3 HARDYS & A PRINCESS

by

PiperMerlyn

Chapter 1

The Chapters

INTRO

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

EPILOGUE

Fenton Hardy walked through the front door of his home to hear loud voices coming from the living room. He angled his head to see his sons seated on the floor. They held video game controllers and the TV screen showed a racetrack and odd little people in cars racing along. The racetrack was unusual and seemed full of dangers. 

Something flew out of the back of one of the cars and another car skidded. "Hey," exclaimed Joe. "What'd you do that for?" 

Frank, a year older, shrugged. "Felt like it." 

"I was this close to winning the race." 

"You can always try again." 

"Oh I will. I've beat all your time trials scores anyway. It's just a matter of cutting the seconds off each turn and.. Oh, hey, Dad." 

Fenton arched an eyebrow. "For a minute there I thought something was wrong. But last time I checked, you weren't ten years old. I thought you'd gotten rid of that Playstation, Joe." 

"Oh that was the old one, Dad. They were having a major sale at the gaming store in the mall." Joe crouched down like he was the person in the car racing. He moved past another car and squealed. "Yes. First place." 

The other car moved past him. Frank grinned. "For a second, anyway." 

"Oooh, you're not going to get away with that." 

"Just watch me." 

Fenton cleared his throat. "Boys--" 

"Fenton, I thought I heard you." Laura gave her sons a rueful glance. "Although with all the noise I don't know how I did. Gertrude and I are packed and ready to go." 

Fenton gave a start. "That's this week?" 

Laura leaned down and gave him a kiss. "Yes, dear." 

"I--" Fenton took a deep breath. "All right, Laura, I'll take you two to the airport. When's your flight?" 

"Four-forty-five. It would help to be there about an hour before." 

Fenton gave an absent nod. "Boys, go load up your mother's and aunt's luggage." 

Joe hit the pause button. "Sure, Dad." 

He and Frank headed up the stairs to get their mother's two suitcases. About a month ago, their mother had gone to the salon for a new haircut. The salon was giving away a free weekend at a fancy salon in Manhattan plus hotel and airfare in a special drawing. By luck, Laura had won the free weekend and decided to ask Gertrude to go with her. "I wonder what's up with Dad. He's rather distracted," said Joe. 

"I'm surprised you noticed that with you trying to beat me on MarioKart." 

"Hey, there is no try. I was beating you." 

"In your dreams." Frank grabbed the lighter suitcase and let Joe get the heavier one. They headed downstairs and out the door to load the suitcases in the trunk of their father's sedan. They got Gertrude's two suitcases and loaded them as well.  

"All done, Dad," said Frank as they came back into the house. He closed the door glad to be out of the early March wind. It was still cold outside. 

Fenton came out of his study. "Boys, I need your help with something. Don't go anywhere until I get back." 

Joe, who was already back on the floor, the controller in his hands, looked up at his father. "What's up?" 

"I'll explain everything when I get back." 

Laura came into the living room, Gertrude right behind her. She leaned down to give both Frank and Joe a kiss. "Behave, boys, okay. Your father's rather busy, so don't argue too much." 

"Aw, Mom, we don't argue," said Joe, giving her a one-armed hug. "We discuss things." 

Laura gave a soft laugh. "Right." 

Frank gave her a hug. "Have fun, Mom." 

Their aunt gave out hugs as well. "No mysteries," ordered Gertrude, shaking a finger at Joe. "No trouble. Especially without me here to get you out of it." 

Joe grinned. "Right, Auntie." 

Laura and Gertrude left and Frank closed the door after giving one final wave. He sat back down to see Joe glaring at him. "What?" 

"I'm being nice here. I could have unpaused it ten times already but I'm being nice." 

Frank laughed and grabbed his controller. "Go." 

Joe punched the start button and the race was on. 

                                                  *** 

Fenton pulled up into his driveway and glanced at his watch. Now that his wife and sister weren't there to ask him what was wrong, his forced smile faded. He had forgotten about the spa weekend--or rather that it was this weekend.  

He switched off the ignition and sighed. How hard can it be, he thought. He'd raised two sons. Well, helped raise. Laura had done most of the work, he amended, being honest. He'd been so busy with police work and then his own work. 

Fenton got out of the car and walked into the house, bracing himself for his sons still arguing as they raced around a track. Instead, total silence greeted him. The television was dark and the Playstation and the controllers were nowhere to be seen.  

He stood there, unsure if he should go upstairs and tell the boys now or put it off. He glanced at his watch again. He had two hours. Fenton sighed again and went into his study. He pushed the door shut and massaged the bridge of his nose. How hard could it possibly be? 

An hour later, after finishing up some paperwork, Fenton knew he couldn't put it off any longer. He got up from his desk, and headed to the foyer. He glanced up the stairs. "Joe? Frank? I need to talk to you." 

Frank appeared at the head of the stairs almost immediately, clad in flannel pajama bottoms and a T-shirt. "Joe's just getting out of the shower." 

A moment later, Joe skidded into the hall, a towel wrapped around his hips, his blond hair dripping water. "Yo, Dad, what's up?" 

"Get some clothes on, son and come downstairs." 

Five minutes later, Joe was dressed and he and Frank sat in their father's study. Frank thought his father looked a tad stressed. "Dad, what's wrong?" 

"You heard the newsreport last night, didn't you. About the double homicide in Sag Harbor?" 

Joe nodded. "Yeah. Rumors are already flying.  Was it truly the Kingsleys that were murdered?" 

"Unfortunately yes, but not Terence Kingsley. It was his wife and brother who were killed. Terence is in police protection but with the police working on the case, they hired me to protect the Kingsley children." 

Frank leaned forward. "Children?" 

"One child, one teenager." Fenton heaved a sigh. "To make matters worse, both children witnessed the slaying and can ID the killer. The teenager has disappeared and it's my task to find her. Your task is to take  care of Ella." 

Joe frowned. "Whoa. If you're looking for the teenager, then that means--Dad,  babysitting?" 

"It's necessary, son. Someone has to be with Ella while I look for her sister, Rory. If the killer even guesses both girls saw him--or her, we don't know yet--the girls' lives are in danger." 

"But babysitting?" 

"Joe, calm down," said Frank. "We'll get the girls to help us." 

Joe swatted his brother's shoulder. "Okay, dense-as-mud dude, you must have forgotten. Vanessa went with her mother to some animation thing conference and Callie--" 

Frank groaned. "Callie went with her cousin for a weekend sleepover." 

"And your mother and aunt are at a spa," said Fenton,heavily. 

There was a moment of silence as the three Hardys stared at each other.  The sudden dingdong of the doorbell sounded like a cannon shot, making all three of them jump. 

Joe shook his head. "Don't tell me---you  didn't want to give us a chance to take off so you waited till the last minute to share." 

Fenton shrugged. "Well, the strategy has worked before." He sighed as the doorbell rang again. "Best if we answer it and get it over with." 

Joe grunted and got to his feet. He strode out of his father's study, through the living room and to the front door. The doorbell rang again as if someone kept their finger on the button. He yanked open the door to tell the person to lay off but no one was there. A faint sound made him look down. 

She was petite with long reddish-blond hair done in pigtails. Her hazel eyes were wide as she stared up at him.  "Are you Bo?" she asked, looking rather starstruck. 

Joe shook his head. "No. My name is Joe." 

She let out a childish squeal and wrapped her arms around his legs. "Oooh, it rhymes." She tilted her head back to look up at him. "You're dreamy." 

"Uh--" Joe heard a snicker and turned to glare at Frank.  He stuck his tongue out at his brother and then looked at the girl holding on to him. "You--uh--must be Ella." 

She nodded her head vigoriously. "Eleanor Elizabeth Kingsley. You can call me Ella. All my friends do." She shook her head vigoriously, nearly toppling both of them off balance. "Brandy, my best best friend, calls me Ella." She beamed up at Joe. "So you're my best friend."

 Frank took a step forward. "Hello." 

Ella spared a glance at Frank. "You kinda look like Luke. He's always fussing at Bo." 

A tall slender man walked up to the door and gave the young girl a rueful look and set two suitcases just inside the door. He nodded to Joe and Frank. "I'm Police Detective Reginald Oakley." 

Frank shook the man's outstretched hand. "Frank Hardy. This is my brother Joe and--" 

"Reggie," said Fenton as he joined the group in the foyer. He gave a careful smile as he spotted Ella. Then when he saw the hold she had on Joe, he almost laughed. "Come on in." 

"Fenton, thank you. Chief's all nerves about this one." Reginald glanced over his shoulder, stepped into the house and pushed the door closed. He nodded to Ella, who seemed oblivious to the adult talk. "Best you keep close tabs on her." 

Joe and Frank shared a puzzled look. Joe finally managed to disengage Ella from his legs. "Hey, why don't I show you where you'll sleep." 

"In your room?" 

Joe hefted the two suitcases with a grunt and said bluntly, "No." He headed up the staircase with Ella trailing behind. "Wipe that smirk off your face, Frank." 

Frank tried but couldn't. He shook his head and turned to Oakley. "What happened?"

Reginald cleared his throat. "Is there someplace we can talk privately?" 

"In here," said Fenton, motioning to his study. 

Frank trailed after them as they went inside. He closed the door as the two older men settled in chairs. Reginald took a deep breath. "For starters, we only know that both the mother and uncle were shot at close range, small caliber weapon, possibly silenced. The oldest daughter called 911." 

"Do you have any clue as to where she might have gone?" asked Fenton, pulling a pencil and pad toward him. 

"According to her father, it's possible she holed up with Kane Rogers. He's nineteen, troublemaker. Never been busted for anything more than disturbance of the peace but her father thinks the boy is dangerous." 

"Was it robbery?" asked Frank. 

"No." Reginald heaved a weary sigh. "Chief Preston is about had it with the rumors, I know. She wants this case under wraps." 

Fenton nodded, rather distractedly. "Veronica Preston is a stickler for protocol and procedure. Does she think someone might have leaked to the press?" 

"It's not that. According to Terence, this was not a robbery or a random act of violence. He says he was approached about a month ago to sell his company. He refused. The man warned him there would be repercussions." 

Frank stared at the police detective. "You're saying it's a takeover?" 

Reginald lifted one shoulder in a shrug. His dark hair was graying at the temples and his silver-blue eyes were tired. "I don't know all the details but somehow Terence deals with satellites, allowing communication through the web, wireless devices and such." 

Frank felt a niggle of deja vu. "What was the name of the man who wanted to buy out Kingsley's business?" 

Reginald thought a moment. "Thorne. Bernard Thorne. He's out of Hong Kong, if I remember correctly." 

Frank stared at the man for a long moment and then grabbed the doorknob. "I have to go do...something. Be right back." He bolted out of his father's study, pulling the door shut. "Bernard Thorne," he said softly. "Oh my God."

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