Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

“N-not…everyone,” came a quiet voice, and all eyes turned on the blond haired boy, still sitting on the floor with his back pressed up against the couch, inches from the outstretched hand of the fallen man.

Joe was also staring at the body, his eyes wide and disbelieving. His voice shook slightly as he tried to draw back from Muir; not trusting that even in death the big man couldn’t somehow make a move.

Lunch is in ten minutes….

And then Frank was moving across the room, towards his brother, and smiled….

Looking up at him wearily, Joe offered his own rendition – not quite as cheerful - and sighed, his voice hoarse and quiet, “You have no idea…how happy I am…to see you.”

Crouching down beside him, Frank gave his brother a gentle hug and whispered, “You okay?”

“I…am …now.” Joe closed his eyes as he felt his brother’s protective embrace. No one could hurt him now.

* * *

Antoine heard the sirens. Getting up, he moved slowly towards his private room, stopping now and then and shaking his head.

He had never made a mistake…until now.

“Damn boy,” he muttered to the dog that followed placidly at his heels. “Damn Fenton’s boy to hell.”

* * *

“Oh baby,” Laura said, as Frank finally pulled away from his brother and let their mother fuss over him for a while, as he went to stand by his father. Fenton was talking to Chet and John Morton in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room.

They could hear sirens, and knew the police would be there within minutes.

Frank listened quietly as he heard the farmer tell what had happened and how they had found Joe. Glancing back at Muir, he felt relief that the dead man wouldn’t be able to go after Joe anymore…or anyone else, for that matter.

Lucky, none the worse for wear from his experience, was lying down in front of the stove watching everything through soulful brown eyes. His tail thumped loudly on the floor when he heard his name and saw everyone look at him.

He had no way of knowing how very proud the Mortons were of him, and how very thankful the Hardys were for him – he was a very good dog.

But when Catherine opened up an extra can of dog food, and plopped it in his dish as a ‘thank-you,’ the always ravenous animal decided that just maybe this hadn’t been such a bad night after all!

* * *

“Oh sweetie,” Laura said, stroking the side of Joe’s face as she held him. Joe still had his eyes closed, his body relaxing under his mother’s caress. “What a horrible man!” She glanced down at Muir’s still body and gave a shudder. “At least he’ll never be able to hurt you again.”

That reminded Joe of something important! Gently pulling away from his mother, his eyes opened, sought out his father, and he tried to get his attention.

“Dad.” At first, Fenton didn’t hear him, but when he called out again, “Dad!” he did.

Turning, he saw his son looking intently at him, and his face broke out in a wide grin as he excused himself from the Mortons and hurried over to talk to him.

So far, Fenton hadn’t been able to talk to Joe.

Giving Joe a soft kiss on the top of his head, Laura got up and went into the kitchen to help Catherine. The farmer’s wife was making tea and coffee in anticipation of a long night.

“Son,” Fenton rasped as he finally got a chance to give the boy a hug and make sure he was okay.

He saw the bandaged ankle and took in the pale, drawn face that was looking at him, and decided they needed to get Joe looked after and back home, as soon as possible.

It was very apparent that his son was exhausted, and Fenton couldn’t even imagine what he’d been through during all this! He did frown as he took in the odd clothes….

Joe let his father embrace him and then he pulled away. Although he wanted the comfort, he had something more pressing that needed to be taken care of first – he couldn’t let the old man get away!

“Dad…” Joe started, and then looked down and sighed. He was finding it difficult to look at his father, knowing what he was about to tell him. Fenton was very fond of Mr. Rosado….

Fenton was troubled when his son refused to hold his gaze. Placing his fingers under his chin, he gently forced Joe to look at him. “Joe? What is it, son?”

Joe still hesitated; this was harder than he thought, as he saw the concern in his father’s dark brown eyes…so much like Frank’s….

And then Frank was standing behind their father, offering his support by just being there.

Swallowing hard, Joe whispered, “Muir…” he indicated the fallen giant, with a quick glance, before looking straight in his father’s eyes and saying, “Muir works for Mr. Rosado.”

* * *

Fenton felt like he’d been punched in the gut. Although both he and Frank had had their suspicions, it was still nothing like hearing it from his own son’s mouth.

And taking in the haunted, haggard appearance of his seventeen-year-old, the detective felt an angry fire ignite inside him. Betrayal.

Antoine Rosado had come to his house…as his friend! And then, not only had he stolen Fenton’s child but had offered to help find him!!

Blinking back his growing rage, the detective closed his eyes and counted to ten. When he opened them he looked down at his younger son, cupped his face in his hand and said softly, “I’m so sorry, Joe.”

He blamed himself for this. It was he that had proudly introduced his sons to the old man only yesterday morning….What the hell had happened?

Vibrant blue eyes blinked up at him in confusion, and Fenton gave his shoulder an affectionate squeeze as he heard the familiar voice of Ezra Collig in the kitchen. “I need to talk to Ezra. And then we’ll take you to the hospital and get checked out—”

The boy cut him off. “No Dad, please. You have to catch Mr. Rosado, now - before he can get away!” Panic tinged his voice as he continued, “You don’t understand, he’s crazy! I mean certifiable! You have to stop him, Dad!”

“Joe—” Fenton tried to calm down his increasingly agitated son, but the teen was having nothing to do with it, cutting him off instead, and his words cut the detective to the quick.

“Please Dad…please don’t let him get away...”

As he saw his son blink back tears, Fenton put his finger on his lips, stopping him.

“Okay Joe, okay. Shhh…” he consoled, relieved when he saw Frank sit down next to his brother and slip his arm around his shoulders. “You just stay here and relax. We’ll go get Antoine and then we’ll take you home.” He left out ‘via the hospital’ because he didn’t want to agitate the teen any further.

Joe held his gaze and the intensity seared right though Fenton. “Promise?”

“I promise,” the investigator vowed, “He will not escape.”

Standing up, he looked at Frank. “Stay with your brother,” and then turned on his heel and headed into the kitchen before his older son could argue with him.

He doubted it would be a strong argument anyway, because as much as Frank would like to be there when they arrested Mr. Rosado, he’d want to stay with his brother even more.

* * *

Grim-faced, Fenton spoke to the police chief, and within minutes they were ready to leave.

As they were leaving the sleuth glanced back over his shoulder at the living room, and breathed a sigh of relief as he saw his family sitting there, together, on the end of the damaged couch…Laura, Frank and Joe….

Rosado would not hurt them anymore. Fenton would make sure of that.

And then the coroner zippered shut the body bag and the giant left the building….

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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.