REST
IN PEACE
by
AUTHOR A
Chapter 1
The Chapters
Seventeen-year-old Joe Hardy stood by himself in the back of the room and watched. Around him costume clad people floated and weaved their way across a large festively decked-out ballroom, with an element of elegance and intrigue littered like confetti throughout.
It was a Halloween costume ball, the women in elegant Renaissance-era gowns that swept around their heels as they moved; the men in brightly colored suits both dashing and daring.
And everyone wore little black masks, hiding faces just as faces hid souls…
The sound of laughter and the gaiety of voices cut shivers across his soul but, entranced, Joe could not look away.
He punished himself with their mirth.
Iola had been dead a month now - killed in a horrendous hell of fire and brimstone as a car bomb meant for Joe and his brother, Frank, took her life in a moment.
One moment, forever seared in his mind…a branding iron of guilt across his young subconscious.
She was gone and he was here…Pretending behind his mask, the greatest illusion of all – the illusion of living.
He should have stayed home. That one thought weaved around the young man, wrapping him in a remorse that had become his close friend; so many regrets and now a new one to add to them.
Frank Hardy pretended to have a good time, as he kept a close eye on his brooding younger brother. Joe was a damn fine actor except when it came to fooling his brother. So tonight, like too many recent ones, Frank watched his brother watching life and knew Joe felt none of the spirit around him.
He missed the active participant the younger teen used to be – quick witted, and lightly natured. Passionate. Things of the past.
Now, Joe went through the motions, saying all the right things at all the right times while internally he spiraled, spinning out of control like an autumn leaf caught on the wind, and no longer caring where it took him.
Reckless.
Dangerous.
But Frank still cared, and because of that he held silent vigil, even while cutting the light fantastic on the dance floor.
“You’re awfully quiet tonight,” pretty, fair-haired Callie Shaw commented softly as her dark-haired escort wrapped a hand around her slender waist and pulled her in for a slow dance.
He took her breath away….
Frank looked down at her, his brown eyes tormented, and she smiled sadly. “Joe,” she breathed, as she placed her cheek against his strong chest just to hear his heart beating.
“He’s so sad.” His voice was a soft breath against the top of her head, partly muffled by her silken hair.
‘He’s not the only one,’ she thought but said instead. “It’s only been a month…”
“I know,” he replied, moving them gracefully, two bodies intertwined in the mood of the music; contemplative and mournful. ‘Very fitting music’, he noted wryly. “I was just hoping that coming here might take his mind off things for a bit…you know?”
“Oh, Frank,” Callie sighed, pulling away just enough to look up at him. She pressed a white-gloved hand against his face, cupping his cheek gently, and smiled at him, sympathy tugging her lips. “Nothing will make him forget….It’s too soon.”
She paused and then added – not trying to be cruel but feeling he needed to be reminded so he could put this night into the proper perspective – “And you know Iola had really been looking forward to this – she bought her dress at the end of August.”
Callie felt his jaw muscle twitch beneath her touch and saw the flash of guilt steal across Frank’s face. So he had forgotten…
“Damn,” Frank groaned, closing his eyes briefly before maneuvering her so that he could see his brother. “I should have remembered.”
The beautiful young woman continued to move with him as they danced. “You’ve had a lot on your mind recently,” she offered him her consolation, only slightly surprised that the young detective had forgotten. It was further testimony to how Iola’s death had touched them all.
“That’s no excuse,” Frank grumbled, obviously upset with himself. “I’ve had Joe on my mind – I should have remembered!”
“Ssshhh,” she whispered as she smiled at the couple that were dancing next to them – Biff Hooper and Liz Webling. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not,” Frank denied, careful to keep his tone down. “I should have never insisted he come! Damnit!”
“Frank. Stop it,” Callie chastised, her brown eyes demanding his attention. “Joe should be here. He needs to be here. If nothing else because if Iola ever found out that he stayed home tonight, she’d be pissed! You know that. That girl loved Halloween and she was looking forward to this ball – it is only fitting that Joe be here…” her voice caught in her throat, the dark-haired pixie had been her best friend. “for her!”
Frank pulled her closer and pressed her cheek back against his chest. “It’s okay, baby,” his voice was low and throaty. “I’m sorry.” He paused and sighed heavily – sometimes it was hard being the oldest. “And you’re right. He needs to be here—” his eyes sought out the object of their conversation. Joe was still standing in the back of the room and, if possible, looked even more miserable than before. The mask he wore was slipping… “I just wish it didn’t have to be so hard on him.”
“Me too, babe,” Callie sighed. “Me too.”
Joe knew Frank was watching him, and while he was touched by his brother’s concern, he really wished the older teen would at least try to have a good time. Callie looked awesome, Frank should at least give her a little bit of his attention!
Rolling his eyes, the younger boy shook his head and let out a loud sigh of exasperation. Romeo, Frank was not.
As the next song came on, Joe decided he’d had enough of moping around, and moved towards the double balcony doors to step outside for some fresh air. It was a glorious October night and the young sleuth sought solace in its darkness.
Maybe he could even take his mask off…
Not wanting his brother to worry, Joe waited a second to catch Frank’s attention and then indicated the balcony. When the older boy nodded, he knew his brother understood and slowly made his way across the ballroom and towards the doors, tugging at his ruffled collar as he did so.
He could never understand how anyone could put something so…so ruffly on anything and then expect a guy to wear it.
Pirate Captain Joe Sparrow, more like it!
The mentally griping young man was relieved to find the balcony empty, and thanked the slight chill that raced goose bumps across his flesh, for it.
Moving towards the balcony railing, Joe sighed and looked down at the grounds below, his gaze caught by the unwavering reflection of the bright moon in a small pond.
One of Bayport’s most influential families had offered the use of their restored mansion for the annual ball, and the upper balcony looked out across the back of the property; a perfectly tended landscape complete with a small duck pond.
It really was quite beautiful.
“Iola would have loved this,” he murmured softly and then jumped when he felt a soft touch on his shoulder.
Turning, he felt all the blood drain from his face.
Her voice was the last thing he remembered before the ground rushed up to meet him.
…Yes I would have…
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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.