hardy boys fan fiction
THE TROUBLE WITH RED
hardy boys nancy drew fan fiction
by
Phoenix
Chapter 6
hardy boys fan fiction
THE CHAPTERS
“What do you mean he won’t come out?” Frank asked, shock tingeing his voice. He and Tony had been relegated away from the van so the fire department could work on getting Joe out of the damaged vehicle. The younger Hardy insisted he was okay but until Frank saw him with his own eyes, he wasn’t so quick to believe. And after everything that had happened today…
“Just what I said,” a ruddy-faced fireman said as he wiped a hand across his forehead. “We got the driver’s side door open for him but he refuses to come out.”
“That’s ridiculous,” the dark-haired Hardy insisted as he gave his friend an exasperated look. Why would Joe be refusing help? Tony just shrugged. He had no idea either. “Did you ask him why?”
The fireman pushed up his hat and scratched his forehead. He nodded. “Yeah. We did.”
“And?” Frank felt the beginning of a migraine.
“And he claims he’d be safer in your van than out.”
“Oh for Pete’s sake—” the young sleuth huffed; he started down the embankment towards the van again as gravel skidded beneath his feet.
“Joe!” he yelled, moving around to the front of the van so he could peer through the badly cracked windshield, hoping to glimpse the younger boy again. “What are you waiting for? A written invitation? Let’s go!”
“No,” came the belligerent reply. And then: “Go away.”
Running a hand through his dark brown hair, Frank managed a weak smile at the other two rescue workers who were watching him with amused looks on their faces. He could only imagine what was going through their minds right now.
“Joe, c’mon,” he ordered. “Get your butt out of that van now. These kind people would like to get home…some time today!”
“No,” Joe repeated, still not offering any explanation.
Frank was almost worried that his brother was injured more than he was letting on, and that he actually, physically, could not get out of the van, even with people waiting to pull him out – but then dismissed the idea. Joe didn’t have a death wish.
“Joe—”
“Frank.”
“Why?” Frank asked.
“Why what?” Joe’s voice sounded just a bit too innocent and it took all of the older boy’s self control not to climb on the van, reach down and strangle the blond…wait. Something clicked for Frank and he stifled a groan. Joe’s hair…
Was it possible the younger boy just didn’t want his rescuers to see his crimson locks?
Stranger things had happened…
“Uh Joe—” Frank started again. “Is this about your hair?”
There was an notable pause and then an almost predictable whine. “This is all your fault!!”
The older boy pinched the bridge of his nose. He should have just let Joe shave his head like he wanted to when he first got a look at his new ‘do’…
“Joe. Stop being childish,” Frank said. “No one cares what you look like—” he paused and added. “And it’s not my fault.”
This time there was no answer from the van.
“Okay. Look.” Frank tried again after a few long moments. By now Tony had also joined him. “You can’t stay there. You know that. So why not just let these nice people help you out so we can all go home. “ He exhaled loudly. “Please, Joey…”
“That’s not fair,” Joe said after a moment.
“What’s not?” Frank worked hard not to sound impatient but as visuals of strangling his pig-headed brother danced around his mind, it was hard.
“You played the ‘Joey’ card,” the younger boy admitted. This time it was his sigh that they heard and then. “Okay. But give me a minute.”
“A minute?” Tony mouthed, “To do what?”
Frank just shrugged and then answered. “Just let the guys know when you’re ready.”
The van rocked slightly as Joe obviously moved around it and a few muttered curses indicated he was having trouble with whatever was delaying him. But finally, Frank said a small ‘thank you’ when he heard his brother’s voice again. “Okay. I’m ready now.”
“Sir,” the fireman the boys had been talking to a few minutes earlier ushered them away from the van. “I must ask you to move back, please.”
Nodding, Frank and Tony got out of the way, just in case. Thankfully things went smoothly, until the two boys got a look at Joe, and then they couldn’t help but burst out laughing. The poor kid was wearing a woman’s wide-brimmed, straw sunhat that not only covered his red hair, but hid half his face.
“Oh brother,” Frank whispered as he tried to stow his grin and look sympathetic enough as he waited for the rescue workers to help his brother back up the road.
“Don’t ask,” Joe growled as Frank and Tony followed closely and as much as the older boys wanted to know, they keep their mouths shut for now. But that did nothing about the twin grins that widened as they walked behind.
ooooooOOOOOOoooooo
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Frank said with heartfelt honesty after the paramedics checked the younger Hardy over and then decided that other than a few new bumps, bruises and superficial cuts, he was fine and didn’t need to make a trip to the hospital, this time. However, the older boy was given instructions of what to look for in case Joe suffered delayed shock.
They stood at the edge of the road and watched the tow truck slowly winch the van back on the road.
Frank grimaced as he saw all the hard work he’d done to change the tire was a wasted effort, as it had been damaged when the van was hit.
Joe was quiet and didn’t say anything, knocking his brother’s ‘worry wart’ right back in place.
“You are okay, aren’t you?” Concerned brown eyes appraised the younger boy. Joe still hadn’t taken off the hat. “Joe?”
Joe blinked and then looked at his brother; he had obviously been somewhere else. “Huh? Sorry Frank – what’d you say?”
“I said I was glad you were okay,” Frank’s gaze turned curious. “Where were you?”
“When?” his brother asked, confusion clouding his normally vibrant blue eyes.
“Just now.”
“Oooh, I was thinking,” the younger sleuth admitted.
“That had to hurt,” Frank joked and then became serious when he saw his attempt at humor was lost on the younger boy. “Sorry. What were you thinking about?”
“I was just thinking about whether or not I want to know why a woman’s straw hat was in the van?”
Instantly Frank blushed and turned away. “Ah, that—”
“Yeah. That,” Joe raised an eyebrow and then winced.
“Well it’s like this,” his brother started, and then suddenly his eyes widened and he pointed to something behind Joe. “Holy cow! Would you look at that!”
Joe twisted around as quickly as he could but didn’t see anything of interest. A few moments later, he turned back to ask Frank what was up and then scowled. Frank was already gone.
Spying his brother’s dark head among the rescue workers, Joe gingerly crossed his arms and glared. Frank could run but he couldn’t hide, and eventually he’d have to tell Joe about the hat.
Until then, it was as good a place as any to hide his head of hair…
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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.