concerned about you."
Annie laughed bitterly. "He's never liked me," she said. "Maybe it's because I'm not like Callie. I don't have parents who take care of me and have money and — "
"Annie," Joe interrupted, taking her hand. "Who cares what Frank thinks? I like you — a lot. And I want you to be safe."
At his words, Annie's troubled face cleared, and she smiled gratefully at Joe. "I guess that's why you're the Hardy I decided on," she teased, and gave him a happy kiss on the cheek.
It was around eleven when Joe and Annie climbed into the van and pulled away from the house.
"You hungry, Annie?" Joe asked.
She smiled ironically. "No, but I bet you are."
The first fast-food place they came to, they ordered and then ate as they drove along the highway. It's good being alone with Annie, Joe thought as he checked the rear view mirror and switched to the fast lane. Inside the van they were safe, in a warm and
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