and Hardy Boys Rendezvous Presents:
hardy boys fan fiction
CONTRACT FOR A DEAD MAN
3rd Place - McFarlane Location Contest
- 2004
hardy boys nancy drew fan fiction
by
CQB
Chapter
4
hardy boys fan fiction
THE CHAPTERS
Tony Prito was a dark and slender 18-year-old. Biff Hooper, 17-years-old, was tall, blond and built like a football linebacker. Phil had already explained the situation to them both. The trio walked quickly to where Frank was standing beside the old mill.
"Got here as fast as we could," Phil said, shaking Frank’s hand. "Any sign of Joe yet?"
"Not a trace," Frank answered with a shake of his head.
"So let’s start searching," Biff suggested. "Maybe Joe fell or got hurt chasing your ‘ghost’." The other boys agreed and split up, each taking a different direction.
* * *
"Yes, Ma’am," Torrance Poole smiled at the two waitresses in the small diner on the main street of Bayport. "He’s my brother and he’s been missing for two weeks. He’s…well, he’s not very stable."
"Well I do think he looks a bit familiar," the heavy-set woman said, glancing at the picture Poole was holding. "Yes, I remember! T’was about three or four days ago, he stopped here for a late supper. Asked where he could get some camping gear."
"You’re right, Millie," agreed a tall red-head. "He got rather upset when we told him that he’d not be able to get anything ‘til the next day. The stores were all closed for the evening."
"Do you know where he was headed?" Poole asked anxiously.
"Not really," Millie responded, "though he headed north from here."
"There’s really not much out that way, either," commented the red-head. "Shore Road leads right out of town once you pass the old Turner place."
* * *
Biff Hooper headed for a small rise several yards away from the rear of the old mill. He could see Frank and Phil, each searching in different directions, and he assumed that Tony had gone out in the direction in front of the mill.
As he crested the rise, Biff paused to look around. At first, he saw nothing that would indicate that Joe had come this way. About to head off, he saw something shining in the distance.
Curious, Biff headed toward the object. When he was still about 10 yards away, Biff realized that the sun was reflecting off of the buckle of a black leather belt. The belt was wrapped around a stout branch that had been thrust into the soft ground.
"Frank! Guys! I’ve got something!" Biff shouted as loud as he could. He ran to the belt and stopped. A few feet away, Biff could see a hole in the ground.
"Joe’s belt!" Frank cried excitedly, as he approached Biff.
"I’d be willing to bet that Joe’s somewhere down there," Biff suggested, showing Frank and Phil, who had just arrived, the deep hole. Frank started to climb down into the pit, using the anchored rope. Biff followed him, while Phil dashed back to get Tony.
Soon, all four teens were making their way through the narrow passage at the bottom of the pit on their hands and knees. Frank led the way letting his penlight guide them.
When the seemingly endless passage finally opened up, Frank crawled out and looked around. He peered out of the cave entrance toward the river lined with black willow trees, while his three friends climbed out of the tunnel.
"I know Joe is close. I can feel it!" Frank said softly. The others nodded, not doubting Frank’s intuition.
"Hey!" Tony said in a whisper. "I think I hear voices coming from inside the cave!" All four boys froze and listened expectantly.
"You’re right, Tony," agreed Phil. "Two voices, I think."
"Let’s go!" Frank ordered, "One of those voices belongs to Joe!"
The four teenagers moved silently into the darkness, staying in the deep shadows at the sides of the cave. Not too far in, a small hurricane lantern sat on an upside down bucket in the center of the cave floor.
Frank moved as close as he dare to; within inches of the light cast by the lantern. ‘Joe!’ Frank silently gasped, seeing his younger brother bound and sitting against a large rock. Joe was talking calmly to a man about 25 years old. Frank listened intently to the conversation.
"Mike," Joe was saying, "if you keep me here against my will, it’s kidnapping. You could get in a lot of trouble; a whole lot more than stealing from the mill."
"But you don’t understand, kid," the man replied. "If I let you go and you let it slip that I’m here, I’m a dead man. Besides, I didn’t steal anything. I’m only borrowing what I need to survive in this cave."
"Look, Mike," Joe offered, "maybe I can help you. If you’re in some kind of trouble, my brother and I are pretty good at helping people out of sticky situations."
Mike chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "What’s your name, anyway?"
"Joe. Joe Hardy," the blond teen replied.
"If I thought
for one second that there was something you could do to help me,
Joe," Mike said softly, "I’d tell you everything."
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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.