IDENTITY CRISIS

 

by

hbwgonnabe

Chapter 10

 

 

The Chapters

INTRO

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

Frank stared in amazement. It was Joe. It had to be. Jonny was missing. "If you're Jonny," Frank siad at last, "where's Joe?"

Jonny told Frank to sit down then he explained about the dinner plans and the switch afterwards. "Do you think it will work?" Frank asked after Jonny was through.

"Maybe," Jonny answered.

"You know," Frank said thoughtfully, "you're more talkative than Craig said you were."

"I haven't really been me lately," Jonny said with a faint smile.

"There's a bit of that going around," Frank said, smiling himself. "I'd better go and let you get ready," he added, standing up. "Knock on the wall when Kelly gets here and I'll follow you."

"That won't be nessecary," Jonny told him.

"You may need back-up," Frank argued.

"Okay," Jonny gave in and turned Frank out.

An hour later, Jonny opened the door to find Kelly standing in the hallway. "Ready?" she asked.

"Let me grab my jacket," he told her and knocked the chair over into the wall as he pulled the jacket toward him.

"You're going to have to start hanging your jacket somewhere else," she told him.

"I'll be hanging me somewhere else now that I've gone to work for Sommer," he parried.

"Us," she corrected him and pulled him out the door. "Dad won't mind if I move out," she told him.

"Sounds great!" he said, wondering how Joe was going to like his new roommate if this mess didn't get cleared up soon.

Frank followed the twosome outside. Kelly stopped and turned around. "You're Jonny's cousin, right?" she asked.

Frank paused. He had told Mike he was Jonny's cousin, Fred. "Why don't you join us?" she asked him when he never answered her.

Jonny looked over at Frank. He did have a cousin on his mother's side, but his name was Tony. Sommer hadn't met him so he thought maybe it was a good thing she invited him.

"Come on Fred," Jonny encouraged him. "I want you to meet Sommer. I bet my old man never even told him you existed." Jonny said, then smiled at Kelly. "Dad never did like my mom's sister and her husband," he told her, hoping Frank would realize his cover was safe and he could go with them.

"Sure," Frank said. "I'd love to go."

"Don't you need to cancel whatever plans you had made?" she asked with a little smirk.

Frank thought Samuels had been right when they probably knew about the switch. Out loud he said, "I was just going to get a burger." He shrugged and walked ahead of them. "I'll follow you in my car," he added.

"Absolutely not," Kelly said, catching his arm. "We insist you ride with us, right Jonny?"

"Yeah," Jonny agreed and the three climbed into Kelly's car. A few minutes later they arrived at Kelly's house.

"Nice place," Frank said appreciatively when they got out of the car.

"It's home," Kelly said with a grin. "Come on."

Inside they made their way to the study. "Jonny you know everybody," she said. "Fred, this is my father, Tom, and this is Sommer Daniels and his son, Craig." She waited while Frank shook hands with the three. "This is Steve Temple," she said, leading Frank over to a fourth person.

"How do you do?" Frank asked and held out his hand. Steve stared at him and a moment later gave a brief nod of recognition.

"Now, let's get down to business," Tom said with a broad smile.

"Surely, not before dinner," Sommer said hastily. Frank and Jonny looked at each other but said nothing.

"Sounds good to me," Frank said. "I'm starved." Over dinner Sommer kept bringing up past memories and even tried to trip Jonny up. Frank was glad Joe wasn't there. He never would have gotten through Sommer's trip down memory lane.

"Fred," Sommer said, finally turning his attention to Frank. "Do you have a brother?"

"No," he answered. "Why do you ask?"

"I thought Jon mentioned his nephew once, but as I recall, his name was Tony." Everyone stared at Frank.

Frank lost no time in answering. "My middle name is Fred," he told Sommer. "My first name is Anthony but my family calls me Tony."

Jonny let out the breath he had been holding. They were going to pull this off after all.

After dinner the group went to the study. After they had all sat down, the phone rang. "Excuse me," Tom said, standing up and walking over to the desk. "It's for you Steve," he said a minute later, offering him the phone.

"Do you mind if I take it in another room?" Steve asked Tom.

"Of course not," Tom told him and waited until Steve had picked up an extension before hanging up.

"Jonny, tomorrow you will get to meet a very close friend of mine," Sommer began. "We've been doing business together for years. He's a very special client and I'm sure you two will hit it off."

"Who is it?" Jonny asked.

"I'm sorry to end the evening so soon," Steve said, coming into the room. "But an urgent matter has just arisen. Perhaps we can discuss our business at another time," he added as he left.

"Sommer," Jonny said after Steve had departed. "Who am I supposed to meet in the morning?"

Sommer looked at Jonny thoughtfully. "I think maybe it should be a surprise," he said. "I never realized how late it was getting," he said, standing up.

"Well perhaps next time we should discuss things before dinner," Tom said, confused, as he rose and escorted Sommer out.

"Why don't I save you a drive and take Jonny and Fred home?" Craig said to Kelly, standing up also.

"Okay," she said. She walked over and gave Jonny a light kiss. "See you tomorrow."

"You really fooled my dad," Craig said in the car. "Joe, where did you learn all that stuff?"

"Jonny's dad," Frank answered for Jonny. "You knew your dad was involved?" he asked Craig.

"Not really," Craig replied. "But I thought he might be."

"That doesn't bother you?" Frank pushed.

"Dad and I don't get along," Craig told him.

"You couldn't tell it the way you two carried on tonight," Jonny observed.

"I heard about the dinner party tonight and thought you might need my help," he explained. "Come on guys," he begged to be believed. "How was I supposed to know you got all that information from Jonny's dad?"

"You're right," Frank admitted. "But didn't your dad get suspicious?"

"Nope," Craig assured him. "He knows I hang out with Jonny and Kelly. Can I come in?" Craig asked when they arrived at the boardinghouse.

"Sure," Frank said. "I've got some sodas and a cake mom gave me in my room." Jonny sighed in relief. He knew Joe was supposed to be waiting in his room so they could switch back so Frank's save was perfect.

"On second thought, I'd better get home," Craig said with a change of mind. "I've got classes in the morning."

"Can I catch a ride with you over to your dad's offices in the morning?" Jonny asked. He figured this would be a good time for the switch. Joe could go with Craig in the morning and whoever was following him would be sure to think Joe was the real thing.

"Sure," Craig said. "It's on my way." Frank and Jonny got out of the car and watched Craig leave.

"I wonder what my tail's going to think tomorrow?" Jonny wondered out loud.

"What tail?" Frank asked with worry. "I haven't noticed anyone following us and that call Temple got tonight sure changed his mind about you. Maybe he doesn't trust you," he added. Jonny frowned at the thought and followed Frank into the boarding house.

Jonny opened his door and gasped in surprise at the disarray that greeted him. Frank peered over Jonny's shoulder and sucked in his breath. It looked like a struggle had taken place. The table and chair were overturned and there was broken glass on the floor. The most obvious thing, however, was not how the room looked but it's lack of occupancy. Joe was nowhere in sight!

"Temple's call?" Jonny asked, swallowing.

Frank nodded. "They got Joe, but they think he's you."

"And when they find out the truth," Jonny added, "they'll kill him."

 

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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.