Hardy Boys -1. The Tower Treasure

Plans and Cars

 The Hardys rushed home and burst into the house. They startled their aunt who had been reading in the living room.

"Goodness gracious! Is the circus in town or something?"

"Where's Mom?" they blurted.

"Still in your father's study," said Gerturde pointing up the stairs. The boys dashed up the stairs and burst into their father's study.

"Oh, hang on Ezra, the boys just got back." She glanced at them expectantly.

"Dad's in the Pollitt place! Snattman has him, and Red Jackley's working with Snattman!" they blurted at the same time.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! How do you know that?" came Collig's voice over the line.

"We saw Red at the Pollitt place!" said Joe.

"He was talking with another guy named Klein about stealing Chet's car and the Applegate's treasure, plus working for Snattman!"

"OK, but do you have any real proof that your father is even still at the Pollitt place?" asked Collig.

Frank pulled out the wallet. "We do." He laid it on the desk.

Laura snatched it up and gasped. "Ezra, they, they found Fenton's wallet!"

"What? How?"

The boys recounted their story. There was a moment's silence as Laura's eyes were wide with shock. She looked like she was about to say something, then thought better of it. Frank seemed to have been right, she didn't like it, but did see it as the opportunity it was. After a moment of blinking, her eyes were back to normal.

"So, they know your names, where you live, and what hair color you should have, but they didn't know exactly what you looked like?" asked Collig incredulously.

"Yup," said the boys with a nod of their heads.

"There is a reason why we try to keep their pictures out of newspapers and off social media, Ezra," said Laura, though when she said social media, she shot a specific glare at Joe. Joe smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, I know, but, there should be a picture of them somewhere, or at least a member of the gang should have seen them."

"Maybe it was just Snattman who really knows what we look like?" said Frank slowly.

"And then gave out very general descriptions of you? I'm thinking it might be more likely that they've been around town, asking questions about you. Most people wouldn't give a very detailed description, and they definitely wouldn't have pictures of you hanging about in their wallets. But I still find it odd that they wouldn't try to find out more information on Fenton and you."

"Well, based on what we've been hearing about Snattman, he's starting to sound what most people would call a gentleman criminal," said Frank.

Joe shrugged. "Maybe, or maybe Snattman is too busy planning crimes instead of stopping Dad."

"And catching him yesterday must have been really lucky for him."

Joe thought a moment. "But, Dad's smarter than that. He wouldn't have just up and let them capture him either."

"You're right," said Laura, "it must have been just a bad coincidence." The boys nodded.

"Well, the point is, Fenton's been caught and we have to get him out of there." There was a slight pause. "Laura, you alright with the boys doing this?"

Laura let out a breath. "No, not really, but this seems to be the only way we might have before the medicine gets here."

"Oh, speaking of, Chief, do you know of anything that's happening tonight and tomorrow night that the gang might be interested in?" asked Frank.