Hardy Boys Fan Fiction at the Hardy Detective Agency Presents "Quality Time" by CQB

Joe Hardy opened his eyes a saw a tall, sandy haired cowboy standing next to his bed. His denim shirt bore a silver badge that read, ‘Sheriff Colt Tanner’. Joe swallowed as he gazed at the lawman.

"How are you feeling, son?" the man asked, peering into Joe’s sapphire eyes. Joe felt like Tanners steel, gray eyes could pierce right through him.

"Not too bad, considering I fell out of the sky a few days ago," Joe replied, watching the man carefully. Sheriff Tanner chuckled at the boy’s response.

"You’re very lucky to be alive," the sheriff stated, suddenly serious again. "Tell me what you remember, Joe. Is it okay to call you Joe?" Joe Hardy nodded and related the story of the crash as well as he could remember it. He told the sheriff about Chuck Fisher and how he died.

"I take it that you found the life raft and decided to use it to transport your unconscious father to the cabin?" questioned Tanner. Joe nodded in agreement. "That was quick thinking, young man. What happened when you got to the cabin?" Joe swallowed hard. ‘This is it,’ Joe thought, ‘I’ve got to stick as close to the truth as possible, without hurting Maddie or Carl.’ Joe told Tanner about crossing the ravine to the cabin, about hearing and signaling the plane and then, he told him about coming to the empty cabin, and taking his dad inside.

Tanner watched Joe closely. The kid met his gaze almost all the way through his story, until he spoke of the empty cabin. The boy’s eyes had shifted, glancing down to his lap for just an instant.

"Amazing, simply amazing!" Tanner said when Joe finished. "You must have some kind of super human strength to have carried your father into that empty cabin all by yourself with that broken arm of yours!" Joe knew Tanner was being sarcastic, but Joe didn’t say anything more. Tanner smiled at the boy and said he would send Frank in to visit.

Frank and Jack went in to sit with Joe, while Sheriff Tanner moved down the hallway to Fenton Hardy’s room.

"Frank!" Joe grinned as his brother moved close to the bed, "Have I got a story to tell you!" Using a low voice, Joe told Frank the whole story, including their plan to investigate Jimmy Mc Curdy’s murder.

* * *

"Mr. Hardy. I hope you’re feeling better," Sheriff Tanner said as he went into Fenton’s room. "I’d like to hear your story."

"To be honest," Mr. Hardy began, "It’s Joe you should talk to, because I wasn’t awake for the most part. Something to do with this lump on my noggin," Fenton smiled. Tanner smiled in return.

"Just tell me what you remember," Tanner requested. Fenton told his tale. It wasn’t as lengthy or detailed as Joe’s version, which only made sense. Fenton also claimed that he was unconscious when they arrived at the cabin, but when he came to; only Joe was there with him.

Tanner sighed. Then looked straight into Fenton Hardy’s dark brown eyes. "You and I both know that there is no way Joe could have gotten you out of that raft, up those steps and into that cabin by himself. It’s hard to imagine him even making it from the crash site to the cabin!" Mr. Hardy remained silent. Tanner continued, "Let me tell you what I think. I think maybe Joe got you close to the cabin. That’s giving your kid a whole lot of credit. Then someone helped him get you into the cabin. I’m betting it was Madeline Whitefeather...or maybe, Carl." Tanner watched the detective’s eyes, but Fenton gave nothing away with his gaze.

"Maddie calls herself ‘Mrs. White’ around town. No one has ever seen anyone else with her. But I know Carl lives there with her. I knew who they were when I became sheriff three years ago." Tanner paused, waiting for Mr. Hardy to respond. The man remained silent.

"I don’t believe Carl killed that Mc Curdy kid and I don’t believe he confessed to doing it. That’s why I’ve never turned her or Carl in to the Colorado police." Tanner continued.

"You should tell her that you know," Mr. Hardy finally said. Sheriff Tanner smiled. Now they could get somewhere. Tanner arranged to have Joe moved into Fenton’s room. Joe told the truth about Maddie and Carl at his father’s request.

"I couldn’t go investigating this case myself," Tanner said, hearing the whole story, finally, "I wish you would do it, Hardy. There is something fishy about the whole thing, and I’m inclined to agree with Maddie. I think young Mr. Wagner is tied up in this mess."

Mr. Hardy looked at his two sons. He then glanced at Tanner. "If my boys are willing to help work the case with me, we’ll look into the Mc Curdy murder as soon as we return to Bayport. There are two stipulations. One, Tanner, you must go and talk to Maddie. Let her know she has a trusted friend in you. Second, I’ll need someone local I can trust to get me some information. Can I count on you?"

"One hundred percent, partner!" Sheriff Colt Tanner replied.

"Frank? Joe? How do you feel about solving the mystery of the ‘Colorado Conspiracy’?" Fenton asked, looking at his two sons.

Frank and Joe exchanged a brief look, then high-fived each other. "You bet!" they shouted.

The End

Continued in Part Two – "The Colorado Conspiracy"

Let the authors know what you think of this story

Home Library Authors Rogue's Gallery Vehicles Chums Message Board Rap Sheet Links Contact

Disclaimer

The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The authors 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.