HDA - Living in Darkness Trilogy - Pt 2 - The Search

He listened to the low murmur of voices and tried to keep the butterflies out of his stomach as he wondered what they were talking about; him, most likely. He just hoped they still liked him…

Sighing, the child kicked the blankets onto the floor and sat up. Hearing a soft scuffing against the window, he plodded over and pushed the curtains open, already knowing that it was the old tree that grew outside the house making the noise. He smiled slightly at a distant memory of a tree swing and wondered if it was still there. But maybe it was just something he’d dreamt, as the lines between his imagination and reality were a little blurred right now, and he hoped his brother came back soon.

Frank helped. It wasn’t anything Joe could put his finger on, but having the older boy around helped ground the child, reminding him that this was real and that he didn’t have to be afraid. It never even occurred to Joe why he trusted Frank so easily. He just did.

And then he saw a man standing on the sidewalk outside the house and all the blood drained from his face as his heart started to pound –

No!!

The man saw him –

It was Daddy!

Joe screamed.

ooooooOOOOOOoooooo

Fenton Hardy got to the room first, Laura and Frank right behind him.

Banging the door open, he charged in and then froze as Joe frantically pointed out the window, “He’s here! Daddy’s here!”

The nearly hysterical child practically danced on the spot and Laura pushed past Fenton in her haste to get to him, jarring the detective into action. Turning swiftly, the man thundered back down the stairs and out the front door, determined to see what had spooked his son so badly. It couldn’t be Nestor Watersmith, he was in jail, but the child had seen someone and Fenton wanted to know who.

…

“It’s okay baby,” Laura cooed as she wrapped her arms around the child and pulled him close, easily feeling the pounding heart in his slight frame. “It’s okay.”

Joe let her hold him for a moment and then pushed away, his blue eyes searching hers as he shook his head. “It’s not! Don’t you see, he’s here! He’s going to hurt you! He told me! He told me!!”

Frank peeked out the window and then turned back towards them. “Joey?” his voice was hesitant and his dark eyes wary. “I don’t see no one.”

“But – but…” the blond boy stammered and then hurried back to the window. Laura let him go. “He was here. Right here.” He glanced between his brother and mother. “I saw him. I did!”

“Sweetie,” Laura’s heart broke for the terrified child. “I think you saw someone…” the sound of the phone ringing interrupted and she gave him an apologetic look and addressed Frank. “Watch your brother,” she instructed softly and moved into the hall to answer the phone. “Hardy residence…”

…

Fenton searched both sides of the street but saw no one and heard nothing. He knew it couldn’t have been Joe’s abductor but wasn’t ready to just easily dismiss his son’s distress, positive the child had seen someone.

Finally he just stopped and slowly turned around. His chest heaved from exertion and he berated himself for being out of shape, even if it wasn’t true. He hated to have to go back and tell them he’d found nothing but after a few minutes, that was what he had to do.

…

“You sure you saw him?” Frank asked. His mother was still on the phone and the two boys continued to look out the window. They watched as their father slowly walked back towards the house. “It might have been someone else.”

“No,” Joe was insistent as he shook his head. “It was him.”

Frank considered his brother for a moment and then frowned. “And he wants to hurt us?”

Joe nodded miserably. “He said if I ever got away, he’d kill you guys.”

The older boy paled and swallowed hard. “That’s not very nice!”

“He’s like that sometimes,” his brother admitted.

“But not all the time?” Curiosity got the better of the older boy and even though he knew he wasn’t supposed to press, he had to ask.

“Well…” Joe appeared to think about his answer. “Sometimes I don’t think he really cares. My mom does though. She always cares.”

Frank scowled. “She’s not your mom,” he corrected, “She’s just some stupid lady who took you away! She doesn’t care!”

“You don’t say that about her,” the younger boy suddenly stormed, “she does too!”

“But she’s not your real mom!” Frank yelled back, angry that Joe would defend that strange woman, but before the other child could do more than open his mouth, the bedroom door opened and a white-faced Laura rushed into the room.

“Downstairs, boys, now!”

The heat of the moment was lost in the face of their mother’s obvious distress.

“Mom?” Frank asked uncertainly, even as he pushed a startled-looking Joe ahead of him and they followed Laura out of the room. “What’s wrong?’

“Nothing, Frank, nothing. Just…look…” she stopped at the bottom of the stairs and turned towards the two children behind her. “It’s just something’s come up and we need to go away for a bit.”

Frank glanced down in surprise as he felt a cold hand slip into his. He looked at his brother, saw the fear on his face, and gave the cold hand a reassuring squeeze. He had no more idea than the younger kid what was going on but he felt the need to try to make Joe feel better anyway.

“Where are we going?” he asked, baffled by his mother’s behavior. His sharp mind knew it must have had something to do with the phone call she’d received, he just didn’t know what. And then a chilling thought coursed through his nine-year old body – maybe Joe was right. Maybe he had seen his kidnapper. Fenton had told them that the man was in jail but sometimes people got out of jail.

As if reading his brother’s thoughts, Joe questioned quietly, “It’s my Daddy, isn’t it? You saw him too.”

Laura immediately shook her head as she reached out and cupped his pale face; Frank watched in rapt fascination as his brother seemed to melt under her touch. “No baby, I didn’t see him but…” she paused as the door behind her opened and Fenton strode inside. She turned back to the boys. “But he isn’t in jail anymore.”

“What?!” Fenton’s voice boomed and Joe jumped.

“Fenton!” Laura admonished as she whirled to her feet. She looked significantly at the blond boy and the detective instantly apologized.

“Sorry boys, didn’t mean to scare you,” he looked at his wife and asked more reasonably this time, “What do you mean Watersmith isn’t in jail anymore?”

“Officer Riley just called. Apparently there was some sort of commotion during a prisoner transfer and Nestor got away. They think he’s going to come after Joe.”

“Not me,” Joe shook his head in denial. “He doesn’t want me.” He looked at Frank and then his parents, his eyes wide with fear. “He wants to hurt you.”

Fenton stooped down in front of his sons, “Joey,” he spoke softly, “That isn’t going to happen. I won’t let it. He isn’t going to hurt me, your Mommy, your brother or you. Ever again. I won’t let him.”

A surprisingly hard look crossed Joe’s face. He pulled his hand away from Frank’s and scowled at their father. “You can’t stop him,” he announced. “You didn’t stop him before and you won’t stop him now!”

…

Fenton felt sucker punched. Suddenly so many things slid into place. Joe blamed him. He blamed him for letting Nestor abduct him two years ago. Oh dear God, he mentally anguished, and now he doesn’t trust me to keep him safe.

“Joe!” Laura admonished but the man shook his head and put his hand on her arm and squeezed gently.

“Son,” he addressed the fire in his son’s piercing blue eyes. “I know you aren’t ready to believe me…but I promise you this, that man will not touch us.” His voice burned with conviction. “Since the day he took you I’ve never stopped looking and now that we got you back, I am not going to lose anything else to him…. Ever. IF he wants to come here looking for trouble than I promise you this, Joey, I’m going to give it to him. He doesn’t get you back.” He purposely let his jacket slip open and saw Joe blink in shock when he saw the gun in the shoulder holster. “Do you understand?”

The child’s eyes were fixed on the gun; he looked like he was barely breathing. Fenton hooked a finger under Joe’s jaw and tilted his gaze up to his. His voice softened and he repeated, “Do you understand?”

Tears glittered in the child’s eyes and then suddenly he was throwing his arms around Fenton’s neck and squeezing tight. His voice was a whispered ‘Yes’ against the man’s neck and Fenton carefully wrapped his arms around his son and held tight.

He knew everything wasn’t all better between them yet – the perceived betrayal was too deep – but it was a start, an open door. And Fenton was determined to do whatever it took to make sure that door was never closed again…

And heaven help Nestor Watersmith if Fenton saw him first.

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Disclaimer

The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The authors 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.