Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

When Joe opened his eyes Thursday morning, yesterday seemed more like a nightmare than something that had actually happened. He reached to pull the covers up over his head when something on his arm made him wince. He looked down and saw a long red welt running down his arm. "Okay," he muttered, half asleep. "No nightmare, real life. Stupid dogs, don't know how to play fair."

A tap on the door from the bathroom made him groan. "Too early, I'm asleep."

Frank walked in with a smirk. "Don't make me find the water pistol."

Joe rolled his eyes. "Go away, big brother."

"No can do. Dad wants to talk to us."

"Oh hell, this is a lousy start to the day." Suddenly, his brain cleared and he remembered everything with brutal clarity. "Where's Vanessa?"

"In Dad's office."

Joe scrambled out of bed, shaking his head so hard he nearly toppled to one side. "No. Damn it, no. She's not doing this. She can't. I—" His voice trailed off and he sat down heavily on the edge of the bed. "She can't."

Frank came further into the room and sat down next to him. "Joe."

"Shut up, Frank, I don't want to hear it."

"I stayed up last night, thinking. If this was Callie, I'd panic too. But ultimately, it's not my decision to make."

Joe shot to his feet and walked over to his chest of drawers. "I said shut up, Frank."

"It would be Callie's choice and it's Vanessa's choice. You wouldn't want someone dogging you for the rest of your life just because we don't want you hurt." Frank paused a moment. "Would you?"

Joe clenched his hand into a fist and hit the top of the chest of drawer so hard it made all the trophies on it rattle. "Don't make this about me."

"You're making it about you."

Joe spun around but suddenly it seemed as if all the fight went out of him. "I can't lose her, Frank. I lost Iola because I was acting like an idiot and that's haunted me all this time. I can't lose Vanessa."

"Then we have to keep her safe and stop Byron James once and for all."

Joe grunted. "Why don't you make it sound easy, huh?"

"Get dressed, now. You don't want Vanessa to see you in that."

Joe looked down at his threadbare T-shirt and his faded flannel pajama bottoms. "I guess you're right. Wouldn't do to scare her too badly."

Frank grinned and got to his feet. "Yeah, she may never think of you in the same way again." He laughed and headed out the door just as Joe threw a balled-up T-shirt at him.

Joe heard his brother laughing all the way down the hall. He shook his head and got dressed. He went in the bathroom to run a brush through his hair and instead found himself staring in the mirror at his reflection.

Joe shuddered for a moment and then steeled himself, brushed his teeth and ran a comb through his hair and left the bathroom. He headed out of his bedroom and down the stairs.

The living room was empty as he passed through it and knocked on his father's office door. It swung open and he walked inside.

Vanessa looked up at him, her face pale but resolute. "Joe.."

Joe sat down on the small sofa next to her. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have ordered you to do anything—"

"Shh." She tapped a finger on his lips. "Your dad has a plan."

Joe took a deep breath and turned to his dad. Frank was already seated in the other chair. Fenton tapped his fingers on his desk. "James seems desperate to have Vanessa." Fenton nodded toward Vanessa. "She decided to tell her mother, and Andrea's returning home today. As long as Vanessa is with at least two people at all times, I sincerely doubt James will try and take her again."

Fenton took a deep breath. "The best time for the trap would be the New Year's Eve dance. It's a masquerade party, as I'm sure you remember."

Joe stiffened. "Dad—"

"It's the only time James can get close, or so he thinks. The best bet is for Vanessa to wear a tracking device. Once James is caught in the act of trying to kidnap her, it's done."

Vanessa laid a hand on Joe's arm. "You'll be with me, so don't fret."

Joe swallowed hard and managed a nod. "All right."

Frank leaned forward. "I suggested we get everyone involved with this. We'll have a meeting just before, to find out who's going as who, make sure there are no mistakes."

Joe gave a jerky nod. "Okay." He took a deep breath. "So we wait – until Saturday."

Fenton sat back in his chair. "Just enough time to prepare."

Joe wasn't sure if he could handle the wait.

***

Joe himself drove Vanessa back home once Andrea called to let them know she was home. He downshifted and glanced over at Vanessa. "Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"I've already said I don't mind you driving my car."

Joe let out an exasperated sigh. "No – Saturday."

"Joe, please, you start talking about the dangers, I get scared, and the whole plan goes up in smoke."

Joe gripped the steering wheel tighter and nodded. "All right."

Vanessa took a deep breath. "Callie made a suggestion when Frank called her."

Joe was wondering if he could deal with what it was that Callie suggested. "What?"

"I go as Christine."

Joe gave her a look. "Christine? Christine who? The car?"

"What?"

"You know, Stephen King – the movie, the car."

Vanessa started giggling and didn't stop until she was completely out of breath. "No. Joe, oh God, no, the Phantom of the Opera."

"Opera? I don't sing."

Vanessa started giggling again. "Joe!"

Joe pulled up into the driveway in front of the farmhouse. He glanced in the rear view mirror and saw the van pull up behind Vanessa's car. "What?"

Vanessa took a breath. "You don't have to sing."

"Good. I might annoy some people."

Vanessa smiled. "I bet you sing quite well."

"Frank would heartily disagree." Joe said, pushing open the driver's side door.

"I heartily disagree with a lot of things. What am I disagreeing with now?" asked Frank as he walked up to them.

Vanessa got out of the car and grinned at Frank. "Joe says he can't sing."

"No, I said I might annoy some people." Joe got out of the car and pushed the door closed.

Before they could continue the discussion, Andrea came out of the house. "Vanessa."

Vanessa hurried over to her and hugged her mother. Joe cleared his throat and with a jerk of his head, gestured toward the van. Frank shook his head but started toward the van.

"Joe," came Andrea's voice. "Stop."

Joe turned and gave her a hesitant smile. "Mrs. Bender—"

Andrea walked over to him and studied him for a long moment. "I trust you, Joe. And you too, Frank." She gave a sharp nod and headed back into the house, one arm around Vanessa's shoulders.

Joe took a deep breath and knew he didn't need that kind of pressure. "Thanks," he said softly, almost sounding sarcastic.

Frank arched an eyebrow at his brother as Callie pulled up into the driveway. She got out of the car and hurried over to them, a tote bag in one hand. "Vanessa decided since I'm spending the night here that we'd have an end-of-year slumber party. Karen, Sarah and Liz are coming too."

Joe gave Callie a look. "Hmm, slumber party."

"No pranks, Joseph Hardy," said Callie, shaking a finger at him.

"No guarantees, Callie Shaw."

Callie grunted and walked over to the house. Frank grabbed his brother's jacket sleeve and hauled him in the general direction of the van. "Joe, it wouldn't be very nice to pull a prank – not now."

"Never said I was. Callie doesn't need to know that, now does she?"

Joe pulled his arm free and adjusted the jacket. True to her word, Vanessa had bought him a new jacket exactly like the one the dogs had shredded. "Hands off the jacket, pal."

Frank rolled his eyes and just shook his head.

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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.