"The Calder Institution just called, Gavin Walker is missing," Chief Peterson of the New York Police Department told Chief Collig of the Bayport Police Department over the phone, "I’ve tried to contact Fenton but I can’t get through to him."

"The family’s out of town," Ezra Collig told him, "Don’t worry, we’ll get in touch with him ASAP."

He put down the phone with a worried frown.

***

"I like this place," seventeen-year-old Joe Hardy declared as he stood on the porch of the log cabin and took in the view of green hills stretched out as far as the eye could see, and a bright blue sky.

"Oh, and I thought you wanted to stay in Bayport, something you mentioned about civilization, I think." Frank Hardy, a year older, came out to join Joe on the porch, lugging along his bag. Frank’s dark hair and brown eyes inherited from his father, presented a stark contrast to Joe’s blue-eyed blonde looks.

Joe ignored his brother’s remark. "It’s places like this that make you realize how polluted Bayport has become," he said as he stretched out his arms and took a deep, dramatic sniff of the sweet and pure air that hung all around them.

"Ahh…civilization," Frank said nodding his head sagely.

The brothers and their father Fenton Hardy had just spent the last one-week roughing it out in an old cabin in the hills a little way away from Bayport where they lived. Fenton had decided it was the perfect place for a short break, before Frank left for college. He was a reputed private investigator, and his cases often took him away from home. He had looked forward to spending some quiet time with his family, especially since his sons following in his footsteps not only helped him out in his cases but had ended up solving quite a few on their own. Fenton had felt they needed the break more than him. Their mother Laura had been unable to join them as she had been called away to California to visit an ailing relative.

Joe’s initial reaction had been anything but enthusiastic, he wanted to relax too, but in what he termed comfort, anywhere within three feet distance of the refrigerator and the television, and also near his girlfriend, Vanessa, but she was spending the summer in England. Frank had rolled his eyes at Joe’s reaction until it was pointed out to him that it would mean a week away from the Internet and e-mail for Frank and especially the mails his girlfriend Callie was sending him from Florida.

Ultimately though, the week had been so much fun that no one had missed anything, especially the ring of their cell phones since this particular area had no network coverage. There had been a phone at the cabin but a storm mid-week had pulled down the line. There was no television and though they picked up newspapers from Rychfield the nearest town, they hardly found the time or inclination to read them, as they hiked, fished and basically had fun. And now, Joe actually wished he could stay longer, he valued the time he was getting to spend with his brother. He knew he’d miss Frank when he left for college.

"I wish we could stay some more time," Joe said, " I mean, it’s not like there’s anything to do in Bayport, mom won’t be back for a while, and most of our friends are out of town."

"Chet and Phil will be there, and Callie should have returned yesterday," frank reminded him.

"Phil will be spending most of his time on his summer job at that electronics company, and Chet is handling most of the work at the farm while his parents take that cruise." Joe told him.

Frank put a hand on Joe’s shoulder. He knew Joe just wanted to spend a little more time with him. He felt the same way. Joe and he were not just brothers they were also the best of friends.

Before he could say anything though, Fenton had come out with his bags, "Ready to leave, boys?" he asked them cheerfully.

"Sure," they responded and loaded the bags in the trunk. Joe pulled down the trunk and got into the backseat while Fenton and Frank got into the front.

***

"Any luck?" Chief Collig asked Officer Con Riley.

"I tried the number Fenton left but the phone’s down. So I called the Rychfield Post Office instead. They said Fenton left for Bayport sometime back, should reach by evening. I left a message on their answering machine, and I’ll stop by their place in the evening and tell Fenton in person." Con Riley was a good friend of the Hardys. "Any news on Walker?"

Chief Collig shook his head, "They tried his son’s place in Boston but it’s been locked up for the last one month. His daughter’s not home either. They used to be very regular visitors at the institution apparently."

"Why’s he after Fenton?" Con asked bluntly. He could see there was something different about this case.

There was a pause before he got a reply, "Walker was arrested for attempted murder and a shooting in a school. Fenton helped us catch him. No one was hurt and his lawyers managed to avert a prison sentence. He basically lost it bad after his wife’s death, so he was institutionalized instead."

"So, that’s why he may be after Fenton now?" Con asked him.

"In a way, yes." Chief Collig said as he walked away.

***

The car wound through the narrow roads that snaked around the hills, the only sounds around them coming from the birds in the trees and an occasional stream rippling in the distance. Frank twiddled with radio to see if he could get a news channel and finally settled on the clearest channel he could find which was very appropriately playing, Take Me Home Country Roads.

"Thanks dad," Joe said softly from the back, "That was a wonderful holiday."

"Yeah, we had a great time," Frank said, smiling.

"So did I," Fenton smiled back at his sons. 

The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The Hardy Boy 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.