Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

The petite figure of their mother appeared at the doorway of the kitchen almost immediately. Their father, Fenton Hardy, stood behind her with an amused expression on his face though he wisely kept whatever thoughts he had to himself.

"So what have you to say for yourself?" she asked, her blue eyes narrowed and her arms crossed which only meant that she was not about to embrace her son in a loving hug.

Joe stopped abruptly so that Frank almost ran into his back. He looked to his father with a silent plea for help.

Fenton stepped back quickly and held up his hands. "Hey, don't look at me, son. Your mom's the boss of this house."

Joe turned to his brother with the same look of appeal. Frank, after a very brief pause, followed the example of their father. "You're on your own this time, kid. I've done my job by bringing you home."

"I thought we guys are supposed to stick together in this household," Joe said, feeling betrayed and wondered at the wisdom of cutting off his mother earlier on his cell phone when she had attempted to interrogate him.

"Well, Joe, do you care to tell me why you are three hours late, missed your supper and did not even have the courtesy to give your worrying mother a call?" Laura Hardy fixed her son with a look that was no less intimidating than the one that had dogged his childhood days. If anything, she had perfected it over the years to the point that none of the boys in the household (and that included their father) would dare to provoke her further when she was in such a mood.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I forgot about the time. I was talking with some of the kids at the Youth Centre and I just sort of lost track. I know you tried calling me, but the cell doesn't work there as the Centre is in the basement. I should have called to let you know that I would be late. I promise it won't happen again." Joe did his best to sound contrite as he schooled his face into what he hoped was his most apologetic look.

"If Frank hadn't known where to find you, then what were we supposed to do?" His mother was not so easily appeased this evening.

"Send Dad out to look for me? After all, he's the detective," Joe quipped before he could help himself.

"Oh, I suppose you think this is funny, do you? Never mind that I sit here and worry for three hours --"

Joe moved quickly and pulled his mother into a hug. "I'm sorry, Mom. You know I would never do this to you intentionally. You know that, don't you, huh?"

Laura Hardy sniffed. "Just remember that the next time you decide to give me a heart attack."

"Is there any food left, Mom? I'm starving," Joe said quickly before his mother could reproach him further.

"Starvation would be a fitting punishment for what you did tonight. Come along, I've kept supper for you."

In passing his father and brother, Joe gave them both a wink before hurrying after his mother. Frank looked at his father and shook his head.

"How does he do that?" he asked incredulously.

Fenton shrugged. "Beats me, and I am his father. Maybe I should take some lessons from him in how to deal with your mother."

Still shaking their heads, the remaining two Hardys made their way into the kitchen where Laura was already busy setting plates of food before her younger son.

"I am putting the kettle on to make tea. Would you two like some?" Laura asked them as they sat down at the kitchen table.

"Yes, please," Frank replied as his father nodded as well. Looking at the way his brother was digging into his food, Frank couldn't help but chuckled. "Why don't you just get a straw and inhale the entire dish in one big slurp? You'd save a lot of chewing."

"Told you I was starving," Joe mumbled through his food.

"The rate you are wolfing it down, you would do Chet proud," Frank laughed as he accepted the cup of tea from his mom. "Thanks, Mom."

Laura sat down beside her husband and took a careful sip from her own cup. "When you have finished, I would like to hear more about this Youth Centre."

"I told you before, Mom. I have to get my volunteer hours in as part of the required curriculum," Joe said as he scraped the last of the food off his plate.

"I know what you told me about the curriculum, but I want to know more about this Youth Centre. Is it run by the church?"

Joe shook his head. "Don't think so. The church just lends out the basement for use by the Centre. It's more of a drop-in centre than anything else. It just gives the kids a place to go rather than hang around street corners. There really aren't too many things going on for the kids in that area." At least legitimate things, he thought to himself but didn't think his mother needed to know that.

"So there's no structured programs for the kids there?" Fenton asked.

Again, Joe shook his head. "No, the kids just drop by. They can just sit there and chat amongst themselves or with the various volunteer workers, play cards or board games or watch TV. It's pretty relaxed and the guy who runs it, Carl, seems pretty cool. There's an older woman too who also seems to be in charge but she runs the dayshift."

"So what do you do there?" Laura asked.

Joe shrugged. "I talk with some of the kids, play cards with them and things. I even help some of the younger kids with their homework."

"Wonders never cease," Frank breathed. "Joe helping someone with their homework?"

Joe threw him an exasperated look. "Hey, I may not be Einstein, but some of those kids have no one else to turn to for help. Their parents aren't home half of the time and even if they were, they wouldn't know how to help their kids with their school work as most of them never finished school themselves."

"I think you brother deserves to be commended for what he's doing," Fenton looked at his older son rather sternly. "He's trying to help in ways that he can."

"Sorry, Joe, you know I was only teasing," Frank said quickly. "Maybe I can come down and help too, at least with the schoolwork."

Joe grinned. "You'd probably scare half of those kids silly with your intellect. It'd be easier for them to deal with an average guy like me than with a genius like you. At least I talk their language."

"I am perfectly capable of communicating with people," Frank protested.

"Yeah, whatever. All that m equals to e square stuff."

"Uh, Joe, that's e equals to m square," Frank corrected.

"See what I mean? You'd scare those kids away," Joe said, leaning back in his chair. Seeing the horrified look on his brother's face, he burst out laughing. "Relax, Frank. I'm not corrupting those kids with my version of physics. I'm helping them with simple math and simple grammar, things even I, the unscholarly one, am capable of doing."

"And I'm sure you're doing a fine job. No, really, Joe, Carl said so himself," Frank said quickly, still feeling a little ashamed for teasing his brother earlier.

Joe grinned broadly. "Really? He said that?"

"Sure, he said that the kids seem to like you," Frank added. "Of course they would like you. You're a big kid yourself."

"Can’t argue with that," Joe said and stood up with a yawn. "Well, I'm going to shower, finish off my own homework and then go to bed."

Laura looked at him worriedly. "With all these hours you are spending at the Youth Centre, are you able to keep up with your own homework?"

"Don’t' worry, Mom. I've got it all under control. And if I don't, I'm sure Frank will help out, won't you, Frank?"

"What's in it for me?" Frank asked quickly.

"Endless brotherly love," Joe grinned.

Frank rolled his eyes. "Just what I need. Race you for the shower!"

"Hey, I laid claim to it first!" Joe shouted as he ran after his brother.

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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.