Disclaimer: I do not (and unfortunately never will) own any of Mr. Dixon's characters. But I do own my own original characters. But Jay and Nic do belong to another writer, United. Enjoy!
Diagnosis Murder:
Chapter 1: Who Needs Geometry? A Murder Case is Much Better:
We had five minutes left in Geometry on the last day of my Sophomore year at Bayport High. I ran a hand through my blond hair and glanced up. Across the room was one of my good friends, and Biff Hooper's girlfriend, Hope. She had moved to Bayport at the beginning of the school year, and soon became a close friend. She had her head in her hands and she looked up at me. Her light brown bangs fell in front of her sapphire blue eyes. She gave me a smile and we both started to laugh because we were both losing our minds just waiting for 2:10 to come.
"Is everyone finished with the exam?" our Geometry teacher, Mrs. Lyle asked. Some kids nodded but the majority of the class ignored her and just kept watching the clock. I glanced down at the exam in front of me. I hope I passed, I thought just as the bell rang.
"Finally," I breathed. I got up from my desk and stretched my six foot frame. Hope came over to me, glowing from the excitement of the last day of school.
"That test was killer, huh?" She commented in a chipper voice.
"Yeah, I'm just glad that school is over, this summer is going to be awesome!" I said as we walked out the door. We strolled down the hallway dodging our other classmates as they ran to the nearest exits. Around all of the commotion we saw a group of our friends walking towards us.
"How was the Geometry exam? Did you pass the class?" My tall, brown haired, brown eyed older brother, Frank, asked me, punching me in the arm.
"I hope so, how was your Chem final?" I asked Frank, Phil, and Tony.
"Hard, as usual, but I'm sure we all did fine," Brown haired, hazel eyed, 17 year old, Phil Cohen said, adjusting his sleek glasses.
"That's easy for you to say," My brother said to Phil.
"Yeah, of course you passed Phil, what do you have in that class? A 99.9?" Dark haired, dark eyed 17 year old, Tony Prito said, rolling his eyes.
"So, your the brains in this group, huh Phil?" 16 year old, Hope said laughing.
"Nah, Frank's much smarter than me," Phil said, joining in the laugher.
"Hey, I'm not the one with a 99 in Chemistry," Frank smirked. Then we saw Biff, Jamie, Nic, and Chet coming down the hallway towards us.
"Hey guys! Ready for summer?" Blond, beefy, blue eyed, 17 year old, Biff Hooper said to us as he walked over and gave Hope a kiss.
"Gym?" Hope asked them.
"Yeah! It was awesome! We played dodge-ball! Now that's what I call a final!" Dark haired, dark eyed, 16 year old Nic Prito said, still a little out of breath.
"Sounds fun," Tony said, giving his younger brother a smile, "Did your team win?"
"You know we did!" Blond haired, blue eyed, 16 year old, Jamie Hooper chimed in.
"Fun? I wouldn't call getting pummeled with dodge-balls fun," Red haired, green eyed, 17 year old, Chet Morton mumbled as we walked out to the student parking lot together.
We neared the parking lot doors. Down the hall to my right I heard three familiar voices.
"Hey guys!" Jerry Gilroy, Vanessa Bender, and Callie Shaw chorused as they headed towards us. Blond haired, grey-blue eyed, 16 year old Vanessa came over to me and gave me a huge hug and kiss.
"What was that for?" I asked with a sly smile.
"It's summer Joey! I am so happy! Next year we will be Juniors!" she exclaimed, fully knowing I hated to be called Joey. I saw blond haired, green eyed, 17 year old Callie head over to Frank and give him a small peck on the cheek. They aren't much for public displays of affection.
"Hey Jerry!" Tony bellowed, "Are you going to the summer soccer camp this year?"
"Of course I am! We have to get ready for next year! Varsity man!" Tan haired, brown eyed, 17 year old, Jerry howled in good spirits. Tony and Jerry were both well known soccer stars here at Bayport High. Biff and Chet were the football jocks. Phil ran cross country and was an ace tennis player. While Nic and Jamie were on the basketball team as well as on the swim team and baseball team with Frank and I. And we were all on the high school track team. Vanessa, Callie, and Hope were on the volley ball team, so we would all be attending the High School sports camps this summer.
Jerry pulled out his soccer ball from his gym bag and he and Tony started passing and kicking it across the small field next to the parking lot. Biff intercepted an air born pass from Tony, jumping with his powerful legs.
"Looks like you guys will need a little more practice if you want to make Varsity next year," Biff teased, handing the ball back to Tony, who gave him a sarcastic smile and laugh. After a few more minutes of friendly chatter we all went our separate ways. We decided to meet at Vanessa's house, right outside of Bayport, tomorrow evening for a summer cookout.
"See you all tomorrow night!" Vanessa said waving good bye to and blowing a kiss and a wink in my direction. Her grey-blue eyes sparkled in the summer sunlight. Then we all parted. Biff, Jamie and Hope got into the boy's hunter green pick-up truck and headed for the downtown district of Bayport, where Hope lives. Phil, Tony, and Nic all piled into Phil's silver hybrid car and sped off towards the neighborhood they all lived in. Jerry and Chet hopped in their cars and headed away from the school. Both Chet and Jerry were "car freaks." Chet drives an old, yellow Mustang, which he often refers to as "The Queen," and Jerry drives a 70' turquoise Barracuda. Vanessa and Callie drove of next in Vanessa's yellow BMW. Frank and I were the last ones in the parking lot except for a few other empty cars.
"So how do you really think you did on the Geometry exam?" Frank asked turning to me.
"Fine," I said quietly as I got into the passenger seat of our black van, "I think I did fine."
"Are you sure?" Frank said with a little concern. He knew I was struggling keeping my C in that class.
"Yeah, I'm sure," I said and the rest of the drive was silent. I'm glad Frank knew to drop the subject. We pulled into the garage and our mother, Laura Hardy, was waiting for us at the front door.
"How was your last day of school boys? Ace all of your exams?" She said in a cheerful voice.
"I hope so," Frank said with a smile. I nodded and smiled too.
"Well I am sure you both did fine," she said eyeing me a little. I smiled again to reassure her that I did do okay, even though I wasn't too sure.
The next day I was awakened by the sound of my brother's voice.
"Joe! Come on Joe get up!" Frank said as he walked closer to my bed. He came over and opened my blinds bit I hid my head under the covers.
"Come on Joe! It's almost noon! We have to be at Vanessa's by three!" Frank's muffled voice rang through the covers to my ears. Then I felt the cool air conditioned air against my skin as Frank ripped off my blanket.
"Three! Then why do I have to get up now? It's summer..."I trailed off grabbing the covers and laying back down. I heard Frank laugh a little, but I really didn't see how me being tired and wanting to go back to sleep was so funny.
"Because Joe," Frank said with a glint in his brown eyes, "Chief Collig has a new case for us...a murder case!"
"Murder?!" I exclaimed, bolting up out of bed.
"I thought that'd get you up," Frank said, still laughing under his breath.
"Well c'mon Frank," I said pulling on a navy blue t-shirt, khaki shorts, and Sanuk shoes. I saw Frank rolling his eyes at me as I checked my appearance in the mirror.
"What? I want to look nice for the Chief!" I said with a sarcastically huge grin.
"Not Vanessa?" Frank smirked.
"Ha ha," I said before I punched him in the arm and ran down the stairs, skipping the last two with a jump,
"Morning Joe," I heard my father say from the kitchen without even looking up from his news paper. He knew I was the brother who always skipped the last two steps with a jump. He knows me too well.
"Morning dad," I said, looking around the kitchen as Frank walked in, "Where are mom and Aunt Gertrude?"
"Grocery shopping, it's almost noon you know," Our father, renowned detective and private investigator, Fenton Hardy, said with a smile.
"So I've been told," I said sneaking a look at Frank, who just laughed at me.
"By the look in your eyes I assume Chief Collig told you about that new murder case?" dad asked.
"He told me," Frank interrupted, "Joe was too busy sleeping!"
"Whatever. what's it all about? C'mon Frank, spill the beans."
"Actually, he didn't give me any details, he just said it was a murder case," Frank said, taking a bite of an apple.
" Oh, I see how it is, Mr. Early Riser is just as much in the dark as me," I said with a smile as I downed a cup of coffee and grabbed a bagel.
"Yeah, and we'll never find out if we don't get down to talk to the Chief...now," Frank said starting for the door.
"I just got up Frank!" I joked, eating my breakfast as fast as I could. Dad just laughed at me as Frank rolled his eyes.
"C'mon little brother," Frank mumbled, grabbing our keys and tossing mine at me. We walked out the front door, hopped on our motorcycles, and slipped on our helmets. As we revved up our engines and pulled into the street I looked up and gave my dad a little salute, Frank gave him a wave as well and then we took off towards the police station.
A/N: Well there's the first chapter! Hope you like it so far, I know nothing much has happened yet, but background is necessary. I will post more in a day or two! Review please!