Pawns & Enemies: A Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys Mystery

3. Nancy

 "So it seems like A.T.A.C. needs to be wide open to the world because these teens are starting crime? I need to convince Frank and Joseph it's dangerous and have them get evidence for me. Why can't I just get the evidence myself?" Dad had just finished explaining to me how having undercover teens were starting to cause some problems. His client was having issues with A.T.A.C. agents and was going to press charges if problems weren't resolved quietly.

"Yes, get Frank and Joseph on track with you. They can get evidence easier. Besides if you did it, that would be considered breaking and entering and theft. They do it, it is borrowing from work. Their detectives, Nancy, it will be fine. They will understand. They will give you back-up. Now quit talking while driving. Let's not push our limits with the police."

"OK, bye Dad. Love you."

"Good-bye, Nancy. Good luck and stay safe."

With that, we hung up. I am driving a new car, with a new phone, a case and best yet my contacts are my age and cute. This is the life. I just wish my back didn't hurt so badly. Four hours in a car is not my idea of fun. But I'll be there soon if I have no traffic, that is. I can't wait to get started. Dad's only exception is I must visit his sister, Eloise Drew - I call her Aunt Ellie, it suits her. I have been mulling over my briefing for some time and I haven't figured out how to approach the Hardy's. I can't show up at their house. I guess I'll just have to find them out and about somehow.

Whoa, a red car is pushing itself into my lane. It drifts closer and closer until it is completely out of its lane and I think it's trying to force me off the road. I grid my teeth and force my car to stay in the lane and out of the grass slamming into the car in my attempt to stay on the road. They persist and slam me directly off the road and I brake hard and skid to a halt in the grass. So much for the pretty new car. I'm going to need to get that fixed in New York. I sigh. At least the car left. Who was driving it? Who even knows I'm on a case? I guess anyone could. Someone at Dad's office or a car at the gas station I filled up at. I was still talking to Dad then, right? My phone is dinging with a text. My car can read the iPhone's Siri so I say-aloud "Siri."

Ding, ding. The sound reverberates throughout the vehicle.

"Read the text."

"George: Where are you? Can't find you anywhere." my Siri replies. Guess I forgot to tell the cousins I left. I'll have to call George. My dad must have had the car and phone for a while because he placed all my numbers and emails under the person's name. I unfortunately just found out how to hook up my phone.

"Siri," ding, ding. "Call George"

Ring, ring. I gotta say this is awesome.

"Nance, I've been worried about you. Where are you?" George blurts out once the call goes through.

"Um, Ohio?" I answer, now feeling guilty.

"Ohio? What? Why?"

So I had to explain my whole case up to the part where I have the Hardy's open-up A.T.A.C.

"Whoa, girl. Hold on. You left without even saying goodbye to anyone?" George interrupts at that point.

"Sort of. I said 'bye' to Dad." I mumble. "So can I ask you a favor? Can you dig up info on the Hardy's? I need the exact address, background checks and mode of transportation." I ask. Dad didn't give much background so this will help out a lot.

George promises she will and hangs up. Cool! I got five or six more hours of driving and a call from George to wait for.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Four hours later George calls back.

"OK, you drive and just soak this information into your head. So Frank is eighteen years old, high school graduate, lives in Bayport, New York. Ah, oh here we go. Joseph, he really goes by Joe- with an 'e' if you are wondering. He is seventeen, high school senior lives in New York. OK, better details. Frank has short brown hair, brown eyes, an angular face, he used to play a lot of sports but now dropped down. He drives a high-tech motorcycle which is red with flames. He loves science and chemistry, is currently going to school at the community college to be an FBI scientist. He lives in a house with his brother, mother-Laura, dad- Fenton -who is a retired cop, police detective and is the founder of A.T.A.C. Laura Hardy is a research librarian. Gertrude Hardy lives with them too. She is Fenton Hardy's sister, single and aunt of Frank and Joe. Joe is blond with a couple of curls, blue eyes and is very energetic and mischievous. His last girlfriend died in a vehicle bombing and he is still hunting down the murderer. He is very social and plays at least three sports. He drives a blue high-tech motorcycle with flames, the same model as Frank's. Is that enough or do you want me to keep digging?" George sounded exhausted from reading all that.

"No, that's perfect. Exactly what I needed, thank you. That must have taken you forever."

I am so thankful for George. She can hack away and find anything I need. She is emailing me physical descriptions and their home address so I'm set. I only have, oh, three more hours in the car. What can I do for three hours other than ponder my case? Once I get to New York I plan on checking-in to my hotel and hitting the sack. Tomorrow, I'll try to find Hardy's house, or I can ask around and try to find them out and about. It is too bad I don't have photographs of Frank and whats-his-name. I have already forgotten the second brother's name. This case is starting out terrific. I see the entering Pennsylvania and all I can do is groan as I realize I still have one more state before I can crawl into bed.