Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

Sheriff Colt Tanner and Deputy Ronnie Benson left the ‘Fredricks’ house, walking together toward their parked vehicles.

"Colt," the younger officer began, unlocking his SUV, "Chotto saw somethin’ at that Hiller ranch. I was plannin’ to head out there tonight, ‘til this little meeting came about."

Colt looked at the young deputy, cocking his eyebrow, "So, it’s only about 10 o’clock," the sheriff said with a grin, "You wanna take a little ride out there?"

"Let’s go," Benson replied, patting Tanner on the back.

* * *

Frank Hardy began filling the kitchen sink with hot, soapy water. He absently began washing the coffee cups that were sitting in the sink. He was watching the two lawmen in the driveway. They were talking and then suddenly, both climbed into Benson’s SUV, leaving the old station wagon parked.

Joe Hardy walked into the kitchen bearing more cups and noticed his brother staring out the window, a frown creasing Frank’s handsome features.

"Something wrong, Frank?" Joe asked, trying to see what Frank was looking at outside. Not getting a response, Joe touched Frank’s arm, causing the older teenager to jump.

"Joe! You scared me half to death!" Frank cried, gazing into Joe’s intense blue eyes, "Give a guy a warning, why don’t you?"

"Actually," Joe replied with a cocky grin, "I did, but you were in ‘Never-never Land’ and didn’t hear me. I’m the one whose suppose to be deaf, not you!"

Frank chuckled, but then he explained what he had just seen take place outside. "Where do you suppose they are going this time at night?"

Joe shrugged, "Maybe to get something to eat?"

"No," Frank mused, "This was more serious than just going for a burger. Something’s up."

"Whoa," Joe said suddenly, "Who could this be?" Both boys looked through the kitchen window to the truck that had just pulled into their driveway behind Colt’s borrowed car.

"Let’s go see who just pulled in," suggested Frank, leading the way to the front door with Joe close on his heels. They reached the front hall, just as their father was letting Becky Watson inside.

"I’m so sorry to be bothering you, and you’ve got company, too," the woman stated.

"Oh, the car," Fenton surmised, having noticed it when he opened the door, "Colt must have gone with Ronnie somewhere."

"Ronnie was here?" Becky asked excitedly, "He was supposed to call me after he went out to the Hiller Ranch."

"I’ll bet that’s where they’re going, Dad!" Frank said suddenly. Becky and Fenton turned to face the teen. Joe had started to turn toward Frank’s voice too, but caught himself.

Joe froze for a moment, but then proceeded across the room as if he couldn’t hear what was going on. He had gotten too comfortable during the meeting earlier. It had made him sloppy and he almost blew his cover just now because of it. ‘Bad move, Hardy,’ Joe admonished himself, ‘I never should have slipped out of character while Sheriff Tanner and Deputy Benson were here!’

"I saw them outside together..." Frank began explaining, but then let his voice trail off as he noticed that Joe had gone to the window and was staring outside. "Excuse me a second," Frank said, but was thinking, ‘Dumb, dumb, dumb! We let our cover slip! Thank God Joe remembered!’

Frank moved next to Joe at the window and gently tugged on the younger youth’s sleeve. Joe turned and looked surprised at Frank, giving the sign for, "What?"

"You need to listen to this, too," Frank answered, signing at the same time. Joe nodded and stood next to Fenton, watching Frank carefully.

Fenton had watched the entire scene between his boys and mentally kicked himself, also, for letting down their guard. He was proud that the boys read each other’s movements and picked up their cover quickly.

"Alright, son," Fenton addressed Frank with a smile while putting a hand on Joe’s shoulder, "tell us just what you saw."

* * *

"Someone’s comin’!" the deputy hoarsely whispered, trying not to gag on the stench rising from the plastic garbage bag that he held. He and his partner had spent almost four hours pulling the remains of Collin Anderson from the blades of the threshing machine. It was gruesome, disgusting work and the pair had to often take breaks, just to suck in some fresh air.

They were just finishing up when headlights could be seen coming up the long, winding Hiller Ranch driveway. The man in the poncho climbed out of the machine as the other man pulled the garbage bag toward the rear door of the machine barn.

"No time," hissed the poncho-clad cowboy, "Leave the bag and run!" The two men took off out the back, just as Ronnie Benson’s SUV came to a stop in front of the steel building.