Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

The rest of the afternoon had passed quickly and uneventfully, with the foursome arriving at the second pre-arranged location ahead of schedule. Joe had immediately taken Jamie down to the nearby stream to wash up, having noted there seemed to be more dirt on Jamie than there was on the ground. Ford had followed them, while Frank sat down just outside the makeshift shelter that would be their home for the night, deciding to rest and enjoy the scenery for a few minutes before setting up camp.

It was only a few moments later when Ford settled himself down next to Frank. “Don’t you want to join them?” Frank asked, gesturing to Joe and Jamie who were laughing and splashing in the small stream, doing a lot more playing than washing. “They look like they’re having fun…”

Ford shrugged self-consciously. “I washed up. That’s all I needed to do.” They fell into a comfortable silence, although Frank didn’t miss the way Ford was nervously playing with a blade of grass, trying to surreptitiously glance at Frank every so often. “So,” Ford began, hesitatingly, “are you and Joe like…friends?”

Frank looked at him, surprised.

“I mean you’re brothers, but…not all brothers and sisters really like each other,” Ford observed sagely.

Frank thought about that and suddenly found himself getting a bit misty, realizing just how true those words were. Growing up, he’d known a lot of kids who merely tolerated their siblings, and a few who could barely stand each other. Even among their close circle of friends, he and Joe were always the exception. He wondered if maybe that was why, although they had a large number of acquaintances and casual friends throughout their school years, they usually kept to the same small group of very close friends. Those close friends accepted Frank and Joe as something of a package deal, not trying to exclude one or the other as some other would-be friends had done.

“Are you friends, too?” Ford repeated, uncertainly.

“Yeah, we are friends,” Frank responded softly his gaze drifting to the stream where Joe was showing Jamie how to skip stones across the water. “Best friends.” He watched as Joe expertly flicked his wrist and the stone easily skimmed across the top of the water. ‘I taught him how to do that,’ Frank thought suddenly feeling nostalgic.

Ford followed Frank’s gaze to their younger siblings and smiled. “We are, too…well, for now anyway,” he said. “He still loves tagging along with me and doing everything I do. Right now he thinks I’m the smartest person in the world – he thinks I know everything.” Ford stopped for a moment and when he resumed speaking, his voice had dropped considerably. “I’m afraid one day he’ll realize I’m really not all that much fun and won’t want to spend time with me anymore,” Ford said sadly.

The words cut Frank like a knife. For as far back as Frank could remember, Joe always had a touch of hero worship for him and Frank loved it. When they were small, Joe used to follow Frank everywhere, wanting to do everything he did and Frank always indulged him. He felt a sadness weighing on him heavily as he recalled the year Joe started school.

Joe was naturally outgoing, always happy and had a smile for everyone. His ability to charm anyone, even at that young age, had kids fighting over who got to be Joe’s friend. Even the teachers, staff and administrators had been charmed by the youngest Hardy’s irrepressible personality. Quiet, studious and a little shy, Frank was just the opposite of his gregarious brother and as Joe’s popularity grew, Frank’s biggest fear was that Joe would no longer look up to him, no longer come to him for help and advice, no longer want him around….

Frank shook his head forcefully as if that would oust the haunting memories that had tormented him as a child and periodically resurfacing during his teens. He reminded himself that fear had never, ever materialized. If anything, Joe looked up to him even more the older they got. As time passed their friendship grew and turned into the deep and unbreakable bond they now shared. Looking at Ford once more, he realized these sudden melancholy feelings were not for himself, but for the young boy beside him.

While he’d kept it to himself, the thought that Joe would drift away from him as they matured had haunted Frank for years, and he saw that same haunted look in Ford’s eyes right now. His first instinct was to try and brush those fears aside, but Frank knew that despite his young age, Ford would know if Frank was trying to humor him. And he remembered how he’d felt when, at twelve years of age, he’d mentioned his deepest fears to his Aunt Gertrude. In a misguided effort to comfort Frank she brushed them aside, assuring him Joe adored him and would never cast him aside for the ‘in’ crowd. She’d been right, of course, but Frank often wished she’d delivered the message in a much different way. Looking at the sad boy beside him, Frank thought carefully about his words before finally speaking.

“Well, you know he probably will make more friends as he grows up. Kids he meets in school or on sports teams who share the same interests he does.” Frank reached down and gently turned Ford’s head so the child was looking directly at him. “But just remember, you’ll always be his big brother. That’s something no one can take away from you.”

Frank had noticed Ford always gave serious thought to what others said before speaking himself, so it didn’t surprise Frank when Ford remained silent for a moment. “You and Joe…do you have other friends? Like your own friends – separate from each other?”

“We sure do,” Frank replied. “We have a group of really close friends – we all went to school together – but I’m closer to a few of them and Joe is closer to some of the others.” Frank smiled inwardly as Ford pulled his knees up to his chest and scooted a little closer to Frank, a silent request for Frank to continue. “Out of all of them, I’m probably closer to Chet and Phil and Joe is closer to Biff and Tony. Chet was one of the first kids I met when we moved to Bayport so I – we’ve – known him the longest. He grew up on a farm outside of town. I used to love going there to play and eventually Joe started coming along, too.

“Out of all of them, Phil is probably my closest friend. We have a lot in common. He’s a computer whiz. He already owns his own company! We were on the chess team in high school and the debate team, too. A couple years we ran cross country together.” Watching Ford grow more enthralled – and less melancholy – as he spoke, Frank went on telling the boy about his and Joe’s childhood friends.

“Biff and Tony had more in common with Joe than me. Tony’s family owns the pizza place where we all used to hang out after school. Biff and Joe have been best friends since grade school. They’re almost like carbon copies of each other.” Frank stopped when Ford gasped and then laughed out loud. “Yeah, scary thought, isn’t it?!” Frank winked. “They love all the same kinds of things – mostly just having fun! They like sports, cars, motorcycles, girls…” Frank flushed, not having intended to relate quite that much, and rapidly moved on. “They played football together all during high school.”

“Did you play too?” Ford interrupted.

“I was the quarterback. Joe and Biff were my best receivers. Chet played too, on defense,” Frank smiled, thinking back on the three state championships Bayport won while the four of them were on the team. “And all of us – Phil and Tony included – were on the baseball team.”

Ford wrinkled his brow, suddenly deep in thought. “So, you were all friends, but you each still had your own friends…and you and Joe were best friends.” Ford rephrased what he thought Frank had said.

“And we still are. All the guys still live in Bayport and we all still get together and do things or just hang out.”

“So even though you and Joe have different interests and different friends sometimes…” Ford observed, “You still like each other the best.”

“Exactly,” Frank replied.

Ford settled back then, returning his gaze to Joe and Jamie who were now engaged in a stone-skipping contest by the stream. He watched them silently for a few minutes and Frank saw his expression change to one of understanding and then a sort of peaceful contentment. Frank felt a rush of relief – and satisfaction – for the little boy. ‘He gets it,’ Frank thought, hoping Ford would remember this talk in the coming years, knowing from painful experience that the fears of losing his little brother would periodically resurface.

*****

Eventually Joe and Jamie returned to the little camp and took charge of making dinner, while Frank cleaned up by the stream, with Ford tagging along for company. Once dinner was consumed and everything cleaned up, the little group settled into their ‘home’ for the night. Frank and Ford were playing cards, Joe poked at the fire restlessly, while Jamie sat nearby, fidgeting more with each passing second.

Grabbing his jacket, Jamie reached into a pocket and pulled out a small, hand held video game. His fingers hovered over the power button as he glanced at his older brother, arching an eyebrow in a silent request for permission. Frank watched the exchange, hiding an amused smile, as his small counterpart nodded once at his little brother. As soon as the game “beeped” to life, Joe was at the little boy’s side, looking over his shoulder.

“Hey, which one is it?” Joe asked excitedly. Frank could swear he saw his brother’s eyes gleaming in the soft light of the fire.

Jamie held the game up so Joe could see it clearly. “GW,” he said seriously. “Wanna play?”

Frank laughed out loud at the question, receiving a death glare from Joe in return.

“You bet!” Joe answered enthusiastically, reaching for the game, ignoring his brother’s apparent mirth. “I’ll fly Deathscythe©!”

Jamie suddenly pulled the game out of Joe’s reach, clutching it protectively to his chest, his little blue eyes reflecting horror and disbelief.

“Uh-oh,” Ford murmured.

“Not good, huh?” Frank asked in an undertone.

“Definitely not good,” the young boy confirmed. “Jamie won’t play if he can’t fly Deathscythe. And he won’t let anyone else play either.”

“We could have a stand-off here,” Frank observed, noting the look on Joe’s face. His brother obviously had his heart set on flying Deathscythe – whatever that was.

“I am Shinigami©,” Jamie told Joe reverently.

“I can’t be the God of Death?” Joe pouted.

“No,” Jamie shook his head seriously. “But I’ll let you fly Wing Zero©.”

Joe’s pout deepened as he considered the offer. Chet and Biff always gave in to that pout and let him fly Deathscythe© whenever they played Gundam Wing©.

Frank cleared his throat capturing Joe’s attention, giving his brother a look that said, “It’s his game – play nice!”

After throwing Frank a dirty look, Joe turned back to Jamie and sighed heavily. “Fine. If I can’t be the God of Death, I guess the Perfect Soldier will have to do.”

Satisfied that the two younger siblings could indeed ‘play nice’, Frank refocused on the cards in his hand. Ford had been a worthy opponent, already beating Frank several times.

The foursome had passed a significant amount of time engaged in their distractions, when Frank realized how late it was getting and suggested they start getting ready to turn in. Apparently exhausted by the day’s exciting, yet tiring events, Jamie didn’t put up nearly as much of a fuss as he had the previous night.

While Frank and Ford laid out the thermal blankets, Joe scooted over to a corner out of their way. Digging into the side pocket of his backpack, he pulled out a laminated wallet size photo of Vanessa he kept there.

‘God, I miss you!’ he thought running a finger over the photo.

“Who’s that? Your sister?” Jamie asked, peering over Joe’s shoulder.

“No, this is Vanessa – my fiancée,” Joe smiled.

“Your fian…what?” Jamie looked at him, puzzled.

“Fiancée,” Joe repeated. “Sorta like my permanent girlfriend. We’re gonna get married.”

“You’re getting married??” Jamie stared at him in wide-eyed disbelief. “To a GIRL?!”

“Uh, well, yeah, I was kinda planning on it. Why? You don’t think it’s a good idea?”

“Girls are…are…girls!!!” Unable to find a word that adequately expressed his opinion of females, Jamie shuddered dramatically. “They’re bossy and they cry a lot and they make googley eyes at you! Ewwww!” He sat down next to Joe and looked up at him earnestly. “You’re not really gonna get married – are you?”

Recognizing the disapproval on the little boy’s face, Joe suddenly realized he was about to take a major nosedive off the pedestal Jamie had put him on. Joe vaguely recalled, somewhere in the recesses of his childhood memories, feeling much the same way about girls at one time. But once he’d discovered how much fun they were, he was hooked in a big way. Women in general, and Vanessa in particular, were his biggest weakness.

“Well? You haven’t answered his question, Joe.” Frank’s voice, filled with amused sarcasm, echoed from somewhere behind Joe. “You’re not really going to marry a girl are you?” Sighing inwardly, Joe understood the tables were being turned, and Frank was going to make the most of it.

“But she’s not like other girls,” Joe began, hoping to redeem himself.

“She’s a girl!” Jamie scowled, disappointment creeping into his blue eyes.

“Oh, how the mighty have fallen,” Frank interjected, grinning from ear to ear at Joe’s predicament.

“She can shoot a bow and arrow!” Joe exclaimed, ignoring Frank and absurdly wondering why it was so important to him that this seven-year-old boy approve of Vanessa!

“Yeah?” Jamie seemed slightly impressed.

“Yup. Better than me! And she can ride a motorcycle, too!” Joe continued, ignoring the intermittent snickering coming from his older brother. “And she’s tall. Almost as tall as me!” he added excitedly. ‘You’re really grasping at straws now, Hardy!’

Jamie looked at the picture again, thoughtfully. “She’s real pretty. Prettier than most girls,” he admitted. “You like her a lot, huh?” Jamie questioned Joe solemnly.

“Yeah, I’m afraid so.”

“Hey, did you give her a ring yet?! Cause if not you could just tell her you changed your mind!” Jamie cried out, apparently thinking he’d found an ‘out’ for Joe.

Joe heard the snickers emanating from behind him turning into soft snorts of laughter.

“Sorry, pal. I gave her the ring.”

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Jamie frowned. “Guess you have to go through with it.” Jamie stared at Joe for a moment as if trying to decide if he really wanted to say what he was thinking. It didn’t take long for curiosity to get the better of him. Leaning close to Joe he whispered loudly, “You don’t – you know – kiss her or anything, do you?”

Joe felt his face flush hot with embarrassment when Frank howled with laughter. “Cause you shouldn’t you know. Girls have germs – lots of ‘em. You could get real sick if you kissed her. When you get married, when the preacher gets to that part where he says you can kiss the bride just say ‘No thanks.’ But try not to act too excited. You don’t want to hurt her feelings and make her cry.”

Hearing a strange noise, Joe glanced over his shoulder against his better judgment. Frank was doubled over, clutching his stomach and laughing so hard he was gasping for breath. ‘I am soooooo not going to live this down,’ Joe thought dejectedly. As he turned back around he saw Jamie staring at him pitifully.

“You really blew it when you gave her the ring, ya know,” Jamie reprimanded him slightly. “Maybe if you’re lucky she’ll change her mind and you won’t have to go through with it,” he finished hopefully.

Noting the loud silence, Joe turned and looked at Frank once more. He was laughing so hard he wasn’t making a sound. “Shut up, Frank,” Joe muttered. “You’re gonna hurt 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.