Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction - Presenting "Yesterdays' Dreams, Tomorrow's Memories" by CQB

Joe Hardy climbed in his van and cranked up the heat. He didn’t dare start driving until he could get better control of his emotions. The Bayport Cemetery was deserted, so he had been alone for the past 35 minutes, spending time with Iola on her birthday. It had been emotionally draining and physically cold. After about fifteen minutes, Joe put the van into gear and started down the road toward the hospital.

Joe had only traveled about a mile when he saw Luke Martin walking along the side the road. Something about his friend’s posture told Joe that Luke was upset. Joe pulled the van up beside the 18-year-old youth.

"Hey, Luke," Joe called out, "A little chilly this morning for a stroll. Something up?" Luke, startled by Joe’s voice, looked up quickly into his friend’s deep blue eyes. Without realizing it, both boys looked away from each other’s intense gaze for the same reason. Both had been crying and both were embarrassed.

Joe had recognized the tell-tail sign of recently shed tears on Luke’s face. He was sure Luke noticed the same on him. ‘Oh well,’ Joe surmised, ‘too late to hide it now.’

"Looks like we’ve both had a rough morning," Joe said, trying to give Luke a smile. To his relief, Luke smiled back.

"Yeah, that’s an understatement," Luke responded.

"Come on aboard," Joe offered again, "We can commiserate together." Luke chuckled and climbed into the front passenger seat.

"Where’s your partner?" Luke asked, surprised that Frank wasn’t riding in the van.

"I’m on my way to pick Frank up at the hospital, he…" Joe began.

"Hospital? Oh man! Is he okay?" Luke questioned.

"Yeah, he’ll be fine," Joe responded with an easy grin, "He’s got a hard head!"

"What?" Luke asked, not understanding.

"Frank...uh, hit his head last night. He had to get a few stitches and he has a concussion," Joe explained, not wanting to give the details of their current case, "but he’ll be fine with a little rest."

"That’s good," Luke replied, sensing that Joe wasn’t telling him everything. ‘No surprise there,’ Luke thought, ‘He doesn’t know me that well yet.’

"You got plans or do you want to help me get the invalid home and in bed?" Joe asked, glancing at Luke.

"I’m free. I’d be glad to help," Luke answered.

* * *

Max Bianco had tailed Luke Martin, debating about whether to snatch the kid to use as a pawn to get to David Morgan. He wasn’t positive that the teenager was Morgan’s kid, but, since none of the other rental properties panned out, it was a pretty sure guess that the boy was 18-year-old Bryan Morgan.

He had just decided it would be worth the risk, when a black van pulled up beside the kid. Bianco passed the van and smiled as he caught sight of the license plate.

"Hey Max," John Diller said as they passed the van, "that’s the Hardy kid. He’s talkin’ to Morgan’s boy." Bianco rolled his eyes. He parked about a block away and watched the rearview mirror.

* * *

"You don’t know who this boy was that you hit?" Nicholas Garris questioned the lanky youth that stood before him.

"No, sir," Buzz Fielding replied nervously, "He just came back to where we were on that property, and started lookin’ around."

"Do you think he was a cop, Mr. Garris?" Mike Word asked, his voice squeaking.

"There was nothing in this morning’s paper. If the young man had been a police officer, it would have been reported," Garris replied.

"Were you able to do the assignment I gave you before the interruption?" Nicholas asked the boys.

"Ah, no," offered Jamey Ford, "We’d just got there."

"Too bad," Garris answered, "The fact that someone besides Cassidy was on the property has me concerned. However, I have a new job for you gentlemen. Find out who the boy was on Cassidy’s property last night, and why he was there."

* * *

"So, what’s your story?" Luke asked casually as he and Joe headed toward the hospital. Joe glanced sideways at Luke, but then refocused on the road.

"I was at the cemetery this morning," Joe said softly, "I was visiting a friend."

"I’m sorry," Luke apologized, "I didn’t mean to intrude. I mean, that’s probably none of my business."

"You remember Chet? The big guy with the reddish-blond hair?" Joe asked.

"Yeah, Chet Morton," Luke replied, "Why?"

"He had a sister, Iola," Joe explained, "We were…dating. She died last year."

"Wow. She was your girlfriend?" Luke was stunned, "I-I guess I never thought about kids our age dying. I know they do, but, well…I don’t know. I’m really sorry, Joe. It must have been really awful."

"It still is," Joe stated.

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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.

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