Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

Leroy Longtooth, Deputy Vernon Sagawi and Deputy Rand Palemoon repelled down the canyon wall beside Balcony House. All three men moved confidently down the rock face.

“Let’s move out,” Longtooth ordered as they unfastened their harnesses. “We can collect this gear later.” The two deputies fell in step behind the sheriff and headed in the direction of the small canyon Dave Kelhoyouma had told him about. Longtooth didn’t want to admit it, but Joe Hardy had been right about one thing, Longtooth needed to know where the cave was located. Before they left the office, the sheriff questioned Kelhoyouma about the exact location.

As soon as they moved into the dark, narrow canyon, Longtooth heard faint voices. It was impossible to tell where they were coming from because of the echo-effect the canyon provided, but he surmised that it was probably the smugglers. He and his deputies picked up their pace.

* * *

Chris Bayer drove Catherine’s Envoy along every short-cut he knew, cutting their driving time to a minimum. Less than forty minutes after leaving the sheriff’s office, Chris drove through a seldom used gate at the far end of Mesa Verde National Park.

He pulled the SUV to a stop near a maintenance building. Using his master key, he unlocked the door and went inside; Catherine, Phil and Chet followed.

“Whoa,” Chet Morton cried, “Check out the ‘quads’.” There were five 4-wheel-drive ATV’s parked in a row.

“Can you drive one?” Chris asked Catherine.

“Yes,” his fiancé replied, grabbed two sets of keys from the rack near the door.

“Chet,” Chris waved to the hefty youth, “Climb on with Cath; Phil, you come with me.”

“We can’t get down the Balcony House trail with these,” Catherine said, worry etching her pretty features.

“There is a maintenance trail on this side of Balcony House,” Chris explained as they started their vehicles. “Bull and I used it from time to time to get to the canyon floor in a hurry.”

“All right!” Phil Cohen called out as he and Chris took off. Catherine and Chet followed close behind.

* * *

Joe Hardy looked up and his stomach flipped as he saw Matoka Hrappowi grab Frank. Now Frank was being held at knife-point by the old man from Campton’s cabin.

“You boys,” Matoka motioned to Biff and Luke, “get in the cave now.” Biff Hooper and Luke Martin moved slowly toward the mouth of the cave.

Joe stood up as quietly as he could. He needed to distract the old man, and then maybe Frank could get away. He looked at Luke and Biff. Biff locked eyes with Joe for a brief instant, but long enough to know that Joe had a plan. The younger Hardy used sign-language to tell Biff to fake an injury.

“Aw!” Biff cried out suddenly, stumbling against Luke and causing them both to fall against the canyon wall. “Ow! My ankle! I think something bit me!”

Matoka eased his grip on Frank to move closer to the fallen boys. Frank felt the knife move away from his throat and quickly pulled his elbow forward and thrust it back into the old man’s stomach.

“Oof!” Hrappowi cried, staggering back. Joe dashed forward and landed a two-fisted clout to the back of Matoka’s head. The knife fell to the ground and the old man crumbled unconscious beside it.

“You’re a welcome sight, little brother,” Frank smiled, wrapping his arms around Joe’s neck. “I thought they’d killed you.”

“When I heard you’d gone up to Stan Lomayaktewa’s place,” Joe countered, “I figured they would kill you if they got the chance.”

“Got these guys all wrapped up for the sheriff,” Biff grinned, holding what was left of Joe’s safety line. “How was my acting, Joe?”

“Look out Hollywood,” Joe quipped, “here comes Biff Hooper!”

“I don’t know what to do with you boys,” a loud voice boomed from the nearby trees.

Joe winced as he recognized Sheriff Longtooth’s bellow.

The lawman and his deputies quickly checked on the two smugglers, but then faced the Hardys and their friends.

He leaned against a tree and looked directly at Joe. “How did you get here? No, don’t tell me; I can probably guess.”

Longtooth sighed. “I should throw you in jail. You stowed aboard a helicopter and stole official equipment.”

“‘Borrowed’ equipment, ah, except for the safety line. We kinda used it for something else. But I did get here in time,” Joe added. “That’s got to count for something.”

“I’ll expect you to pay for that rope, son,” Longtooth responded, scowling at Joe.

“Yes, Sir,” Joe replied, exasperated.

“I underestimated you boys. For that, I apologize.” Then, for the first time since meeting the hard-nosed lawman, Joe saw Longtooth smile. “Let’s gather up this vermin and get out of here.”

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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.