A/N: This is my first attempt at a "blue spine" fanfiction. It's loosely based on the blue spines and is set during that time period, but isn't exactly like them. I was inspired by watching an episode of Mod Squad and just started writing this and couldn't stop. This is a fairly short mystery but I will post a chapter every day for about the next week. I really hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything...just my own words.


The Mystery of the Silent Girl

Chapter 1: Missing

The night was so dark that only the faint ripples of the moonlight illuminated the young man's face. It was contorted in a gruesome shocked gaze. His air supply cut off by the noose around his neck. Death clinging to his pallor expression.

"You've-he-he's dead," the private detective stuttered staring the hanging man straight in his departed eyes.

"He'll never hurt my daughter no more," growled the man who had him pinioned. He'd seen everything and through one miscalculated mistake, the detective was now their prisoner. The irate townspeople of Larksburg stood close, appraising their hostage.

"What'll we do with the snooper?" one of them asked.

"Throw him in the lake!" one called out.

"Naw, give him the same treatment as the jerk hangin' over there," another man bellowed.

"No more of that!" a man in a dirt ridden police uniform said. His sheriff bade glimmered in the moonlight, but his eyes shown no hint of mercy, "Don't you men know who this?"

"Why I've seen that face in the paper, a city fellow ain't he?" a gangly man said staring at the detective.

"Yes," the sheriff smirked, an evil grin crossing his weather worn face, "This is Fenton Hardy, the world's greatest detective."

...

"Dad was only going fishing for the week. He should be home by now," Frank Hardy said pacing in front of his brother, and girlfriend, Callie Shaw. Their mother was visiting with their Aunt Gertrude for a few days so the boys were home alone.

"I'm sure he's just running late. What kind of trouble could he have gotten into on a fishing trip?" Joe said with a wave of his hand, dismissing his brother's paranoid worries.

"I dunno, maybe--" but the ringing of the phone cut Frank off.

Joe got to it first and answered, "hello?"

"Hello Joe, this is Chief Collig. Your father home?"

"No, no he isn't, he went up to Larksburg to go fishing but he hasn't returned," Joe answered.

"Yes your father told me before he left. Joe, I just called up to Larksburg to ask Fenton a few questions about a case he was wrapping up and the sheriff up there says that he never saw him."

"What?" Joe gasped. His father wasn't in Larksburg?

"I have a bad feeling about this Joe. Something is definitely wrong. Fenton Hardy seems to have disappeared."

...

A half hour later the Hardys and Callie confronted Chief Collig at the Bayport police station. Frank handed the Chief a letter, "Dad sent this to us, we received it earlier today. It's post marked Miller Springs."

"Miller Springs? Why that's not too far from Larksburg," Collig replied, his face grim as he read over the contents of the trivial letter.

"I suppose it's possible that the sheriff didn't see your father," Callie said to the boys. They nodded but were not convinced.

"That's true I guess, but someone in the town must have seen him." Joe countered.

"No. The highway patrol said that they questioned everyone in the town. The population there is slim to none. No one saw Fenton," Chief Collig informed them.

"Maybe he didn't stay long enough for anyone to remember him," Callie said.

"No," the Chief shook his head, "I've known Fenton for twenty years. That's the one thing about him, he always checks out the places he's staying in...thoroughly. Someone would have remembered him."

Collig sighed and folded the letter up and placed it on his desk, "Thanks for bringing this anyways. It'll help."

"That's all?" Frank asked.

"There must be something we can do," Joe put in going to stand next to his brother.

"This time it's not your problem," Collig said, setting his jaw firmly. Joe eyed his brother, hoping for him to argue, but he didn't. Frank simply smiled, thanked the man and walked out, Callie following and Joe too.

Once outside the office, Joe elbowed him, "Well?"

"How do you tell a chief, he's so wrong?" Frank smirked. Callie and Joe nodded along, smiles on their faces as well. They certainly weren't going to stand aside and let their father stay missing. A mystery was a mystery for them, and in this case it was personal.

"How'd you like to take a little camping trip," Frank asked the two, "I hear Larksburg is beautiful this time of year."