“Should we show this to Betty?” Joe mused. It was fifteen minutes later, and the boys had calmed down enough to partially think rationally. “She seems like the only other person here that might possibly have a bit of a heart—even if her cooking does stink.”

Frank glared at his brother. “This is no time for jokes, Joe.”

Joe stared at Frank, eyes wide and innocent; he was serious. “I wasn’t joking, Frank. Try having a heaping helping of cockroach meatloaf shoved into your mouth.”

Frank looked embarrassed. “Sorry, Joe. But honestly, I wish you hadn’t made that comment about ‘seeing something’ in the food. That would have helped you not go through that awful mess.”

Even though he knew his brother was trying to be helpful, Joe felt a pang of anger and resentment shoot through his heart, even though he knew that Frank was right.

“Sorry, bro. I wasn’t thinking.”

‘You NEVER think! That’s the one thing I hate about you, you know that!’

Joe shook his head, sure that he hadn’t heard what he’d thought. “What?”

Frank sighed. “Were you not listening?”

‘And you NEVER listen! You have nearly gotten yourself killed so many times because you won’t think, or listen. You’re being stupid, that’s all!’

“I said, it’s okay. It’s a tough situation, but we’ve got to try and stick together.”

‘I’ve always stuck by you, but that has only made things worse for me! I’m done with you.’

“R-right. Stick together.”

Frank looked at Joe, concerned. “Are you okay?”

‘You’re a menace and a pain, and I’ll be glad to be rid of you.’

“Uh…yeah…I guess those roaches just made me a little crawly inside, that’s all.”

Frank rolled his eyes. “Funny, Joe.”

‘The way you always make jokes at the most inappropriate times—it’s childish, naïve, and the most immature thing I’ve ever seen. I hate it.’

“I’m sorry.”

“What?”

‘Yeah, you are sorry—a sorry excuse for a brother!’

“I’M SORRY!” Joe bellowed, a crazed expression in his eyes. “Please don’t leave me, Frank, please!”

Frank was taken aback by his brother’s spastic behavior. “What? Joe, why would you even—”

“It’s going to happen. Maybe not now, but later! I know what you don’t like about me Frank!” Joe said, referring to what he had heard in his head. “You think I never listen and never think! I make jokes at ‘inappropriate moments’. I’m a pain and a menace and sorry excuse for a brother and that’s why you’re going to leave me.” He paused, tears welling up in his blue eyes. “I need a bathroom.”

Betty appeared in the doorway, seemingly from nowhere. “Across the hall, second door to the left.”

He smiled. Things were beginning to fall into place. Slowly, but he could see that one of them was already beginning to break. Before long, it would be time to deliver the final blow to the other one who had already lost the love of his life.

But it was okay. It was justified.

They were just getting what they deserved.

Joe crashed down next to the toilet and began to vomit onto the floor next to it, although there wasn’t much of anything left to bring up, due to his previous experience. Then he fell to his face and sobbed.

Frank knocked on the bathroom door, but no one answered. “Joe, I know you’re in there. What made you blow up like that? Are you okay?”

Again, no answer. Frank, determined to make sure his brother was okay, turned the doorknob and was surprised to find that the door was unlocked.

Upon opening th door, he was met with a horrific sight. Joe was lying on the floor, unmoving, his eyes opened wide in an expression of shock, a knife hilt sticking out of his chest. He was surrounded by an ever growing pool of his own blood.

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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.