Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

Frank heard the echo of gunshots fading away and cursed silently. He knew that when he and Joe split up, the men in the helicopter would try to follow one of them; and it was apparent they’d chosen to try and track down Joe and Ford. ‘Geez, does Joe have a target on his back or what?!’ he thought angrily, half wishing the men had come after him. Admittedly he was worried, but confident Joe could elude – or outsmart – his pursuers.

Knowing he and Jamie were no longer being pursued, Frank slowed to a fast walk, still holding tightly to Jamie’s hand. The blonde child was breathing heavily but stubbornly tried to match Frank’s long strides.

“It’s okay, Jamie,” Frank said, “we can slow down a little bit.”

“’Cause they went after Ford an’ Joe!” Jamie responded, anger in his voice.

“Don’t worry,” Frank soothed him as they walked. “Joe won’t let anything happen to Ford.”

“Well, duh! I know that!” Jamie scoffed as if he were speaking to an idiot.

Frank smiled at Jamie’s response, the child’s hero worship for Joe shining like a beacon. “You like Joe a lot, huh?” he asked.

Jamie stopped dead in his tracks. Hands on his hips defiantly, Jamie looked at Frank as if he had three heads. “Don’t you?!” he challenged with a scowl.

Frank wisely bit back a laugh and smiled at the little boy. “Yeah, I like him, too.”

Jamie stared at him a moment longer and, apparently deciding he was satisfied with that answer, began walking again. “You don’t show it too good sometimes,” he suddenly announced, catching Frank off guard.

“Oh, really?”

“I mean you’re an okay big brother, but you could be a lot better at it,” Jamie elaborated.

‘And all these years I thought I’d been doing a pretty good job in the big brother department, all things considered,’ Frank thought, amused.

“You could try and be like Ford. He’s the best big brother in the whole world,” Jamie informed Frank, pride oozing from every word. “He knows everything!”

Frank felt a chill race down his spine as the past suddenly blurred with the present. He was suddenly awash in memories from when the Hardy family had first relocated to Bayport and Frank and Joe began making new friends. Joe had asked every new kid he met if they had any brothers or sisters. In the instances where he got a negative response, Joe would look at the other child pityingly. Those who did respond affirmatively were immediately interrogated so Joe could determine if the sibling was a brother or a sister, older or younger and by how much. As far as Joe was concerned the kids who had sisters were also to be pitied, though not quite as much as those who had no siblings. Having a brother was infinitely better in Joe’s eyes, and having an older brother was icing on the cake. Still, Joe would inform his new friends, no one had a better brother than he did! Even now Frank reddened slightly, hearing Joe’s long ago proclamation:

“My brother Frank is the best brother in the whole world! And he knows everything!”

Jamie tugging at his sleeve brought Frank out of the fond memories and back to the present. “I bet if you asked him, Ford would tell you how to be a really good big brother!” Jamie offered up his brother’s service as an advisor.

Frank chuckled, patting Jamie on the shoulder. “Thanks for the advice. I’ll be sure and ask him.”

“Good!” Jamie beamed at him. “So where’d Joe take Ford? Do ya know?” the little boy asked.

“No, not exactly,” Frank replied.

“Then how are we gonna find them?” Jamie asked, frowning. “Hey!” Jamie whirled on Frank, not bothering to wait for a reply. “You could call them!!” he cried out excitedly. “You got a cell phone??”

“Yes, I have a cell phone but it won’t work here. That was a good idea, though,” Frank smiled.

“How do you know it won’t work?” Jamie challenged.

‘Does he challenge everybody like this or am I just lucky?’ Frank wondered, amused. “No cell phone towers out here. No reception.”

“Did you try?” Jamie pressed.

“I don’t have to try. I know it doesn’t work.”

“If you didn’t even try, you can’t be positive sure it doesn’t work!” Jamie scowled.

“Jamie,” Frank began patiently, “in order for cell phones to work, there has to be a cell phone tower near the cell phone. There are no towers in this area.”

“How do you know?”

“I checked before we left home,” Frank replied. “Like I always check every last, little detail when we start a new case,” he muttered under his breath.

“How do you know they haven’t built one that you just don’t know about?”

‘Why didn’t I grab Ford when we ran?’ Frank thought fondly of the quiet, dark-haired boy. He started to reply and then decided to save himself the aggravation. ‘It’s like arguing with Joe; I can’t win.’ Reaching into a pocket, Frank pulled out his cell phone and handed it to Jamie. “Here, see for yourself.”

Jamie took the phone and flipped it open.

“I have Joe on speed dial. Just press number two.”

Jamie’s hand hovered over the button and he looked at Frank, wide-eyed. “Number two?!” he repeated incredulous. “Who’s number one?”

“My wife.”

“Your wife?!” Jamie cried out in disbelief. “But Joe should be—”

“It’s my phone, Jamie,” Frank cut him off, remembering Joe and Jamie’s ill-fated conversation about girls and wives. “Callie is number one. Joe is number two. When you get our own cell phone, you can make Joe number one.”

Jamie scowled again. “I will,” the boy muttered darkly. He pressed the number two, put the phone to his ear and listened intently. Several seconds later, he folded it back up and handed it to Frank. “Doesn’t work,” he mumbled.

‘Imagine that,’ Frank thought, slipping the phone back into his pocket.

“Still think Joe should be number one…” Jamie said in a low voice. “Not your wife!”

‘Geez, what does this kid have against wives anyway?!’ Frank wondered, bemused. “So I take it you don’t like wives?” Frank said, testing the waters. “Or you don’t like people getting married?”

Jamie spun and looked at him sharply. “Why does Joe hafta get married?!” the boy shot back, sounding almost angry. “I’m not married. And Ford isn’t either!”

“You and Ford are too young to get married,” Frank pointed out. “Adults – grown-ups – get married. I’m married.”

“But you’re different,” Jamie countered as if Frank would know exactly what he meant.

“Oh?” Frank raised an eyebrow, wondering where this was going.

“You’re a grown-up, a real grown-up,” Jamie emphasized wrinkling his nose, as if being a grown-up were a horrible disease. “Joe isn’t like a grown-up.”

“Yes, he is,” Frank countered.

“Is not!” Jamie exclaimed, taking the now familiar defiant stance, hands squarely on his hips. He glared at the elder Hardy as if he’d just vilified Joe.

“Jamie, he’s twenty-four years old. He’s an adult,” Frank said patiently.

“But he doesn’t act like one!” Jamie cried out. “He’s fun!”

‘Can’t argue with ya there,’ Frank thought, amused. “Yes, he is fun. And even though he might not always act like it, he is still a grown up. And grown-ups get married. Your mom and dad are grown-ups and they’re married and you’re not upset about that.”

“But my mom isn’t a girl – she’s a mom!” Jamie blurted out.

Still not sure why Jamie was so upset at the thought of Joe getting married, Frank pounced on Jamie’s logic hoping to sway the boy. For some reason he couldn’t fathom, it was important to Joe that Jamie ‘approve’ of his marrying Vanessa. “Well, you know Joe and Vanessa want to have kids one day, so eventually Vanessa will be somebody’s mom, too,” he pointed out.

Jamie’s eyes widened. “They’re gonna have kids?!” he asked, appalled.

“Mm-hmm,” Frank nodded, puzzled. What could Jamie have against kids? He was one himself!

Jamie scowled and turned away, but not before Frank saw a flash of jealousy in the little boy’s eyes. ‘Ah, things are starting to make a little more sense…’

“You don’t think they should have kids?”

“No!” Jamie said vehemently, wiping his sleeve across his eyes and nose.

“Why not?” Frank asked gently, although he already knew the answer.

Jamie sniffled as a tear slid down his cheek. “Cause then Joe will forget all about me,” he said his voice quavering. “Just like he will if he marries a…girl!”

‘Poor kid! He’s really latched onto Joe in a short period of time!’ Frank put his arm around Jamie and pulled the child close. Jamie turned and snuggled into Frank’s embrace, crying softly. “Don’t worry, kiddo,” Frank assured him, stroking the boy’s blonde hair. “Joe will never forget you.”

“Promise?” Jamie said, sniffling again.

“Yeah, promise,” Frank replied, nudging the little boy forward once more.

Moments later, he turned to Frank again, tears now dried and talk of marriage, wives and kids long forgotten. “Does your cell phone work now?” he asked hopefully.

“No,” Frank responded patiently.

“Are you sure?”

“Yup.”

They had taken less than ten steps when Jamie tugged on Frank’s sleeve. “How about now? Is it working now?” His eyes lit up and he hopped up and down a few times. “We could call a helicopter to come get us!!! Then we could fly around and see where Ford an’ Joe are!”

Frank didn’t miss a beat. He pulled out his cell phone again and handed it to the boy. “Go ahead. Give it a try.”

Jamie grabbed it excitedly and flipped it open. He frowned, his fingers hovering over the keypad. “What’s the number for helicopters?” he asked earnestly.

“Try 9-1-1,” Frank suggested, trying not to smile as Jamie carefully pressed the numbers. He almost felt sorry for the little boy when the call didn’t go through. His face fell and he scowled.

“Still doesn’t work.”

“Guess we have to keep walking, huh?”

“Guess so…how much father is it?” Jamie asked.

“We’ve still got a ways to go yet,” Frank replied.

“How far is ‘a ways’?” Jamie queried, almost causing Frank to laugh out loud.

“About five miles to the place where we’re going to get picked up.”

“Oh…” Jamie was silent for a moment, apparently contemplating this. A moment later, he looked up at Frank. “How many minutes is a mile? How many minutes is five miles?”

“A lot.”

“More than ten?”

“Yup.”

“More than twenty?”

“Uh-huh.”

“How many more?”

“A lot more.”

“Oh…” This time Jamie was silent for a full five minutes, before whirling on Frank again. “Is it five miles now? Aren’t we there yet?!”

Frank sighed. ‘Man, I really miss you, Joe!’ Frank thought, envying the way Joe had been able to keep Jamie amused so effortlessly. Frank was about to reply when he heard something off to his left. Were they being followed? He reached out and grabbed Jamie, pulling the boy to a sudden stop.

“Hey!” Jamie cried out, annoyed.

“Shhh!” Frank hissed, pulling Jamie close to him. Listening intently he clearly heard a twig snap. Someone was behind them!

Frank quickly spotted an outcropping of rocks, surrounded by wild shrubs. Rushing forward, he crouched behind them, motioning for Jamie to get behind him and be quiet. Shrugging out of his backpack, Frank unzipped it and reached inside for the gun and clip that were nestled in the bottom. He wasn’t thrilled at having to bring a weapon on a rescue mission involving children, but it was a necessary evil and both he and Joe had taken the precaution of making certain their guns were inaccessible and unloaded.

Now pulling the weapon out, he slipped the clip in, keeping it pointed down at the ground. Peering out from his hiding place, Frank saw a very slight movement in the bushes several yards away. Checking to make sure Jamie was out of harm’s way, he raised the gun and trained it on the now still bushes, his finger hovering just over the trigger…

‘Come on… show yourself…’

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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.