“May I help you?” asked the nurse at the front station when Laura arrived at the foundation.

“Yes,” Laura replied with a smile that never reached her eyes. “I am here to pick up my son,” she said.

“Tell me his name and I will have him paged,” the nurse said, smiling at the pretty blond in front of her.

“Joe Hardy,” Laura answered.

The nurse looked startled. “Is something wrong?” Laura asked with saccharin sweetness.

“I..I’m sorry,” apologized the winsome brunette. “I thought your son was an orderly. Not a patient.”

“Is that a problem?” Laura asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” answered the nurse. “Patients aren’t allowed to leave the grounds.”

“Then there is no problem,” Laura returned. “I am removing him from the foundation permanently. He will no longer be a patient.”

“Um...I think I had better page Mr. Lyman,” the nurse said, reaching for the button on the intercom.

*******************************************************************

“Sounds like your mother might be here,” Fenton said to Joe with a smile as he heard the nervousness in the nurse’s voice as she requested Lyman’s presence at the front desk. Joe grinned. “I’ll head on down and make sure there are no problems,” Fenton continued, kissing Joe’s forehead as he stood up.

“Dad,” Joe’s voice stopped his father as his hand touched the knob on the door. Fenton turned to look at his son questioningly. “Thanks.”

“Anytime, Son,” Fenton replied with a smile before leaving. He made his way down to the front desk as Lyman was trying to explain why Laura shouldn't consider removing Joe from the grounds.

“Mrs. Hardy, please try to understand,” Lyman begged. “Joe needs the help we are providing for him here. He would never have been admitted if he weren’t in dire need of outside intervention.”

“Mr. Lyman,” Laura’s voice came out firm as she stood glaring at him with both hands placed against her hips; a stance Fenton recognized only too well. His wife was going to get her way come hell or high water. Lyman just wasn’t able to recognize how far Laura would go to have her own way. “I want my son. Now.”

“You and your husband signed his admittance forms,” Lyman reminded her. “You both agreed to leave him in our care until his health improved.”

“We have changed our minds,” Laura stated. “I want my son and I want him now,” she repeated, dropping her hands and taking a step closer to Lyman with her chin jutting out.

 

“I’m afraid that isn’t possible,” Lyman denied nervously. He was beginning to realize the petite woman in front of him was no pushover.

“If it is the money you are worried about we are not asking for a refund,” she informed him cattily. “We simply want our son at home.”

“It isn’t the money,” Lyman denied with real sincerity. “Joe is beginning to make progress. If you remove him now you will be doing more damage than good. Surely, you only want what is best for your son?”

Fenton came forward, ready to interfere on Laura’s behalf but she preempted him with her next few words.

“Joseph is my son,” she stated. “I want him released into my custody or I will call not only the police but also every form of media in the tri-state area.”

Trying hard to keep from showing his amusement at the terrified look on Lyman’s face, Fenton stepped forward. “Is there a problem?” he asked Lyman, giving Laura a surreptitious wink.

“No. No. Of course not,” Lyman stated quickly.

“Yes, there is,” Laura countered. “These people,” she said contemptuously, “refuse to let me have my son.”

“Indeed?” inquired Fenton, lifting a brow as he stared haughtily at the chief administrator. “I wasn’t under the impression this facility was a prison.”

“It’s not!” refuted Lyman hotly. “It’s just that there is protocol to be followed. You understand? Joe is under treatment and taking him off of it could be detrimental to his recovery.”

“Surely that is for his parents to decide?” Fenton asked. “If the lady feels her son would be better cared for at home then this foundation doesn’t have the right to prevent her from withdrawing him. Or have I missed something?”

“No. No,” Lyman said quickly, giving Laura a quick smile. “I will see to Joe’s release immediately. If you will just have a seat, I will prepare his discharge papers.”

“Thank you,” Laura replied icily.

“Shall I go with you?” Fenton asked Lyman.

“If you wish,” Lyman answered stiffly. He turned to the nurse and whispered something that Fenton was unable to hear.

“Let Holden know Joe Hardy is being released in thirty minutes,” Lyman whispered before turning around again.

“I will have Joe here in a few minutes,” Lyman promised Laura as she took a seat that Rimes had brought from a room down the hall.

“For Joe, I would say this is a good thing,” Rimes muttered to Fenton as he started to follow Lyman. Fenton never acknowledged the comment although he agreed wholeheartedly.

****************************************************************

Fenton accompanied Lyman to his office and looked around as Lyman gathered the discharge papers. When they were ready for Laura’s signature, he followed Lyman down the hall to pick Joe up. Dr. Holden was just leaving.

“Is there a problem?” inquired Fenton.

“No,” Dr. Holden answered. “I just like to give the patients a final physical before they are released.” He looked at Lyman. “He is all ready to leave,” he informed the man. “Now, if you will excuse me, I have another patient to examine.”

Lyman led the way into Joe’s room after Holden departed. Fenton stood in the doorway frozen with shock as he looked at his son who less than an hour before had been a complete wreck.

“Well, Joe,” Lyman said. “Your mother is here to take you home.”

Joe sat fully dressed on his bed staring straight ahead. His blue eyes were blank as Lyman took his elbow and eased him to his feet.

“What’s wrong with him?” demanded Fenton, hoping the abnormal pounding of his heart could not be heard.

“Nothing,” Lyman answered a bit too cheerfully. “Well, except for the anorexia of course. Are you ready to go home, Joseph?” he asked, looking Joe in the eyes.

Joe blinked but never said anything. “Come along then,” Lyman urged, leading Joe to the door where Fenton managed to pull himself together and step aside but not before looking into Joe’s eyes and seeing no sign of recognition.

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.