Free Flesh and Blood by Franklin W. Dixon Page A

I - I don't know. I was choking. I couldn't really see. I don't even remember tearing the mask off." Callie gasped. "You don't really think that Don is Bobby Mock."
    "The evidence is pointing that way."
    "Poor Liz," Callie said.
    "What happened at Mangieri's?" Frank asked.
    "When I came to, I was in that chair. Mangieri was standing in front of me with that bomb. He said Bobby had made it. Then he set the timer and left."
    "What did he set the timer for?" Frank asked.
    "Five minutes. Why?"
    "That tells us how much of a head start he had," Joe answered.
    "Why would he be foolish enough to kill Callie in his own apartment?" Chet asked.
    "That's what's bothering me," Frank replied.
    "Why not? It makes sense to me," Joe said with a knowing air.
    "Explain it." Frank was skeptical.
    "It makes sense if Mangieri is really Bobby Mock."
    Frank was even more skeptical. "Why Mangieri and not Don West?"
    "Mangieri has disliked us from the day he moved into Bayport over four years ago. Besides, before he got kicked out of school, he was a photographer for the yearbook," Joe answered.
    "That's right," Chet blurted out. "I remember him taking pictures of us at the beach for some project he was working on."
    "That project was us," Joe added.
    "That sounds fine," Frank said with reservation. "However, who's the guy in the raincoat and ski mask who tried to shoot us and then helped kidnap Callie?"
    Joe slumped in his seat. Hard as he had tried before, Joe rarely matched Frank's logic for looking at a problem from different angles. Joe liked to move straight through a problem. Frank liked to go over, under, or around a problem.
    "What we need to do is find Mangieri and Don and get this thing settled before someone gets killed," Frank said.
    "Like our father."
    "Stop at that convenience store," Frank ordered Chet.
    "Why?"
    "I'll tell you in about five minutes."
    ***
    Frank had the others wait in Chet's car. He shoved a quarter into the pay phone outside the convenience store and punched a familiar number.
    "Hello," Con Riley said at the other end of the phone."
    "Con," Frank said, then paused. He was glad that Officer Riley was at home.
    "What is it, Frank?"
    "I need a big favor."
    Static hissed back at Frank. He knew that Con was thinking, considering what Chief Collig might say, what might happen to his career.
    "First tell me what it is."
    "Callie was almost killed a short while ago. A bomb at Mangieri's place."
    "Why didn't you call that in, Frank?"
    Con's tone was as authoritative as it was agitated. Like an adult's.
    "I should have, Con." Frank tried to sound genuinely sorry. "But I was afraid Chief Collig would put Joe and me in jail."
    "Do you blame him?"
    "No."
    "I'm listening. But don't be too sure I won't hunt you down and throw you in jail myself."
    "Fair enough." Frank took a breath. He had to present this just right to Con or the police veteran would be true to his word. Then Frank and Joe would be helpless to stop Mock from killing their father.
    "Dad and Mom and Aunt Gertrude were supposed to have left Philadelphia earlier today, but they haven't arrived."
    "You think Mock has Fenton?" Con sounded concerned.
    Frank was relieved at the change of tone in Con's voice.
    "I don't know, but Mock isn't an amateur. That bomb was professional, Con. What I need, what Joe and I need, is for someone with official jurisdiction to contact the highway patrol to see where Dad's car is."
    "Then what, Frank?"
    "I need to get into city hall tonight."
    "And?"
    "And I need access to the police computer."
    "I don't have a problem with your first request, Frank, but let me see if I understand you about the other two. You want me to help you break into city hall in the middle of night and then sneak you into police headquarters to use our main computer?"
    Frank didn't hesitate. "Yes."
    "It would be easier to deliver the moon, Frank."
    "I know, Con. But we're talking about my father's life. We're talking about one of your closest friends."
    Again the line