Police Chief Ezra Collig listened to Con Riley’s idea as he sipped yet another black coffee. He was exhausted and still had not been home yet; deciding to catch an hour or two of sleep on the couch in the break room instead of actually driving home.  

The grizzled older man was still angry at Mackoff’s overzealousness, although he could understand the confusion, to a small degree.   

However, the officer’s own thirst for payback after William slipped past him in the hospital two years ago, had marred his judgment and made him act inappropriately, inadvertently endangering the very person they were trying to protect.  

The Chief shuddered to think what might have happened if Joe had tried to resist…. He was sure that the roughness Mackoff had apparently used – and was being disciplined for – would have been the least of the youngster’s concerns.  

So as Officer Riley outlined his idea, Collig recognized its merit. The question was – would Fenton?  

Collig wasn’t stupid. He saw the barely concealed animosity that hung between the two men and couldn’t help but also see the irony of it. They both wanted the same thing – the safety of Fenton’s sons – however, because of what had happened a chasm had opened up between them. A chasm the Chief wasn’t sure could be crossed.

Both men were stubborn. Among other things.  

Riley told him that Fenton had agreed to accept his help on this, but Collig wasn’t sure that would be enough.  

He just hoped that in the end, when push came to shove, the two men could retain their professionalism. If not, the older man was afraid to even think of the consequences….  

Particularly for those two boys – Frank and Joe.

* * *

Fenton Hardy had not intended to be so blunt. But when his sons came downstairs for breakfast and he knew they needed to be told – it just came out.  

“William is coming back to Bayport.”  

Immediately Joe bolted from the kitchen with his brother hot on his heels.  

“Joe!”  

Frank made it to the bathroom in time to get the door in his face and seconds later he heard the unmistakable sound of his brother being sick.  

“Joe? Are you okay?” He knew it was an obviously stupid question, but he just wanted the younger boy to know he was there…but Joe didn’t answer.  After a few seconds of hearing no sound whatsoever, Frank pounded on the door.  “Joe! Open up!” He was beginning to get extremely worried.  

He heard his father come upstairs, and then Fenton stood in the doorway of Joe’s room and leaned tiredly against the doorframe. The worried man had been awake all night dreading this very conversation and now kicking himself for his lack of tact.  It could have been handled a lot better….  

“Is he okay?”  

Frank looked at his father and let out his breath in frustration. “I don’t know! He won’t let me in!”  

Fenton sighed, and without moving he spoke to Frank, very sure his younger son could plainly hear him. “An officer spotted William in a New York City café last evening and during the foot pursuit, was struck and killed by a passing vehicle.”  He paused and ran his hand across his tired face.  “There is a very strong possibility that, given these circumstances, William will be back here in Bayport.” 

He watched Frank’s face pale.  “The search for him in the city has been intensified.”  

Snorting angrily, Frank muttered something under his breath that his father chose to ignore before he said, “Are you sure?”  

“No, of course not,” Fenton admitted, stifling a yawn, “However, Will needs to disappear, and unfortunately your brother makes an obvious option. He’s done it before.” He paused as he heard Joe being sick again, and wished for the millionth time since this all started that he had done many things differently – starting with William.  

When he spoke next he lowered his voice and addressed Frank specifically. “I, Sam and Chief Collig feel very strongly that William will try to finish what he started; that he’s going to try and kill your brother and take his place as Joe Hardy.”  

Frank, stunned, could only shake his head as he pressed his hand against the bathroom door that separated him from Joe, and when he spoke his voice was laden with a vehemence his father had never heard before. “I won’t let that happen. William will never get a chance to hurt Joe again. It ain’t going to happen. I won’t let it.”  

“Nor I,” Fenton said grimly, “and that’s why I’m having your brother put into protective custody and moved to a safe house – today.”

* * *

William was already awake when Doug brought him something to eat. He had spent the night in Usher Hall, the condemned building furthest from the still-used Foundling Hall, and was looking forward to getting out of there as soon as possible.  

Like Foundling, Usher was an old rectangular brick building, four stories high. However while Foundling Hall had been more recently renovated and now sported an elevator and much more amicable decorum, Usher, and the third building, Burke Hall, were very much the epitome of what a condemned building should be – a backdrop any horror writer would dream of.  

So while William was not unnerved by his accommodations, he was still looking forward to being somewhere else. And Usher had no heating – a definite drawback this chilly November morning. 

“So, what’s the plans for today?” Doug asked as he watched William chewing on a piece of toast thoughtfully.  

“Well it is Saturday,” started William, “So my darling brother will probably be home long enough for breakfast—”  

“You want to go by the house?” Doug tried to keep the incredulity from his voice, as he was still in disbelief that William was going to try and pull this off.  

“Well, that is the best place to find my brother, you numbskull,” William retorted, “and if I’m going to make this work then I need to take care of him first. No matter what, even the Hardys might get suspicious if there are two of us hanging about!”  

Doug didn’t say anything, although he still really thought this was risky and that Will would be better off getting as far away from this place as possible.  

“So I figure if you drop me off a couple of blocks from the house, I can do a little reconnaissance and see how my precious sweetie is doing,” William finished, swallowing back the black coffee that Doug had brought.  

The other boy shrugged.  “Your funeral. I’ve got to go to work in an hour anyway but I’ll keep my cell on and if you need me, you can give me a call.”  

William looked at him in surprise. “You’re working?”  

“Oh yeah,” Doug said, and the twin noticed the uniform he was wearing for the first time. “How do you think I can afford my pride and joy?  The car,” he added, when he saw a confused look filter across his friend’s face.  “Besides, the Hall expects us older boys to get part-time jobs if we expect to have any money of our own. Builds character or some crap, is how they sell it. I work Saturdays and some Sundays.”  

William nodded and then his eyes narrowed as he saw the logo on the back of Doug’s shirt when he turned around, and he started to laugh. “You have to be kidding!”  

“What are you talking about?” Doug asked, confused.  

“Mr. Pizza’s? Isn’t that the joint owned by the Pritos?” William asked, and then continued when his friend nodded, “Oh, just too sweet.  Doug, Tony Prito is one of Joe’s best friends!”  

“No way! Small world,” Doug commented as he led Will out of the room and back downstairs.  

“You really have no idea,” William muttered under his breath as he pulled the baseball cap back over his blond locks and quickly ducked into the front seat of the car, “No idea at all.”  

As they drove away from the buildings, William snorted softly to himself as he wondered how Tony would feel if he knew one of his father’s employees was about to help murder one of best friends….  

But then again, he amended; no one is going to know…now were they?  

 

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.