Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

Vanessa walked into her office, pleased with the way her presentation had gone. Phil had been ecstatic at the reaction of their potential new client and was convinced they’d reach a deal before the end of the week. As she settled behind her desk, the intercom on her phone buzzed. She reached out and pressed a button. “Yes?”

“Callie Hardy on the phone for you,” the firm’s receptionist announced.

“Okay, put her through.” Vanessa waited until the phone rang and then picked it up. “Hi, Cal.”

“Hi, yourself,” Callie replied. “How’s everything going?”

“Fine, everything’s fine,” Vanessa said.

“Good, good…listen, Frank is finally done with that nightmare commute to the city every day. I thought maybe you and Joe would like to go out to dinner tonight and help us celebrate,” Callie threw out the invitation. All she needed was to see Joe and Vanessa together for a few minutes and she’d know if they were having problems.

“Thanks for the invite – that’s sweet – but we can’t,” Vanessa replied.

“Oh,” Callie said surprised. “Um, can I ask why?” Joe and Vanessa loved to go out and Callie could count on one hand the number of times they’d turned down an invitation to dinner.

“Sure. Joe had to go out of town on a case. He left this morning.”

“Really?” Callie was a little stunned that Joe would just up and leave town without telling anyone.

It had been well over a year since the rape, but Vanessa was still a little jumpy when Joe had to go out of town for any period of time. And as far as Callie knew, when he did, Vanessa still couldn’t stay in their apartment alone. Normally she’d go to her mother’s until Joe returned, and a few times stayed with Callie when her mother was out of town, but she still hadn’t been able to conquer that final hurdle. In fact, Joe made a point of calling all their family members and close friends if he was going away, and asking them to keep an eye on Vanessa. This time apparently, he hadn’t said a word; something so out of character for him, it planted a tiny seed of doubt. Could there be any truth at all to the thought that Joe had been cheating on Vanessa? ‘Ridiculous!’ Callie immediately told herself, trying to shake off the vague feeling of doubt. “Where did he go?” It seemed as if Vanessa hesitated a beat before answering.

“Well, uh, the client asked for confidentiality so…” Vanessa’s voice trailed off.

“Ah, I see,” Callie replied. “Well, there’s no reason why you can’t go out with us tonight, right? No sense in you sitting home alone just because Joe is out of town.” This time there wasn’t just a hesitation – Vanessa was silent. “Van? Are you there?”

“Yeah, yes, I’m here,” Vanessa said quickly. “Look I appreciate the offer – really – but I think I just want to go home and crash after work. I had to give a big presentation this morning – you know, the one I’ve been working on for the past few weeks? And I’m just beat.”

“You’re not going to your mom’s? If she’s not home you can stay with Frank and me; you know that,” Callie pressed. Now convinced that something was bothering Vanessa – something other than Joe suddenly going out of town – Callie was determined to see the younger girl and find out exactly what it was.

“I know, thank you,” Vanessa’s voice was softer now with a trace of sadness. “I haven’t decided yet if I’m going to my mom’s. Hey, I might just try to go it alone, ya know?” she laughed nervously. “Now’s as good a time as any, right?”

“Van,” Callie said softly, “You shouldn’t try to ‘go it alone’ just because the opportunity suddenly popped up. You really need to be ready for it.” She waited for Vanessa’s response and heard a soft sigh.

“I know,” Vanessa agreed and Callie relaxed, thinking Vanessa had given in. “But I think I’m ready. And I’ll never know until I try, right? Listen, thanks again for the invitation – both of them – but I’ll be fine. Really. I gotta go. Talk to you later. Bye.”

“What? Van – wait!” Callie cried out, but Vanessa was already gone.

Staring at the phone for a minute as if it could bring Vanessa back, Callie finally replaced the receiver and sank back in the chair. Although she now had more questions than answers, Callie was convinced of one thing – something was definitely going on between Vanessa and Joe.

*****

It was mid-afternoon when Joe pulled into the tiny town of Corner Ketch in the mountains of upstate New York. Driving slowly through the main part of town he noted one gas station, a general store, a diner and a police station. He continued on and eventually came to the bed and breakfast Jodi had told him about, centrally located in the middle of town. Turning right, he followed the narrow driveway around to the back of the two-story building and parked in the small lot.

Getting out of the car, Joe stretched and looked around. Other than his Mustang, there was only one other car in the lot. Grabbing his duffel bag and laptop from the passenger seat, he locked the car, wondering if it were even necessary in this sleepy little town, and walked through the rear entrance of the building. Following a hall towards the front, Joe eventually emerged into the lobby. He glanced around, taking in the inviting sofa and chairs, large bay window and cozy fireplace. His gaze finally settled on a woman seated behind a large, beautifully carved oak desk, polished to a glossy shine. The woman had long, dark blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. When she looked up, Joe could see she had a splash of freckles across her nose and cheeks, an easy smile, and friendly blue eyes. Walking up to her, Joe flashed his best smile.

“Hi. Any chance you have a room available?”

“As a matter of fact we do – several of them! We’re not exactly a hotbed of tourism here yet,” she grinned. “Although it does pick up in the summer; and the fall when the leaves change. How long will you be staying?”

“Ah, I’m not sure. Can I Ieave the checkout date open?” he asked, leaning on the desk.

“Absolutely.” The woman swiveled and rolled her chair towards a computer. “Your name?”

“Joe Hardy,” he answered.

“Welcome to Corner Ketch, Joe. My name’s Cindy. What brings you here?” she chatted amiably while her fingers worked the keyboard.

“Helping out a friend,” Joe answered vaguely. “Are you from here?”

“No, but we’ve lived here for the past twelve years. My husband and I and our kids. This house used to belong to his grandparents. When they died, they left it to his mother. She grew up here. How will you be paying for this?” Cindy interrupted her story and waited as Joe dug out a credit card.

“Was it a bed and breakfast then too?” he asked, trying to get his bearings about the town and wondering how much information he might be able to glean from Cindy.

“Oh, no, just your normal everyday house with a bunch of rug rats running loose,” she laughed. “Bob – my husband – has three brothers and two sisters.”

“So how did you and Bob come to run a bed and breakfast?” Joe smiled.

“Well, no one else in the family really wanted to live here, but his mom was kind of upset at the thought of selling the place. It’s been in their family for generations. Bob and I were living in Boston at the time. We both had those kinds of high-power jobs where you make a ton of money but have no time for an actual life, ya know?” Cindy rolled her eyes. “We barely saw each other. And we wanted to start a family but it didn’t seem right to have kids that we knew we’d never see. I didn’t want my kids to be raised by a nanny.”

“So you decided to chuck it all and move here?” Joe asked, glancing around the beautifully furnished, but ‘homey’ feeling lobby.

“Yeah, pretty much!” Cindy laughed. “Everyone told us we were crazy giving up our careers, our lifestyle…but we just weren’t happy there. Bob’s mom loves this place but she has a nice little antiques business in New Hampshire. She lives in a small town where everybody knows everybody and as much as she didn’t want to let this place go, it didn’t make sense for her to give up everything she loved just to keep it.”

“But it did make sense for you and Bob to give up a life you weren’t so crazy about to move here,” Joe guessed.

“Well, it made sense to us!” she agreed, her eyes lighting up with laughter. “And his mom was thrilled that the house would stay in the family. She even took a little time off to come up and help us with renovations. It was while she was here, even before we got the business off the ground that I knew, without a doubt, we made the right decision. She and Bob had so much fun reminiscing about this town. Bob used to come here every summer and spend time with his grandparents. And his mom said it hasn’t changed all that much since she was a kid. Still a nice, safe, sleepy little town; a great place to raise your kids and not have to worry about them being snatched off the street by a stranger or something.”

Joe’s smile froze on his face, struck at the irony of Cindy’s observation. ‘You don’t have to worry about strangers...but family is something else entirely.’

“How many kids do you and Bob have?” Joe asked.

“Two. Sammie – Samantha – is nine and Kyle is six.”

Just then the front door opened and then slammed shut. As if on cue, a girl with the same blonde hair and freckles as Cindy charged into the room. Upon seeing Joe, she skidded to a stop, eyed him curiously and then walked, much more sedately, to Cindy’s side.

“You must be Sammie,” Joe smiled at the girl, whose eyes widened in surprise.

“How’d you know?!” she asked breathlessly.

“Because you’re just as pretty as your mom,” Joe winked.

Cindy blushed slightly and turned to her daughter. “Joe is checking in today. He’s going to be staying with us for a few days. Now why don’t you go and have a snack, sweetie. Then get started on your homework,” she told her daughter, giving the young girl a nudge towards the kitchen.

“Homework,” Sammie muttered and rolled her eyes.

“I used to feel exactly the same way,” Joe laughed as Sammie trudged down the hall.

“Okay, here you go,” Cindy smiled up at Joe, offering him a key. “Up the stairs, last door on the right. There’s a private bath in the room. Breakfast is at eight. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”

“Thanks, I will.” Joe took the key and headed for the stairs. At the base of the steps he turned to Cindy. “Hey, do you know anything about that New Life Church? They have that compound near here?” Joe asked, purposely vague.

Cindy shrugged. “I’m not a member but they seem nice enough. Some locals got a little nervous when they first got started, but they’ve been there five years or so and there’s never been any trouble. They guy who started it – Karl Renault – he’s kind of…eccentric…” Cindy grinned, obviously trying to be polite. “He thinks God talks directly to him and so do all those people who belong to his church. Me? I prefer the more ‘established’ religions.”

“Thanks. I drove by the compound when I came in and I was just curious,” Joe nodded, not wanting to raise her suspicions by asking more questions.

He climbed the stairs and walked down the hall to the room he’d call home for a few days. Stepping inside he closed the door behind him and dropped his duffel bag and laptop case on the chair. Gazing around the room, he smiled and couldn’t help but think how much Vanessa would like it. Decorated in white and lavender, the room was cozy yet had a light and airy feel. White lace curtains fluttered in the breeze of the open window that allowed streaks of sunlight to glisten against the delicately patterned wallpaper. One corner held a love seat strategically situated in front of a small fireplace. Fresh flowers in simple cut glass vase adorned the dresser and infused the room with the scent of spring.

Opening his bag, Joe pulled out his shaving kit and put it on the counter in the bathroom, then returned to the room and stretched out on the bed. Pulling out his cell phone, he dialed Vanessa. When she answered, he closed his eyes. Listening to her voice, he pictured her face in his mind and savored the image.

“Hey, Babe,” Vanessa greeted him. “Did you make it okay?”

“Yup, just got here,” Joe replied already missing her so much he swore it hurt. “I’m staying at a little bed and breakfast. You’d love it. Maybe when I get back we can find one in some out-of-the-way place and go for a long weekend. Whaddyha think?”

Joe was still unsettled by Vanessa’s initial reaction when he’d told her he might have a son with Jodi. When she had turned away and shut him out, it had shaken him to the core. He was sure they were okay now – pretty sure – but Joe needed to have some time alone with Vanessa, away from Bayport, away from everyone and make sure she knew – absolutely – that she was still the center of his universe.

“I think that sounds wonderful,” Vanessa said softly, and Joe smiled.

“Me, too.”

“Hey, you missed a free meal. Callie called a little while ago and invited us out to dinner tonight.”

“That figures. I’m stuck up here in this two-horse town all alone and you’re going out to dinner - on my brother!” Joe teased.

“Oh, well…actually I’m not,” Vanessa admitted. “I begged off.”

“Why? Just because I’m not there doesn’t mean you can’t go.” Joe frowned, wondering why Vanessa had turned down the invitation. She had gone out with Frank and Callie, together and separately, without him before. Why turn them down now?

“I know. Callie said the same thing but…” Vanessa sighed heavily. “I just don’t think I can pull it off. Frank, especially, will figure out that something’s going on. He’ll start asking questions and he’ll know I’m not being completely honest. I really don’t want to lie to them. It’s easier just to avoid them – everybody, really – until you get back and find out for sure. Then you can decide what to tell them and when…or if you even want to tell them.”

Joe felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach, and then a white-hot anger, directed squarely at himself. ‘You jerk! You’re so wrapped up in yourself you didn’t even think how this would affect Vanessa!’

For the first time, Joe had left town without discussing it with Vanessa first. While it hadn’t happened in a very long time, Joe had begged off cases that would take him out of town if Vanessa were the least bit uncomfortable with it. This time he’d been so blindsided by Jodi’s confession that he hadn’t even bothered to ask. So intent on finding a child that might be his son, Joe had not only abandoned her, he’d put her in the position of feeling that she had to isolate herself from their family and friends just to keep his secret.

“Van, I am so sorry! I didn’t even think how hard this would be for you! God, I am such a selfish, self-absorbed jerk!” Joe berated himself bitterly.

“Hey, hey, watch it, there pal! That’s my fiancé you’re talking about!” Vanessa teased. “If you insist on disparaging him like that, we’re gonna have to duke it out when you get home.”

Joe couldn’t help but chuckle, wondering how she could always lift his mood so easily. “Promise?”

“You bet. But I’ll win. I know all your weak spots.”

‘You are my biggest weak spot,’ Joe thought, suddenly aching to hold her. “Listen, Babe,” he said turning serious once more. “You’re not gonna stay at the apartment alone tonight, are you? You’ll go to your mom’s right?”

“I – I might,” Vanessa replied. Joe could hear the nervousness in her voice and he knew that while she was worried about staying alone, she was even more worried that she wouldn’t be able to hide their ‘secret’ from her mother.

“Can’t you call and tell her you’re coming over but you’ll be late and she shouldn’t wait up for you? And then if you leave early enough in the morning you probably won’t even see her,” Joe suggested, guilt motivating him to try and find some way to prevent Vanessa from being alone.

“Maybe,” Vanessa said after a lengthy silence. “But I might be ready. I have to do it sometime, right? I mean, I can’t spend the rest of my life running home to mommy every time you have to leave town.”

Joe swallowed hard, unable to dislodge the lump in his throat.

“It’ll all work out, you’ll see,” Vanessa continued, trying to sound confident. “I better let you go,” she sighed reluctantly. “The sooner you get this solved, the sooner you’ll be home, right?”

“Right,” Joe agreed. “I’ll call you tonight before I go to bed, okay?”

“Okay. Love you.”

“Love you, too. Bye.”

Joe pressed the button to end the call and stared at the ceiling.

“The sooner you get this solved…”

Joe couldn’t help but wonder – when he did return home, would he be accompanied by his own son?

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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.