Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

Fenton Hardy sat back in his desk chair, a frown on his face. He let the pencil slide between his thumb and forefinger until it reached the eraser and he flipped it and repeated the motion. Finally, he looked over at his sons. "This does sound serious but I'm afraid until he actually does something, there's nothing the police can do."

"What about stalking?" Joe asked, only marginally calmer than he'd been in the van.

"Restraining order is about the only thing that can be done at the moment."

Frank shook his head. "Dad, that doesn't always work."

"I know that, son. I know." Fenton's face hardened and he nodded. "I'd suggest you two keep watch but I'd rather not have you getting into anything right now."

"Daaad," said Joe, making the one syllable word sound like it had three. "We're fine. Frank's faking with the limp. He always fakes injuries to get attention."

Frank snapped his head around to glare at his brother. "Oh...so you're faking with the sore ribs, huh?"

Joe grunted and decided to ignore his brother. "Dad, Vanessa could be in serious danger. Please don't ask me to not try and protect her."

Fenton studied his youngest son for a long moment and then took a deep breath. "Joe—"

"Dad." Joe stood up. "I promised I'd protect her."

Fenton gave a slow nod, an odd, almost sad expression on his face. "Of course. A promise is a promise."

Joe nodded and left his father's office. Frank watched his brother go and then turned to his father. "Dad—"

"If I had said no, Frank, he would have found a way to do it anyway."

Frank frowned. "Yes, he would have. And I would do the same for Callie."

Fenton looked at his oldest son and a faint smile crossed his face. "Yes, you would."

Frank couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. "Dad, what is it?"

"Your mother has reminded me on more than one occasion that you and Joe are no longer children—" Fenton fiddled with his pencil for a few seconds, before looking back at Frank. "This time your brother reminded me. And so did you."

Frank stood there for a long moment and then nodded as well. "But I'm sure we'll always need you for one thing or another."

Fenton laughed and whatever mood that had settled on him disappeared. "I planned it that way, son."

Frank grinned. "Knew you were devious, Dad." He left his father's office and headed up the stairs, flexing his injured knee as much as he could with each step. "Joe?"

Joe stepped out of his room, a distracted look on his face. "No one answers at Vanessa's."

"She may be still at Callie's."

Just then the telephone rang. Because he was closest to the hall phone, Frank picked up the receiver. "Hello?...Callie, calm down..." Frank narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure?...Calm down."

Joe strode over to his brother, grabbed the receiver and tilted it so he could hear as well. "...really spooked, Frank, but Vanessa said her mother was in Manhattan on business. I swear I saw someone standing behind Vanessa when she waved good-bye," said Callie, sounding breathless.

Joe pulled the receiver out of Frank's hand and put it to his ear. "Callie, did it look like Byron?...We're heading out there now." Joe didn't quite slam the phone down. "Come on, Frank."

Frank sighed and spared a glance for the telephone. "Would have liked to at least say good bye."

"Later, Frank, this could be an emergency."

Frank watched his brother head downstairs and started after him. A chill snaked down his spine as he thought about what else Callie had said. About someone following them all the way out to Vanessa's. Was Byron that obsessed to risk legal repercussions?

Frank watched his brother head outside as he reached the downstairs foyer. He felt eyes on him and saw his father standing in the doorway of his office. Frank spared a glance for the still open front door and then told his father what Callie had said.

Fenton frowned. "I'll call the police and get them to go out there." He started to say something more and then shook his head. "Let me know what happens."

A horn blew outside and Frank nodded. "Joe might not mind you showing up."

Fenton just nodded. "Let me call Riley."

Frank headed out the door and got into the van. Joe shifted gears and glared at Frank. "What took you so damn long?" snapped Joe, as he backed out of the driveway.

"Dad is calling the police."

"Good." Joe shifted gears again and took off in the direction of Vanessa's house. He slid a glance at Frank. "He didn't want to come?"

"He said he'd meet us out there."

Joe nodded again and went as fast as he dared to the old farmhouse where Andrea had set up her animation company when she and Vanessa had moved to Bayport nearly two years ago.

He pulled up to the front door and took a deep breath. "Frank."

Frank saw it too. "Come on."

The brothers got out of the van and made their way to the front door which hung open. Joe saw a single white rose lying on the threshold and frowned. "Don't tell me he's doing this for kicks."

"We don't know for certain it's Byron James," cautioned Frank as he heard cars pull into the long gravel driveway.

"Who the hell else would it be, Frank?" Joe pushed the door open wider and looked in. "I'm seriously considering bodily harm right about now."

"Frank, Joe."

The brothers turned to see Con Riley striding towards them. "Your father briefed us on the situation. Let us check the house before you go inside."

Joe gave a single sharp nod. "Check away, Con."

Frank watched the police officers enter the house cautiously and made his way to his brother. "Joe—"

"Don't start on me. I let them go in." Joe craned his neck to see as much of the inside of the house as he could.

After a long three minutes, Con Riley came to the door. He looked at Joe but before he could speak, someone else drove up in the driveway. The brothers turned to see their father. Con nodded to Fenton. "It's best all three of you see this."

Joe went pale but was the first to follow Con into the house. He instantly realized Con was leading them to Vanessa's bedroom. A cold shiver swept down his spine and he didn't know if he wanted to see beyond Vanessa's door. God, he'd endured losing Iola. He couldn't handle—

Con pushed the door open and Joe felt a different kind of chill. Vanessa lay on her bed, clad in a long-sleeved full-length black dress, a single red rose in her hands that lay crossed on her stomach. Her blond hair was fanned out on her pillow, her eyes were closed and her breathing deep and even.

Joe took a step forward but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He glanced back to see his father looking ill at ease. "There may be fingerprints or something, Joe," said Fenton hoarsely. "Don't touch anything. Let the police process the scene and then I'll call paramedics."

"Process," Joe said in a harsh tone. "This is Vanessa."

Frank stepped in front of Joe. "We need proof – proof that will keep him away from her permanently."

Joe's hands clenched and unclenched. "Frank, move."

There was a deep sigh and all heads turned to see Vanessa's eyelids flutter open. She stared up at her ceiling for a long moment and then it seemed to register that there was someone in her room. She shifted her gaze to her right and her gray eyes went wide.

She let out a short squeal and moved to sit up. That's when she saw the dress and the rose. She shuddered and finally focused on Joe. "Joe? What – oh my God..."

Joe sidestepped Frank and walked over to Vanessa's side. "Van, are you all right?"

She put a shaking hand to her temple. "I have something of a headache. Th-the last thing I remember was Callie dropping me off." She shuddered. "God, Joe, what happened?"

Joe found he couldn't speak for a moment. His fury seemed to wipe all thought from his mind. He swallowed hard and finally said, "You don't remember anything?"

She looked at him, tears filling her eyes. "N-no." In a sudden jerky move, she shot off the bed and right at Joe. "He was here, wasn't he?" she whispered. "Oh God, get me out of here."

Joe gave the police officers, his father and Frank a hard look. "You heard her. I'm getting her out of here." Holding Vanessa close, he helped her out of the room.

Fenton watched them leave and let out a sigh. "Frank—"

"I won't say I wouldn't keep an eye on him, Dad, but if it were Mom you'd react the same way."

Fenton jerked his head around to look at Frank and then nodded. "Yes. I know. I don't want him doing something dangerous though."

Frank nodded and left the room. He didn't go immediately in search of Joe and Vanessa. He knew they both needed time alone. Instead, he went through the house to the back door. He undid the lock and walked out onto the back porch.

It had been several days since the last snowfall, and what was left of the snow was more muddy slush than pristine powder. It was too trampled for him to make out any footprints. Frank sighed and instead of going back through the house, he decided to go around the outside to the front door.

Frank stepped carefully, to keep from re-injuring his knee. He knew he'd react the same way if it had been Callie. He shuddered. If it was Byron James doing this, he seriously needed help. As he came around the side of the house, he saw Joe and Vanessa sitting on the front porch, a quilt wrapped around her shoulders.

Frank turned away when he realized Vanessa was crying on Joe's shoulder. Instead, he focused on looking for clues. Byron wasn't a ghost. He'd to have left something for them to go on.

The sound of wood scraping on wood made Frank turn. He saw Vanessa and Joe walking towards him. Joe had a possessive arm around Vanessa's quilt-clad shoulders. "Find anything?" asked Joe.

Frank grunted. "Not yet."

"Mom's not coming back for another day."

"I told her she could stay with us."

"Joe, you haven't even asked your mother," said Vanessa.

"She'd invite you in a heartbeat. Trust me."

Vanessa sighed and sagged against Joe. "Oh God, I do," she whispered.

"You two are going to freeze out here," said Frank. "Go get in the van and I'll get you some clothes, Vanessa."

Vanessa blushed. "Uh, I can get my clothes. I need to change—" She looked down at the black dress and she frowned. "Get out of this thing."

Joe got an odd look on his face. "It's not...yours?"

"Oh my God, no. I'd never have something like this not even for a costume or anything."

Joe shared a look with Frank and felt a chill. It was worse than they'd thought. Vanessa looked from one brother to the other. "What?"

"I'm feeling a splurge coming on, Van, let's go buy you some clothes. Whatever you want."

Vanessa swallowed hard, spared a glance for the house and then gave a jerky nod. "Okay."

"I'll go tell Dad we're going," said Frank.

Joe nodded and helped Vanessa over to the van just as another car pulled up behind them. Frank turned to see Callie get out of the car and rush over to them. "Vanessa." She slowed to a stop and stared at the long dress Vanessa was wearing. "Vanessa?"

"It's not mine." Vanessa shuddered and leaned against Joe. "I don't know how it ended up on me."

Callie went pale and looked at Frank. "Frank, was it—?"

"We don't know anything yet."

"It was him, I'm sure," said Vanessa heavily. "Who else would do this? Oh God, he was in my house, my..." She swallowed hard. "My bedroom."

"It's okay," said Joe. "Get in and we'll head to the mall."

Vanessa shook her head. "No, not there. No. Callie, would you mind going in there and getting me some clothes? I don't want to go to the mall. I may never go to the mall again."

"I'll get you a few days' worth, Vanessa." Callie started for the house and found Frank falling in step with her. "I shouldn't have left her."

"You couldn't have known. Besides I don't want you anywhere near him. He's insane."

Callie stopped on the porch. "Frank, what happened?"

He told her what the police had found. "They're in there processing the scene for fingerprints or something to link him here. He has to be stopped."

Callie frowned. "What on earth happened to him to make him this way?"

Frank grunted. "At the moment, I don't care. I only want to see Vanessa safe and Joe not going off half-cocked ready to kill Byron."

Callie pulled open the door and noticed the rose. "Frank...do you remember the movie we saw a few months ago?" She gestured to the flower. The thorns had been stripped from the stem and a red ribbon tied in a bow around the stem.

Frank narrowed his eyes. "Well, if he's living out the movie then we'll have him." Frank heaved a sigh. "But without physical proof we can't do anything."

Callie sighed, stepped over the flower and headed back to Vanessa's room. As Frank started to follow her into the already crowded room, Callie turned and stopped him. "Vanessa has had enough invasion of privacy."

Frank sighed and nodded. He found his father and Con Riley in the hallway, conversing in low tones. His father saw him and motioned him to come over. "Frank, there were no fingerprints."

Frank felt a chill. "Not even Vanessa's? That means he wiped down the entire room. I wonder if something might be missing." He thought about asking Vanessa to come back but seriously doubted she would, so he didn't even mention the possibility.

"Either he's done this before," said Riley. "Or he's damn sure of himself."

Frank felt that chill grow inside of him. What if Byron had done this before?

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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.