Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

Frank watched the exchange between his brother and Randy Sampson, and then made his way over to the youths. He greeted Randy, but then quickly signed to Joe that he needed to get back to work, "I just wanted to check on you," Frank added.

"Is everything alright?" Joe signed, picking up a nervousness in Frank’s usually calm demeanor.

Frank glanced at Randy, who was fascinated by the brothers’ signing to each other. "I’ll tell you later," Frank replied, and then left to finish his painting job.

* * *

"Do you think we can trust this Benson kid?" Colt Tanner asked Fenton Hardy. "I mean, Collin Anderson was feeding me info, but I’m not sure I completely trusted him."

"Call it ‘gut instinct’," Fenton replied, pouring another cup of coffee at the stove in his rented house, "I don’t know how much Benson knows, but I believe he is genuinely concerned about his missing partner."

"Do you want me here when you talk to him?" Colt inquired.

"Yes," Mr. Hardy responded, "and my boys will be here, too."

"I’ll tell you Fenton," Tanner said, peering over his own cup of coffee, "I’m worried about those kids of yours. They’re in a snake pit on that ranch."

"They’ll look after each other," Fenton responded, hoping with all his heart that he was right.

* * *

By late afternoon, Joe Hardy and Randy Sampson had all the stalls on the East wing cleaned except the last one. Joe began shoveling out the old straw, but Randy put his hand on Joe’s arm to get his attention.

"We don’t have to clean this one," Randy said, shaking his head, "It’s never used ‘cause it’s haunted."

"That’s crazy!" Joe responded with a laugh, and continued working.

"It’s true," the older boy stated, "The horses don’t like this stall. They get real nut-so when you try to put them in there. Mr. Tad says the stall is haunted by a spirit that never found rest."

"Whose spirit?" Joe asked, feeling the hair on the nape of his neck stand on end.

"A kid named Timmy or Jimmy," Randy said with a shrug, "I forget. Mr. Tad said that the kid got killed right in this stall."

"Wow!" Joe exclaimed, playing innocent, "Did somebody kill him?"

Randy looked cautiously around the stable, and then answered in a conspiratorial whisper, looking right at Joe, "I once heard Mr. Ryan talkin’ ‘bout it. He said the kid just got what he deserved!"

* * *

Ronnie Benson was distracted and his partner knew it. He was riding with Stu Downing, an older, more experienced officer. Usually, Ronnie would be on his very best behavior, making sure to follow even the least noticeable procedures, but today was different.

"What’s with you, Benson?" Downing finally asked toward the end of their shift, "You’re usually on top of ev’rythin’. You’re a million miles away today."

"Sorry, Stu," Benson replied with a blush, "Guess you’re right. I’m worried about Collin, that’s all."

"Yeah," responded the older officer, "Not like him to take off and not say anythin’ to nobody."

"You don’t suppose somethin’ coulda’ happened to him, do you Stu?" Benson asked. He’d never liked Downing and Anderson had warned Ronnie when he first started on the force, to avoid Stu Downing like a plague.

"Na," Stu replied, grinning at the young man, "Prob’ly found him a good fishin’ hole up in the mountains, that’s all."

Ronnie nodded in agreement, but his heart told him that Stu Downing was lying to him. ‘Which means,’ the young deputy surmised, ‘that he prob’ly is in with whatever is goin’ on around here.’

* * *

Joe Hardy had waited until Randy was gone for the day before making his way back to the last stall on the East wing. Most of the other stalls were occupied with horses now in from the pasture.

Joe wasn’t sure what he would find, if anything, 5 years after Jimmy Mc Curdy died in the stall. But if Randy was telling the truth about the horses getting upset when they were put in this stall, maybe there was something still here.

Joe wished he had been able to talk to Frank, but his brother wasn’t around and Joe knew their father would be there soon to pick them up.

He used his pitchfork to dig around the straw, looking for anything unusual.

He was about to give up, when he noticed the wooden boards near the back of the stable still bore a darkish stain. Joe knelt to look more closely. Blood? Possibly, but it was impossible to tell. He was about to stand when he heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stable hall toward him.

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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.