Blood Relations Read Online Free Page A

impatient and showing it.
    "Right now, not much," said Dunn. "I'm going back to New York City and nose around to see if anyone can confirm Rawley's story. But I doubt I'll have much success. Other than that, our best play is just to wait."
    "Wait?" said Greg in a pained voice.
    "For what?" asked Mike.
    "For the kidnappers' ransom instructions to arrive," Dunn said evenly. "The kidnappers have to tell your father how much money and when and where to deliver it. Even if Mr. Rawley isn't on the level, it has to look like a kidnapping and that means somebody has to communicate with him, tell him where to make the drop."
    Dunn handed Greg a card. "This is my home number. You can get me or my machine twenty-four hours a day. Be careful not to lose it because it's unlisted. When I'm out, I'll check in with my machine as often as I can, so phone me the minute you hear anything." He held out his hand, and Frank reluctantly handed over the .45. As soon as he pocketed the gun, Dunn said, "I'm leaving now. Check to see if the coast is clear."
    Then it was Frank and Joe's turn to leave, after arranging to meet Mike and Greg at Mr. Pizza the next day after school.
    As they pedaled their bikes through the deserted one - A.M. streets of Bayport, Frank said to Joe, "It's good to have a pro like Dunn on the case."
    "I guess you're right about Dunn, though I hate to admit it," said Joe. "He seems like a real cold fish. But in this case, we can really use him and his experience. It's kind of scary to think that if we mess up, somebody dies."
    "Yeah," said Frank. "Even though it's not the first time. I just wish we could talk to Dad about the case, but with him and Rawley being such close friends, we'll have to have a lot of evidence to convince him."
    Joe nodded his agreement. "For his sake, I hope Rawley's innocent. It would really come as a shock to Dad if Rawley turned out to be a kidnapper."
    "But we also know that Dad wouldn't want us to hold back," said Frank. "He's always told us not to pull punches when we go after a criminal."
    They parked their bikes and ran in through the back door.
    "I've got to eat something," Joe said. "There's half a roast chicken that Mom said we could eat up. Whenever we go into action, I always notice a sharp upsurge in my appetite. Some kind of law of nature, I guess."
    "A law of your nature, action or no action," said Frank. "But I could use some chow myself. We'll split it."
    "Plus some of those brownies Aunt Gertrude baked yesterday," said Joe.
    They were just finishing off the last of the brownies when the kitchen door slowly swung open.
    Their Aunt Gertrude stood stock-still, framed in the doorway.
    "Why, boys, you scared me to death. What are you doing up this time of night?" she asked. "I thought you were going to bed early."
    "We were," said Frank, thinking fast. "But then Greg and Mike Rawley called us to see if we wanted to study with them for a test tomorrow."
    Aunt Gertrude nodded. "Greg and Mike. I've heard they're nice boys. I was so happy to see Walter Rawley find such a sweet family. And I'm glad to see those boys are being good influences on you two. You should spend more hours on your schoolwork than you do on all those adventures of yours."
    "And what are you doing up this late, Aunt Gertrude?" asked Joe, hoping to change the subject before she launched into her standard lecture on how they should start behaving more sensibly.
    Besides, Joe already knew his aunt's answer. The late, late movies were her only vice. And the films of the forties and fifties — especially mysteries—were her absolute favorites. He knew that if he got her started talking about one of her movies, they were home free.
    "Well," she said as she began making herself a cup of hot chocolate to take up to bed, "I was watching this great old thriller with — oh, he's before your time, and you wouldn't know him — and I fell asleep just before the end and missed the climax.
    "You see, a woman marries a man who seems just