Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

Joe shook his head in frustrated denial. We’re in Hawaii, basically on vacation, he seethed silently. We were having fun, planning more good times! Why would anyone here want to kidnap Frank? Frank didn’t see the car thieves stealing that car, so why take him? “But I saw them!” he said in a demanding voice, “I’m the one who saw the car thieves, not Frank! It was me and Vanessa – they should have taken me, not him!”

“It might not have anything to do with the car thefts, Joe,” Fenton reminded him gently.

Joe shrugged in angry dismissal. “It doesn’t matter,” he said, “It doesn’t make sense! We’re on vacation – we were going to have a fun time in the warm sun before going back to the snow...”

“We were on vacation in Lake Tahoe too, Joe,” Vanessa whispered, and began to gently rub her boyfriend’s back, trying to soothe him.

Joe forced himself to relax. He wasn’t prone to hysterics and he wasn’t about to start giving in to it now. It’s time to think through things logically. Maybe the van that Ms. Malari saw....He turned to the maid with a hopeful expression.

“Did you recognize the boys who were with Frank? Do you know them?”

She shook her head. “No. I’m new to the Big Island. I just arrived here to work, last week. I’ve lived all my life on Kauai. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, to see what happened. But it was like watching a show on television, you know?”

Detective Ekela frowned slightly and turned to Fenton. “There’s enough of us here to start looking for the young man who is missing,” he suggested. “I can put off going back to Maui until your son is found – I’ll just need to make a couple of phone calls. In fact, I have some ideas about where to start looking...if you’ll excuse me?”

“Thanks, Detective Ekela. I hate to admit it, but I’m selfish enough to take you up on the offer,” Fenton sighed. “I want Frank found as soon as possible.”

Ekela smiled. In a frosty voice that promised dire consequences for the perpetrators, he said “Frank will be found – or heads will roll!” and stalked off to make his telephone calls, just as Dylan McCullough sauntered in.

The young lieutenant greeted the Hardys and Chief Pauahi, and then commented that it looked like something official was happening. “What’s going on?”

“The older Hardy boy is missing,” Pauahi said tersely. He quickly filled McCullough in on the details.

McCullough was professional and serious; he immediately offered to call it in to his base. “What’s the good of having a 5-0 on hand if you don’t use him?” he asked rhetorically. “We’ll get a team out right away. I assume the local force will cooperate?” he asked Pauahi, who nodded agreement.

Joe listened to all this planning impatiently; he wanted to be out looking for Frank!

“Ms. Malari,” McCullough turned to Kachina. “Did you happen to see the license plate of the van – get any of the number?”

“No sir,” she said softly, shaking her head. “I never thought to look!”

Joe sighed. Really, he hadn’t expected anything more, but still....He glanced over at Megan, who was standing nearby and listening intently, her blue-green eyes wide with shock and fear. Laura had her arm about Megan’s shoulders in a gesture of comfort – even though Laura was beginning to look nearly as anxious as Megan. “Vanessa,” he murmured, extending a hand to his girlfriend.

She moved closer. “Hmmm?”

“Maybe you could take Mom and Megan over to the coffee shop for awhile? Sit down?”

“I can do that,” she agreed softly. “You sure you’re okay?”

“I’m good,” he assured her. “but it would really help if you’ll take care of Mom and Red. Thanks, Babe.”

He watched somberly as Vanessa led Laura and Megan to the nearby café, which was only a few yards away. Megan sank into a chair and put her face in her hands, brushing tears from her pale cheeks. Vanessa glanced back at him, and Joe blew her a quick kiss before turning to join the others in their strategic planning session.

“I want to help,” he announced, as he heard them dividing up the jobs to cover. “Frank’s my brother, and I’m not sitting this out.”

Dylan McCullough scowled. “I don’t want a kid involved in any of my investigations,” he said grimly. “I don’t care how good a detective you are; you’re still a civilian. It’s too dangerous, and besides, you’re personally involved.”

“My dad’s personally involved too,” Joe bristled, “and I don’t notice you excluding him! I don’t care whether you want me around or not, I am involved and I’m going to stay that way. I’m going to help find Frank – and I’m not a kid!”

The lieutenant opened his mouth to continue the argument when Fenton intervened: “Joe and I can work together, Dylan. And he does know what he’s doing, civilian or not.”

Joe threw his father an appreciative glance, then gave McCullough a look that challenged him to deny Joe the chance to participate.

McCullough didn’t look entirely convinced, but didn’t waste time or energy in argument. “Fine then. But Joe, you listen up: you do what you’re told when you’re told, got it? Or you’re off the case right then.”

“I will,” Joe promised, willing to agree to anything that he had to, to stay involved.

The group split into its various parts, and Joe was left with his father. He looked at Fenton soberly. “What now, Dad?”

“First we’re going to talk to everyone we’ve been in contact with that is connected with the hotel,” the detective told him. “Especially any kids around your age.” He smiled a little. “That’s another reason I wanted you along; you can communicate with the local kids better than a bunch of police officers can!”

“We – Frank and I and the girls – we met a bunch of the locals the other day,” Joe offered. “After the luau, remember? We went to a beach party with them. It’s possible that some of them might be able to help – or at least, might know who owns the gray van. Dad,” he continued in a softer voice, “do you have any idea why Frank might have been...taken?”

“No – not yet,” Fenton admitted. “It seems strange that this would happen here in Hawaii. It’s not like we’re local – or even rich tourists. We’re here on business, primarily...” He shook his head. “I suppose it’s barely possible that someone from my past knew that I was going to be here, and took Frank – but I have no idea who it might be, or why.”

“I wish I knew the motivation,” Joe sighed. “It might help us figure out who took Frank – and where they took him.” He refused to even tolerate the idea that Frank might not have been taken anywhere – he might have been conveniently disposed of! Joe tilted his head towards the table in the coffee shop where Vanessa, Laura and Megan despondently sat. “We should get them involved,” he offered. “They might be able to help, and that way they aren’t sitting around worrying.”

“Oh son, it could be very dangerous,” Fenton demurred. “I don’t want to risk your mother or either of the girls being hurt. If this turns out to be something...bad...well, I even thought about suggesting that they fly back to the mainland early,” he admitted, “but I know your mom would never stand for it!”

“Neither would Red or Vanessa,” Joe replied. “And they could be helpful,” he continued, “since we’re going to be talking to hotel guests and other people about the van. They can ask questions of the guys. After all,” he added, with twinkling eyes, “they’re prettier than we are – and there’s nothing like a pretty girl or woman flattering you to make you remember things!”

“Voice of experience?” his father asked dryly, and Joe blushed.

“I can talk to the girls,” the younger Hardy said hastily, “and you can deal with the – um – older ladies. No doubt you’ve still got it with the ladies, don’tcha, Dad?”

Fenton snorted and lightly cuffed the back of his son’s head as they moved to join Laura and the two girls.

They quickly reached agreement and solidified their plans.

“Let’s meet back here in an hour,” Fenton directed, “and we can exchange any information we’ve gathered. Then we can decide what to do next.”

Megan, Vanessa and Joe went together for their part of the task, and Laura and Fenton walked off to do their own questioning.

“Let’s try the beach again,” Joe suggested. “Maybe we’ll get lucky down there.” They strolled towards the warm sands, which were now lighted by the hotel’s flaring tiki torches. Joe paused when he saw a familiar face: Quint.

“Hey, Quint!” he hailed the other boy, and Quint waved and smiled, then trotted over to join them.

“Heya, brah,” the young Hawaiian greeted him.

“Got a question for you,” Joe said casually. “You know anyone who owns a gray van around here?”

Quint shook his head. “No, sorry. Nobody with a gray one – some surfers have vans, sure, but they’re usually bright colors. Was it a taxi-van? Or maybe a cargo van – business-type? Could be owned by one of the local companies. Why you need to know?” he asked Joe.

Joe hesitated for just a second. “Oh – the driver of it dropped something, and I wanted to return it,” he replied casually.

Quint’s smile faltered the least bit. “Well...if the driver wants it back, whatever it is, he’ll show up,” he said.

“Well, thanks anyway – uh, mahalo – and if you’d let me know, if you hear anything about one...?”

“Sure, brah. Happy New Year. A`ole pilikia – aloha!” Quint sauntered away, whistling – swaggering just a little.

Joe turned to the girls – and found them making expressive faces at one another. “What?” he demanded.

“Oh – just Quint,” Megan said hesitantly. “He’s pretty...well, full of himself, that’s all. Of course he didn’t see any gray van – I doubt he ever sees past the end of his own nose!”

“He seemed a little different, when Frank was with us, last night,” Vanessa agreed, “but now that he’s not – Quint couldn’t care less.”

“I thought he seemed friendly enough,” Joe frowned.

“Maybe,” Megan shrugged. “Maybe I’m just imagining things. It just felt...wrong, that’s all.”

“Yep,” Vanessa nodded her agreement again. “Call it women’s intuition, Joe!”

“Not gonna argue that one,” Joe said, putting up his hands in a placating gesture. “And I’d trust your intuition any day, Red. It’s just that I didn’t notice anything. Well, let’s get started.”

They spread out slightly, and began questioning other young people on the beach. Sometimes they flirted and teased, sometimes they just asked questions straight, but always they inquired about a gray van, and whether or not anyone had seen it pulling away from the hotel late that afternoon.

When they joined up again, on the hotel mezzanine, all three were discouraged.

“Nothing,” Megan sighed, plopping herself down on a nearby divan and resting her chin in her cupped hands.

“Zip,” Vanessa agreed.

“Same here. If it wasn’t for Ms. Malari, the maid,” Joe commented bitterly, “we wouldn’t have known anything about Frank at all!”

Vanessa sighed. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to take a restroom break,” she apologized. “There’s a ladies’ room right here; I’ll be right back.”

“No rush, Babe,” Joe said absently. “We’ll just wait for you here. Or,” he added, his eyes twinkling teasingly again, “is this one of those things where you and Red have to go together?”

“I’ll manage by myself, thanks,” Vanessa said smartly, and strode off towards the restrooms.

Seconds later, Joe and Megan were startled to hear a blood-curdling scream coming from the bathroom – and Vanessa dashed out, her face drained of all color. She ran up to Joe and grabbed his arms, clinging tightly to him.

“Ka-Kachina Malari...is in there!” she gasped. “And...she’s...she’s...DEAD!”

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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.