Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

Taylor Grady pulled up three kitchen chairs and indicated to the boys to sit down. He cast a final disgusted look around the ransacked room before taking his own seat.

"Who exactly are you boys, and what's your connection to my son?" Taylor asked as he eyed the boys warily.

"I do volunteer work at the Youth Center. That's where I met your son. I was here helping Jason with a school project the night that you found me outside," Joe explained quickly.

"You were helping Jason with homework?" Taylor asked, looking surprised.

Joe nodded. "Unfortunately, he was late in handing in that project and his teacher refused to accept it. Jason thinks his teacher is going to fail him and was very worried about how you would react to that." After a brief hesitation, Joe added, "I've seen the bruises you left on your son's face."

Taylor Grady winced. "Yeah, I know. Sometimes my fist reacts faster than my brain. I don't want to hurt him, but the kid really drives me crazy sometimes."

"I don't mean any disrespect, Mr. Grady, but I really don't think hitting him is the solution," Joe said a little tentatively.

A look of guilt flashed across Taylor Grady's face and he lowered his head. "I know. I know I'm not a very good father, but I try. It's hard, you know, raising a kid in this place by yourself. I just don't want him to get mixed up with the crap that goes on around this neighbourhood." He shook his head briefly before looking up at the boys. "Do you have any idea why the police are looking for him?"

"I think he was last seen with those girls," Joe said. "I saw them briefly together last night."

"He didn't kill those girls," Taylor Grady said adamantly.

"Those girls overdosed on drugs," Frank said quietly. "The police would be looking for the person or persons who sold them the drugs."

Suddenly, Taylor Grady paled. He opened his mouth as to speak but then immediately clamped it shut. Frank and Joe exchanged a quick glance with each other.

"Mr. Grady, if you know anything else, you should tell the police. It can only help Jason," Frank said quietly. "He may be in danger right now."

"And why are you so anxious to help my son? Or are you working with the police on this?" Taylor asked. Suddenly a look of suspicion flashed across his face. "How do I know you two aren't connected to those two goons who trashed this place and damned well nearly trashed me?"

"Mr. Grady, I consider Jason a friend," Joe said. "I am worried that he may have gotten himself into something way over his head."

Jason's father continued to regard them with open distrust.

"Look, Mr. Grady, I know you have your suspicions, but the most important thing right now is to locate Jason," Frank cut in. "We are not working with the police, though we have done so before. Our father is Fenton Hardy. I don't know whether you have heard of him before, but he's a private investigator. My brother and I have helped him with some of his cases. We may not be professionals, but we are willing to help."

"Your father's a private investigator?" Taylor Grady suddenly looked hopeful. "Would he help me find my son?"

"We will ask him and I am sure he will help in any way that he can," Joe said quickly.

"I -- I don't have much money to pay him," Jason's father admitted, looking embarrassed. "But I'll give him what I've got to get my son back."

"Can you tell us about those two guys who broke into this place?" Frank asked. "Did they say why they were looking for Jason?"

"They said my son has something that belonged to them. When I told them that Jason wasn't here, they began ripping this place apart. I tried stopping them, but there were two of them." He touched his bruised cheek gingerly.

"Did they say anything else? What was it that they were looking for?" Joe asked.

"They didn't say, but before they left, they said Jason's dead meat if he doesn't cough up whatever it was that he supposedly took from them," Taylor Grady said carefully. His eyes suddenly widened with realization. "The drugs?"

"Or money," Joe added.

Frank looked at them grimly. "We don't know that."

Jason's father let a long shaky breath. "What else can it be? Oh hell, what has the kid gotten himself into? Damn it! I'll kill him this time! I work my butt off to give him a decent living and he gets into crap like this. I'll really kill him this time!"

"Mr. Grady, what we need to do is find your son," Joe said sharply. "And you may not be the only one who wants to kill him."

His words stopped the man's outburst abruptly. Taylor Grady snapped his head around to look at them, the fear naked in his eyes. "Oh my God, they will kill him, if they haven't done that already. What am I going to do? How can we find him?"

"The first thing to do is for you go to down to the police station and identify those two men. If the police can get to them first, then Jason might have a better chance," Frank said. "We have to go there as well. Why don't you come with us now?"

"But - but, that means they will arrest Jason too if he's involved with those two," Taylor Grady said helplessly. "They will put him in jail."

"I think your son will be better off in police custody than if he's found by those two guys," Joe said. "These guys mean business. Look what they did to your place, and you."

Jason's father regarded him wordlessly, his inner turmoil playing across his face. Then drawing in a sharp breath, he nodded resolutely. "Yes, I'd rather have a live son in jail than a dead son on the streets. Let's go to the police."

It turned out that they were in the police station much longer than any one of them had anticipated. Any doubts that Taylor Grady had about the intentions of Frank and Joe were quickly laid to rest when he saw how those who worked in the police station greeted the boys with familiarity.

Both Frank and Joe were glad that it was their old friend, Con Riley, who was assigned to take their statements and to guide Jason's father through the process of identifying the two men who had broken into his apartment earlier in the day. While Jason's father was scanning through pictures of possible suspects on the computer in another room, Joe gave Con a quick account of his run-in with Jason the night before, as well as anything else that he could remember about Jason that might in some way help with this case.

"I'm sorry, not really much that would help," Joe said apologetically when he was finished.

"Every little bit helps," Con said as he looked over his notes.

"It doesn't look too good for Jason, huh?" Joe asked.

The officer looked up from his notes. "From what we have so far, it seems fairly certain that he is connected with those two guys who broke into their apartment. No, it doesn’t look good for the kid right now, especially since he was seen with the victims last night. The unfortunate thing is that those two girls are not the only victims so far."

"You mean there have been more OD'ed cases?" Frank asked.

Con nodded. "Though we do not have the autopsy reports yet, but my guess is that their death will be the same as the other three we have had this month. They are all young kids. Somebody is pushing some pretty bad stuff out there."

"Bad stuff?" Frank asked. "You mean it's not just a case of OD?"

"You know I can't tell you too much. You're civilians," Con smiled with a wink. "But, yeah, bad stuff."

"Whoever is doing this cannot be very bright. Word spreads fast. Nobody will buy from them if they're pushing death," Joe said.

"That's why so far the victims have been kids. They don't know any better. Anything for a cheap thrill. It's a shame," Con said sadly, shaking his head. "Well, if you boys would excuse me, I better go and check to see how Mr. Grady is doing. Are you off to home now?"

Joe shook his head. "We will wait for Mr. Grady. Poor guy. Must be tough to find out that his son is somehow involved with this mess."

Con gave them a long look. "The victims' families are finding it pretty tough too."

Several minutes later, Con returned to the room, followed by Taylor Grady. The latter looked pale and drained and each step he took seemed to be an effort.

The brothers looked at Con apprehensively.

The officer answered their unspoken question. "We have an ID on the guys. Names are Tyrone Ribera and Hugh Scala. Two lowlifes with files the size of a phone book, petty theft, assault, weapons, you name it, and they've done it. They've been in and out of jail all their lives, though they've managed to stay clean the past couple of years. Looks like they're back in action."

"Are they dangerous?" Taylor Grady asked anxiously.

"All criminals are dangerous, Mr. Grady," Con answered. "But if you are asking if they have committed murder, no, they have not, at least not directly. Well, at least we know who we are looking for now."

"You have to find my son," Jason's father pleaded. "These guys have already threatened to kill him."

Con nodded grimly. "We will do our best, Mr. Grady. You can be sure of that. If your son contacts you at all, whether by phone or in person, let us know immediately. He will be safer within these walls than out there on the streets."

"I know," Taylor Grady said, sounding totally defeated. "I know. Is there anything else?"

"You should be careful as well. Ribera and Scala may come back to pay you another visit. You might consider staying somewhere else for the time being," Con suggested, not unkindly.

Taylor Grady shook his head immediately. "I am not going anywhere else. Jason might come home. I want to be there when he does."

Con nodded. "Thank you then for your cooperation, Mr. Grady. We will let you know as soon as we have something."

The big man stood up, his shoulders drooping. "Please find my son before it's too late."

"We will do our best, sir," Con said sympathetically. "We will do our best."

Joe touched Jason's father lightly on the arm. "We can give you a ride home, Mr. Grady."

The other man shook his head. "No, it's okay. I'll just take the bus."

"No, we will drive you home," Joe insisted, glancing at Frank. The latter nodded in concurrence.

"Thanks," Jason's father finally agreed. "I really appreciate your help."

"No problem," Joe said. "Like I said, I consider Jason a friend."

"Well, at least he has one friend then," Taylor Grady said sadly.

Frank reached out and patted him on the shoulder. "We will find your son, Mr. Grady."

"I hope so. I really hope so." He looked at the brothers and there were tears in his eyes. "I may not be a good father, but I love my boy."

Let the author know what you think of this story

Home Library Authors Rogue's Gallery Vehicles Chums Message Board Rap Sheet Links Contact

Disclaimer

The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The Hardy Boys Fan Fiction authors of the Hardy Detective Agency have just borrowed them for an adventure or two. The authors promise to put the boys back when they are done with them. The authors do claim copyright to the original characters in this story. Please do not borrow original characters without express permission of the authors.