Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

Cassandra MacFairlaigne took a deep breath of fragrant spring air as she walked. The fresh air relaxed her, cleared her head. She probably shouldn't have walked out like that but when he'd refused to discuss the issue, well...

A car pulled up beside her. "Get in."

"No." Casi didn't even look over at him. "I like to walk."

Joe made an odd sound, half sigh, half groan. "Shit, Case, stop being so damn stubborn. I need some info." The car slowed to a crawl, crunching the gravel along the roadside.

Casi stopped, glared at him. "What?"

"Where's the nearest strip joint?"

Casi's jaw dropped. "You're that hard up?"

After spending the last three weeks fending off Kendra? Joe stopped the car and got out, leaned against the fender and glared down at her. "Actually, I couldn't be better. Ethan's the one that needs the bachelor party. Or does local tradition warrant something different?"

Bachelor party? Oh.....shit. How dense could she get? She cleared her throat. "Marc took Donovan to Kenmare for his bachelor party last month."

Joe frowned. "Marc didn't say a word."

"Well, they got a little too drunk....and there was a fight...."

"Fine. We'll do it at the castle. Does the place hire out its strippers?"

"I don't know."

"What's the name of the place?"

"I don't know that either. You'd have to ask Marc." He turned to get in the car and she touched his arm. "Don't mention either of my brothers' names or you'll be persona non grata, too." Casi tried to ignore the tingle that shot up her arm and she snatched her hand back as he turned to look at her, his blue eyes no longer angry but amused.

"They trashed the place that bad?"

Casi nodded, embarrassed. "Donovan thought the bouncer was harassing one of the dancers and...."

"Yeah, I get the picture." He studied her for a moment, taking in the long auburn hair done in a loose braid, the tawny eyes. "I have an empty passenger seat if you want to hitch a ride."

Casi swallowed hard. Damn it, she loved him. He made her furious, he made her laugh. "I'd love to. These sandals weren't made for walking."

Joe grinned. "Hop in. I got our food to go."

Casi took a deep breath and got in. She waited until he was in the driver's seat and shifted gears. "Thanks. The walk made me hungry."

Joe kept his eyes on the road as he headed back to Castle MacFairlaigne. "Good." He glanced over at her and their eyes met.

Casi laughed. "Okay. Made me hungrier. Watch the road, hotshot greenhorn American."

Joe chuckled. "You bet, angel."

Casi swallowed the lump in her throat. She wondered if things had been different if she had told him how she felt nine months ago, regardless of his trying to keep her at a distance. Joe pulled into the circular brick-paved driveway and shut the ignition off. "Casi--"

"Yes?" She turned to look at him, one hand already on the door handle.

Joe leaned forward and kissed her. This time the sensation of her mouth under his rocked him to his toes. He deepened the kiss, tasting her as if he was dying of thirst. Casi sagged against the seat, all coherent thought fleeing. Only one truth burned in her brain. She loved him and this felt so right.

He reluctantly pulled back, breathing hard. "I just....wanted to let you know....I missed you."

"And I missed you." Casi took a deep breath. "I'm glad you're here."

Joe visibly relaxed. "So am I. Friends?"

After that kiss? Casi cleared her throat. "Yeah. Like always." She got of the car and hurried inside.

Joe fell back in his seat, rubbed both hands over his face, through his hair, spiking it. Shit, that was the stupidest thing to do. It was still too soon. Bryce....He found he had to swallow hard. Bryce hadn't even been dead a year. He still had trouble sleeping in his apartment, half expecting to see her in every shadowed corner. And she was dead because of him. He clenched his hands on the steering wheel until his knuckles were white. It would pay for him to remember that, and not raise his hopes.

Suddenly, Joe twisted the key in the ignition, gunned the engine and roared away from the castle. Yes, Bryce had died because of a moment of carelessness on his part. He should have known.....

Joe drove hard along the highway, barely staying within the posted speed limit. That's why he had left. The real reason. Casi meant too much to him. He'd die if she was ever injured--or killed--because of him. Because, God knew, he did love her.

"I love her," he said out loud. He went ice-cold at the confession, skidded to the shoulder and slammed on the brakes. He got out of the car. What was he going to do now? he wondered, staring across the way at the famed lakes of Killarney. He still couldn't tell her, that would open up a whole new can of worms. Especially since he wasn't on vacation, just to be Ethan's best man....

***

Cassandra watched from the tower window as the Bentley roared out of the driveway. There was anger in the way it slewed onto the highway. She took a deep breath, rested her hands on the ledge. She didn't need to be a telepath to know he'd never meant for that kiss to happen. And maybe it was spite or jealousy but she didn't really think it was because of Bryce either. Or would that fall under the wishful thinking catagory?

A light tap sounded on the door. Casi turned from the window and sat down at the computer where a multicolored screensaver morphed on the screen. In all the excitement, she'd forgotten to turn it off. "Come."

Catherine came in, gave Casi an assessing look. "You okay?"

"Never better."

Her sister frowned. "Casi---"

Casi groaned. "I'm fine." And she was, she realized. She wasn't lying to herself anymore. She loved Joseph MacKensey, the big lout. "Really."

"So why'd he peel out like all of Satan's minions were on his heels."

"Because he kissed me."

"And you slapped him?"

"No. I kissed him back."

Catherine frowned. "That's why he hauled butt?"

Casi turned in her chair. "Not exactly."

Her sister let out a grunt of frustration. "Cassandra."

"He's afraid because of what happened to Bryce."

Catherine sat down on the old threadbare divan. "Her death---her murder---hit him hard."

"What was she like?" asked Casi softly, hating her inate curiosity and yet wanting, needing to know.

Catherine stared down at the faded tapestry pattern on the divan. "She had a southern accent, loved country music. She loved to line dance and go to nightclubs. She was a doctor at a low income medical clinic." She started picking loose threads from the divan's fabric. "She loved animals. I don't remember how many she kept and cared for. She had a big house and a huge yard. Neighbors called her the zookeeper." She fell silent, still picking loose threads. "She was a nice person.."

Casi stared down at her hands, then turned her head to focus on the hypnotic graphics on the computer screen. "Sounds like I would have liked her," she said finally, quietly.

"I liked her. She didn't deserve to die that way."

"No one deserves to die that way," said Ethan from the doorway.

Casi swallowed hard. "Except maybe the sniper that killed her?"

He gave her a startled look. "Yeah."

The silence in the tower room lengthened until it began to feel oppressive. Ethan cleared his throat. "You shouldn't be mad at Joe, Casi. Be mad at me. I'm the one who told him he needed to leave. Before something happened and he broke your heart."

Casi arched an eyebrow. "I already have two big lugs for brothers. I don't need a third."

"Anyway," added Catherine, a faint smirk on her face. "She's not mad...anymore."

Ethan looked from sister to sister. "So why did---? Never mind. That's why you were talking about Bryce."

Catherine's smirk changed to a genuine smile as she got up and walked over to her fiance'. "See? He is smart."

"Most of the time, anyway," retorted Casi.

Ethan grunted. "Yeah, well, ditto for you, too."

"Oh go away, future brother-in-law. Can't you see I'm busy here?"

***

Joe went on to Kenmare, found the nightclub, found that they didn't hire out their exotic dancers. Joe leaned against the car's fender and sighed. So now what was he going to do? If he was home, he'd haul Ethan to that seedy strip club over on Terrace Road. It was outside Arlington city limits and rather raunchy. Of course if he found someplace like that, it would be perfect but after Casi's initial reaction to his earlier question about strippers, he decided against asking her that question.

A big black car pulled into the parking space next to him. Joe did a double take. It was an old Studebaker. Don't see those hardly anymore, he thought, gazing at the highly polished exterior, seeing a slightly distorted image of himself leaning against the Bentley. Nice car would be an understatement.

The driver rolled down his window. "Seen any leprechauns lately?"

Joe pushed himself off the fender, frowning. Who was rushing things? "Naw, just a couple of blooming fairies."

The driver got out of the car. "That was stupid."

"Yeah. Who upped the timetable?"

"Me." The driver yanked off the tweed cap, revealing a shaggy head of dark brown hair, and looked around. "What the hell are you doing in Kenmare today? You'll ruin everything."

" 'Scuse me? I'm looking for strippers."

"Out here?" The driver squinted a look at him. "You hard up or what?"

What was with everybody today? "No. I'm really a monk. I took a vow of celibacy last week."

The driver grunted. "You'd better leave. Before someone sees you."

"Or sees you talking to me? Why?"

"Things aren't always what they seem in this place," muttered the driver as he got back into his car with one last look around. He slammed his car door and drove away.

Joe found himself scanning his surroundings, then grunted. He got in the Bentley and slammed the door. As he started the engine, he glared at himself in the sideview mirror. "When are you gonna learn, pal? Never mix business and pleasure." Or, he added silently, Casi MacFairlaigne

***

Left alone for the rest of the afternoon, Casi finished the placecards and printed them. Then she switched out diskettes and called up her current file. A blank page came up with only the words "Chapter Six" in the top center. Casi sighed and scrolled back to the end of the last chapter but found she wasn't really in the mood to work on her latest story.

Casi grunted and stared at the glowing letters until they blurred before her eyes. Then realized her eyes were crossed, unfocused. If only she could do that with those Magic Eye books. She never found the hidden image.

She heard the roar of an engine outside the window. Taking only the time to save the file as is, exit and shut everything down, Casi hurried down the stairs to the double front doors just as Marc walked in, arms full of bags and boxes. "Here, sis. There's more."

"You?" She hefted the boxes and bags. "More?"

"Yeah, hold up."

"Marcus!" Kari burst out of the kitchen. "Oh hi, Casi. That was Marc, wasn't it?"

"Uh, yeah. What is this?"

Kari peered at the nearest box. "Looks like decorations."

Casi frowned. "The patio's decorated enough."

Marc practically skidded into the foyer, loaded down with more boxes. "Oh hey, here," he said to Kari, then glanced at his sister. "Case, why are you still standing there?"

"Marc, what are you doing," asked Kari.

"This is for the reception. It was all cheap, so I got streamers, more balloons, more confetti, more---"

"Oh God help us," muttered Casi under her breath.

"I'm sorry I asked, " said Kari.

"It'll be great, Case. Cat'll love it."

"Yeah, right."

Donovan came down the main staircase. "What the hell?"

"Marcus has an idea," muttered Casi, heading for the parlor.

"Starting his own bridal shop? We're doomed," said Donovan.

"Oh shut up, D.K. You're just jealous because I didn't do this for you. Might as well come clean, I like Cat better," said Marc.

Donovan grunted. "I'm crushed."

Marc snorted and veered for the parlor with Kari and Donovan following. Donovan frowned. "Wait. Who said the reception would be in here?"

"Where else? Your reception was here."

"It was raining," answered Donovan, his tone patronizing.

Marc set the boxes on the floor. "You don't think that could be an omen, do you?"

Donovan groaned. "Casi, escape while you can." He started for the door.

"Right behind you."

"Some sister you are," said Marc.

"Oh chill, Marc. You have plenty of help. Ian, Adrian, Erick..."

"Don't be ridiculous. They don't know the first thing about decorating."

Donovan laughed. "Oh and you do?"

"You bet."

Kari rolled her eyes and patted Marc's shoulder. "Let me supervise."

"Sure. Whatever makes you happy. But I decide where everything goes."

Donovan bolted out of the parlor and collided with Adrian and boxes scattered. Adrian groaned. "Oh man."

Casi bent to help him. "Is there anyway we can talk Marc out of this idea of his?"

Both Adrian and Donovan just snorted derisively.

"Okay, okay," said Casi. "But too many cooks spoil the soup."

Adrian frowned. "We're having soup tonight? What kind?"

Donovan shook his head and bit back a groan. "Onion and rasberry."

Adrian looked over at him, puzzled. "There's no such thing."

Donovan straightened to his feet. "Exactly."

Both Adrian and Casi stood, watched as Donovan went back up the stairs, stopped halfway, spun around and came back down. "Wrong way," he muttered and left out the front door.

"What was that all about?"

"Don't ask, Adrian." Just three more days and it would all be over, thought Casi wistfully. She could handle seventy-two hours....couldn't she?

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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.