Disclaimer: The characters Frank and Joe Hardy, and Chet Morton, are borrowed from the series of Hardy Boys books by Franklin W. Dixon.

Warnings: This story includes as an on-going sub-plot an incestuous homosexual relationship between Frank and Joe Hardy. Slash Warning! While none of the scenes are particularly graphic or explicit, there's no mistaking what's going on. If these sorts of things make you uncomfortable, I strongly suggest you stop now and go read some other story.

Summary: Frank and Joe Hardy are successful college students, living together and working part time as private investigators. But their comfortable life is disrupted when a popular campus jock is implicated in the rape of a pretty coed. This story is a sequel to The Mystery of the Celibate Corpse and The Case of the Missing Detective, although it is not necessary to read either of these stories first.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Chapter 1: College Life

"Oh, man!" Joe moaned. "That feels fantastic!"

"You like that?" Frank murmured.

"Oh, yeah!" Joe tightened his legs around Frank's hips. "I can't believe how deep you're getting it. It feels as deep as when you do it from behind."

"It's because you're so relaxed," Frank said. "There's no resistance whatsoever."

"Well, I'm totally loving it. I could do this all day."

"Weren't you planning to go to the basketball game tonight?"

"That's tonight," Joe replied with a smile. "We've got at least two more hours before then."

"You expect me to keep this up for two more hours?" Frank chuckled. "I think that might be a bit much even for me."

Joe slid his hands up and down Frank's sides. "I'll take it for as long as I can get it. You know I'm happiest when you're inside me."

Frank kept moving inside Joe until they were both gasping aloud with pleasure.

"Ah! Yes!" Joe cried. "Don't stop! I'm so close! Ah!" Joe arched up with a cry of joy, his face flushed with orgasm.

An answering cry of ecstasy echoed from Frank's throat. "Oh, yeah!" he groaned. "That was unbelievable."

Joe just grunted in response.

"It's too bad I can't go to the basketball game with you," Frank said. "It's supposed to be a good game."

"That's right," Joe said. "That freshman playing forward is really good. With him on the team for the next four years, we may finally get a championship."

Frank laughed. "I never knew you were into basketball."

"Hey, a guy's gotta have some interests other than fucking."

"And I thought detective work is the only other thing you cared about."

"What can I say?" Joe grinned. "I'm a multi-faceted guy."

"And unbelievably hot, too." Frank kissed him soundly. "Ready for more?"

"Always."

-o-o-o-o-

"Go Mavericks!"

The crowd roared; surging to their feet as the team's freshman forward led the charge in a breakaway three-on-one. He drove down the court, heading straight for the basket. The lone guard from the opposing team backed up to control the center lane, and the Maverick player neatly passed the ball behind his back to the man on his left. His teammate took the ball in for the layup and the crowd went wild.

"It's too bad Frank couldn't make it!" Joe and Frank's friend Chet Morton screamed in Joe's ear. "He'd love this!"

"Yeah!" Joe shouted back.

The spectators resumed their seats as the opposing team tried to slow the pace of the game.

"That freshman Eric Jansen is fantastic!" Chet said enthusiastically. "He's elevated the play of the whole team! Hey!" Chet jumped to his feet, along with most of the Mavericks' fans. "Foul! That was a blatant foul!"

Eric Jansen staggered to one knee, clutching his forehead above his right eye. Blood gushed between his fingers and spattered on the floor, staining the front of his uniform.

"Time out!" Coach Jones of the Mavericks screamed. He charged out onto the floor with a towel, followed by two trainers. The referee came over and leaned in, speaking briefly to Coach Jones. After a short exchange, he straightened up and the coach gestured to another player. "Beckman, you'll take the free throws," he ordered. "Jansen's going to the locker room."

"Yes, Coach!" Beckman went to the free throw line and one of the trainer's escorted Jansen off the floor.

"Man, they did that on purpose!" Chet exploded as he sat down.

"Probably," Joe agreed. "That was pretty low."

The Mavericks held on to win the game, but Eric Jansen never returned from the locker room, although the trainer who had gone with him came back. "I hope Jansen's all right," Joe said as they left the gym. "That was a nasty looking cut."

"He probably needs stitches," Chet said. "Head cuts always bleed like that."

"That's true. They'll probably take him to the hospital now that the game's over."

"Joe!"

"Hey, it's Frank!" Joe jogged over to where Frank was waiting in plain sight under a lamp. "What's up? You missed a good game."

"So I hear." Frank nodded at Chet. "Hey, Chet."

"Frank."

Joe studied Frank's face. "What's happened?"

Frank drew a breath. "You can always tell, can't you?" He folded his arms. "There was a sexual assault."

"What?! When?"

"It probably happened during the game. A coed named Janey Lassiter was attacked on the walkway between the Science and Art buildings going back to her dorm from the library."

Joe frowned. "That's right in back of the gym. I wonder that no one heard anything."

"It was pretty loud," Chet said.

"She probably didn't have time to scream," Frank said. "She was hit on the back of the head and was only semi-conscious during the assault. She didn't get a good look at the guy, but she was definitely violated."

"Damn!" Joe exclaimed. "This is supposed to be a safe campus."

"It is," Frank said. "I mean, we've had a few date rape incidents, but this is the first stranger assault we've had. The campus police are pretty upset. They've asked our agency to look into it and make sure this isn't the start of a trend."

"Aren't the police handling the assault?" Joe asked.

"They are. We're not supposed to interfere with the assault investigation. Our agency has been asked to interview students and get their impressions about the campus and the prevalence of strangers. So, Doug assigned you and me to do the interviews, since we're already here for much of the day."

"Ok." Joe frowned thoughtfully. "But I still wouldn't mind talking to Janey if we can. I'd like to hear firsthand what she remembers."

"I'll ask," Frank said. "She might be willing to talk to us."

News of the assault was all over campus by morning, and by midday, flyers were going up advising female students not to walk anywhere alone at night. Coming out of his last morning class, Joe's phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out, glancing at the number before pushing the talk button and holding it to his ear.

"Hey, Frank, what's up?"

"I just got a call from the campus police. The Chief would like us to stop by. You got time, right?"

"Yeah. My next class isn't until two. I'll meet you over there."

"Great."

The campus police had a small office adjacent to the main administration building. A fenced corral next to the office, with a rickety, corrugated steel roof, had parking for three electric carts, but they were all out when Joe arrived. Frank was waiting out front.

"Do you know what the chief wants to talk to us about?" Joe asked when he reached him.

"Not specifically." Frank led the way inside. A waist-high counter separated the office area from a small reception area. Two women students were leaving as they entered, their arms loaded with flyers. Joe held the door for them and one of the women favored him with a speculative smile. Frank grinned. "Try to hold the pheromones in, handsome," he murmured.

Joe made a face.

Frank leaned on the counter. "We're here to see the chief. Frank and Joe Hardy."

"Oh, right." A young man seated at one of the desks came over and lifted a panel in the counter. "Come on in." He took them to a door at the back and knocked once. "Chief, those investigators are here." He opened the door for them and stepped aside.

"Frank! Joe! Thanks for coming." Chief Jack Colby came around his desk and pumped their hands eagerly, a wide smile on his face. Chief Colby was in his middle years, and he was starting to show the paunch typical for men his age, but he still had a full head of thick brown hair that was just turning gray at the temples. "I was a classmate of Tom Becker, the sheriff down there in Bayport. He's told me all about you boys. He said you're the best detectives he knows and he trusts your instincts." He waved them into seats. "Sit down."

Frank smiled as he settled into one of the chairs in front of Jack's desk. "I'll have to give Sheriff Becker a call and thank him for the compliment."

Jack plopped back down into his own seat and it creaked loudly. "I have to confess, I decided to call the boss over at the Matthews Detective Agency because I heard you were working there." He folded his arms on the desk and leaned forward. "This has always been a safe campus," he said. "The worst we've had to deal with is kids growing marijuana in their dorm rooms. But this…" he shook his head and frowned unhappily. "I'll tell you honestly; it's got me worried. If this is some nut…"

"Did you get a chance to talk to Janey?"

Jack nodded. "She was still pretty upset, though. It was right after it happened and I didn't want to push her too hard."

"Would it be possible for us to talk to her?" Joe asked.

Jack's brow wrinkled. "She's still in the hospital. She took a pretty bad blow to the head and the doctors want to keep an eye on her for twenty-four hours."

Joe took a notepad out of his backpack and made some notes. "Do you know if Janey submitted to evidence collection?"

"The crisis counselor had just arrived at the hospital when I was leaving, but the police were hoping she would."

"Was any evidence collected at the scene?"

"Nothing significant. From the looks of it, the guy was waiting in the bushes when she walked by. He jumped out behind her and hit her on the back of the head with a blunt object. He dragged her back into the bushes to assault her and then fled. There were lots of broken branches and the ground was torn up, but there were no identifiable tracks or other markings."

"Was it muddy?" Frank asked.

Jack paused and rubbed his chin. "Not really. Just damp."

"Was Janey beat up?"

"No, just that blow to the back of her head."

Joe diligently took notes as Frank asked the questions.

"How was she penetrated?"

Jack shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I can't say exactly. Her panties were torn off and her skirt was pushed up when she was found. "

Frank leaned forward intently. "Was there blood?"

"What do you mean?"

"Around her pubic area. Was she bleeding at all?"

Jack blinked in surprise as he considered the question. "Well, now that you mention it, I don't recall seeing any blood on her legs. Is that important?"

Frank nodded slowly. "Rape is not about sex, Chief. Its purpose is to hurt and humiliate the victim. Penetrating someone against her will almost invariably causes injuries in the vaginal or anal area. I really would like to see the victim report on Janey, Chief Colby. Rapists usually do more damage than what you're describing."

Jack's eyes opened wide. "I'll see what I can do, Frank. But this is a criminal investigation, so it's up to the police."

"I understand." Frank stood up. "In the meantime, Joe and I will ask questions around campus and see if anybody noticed anything unusual. We'll keep you informed."

Joe tucked his notepad away and shouldered his backpack as he stood up.

"I really appreciate you boys getting involved," Jack said earnestly. "I just don't have the staff to patrol the whole campus, especially at night. I need to be able to assure the student body that this was an isolated incident." He accompanied them back to the counter and lifted the flap. "I'll relay your request about Janey's victim report."

"Thanks, Chief. We'll be in touch." Outside, Frank turned to Joe. "Since you have time before your next class, why don't you cruise through the quad and ask some questions? I'll do the same when I get out of my English class. We can meet up at home and compare notes."

"Sounds like a plan."

-o-o-o-o-

The apartment smelled of roasting chicken when Frank walked in. "Umm! That smells really good!"

"I finished my homework early, so I ran over to the store," Joe answered from the kitchen.

Frank dumped his backpack by the living room couch and joined Joe in the kitchen. "Sorry I'm late. I stopped by the office to talk to Doug Matthews. He wanted to hear about the case."

"Is he worried about giving it to a couple of part-timers?"

"No." Frank grinned. "In fact, he was looking for an excuse to stick his nose in. When Jack Colby called him, he was more than glad to offer our services. He told me he wouldn't have hired us in the first place if he didn't think we could do as good a job as any of his full-time employees."

"That's good to hear."

"Do you need any help?"

"Yeah. Could you finish the mashed potatoes? I want to make gravy."

"Yum." Frank kissed the back of Joe's neck. "I love your gravy." He took the pot of boiled potatoes off the stove and poured the water out carefully in the sink. "Are these Yukon Gold?"

"Of course!" Joe chuckled. "You know I like their flavor the best when mashed."

"Unless you're planning to mash in a roasted garlic."

"Drat! I didn't think of that!"

"You're slipping, little brother."

"You can punish me later. I'll obediently hold still for a long, slow spanking."

Frank swatted Joe on the behind. "You're naughty."

"And you love it."

"Yes, I do."

Joe stirred steadily as he added broth to his roux. "So what did Doug say?"

"He said he'd try to get us an interview with Janey Lassiter. He knows the crisis counselor assigned to her case: Bette Hollander. He said he'd ask her if she thought Janey would be ok talking to us."

"Did you tell him it would be all right with us if Ms. Hollander was there during the interview?"

"Yeah." Frank glanced at Joe. "Will you be ok talking to Janey about a sexual assault?"

Joe sighed and nodded. "I think so. I honestly don't think about what happened to me that much anymore. Going to a counselor really helped. And so did you." He smiled affectionately at Frank.

Frank slipped his arms around Joe's waist and hugged him carefully, mindful of Joe's gravy. "I probably should have gotten counseling, too. I had bouts of rage for weeks afterward, even when I wasn't thinking about it. Seeing you get better helped me get over it, though." He released Joe and took a serving bowl out of the cupboard.

"You could still get counseling if you think you need it."

"I know." Frank spooned the mashed potatoes into the bowl. "I just don't want to explain to someone why the thought of anyone touching you makes me crazy."

"There's that." Joe poured the gravy into a tureen he had ready. "There's asparagus in the steamer."

"I'll get it."

Over dinner, the boys compared notes from the day's interviews. There was, not surprisingly, quite a lot of anxiety among the students about the attack. Women students were especially nervous and worried that it was a random assault, because that would mean it might happen again.

"I talked to a couple of guys from a fraternity who said they were going to set up an escort service and post phone numbers for people to call to get someone to walk them home at night," Joe said.

"That's a good idea. They should arrange for drivers, too, for students who live off campus that don't own cars."

Joe grinned. "Or who live too close to make driving practical, like us."

Frank grinned back. "Right." His phone vibrated in his pocket and he started. "Oops! My phone." He pulled it out and glanced at the number. "Oh, it's Doug." He flipped the phone open. "Hello, Doug." He listened for a moment and then gave Joe a thumbs-up. "That's great. We'll be there at 10. Ok. Thanks." He closed the phone. "We have a meeting tomorrow morning with Janey Lassiter at the hospital. She's due to check out tomorrow afternoon. Bette Hollander will be there."

"Great!" Joe started to clear the table.

"I'll do that," Frank said. "You cooked."

"But my homework's all done," Joe pointed out. "Is yours?"

"Well…"

"I want nothing to impede the spanking you owe me. You can finish your homework while I wash the dishes and put away the leftovers."

"Oh?" Frank raised his eyebrows. "Now I owe you a spanking?"

"A long, slow one," Joe reminded him.

"You really are very naughty."

Joe gave him a sensuous smile and waggled his hips. "Naughty boys get the hot guys."