Fenton Hardy was in shock – how could so much have gone so wrong in such a short time? Rigado had taken Frank and Joe had fallen down a well?? The young man shook his head wondering if he was trapped in some bizarre dream!

“Damn it!” he heard his father curse as they raced back towards the house, “I covered over that hole – I know I did!”

“The well?” Fenton ventured, his mind distracted by the separate perils his boys were in. They had to rescue Joe and find Frank before it was too late for either them…he just had no idea yet how he was going to do that! Was Joe hurt? What was happening to Frank? Where was Frank? At least he knew where Joe was. He shivered as he envisioned the little boy at the bottom of the dark, dank well…the knowing was really not much comfort.

“Yes the well, damn it,” Francis cussed again, his anger directed at himself and not his son’s question.  “It was the water well for the original farmhouse, which was built closer to the road than the house is now,” the old man explained, rambling in agitation as he did so.  “Apparently at one time, the farm extended onto the other side of the road, being sold off in smaller parcels over the past thirty years. I think it was originally a dairy farm – land’s not much good for much else, to be honest….The well is dry, that’s the good thing, but it’s deep, and I know I boarded it up! I know I did!” He slapped the steering wheel in frustration.

The young detective didn’t say anything, too consumed with worry to try and console his father. Whether or not the hole had been covered was a moot point at this time anyway – a child had fallen into it and that was the bottom line. Fenton’s child…

Somewhere ahead of them they heard sirens, and Fenton’s gut clenched, the sound making this all the more real to him…his little boys needed him!

* * *

Rigado had a plan. It was a good plan – not his original one, but a good one nonetheless. However his plan changed again the moment he passed a Suburban and recognized the driver and passenger – it was Hardy and his father!

“Damnit,” he growled, flooring the accelerator as the other vehicle slammed on its brakes and quickly swung around 180 degrees in pursuit!

* * *

“IT’S RIGADO!” Fenton yelled when they got close enough to an oncoming silver car and he made out the dark-haired man at the wheel. He and his father traded a glance. Fenton closed his eyes, swallowed back the bile that rose in his throat and nodded – instantly Francis was slamming on the brakes and yanking on the steering wheel. They had no choice…if they didn’t chase the kidnapper now they might never find Frank! Fenton glanced over his shoulder as they sped away from the farmhouse – he’d have to trust the rest of his family to take care of Joe. He took some comfort in the glimpse of flashing lights he saw behind them….

 

The silver car shot like a bullet over the snow-slick roads, fishtailing wildly around a couple of tight turns; the unconscious child in the back sat was oblivious, and slid to the floor after a particularly sharp recovery by Rigado.

Behind them the larger vehicle closed the distance but didn’t try to overtake them – it was too dangerous, so for Frank’s sake it held back and continued to follow. At some point the car would run out of gas – hopefully before Francis’s vehicle did!

“We’ll wear him down,” the ex-cop muttered to his son, his dark eyes firmly fixed on the road ahead of them. Beside him Fenton nodded, his eyes glued to the sedan with enough intensity to almost see the little boy inside.

“Hold on Frankie,” the worried father whispered, “Daddy’s right behind you…”

 

Rigado saw the police barricade set up on the other side of Richmond Bridge. Behind him, the Suburban blocked any hopes he had of escape.

Growling, he gritted his teeth and made a quick decision. “You brought this on yourself, Hardy—” he yelled as the car hit the bridge deck at a terrifying speed, and then without any hesitation Rigado turned the wheels and drove right off the bridge!!!

The car seemed to be suspended in midair for a brief moment and then it plummeted straight down, nose first!

 

“NOOOOOOOO!” yelled a horrified Fenton; he and Francis could do nothing but watch as the silver car barreled through the feeble bridge railings and over the side, hitting the frigid water with a sickening splash!

Francis slammed on the brakes and skidded to a stop in the middle of the bridge; Fenton was out and racing towards the side before the vehicle even stopped rocking! 

“FRANKIE!” the detective screamed, “FRANKIE!” He could see the car slowly sinking, and without even a second thought dived off the bridge and into the water, strong strokes taking him towards the sinking car!

Above him he heard the shouts of his father and the police but he ignored them. His son was down there – no one was going to stop him from saving Frank!

Adrenaline fueling his body, Fenton never even noticed how cold the water was….

* * *

The shock of frigid coldness tore the child from unconsciousness as water washed over his body. Forcing his eyes open, Frank’s confusion was replaced with horror as he realized he was in the back of a strange car and the car was sinking!

“FRANKIE…”

The little boy heard his name being screamed even as he scrambled up off the floor and onto the seat – it was his father! His Daddy was here!

But then the stranger calmly turned around from the front seat and captured the child’s terrified gaze in his own – he was holding a gun, and with a cruel smile, he aimed it directly at Frank!

“Looks like Daddy is going to be just in time—” his smile broadened, “to watch you die!” And then as Fenton finally gained the side of the car, Rigado glanced at him – laughed – and pulled the trigger!

 

Showered suddenly with shattered glass, Frank screamed and then slumped down in the seat! Through blurring vision, he saw his father reaching for him…

“Daddy,” he whispered and then closed his eyes.

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.