"See anything, Callie?" Frank showed the letter to Callie, the only person he could fully trust now. They were in the library and Callie was getting in the mood of becoming a sleuth. She examined the letter closely with a microscope.

"Hmm, there’s a familiar face but it’s not anyone famous coz I can’t place it."

"Where?"

"Here…" Callie pointed to a spot and settled back on her chair so Frank could lean over and take a look at it. He took the microscope from her to enlarge the image but his mind too came up blank.

"I can’t think of a name to fit the face too." He replied and returned the microscope to Callie. Picking up a pen lying around on the table, he circled the face Callie was talking about in one of the letter Rs.

"Have you dusted it for fingerprints?" Callie suggested hopefully. Frank shook his head dejectedly.

"Yes. Only mine were found."

They were in the school’s library, in one of those private reading rooms where Frank knew they would not be disturbed. It was a Saturday and the library was not crowded on Saturdays anyway so it was a very conducive place if Frank needed to be around books and still have the peace he needed to do his work. He had used his own investigative kits and performed simple operations on the letter but found nothing unusual.

However, Frank knew whoever the perpetrator was had cut the whole message from the same piece of paper- most likely a page of some advertisements- judging from the consistency of the vibrant color schemes and the fact that Frank could make up connecting pieces from all over. However, those connecting pieces were not enough for him to make out anything that could point to an obvious lead. The paper used too felt glossy and smooth to the touch. Nonetheless, after Frank flipped through all the advertisements to be found in popular magazines and mail catalogues dating back a couple of months, he was disheartened to find nothing that matched the distorted cut-out.

"It seemed like a death threat… have you told your dad?" Callie looked at him expectantly. Frank nodded.

"This time, I did. Dad was worried, most naturally. He gave a call to Con Riley and we decided that Joe was safer in Sanctuary where there are night security guards as well as people watching over him. I think my father will be doing his own investigation. I told him about Kenzer’s- Ness’s real father- visit. Maybe he would go see Kenzer or something, I don’t know."

"Your mom?"

Frank bit his lips and twirled his pen. "She doesn’t know. Maggie doesn’t know either. Only me and my dad."

Callie leaned back and set the letter aside. She appeared to be in deep thought and Frank prompted her to speak her mind with a tilt of his head.

"No. I have nothing to say. I just thought by striking a pose that seemed like I was actually thinking might force my mind to work better." Callie admitted, shamefaced but her answer was so amusing and she looked so adorably defeated that Frank laughed good-naturedly and embraced her.

"You’re so lovable!"

"And this is the library." Callie teased him back but he could tell she was pleased. He held on to her still, liking the warmness of her body which melted some of his apprehension and pressure into nothingness. Whenever he felt daunted by any dire situations, the mere presence of Callie could alleviate his fear and pressure.

The sight of the letter brought him back to the seriousness of the circumstances. Something clicked in his mind and instead of the picture the message was cut out from, Frank decided to step outside of the initial frame to see the evidence from a different angle.

"It’s from someone who knows we are investigating. See this? ‘It’s not suicide.’ We established that but I didn’t exactly make the knowledge very public. And it’s someone mad at Joe… very mad indeed…"

"You know, it doesn’t have to mean it comes from Vanessa’s murderer." Callie said and Frank acquiesced to her observation.

"Yes. But at least it would point to the person playing those sick pranks on Joe- the slash tires and the terrible messages painted on the walls outside his dormitory. Pranks that cause his guilt level to surge and make him go mad. If I can’t find the murderer, I can at least find out who’s trying to hurt him."

"Let me guess, you’re thinking of …"

"Biff and Jacob Kenzer. He could be in Bayport for a longer time than we knew but only wanted to make his presence known now. We told him the fruits of our investigations and shortly after, this letter came. As for Biff, he’s just about as natural a suspect as Jacob." Frank offered up and Callie suggested another name.

"Phil as well. The quiet ones often keep secrets."

"Mina. She was Vanessa’s cousin and best friend."

"Mina loves Joe."

"Maybe it’s a front. I don’t know. Forget it…" Frank extricated himself from Callie and leaned back against his seat. "You know what we are doing? These are people we know. They are our friends, save Kenzer but he’s Vanessa’s father and you can’t help but feel his grief as well. I hate this!" He pounded his hand on the desk and in anger, pushed the table away from him and it skidded across the floor a few inches, screeching as it did.

Callie took Frank’s right hand and brought it to her lips. "I love you."

"I don’t exactly love myself very much right now." Frank replied derisively and made a mental note to ask Fenton if he could talk to Kenzer soon.

"Don’t be silly…" Callie began but he halted her with a raise of his hand.

"This is my job, Callie. We have to be impartial in our investigations and friend or foe, they deserve fairness. I’ll learn to deal with it in time. I think my dad can talk to Kenzer. They both know in different ways, how difficult it is to lose a child. Dad can empathize with him. As for Biff, Phil and Mina, we will have to think of something else without rising up their guard against us."

Callie thought for a moment and Frank did not question her this time round, deep in his own thoughts as well. She pouted after a second or two and tugged at his sleeves.

"We will think of something. Don’t worry, all right? Maybe… maybe at Chet’s basement party…"