Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

Nancy quickly weighed her options: She could either sit here and die or do something to get herself out of this mess. She looked over at Eric and saw that he would be no help to her whatsoever. She looked in front of her and spied a small table that held a ceramic lamp. If she could reach it with her legs and knock the lamp over, she may be able to cut herself free.

Nancy could feel herself start to sweat as stretched herself as far as she could towards the table. The flames were getting closer to her so she needed to work fast. She saw that she was a mere two inches from the table. She gritted her teeth and kicked out her her foot. She finally connected with the table and the lamp fell down, shattering into hundreds of tiny pieces.

She used her foot and brought one of the larger shards to her body. When it got close enough for her to be able to reach it, she turned her body and grabbed it. She felt a sharp pain in her hand as she grasped it and then warm blood trickle down her hand. She didn’t care though. Anything was better than burning to death.

Nancy started to cough as she cut into the ropes that bound her. She knew she didn’t have much time left. She couldn’t help but have her thoughts wander. Would she get out of this? Why did she have to be so stupid and so trusting? Why couldn’t she have trusted the one person in the world that she trusted the most? Will she be able to get out of here in order to tell him how stupid she was for not listening to him?

Nancy shook her head. She couldn’t do this. Not now.

Nancy could feel the ropes around her wrists start to loosen. She yanked on them as she continued to cough more violently now. She felt herself becoming lightheaded. She gave the ropes one last yank and finally her hands became free. She pushed herself up and started breathing into her shirt. She needed to get out now and get some fresh air into her lungs.

But then she looked over at Eric. She couldn’t leave him there even if he was dead. She knelt next to him and checked to see if he even had a pulse. Shock registered on her face when she felt a very faint one. If she was able to get him out of here alive, then he could testify against Luke and have him put away for a long time.

Nancy looked towards the front door and saw that it was completely blocked by flames. She would have to drag Eric through the kitchen and get them out the back door. Just as she was about to lift him up, she collapsed to the floor in a huge coughing fit. Her vision was becoming blurry and she was having a hard time catching her breath.

She tried to get up again, but it was no use. As she felt herself growing faint, she thought she heard someone screaming her name. She strained her ears and she heard it again. Someone was calling her name!

*****

“ Nancy !”

Frank Hardy’s heart nearly tore from his chest when he saw the flames coming out of Luke’s house. He had to get inside and help Nancy .

“Joe, I’m going inside!” Frank screamed at his brother.

“Frank, you can’t! You’ll die if you go in there!” Joe screamed back.

“I have to! I won’t let her die!” Frank took off towards the burning house before Joe could argue with him any longer.

When Frank got to the front door, he saw there was no way he could get in. He ran around to the back to find the door locked. He used his elbow and broke the glass out of the window. He stuck his hand in the opening and unlocked the door.

As Frank opened the door, he was enveloped in heavy, black smoke. He took off his shirt and used it as a mask to breathe in. He ran into the living room and saw Nancy trying to make a feeble attempt at standing up.

“ Nancy !” Frank said.

“Frank!” Nancy croaked. She collapsed to the ground again. Frank ran up to her and scooped her up in his arms. He ran out the back door to the front yard where the ambulance was waiting. He gently placed her on the ground and brushed the hair out of her face as the paramedics rushed up to her. Nancy ’s lungs gratefully took in the fresh air that she was breathing in.

“You have to go back in and get Eric.” She whispered hoarsely to him. “Luke shot him. He’s in the living room.”

“ Nancy , he’s probably dead by now.” Frank said.

Nancy shook her head as the medic was putting an oxygen mask over her face. “No, I checked. He’s still alive. Please, Frank.”

Frank didn’t hesitate another second when he heard the pleading in her voice. He ran back into the house and found Eric lying on the floor near where Nancy was. He could hear creaks in the ceiling and he knew that the roof was about to collapse. He had to get them both out–now.

Frank picked Eric up in a fireman’s carry and rushed him out of the house. The paramedics took over from him as soon as he appeared in the front yard with him. Frank looked over to see that Joe was sitting on the ground with Nancy.

“Are you okay?” Frank asked Nancy.

Nancy nodded her head weakly. She moved the oxygen mask away from her face. “Thanks to you.”

“It was nothing.” Frank said. “All in a day’s work.”

Nancy gave him a weak smile. He was so grateful to be able to see that smile again.

“Really, though. Are you okay?” he asked.

“I am.” Nancy said. She out the oxygen mask back on her face and leaned against the tree she was sitting in front of.

Frank looked around. “Where’s Sheriff Vaughn?”

“They got word that Luke was on his way to pick up Maddie. So they decided to greet him themselves.” Joe explained.

“How did they know that? Who told them?” Frank asked.

“Apparently Maddie called Veronica and told her that Luke was on his way to pick her up. They were going to flee the country.” Joe said.

Frank glanced at Nancy as she watched Eric being loaded into the ambulance. “I have to be honest, Nan. If it wasn’t for Eric, I don’t think we would have gotten here in time.”

The medic came over to check on Nancy. “Is he going to be okay?” Nancy asked him.

The medic nodded. “We have him stabilized right now. He should make a full recovery though. How are you feeling?”

“I feel much better.” Nancy said.

He took out his stethoscope and listened to Nancy’s breathing. “Your lungs are clear, so you should be fine. But if you find you have any problems breathing, get yourself to a doctor.”

Nancy nodded and handed the medic the oxygen mask. He packed it up and they were soon on their way with Eric to the hospital.

“So you wanna tell us what was going on?” Joe asked Nancy.

Nancy explained everything that Luke confessed to her. When she was finished, they just looked at her in shock.

“How did he manage to get away with all of this for so long?” Joe asked.

“He had a lot of help.” Nancy said. “He kept his tracks covered.”

Just then the sheriff’s car pulled up to them. Sheriff Vaughn strode over to them, smiling.

“We got him.” She said.

*****

Nancy had to admit that she was happy to be back at home. Frank and Joe had driven her back to River Heights a couple of days ago. She still had the cast on her leg, but that didn’t bother her. It was just an ugly reminder of Huntingdon. But she had her life and that was what she was most grateful for.

Sheriff Vaughn had called her yesterday and told her that Luke had confessed to everything. Of course, that was after the fact that Maddie had blabbed everything to the police for a lighter sentence. She also found at the Eric would make a full recovery and he would also plead against Luke.

Nancy was still beating herself up for falling for Luke so easily. She was always a cautious person and it took her by surprise that she would just give in so easily. She knew it would be a good while before she could trust just anyone again. And she hated that–she wanted to believe that every person could be trustworthy.

She glanced up as Frank came out onto the patio with two glasses of iced teas. He handed one to her and then sat down in the chair next to her.

“Where’s Joe?” she asked.

“He went over to see Bess for a few minutes. You know we can’t leave until he’s able to see her.” Frank said, grinning.

Nancy grinned and took a sip of her iced tea. She set it down on the small table beside her and turned to Frank. “I wanted to say thank you.”

“You already have, Nan.” Frank said.

“Not for that.” Nancy said. “I’m talking about Luke–for not saying ‘I told you so.’”

“We all make mistakes.” Frank said.

“I know, but...it meant a lot to me.” Nancy said.

Frank looked at her. “You’re welcome.”

Nancy flashed him one of her brilliant smiles and he practically melted. He set down his own glass of tea. He needed to tell her how he felt. He knew it was too soon after Luke, but she had to know.

“Nancy, I want you to know how much I care for you.” Frank said.

“I know you do, Frank.” Nancy said.

“Not like that, Nan. I mean I really care for you. I have wanted to be with you since the day I met you and we’ve always had these stupid obstacles in our way.” Frank said.

“They’re not obstacles, Frank. They’re people.” Nancy said.

“I know. I don’t mean it to sound like that. I just need you to know how I feel about you. I want you to know that I will always be there for you, no matter what.” Frank hesitated. “I love you.”

Nancy looked at him with a pained expression on her face. “I love you too, Frank. But I can’t do it right now. I’m not even over the whole Luke thing yet. Besides, you’re still with Callie.”

“Do you think if things were different, that maybe we...could have a chance?” Frank asked.

“Yes, if things were different, I could see myself with you, yes.” Nancy said. “Maybe sometime down the road.” She saw the pained expression on his face and cringed. “I’m hurting you.”

Frank shook his head. “No, I just sprung all of this on you. It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay, Frank. I don’t like to see you hurt.” Nancy said.

“Really, Nan. It’s okay. You’re words give me hope for the future.”

He stood up. “I think Joe and I should be hitting the road.” He leaned down towards her and kissed her softly on the lips.

“Remember what I said, Drew.” He smiled at her. “I love you.”

Nancy smiled at him and watched as he walked away. He stopped and turned back towards her. “Oh, by the way, you still owe me a trip in New York.”

“You’re on.” Nancy said. “Only next time, I think I’ll fly.”

*****

Frank wasn’t lying to Nancy. Her words really did give him hope for them. He knew that it wouldn’t be anytime soon, but he also knew he needed to be ready for her when she did want him.

As soon as Joe pulled up in their driveway and got his things out, Frank slid into the driver’s seat. Joe looked at him, confused.

“Where are you going?” Joe asked.

“There’s something I need to do. Something that I’ve needed to do for a long time now.” Frank said as he backed up.

Frank knew where he was going. He knew the place by heart.

As he pulled into her driveway, he knew that it wouldn’t be easy. But he felt that it would be better for the both of them. He stepped out of the car and walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. She was smiling when she answered it.

“You’re back!” she said, hugging him.

Frank pulled away from her. “Callie, we need to talk.”

THE END

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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.