Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

Sheriff Leroy Longtooth had just started processing the arrested protestors when he was called back to Mesa Verde. He left Deputy Mace Thayer in charge, while he and Deputy Vernon Sagawi headed back to Morehead Village.

As soon as Longtooth’s vehicle came to a stop, Bull Byron was standing nearby, waiting. Longtooth recognized the young man with Byron as Chris Bayer, Byron’s summer assistant.

“Gentlemen,” Longtooth greeted. “What seems to be the problem?”

Bull quickly related the conversation he’d had with Catherine. The sheriff frowned as he listened. He already knew this was going to be a difficult case. With a bunch of teenagers up in Balcony House, the crime scene had probably been severely compromised.

“Sagawi,” Longtooth addressed the Hopi officer, “Get hold of Billy Moss. Tell him we got a body out here at Balcony House, and to bring his CS kit.”

Turning back to Byron, he said, “Let’s get out there before those kids ruin too much evidence.”

* * *

“Yeah,” Biff nodded, “the guy was totally dead. His eyes were open and there was blood everywhere.”

“Everywhere?” Luke questioned.

“Mostly it was under him,” Biff corrected. “Some blood had oozed out in the dust on the ground, though.”

“Do you think Catherine knows him?” Chet asked.

“I’d say probably yes,” Biff answered. “He was wearing an outfit like hers. Joe thought he was probably checking out the place before closing up for the night.”

“Then it might be Catherine’s partner!” Chet guessed.

The three teens were waiting in an open area on the same level where the body had been discovered. Biff had explained how he and Joe found the dead man.

“Hey up there!”

The trio of boys peered out a large window carved in the clay wall and saw Chris Bayer with two other men on the lowest level of Balcony House.

“Is Ranger Laeche with you boys?” Sheriff Longtooth yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth.

When neither Biff nor Chet made an effort to answer, Luke called down, “Yes Sir.” He didn’t offer any more information, though.

The sheriff shook his head. “This is going to be a total fiasco.”

“Frank and Joe will have the scene secured,” Chris stated defensively. “Their father has taught them how to approach a crime scene and how to treat it.” He knew first hand that Frank and Joe Hardy were following in the footsteps of their private detective father, Fenton. Despite their youthful age, they were experienced investigators.

“Get real, Bayer,” Longtooth replied. “They’re still kids, no matter what kind of big time Sherlock Holmes their daddy is!”

Longtooth led the way up hewn stairs with Byron close behind. Chris followed a few steps behind.

* * *

“Did Mark have any enemies; anyone who would want him dead?” Frank questioned Catherine. They were in the corridor, just outside the room where Mark’s body was sprawled.

“I only know Mark on a professional basis,” Catherine answered. “We’ve been working the Balcony House tours together for two years, during the tourist season from May to October.”

“Are, ah, were the two of you always together during your working hours?” Joe inquired.

Catherine shook her head. “As you can see, there are no sources of artificial light in any of the cliff dwellings. Because of that and the danger darkness and shadows would bring, all tours stop at dusk; or as soon as this side of the canyon is in shadows, usually around 5 or 6 p.m.

“Our shift starts at 9 a.m., five days a week. One of us comes early to open the gate and be ready for early tourists. We each take different days off during the week and another ranger takes our place. That way, one of us is…was always here.

“We sometimes check things out before the tours begin and sometimes plan our schedules for the next week or two. We work tours together during peak hours, than take turns going for lunch or taking short breaks when the crowd thins out.”

“Was Mark here yesterday?” Frank asked.

“Yes,” Catherine nodded. “I left at five-thirty, though. Mark said he’d do a walk-through before closing.”

“So he planned to walk through the place and make sure everything was safe and sound for the night,” Joe commented, having already guessed that was why Mark was up on the fifth level.

“We’ve had a few people try to hide and stay behind,” Catherine explained. “I guess they wanted to experience the pueblo at night, or maybe steal some artifacts, but it’s too dangerous. It would be easy to become disoriented and fall off the cliff.

“Before I ever started working at Balcony House, the walk-through policy was being done regularly at all the cliff-dwelling tour sites.”

“Catherine?” The trio in the hall turned towards the voice that echoed from the corridor’s entrance.

“Chris? We’re here,” Catherine answered, relief evident in her voice.

Soon Chris was beside them and the young couple embraced.

“It’s Mark,” the woman stated, clinging to her fiancé.

Leroy Longtooth brushed past them and faced Frank and Joe Hardy. “Which one of you is Joe?”

“That would be me, Sir,” Joe replied stepping forward. Joe put his hand out to greet the sheriff, but Longtooth ignored it.

Longtooth nodded, and then said, “Byron, get the rest of these people away from here. Ranger Laeche and the Hooper kid stay up here. Take the rest down to the lower level and sit in the school room.

“When Sagawi gets here,” Longtooth continued, “send him up.”

“I’d like to stay,” Frank spoke up. “I think Joe and I could…"

“Get down to the bottom, Mr. Hardy,” Sheriff Longtooth growled. “I’ll question you later. As for right now, unless your brother needs you to hold his hand, this conversation is over.”

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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.