Disclaimer:
I don't own any of these characters except for Lilly, Jonathan, Jessica, and various unnamed secondary characters. There are several mentions of other Hardy Boys Novels; some ideas and character/group/place names are borrowed from these books. Other Hardy Boys book titles are also mentioned. I don't own those either.
Author's Note:
Thisstory takes placesix years after the Hardy Boys Casefiles. In this series Joe and Frank are both detectives working for the Bayport force. Frank has now been married for a year and Joe is still a bachelor, but he is still dating the blonde and beautiful Vanessa Bender.
Here's a little more information about this story (a book-back summary):
With a cunning mind and good looks, 23-year-old Joe Hardy lacks nothing that is, nothing except for the guts to ask his longtime girlfriend for her hand in marriage. But when the night finally arrives for Joe to pop the question, his plans are suddenly shattered when Vanessa is struck down by a gunman's bullet!
With an exciting job and a beautiful wife, 24-year-old Frank Hardy couldn't be happier, but when his brother's girlfriend suddenly ends up in the hospital, Frank is determined to help Joe find the hit-man while also trying to solve a case of his own.
It has been six years since the house fire that nearly claimed her life. Now, confined to a wheel chair, and equipped with no knowledge of her past and a warped sense of direction, 22-year-old Jessica Lowell finds a need to leave her new life and connect with her past.
Chapter One
She smiled at him as she walked down the aisle in her flowing white gown. Her hair hung loosely on her shoulders in several golden blond curls; the light blue Carnations in the wedding bouquet accenting her sparkling gray-blue eyes.
Joe smiled back as he watched his lovely fiancée walk closer and closer to the front of the sanctuary. Today was the happiest day of Joe's life. Today Joe and Vanessa would be married.
"I object!"
The music stopped and the crowd parted as the pixie-faced intruder pushed her way to the front of the sanctuary. A hush fell over the crowd.
"Iola." Joe breathed, instantly recognizing her. He watched, transfixed as the dark haired girl pushed made her way towards him. She looked just as he remembered her; Her long dark hair, her sweet brown eyes…
She paused, just before reaching the couple and stood there, her eyes fixed on Joe, full of hurt. "Joe, why didn't you wait for me?"
"Iola, I--" Joe wasn't sure what to say. How could he explain what he didn't know how?
"Joe." His gaze snapped to his lovely bride. She looked nervously at him and brushed a stray piece of blonde hair from out of her face.
"I --" Joe's words caught in his throat as he looked from one girl to another. From his beautiful fiancée then back to the dark-haired girl. Iola. His Iola.
Iola stood there smiling at him as if they were the only two people in the world. "Joe." She repeated. "Why didn't you wait for me?"
"Iola. I -- the car…I thought you were… all these years…" He took a step towards her then stopped. What are you doing? You're supposed to be getting married. You asked Vanessa to marry you…
"Joe?"
Joe looked over his shoulder to his frightened fiancée. "But Vanessa --I love her."
Friday, June 12
5:59 PM
The alarm clock sounded, dissolving the last fading traces of the dream. 23-year-old Joe Hardy groaned and groggily opened his eyes. He reached blindly for the alarm clock, turning it off, lazily flopping down on the bed again, to stretch. He flipped over onto his stomach and looked at the glowing red numbers of the alarm clock that penetrated the thick back darkness of his bedroom. 6:00 PM. He had approximately an hour before he had to pick up Vanessa for their date.
Joe slid off the bed and walked into the bathroom. He yawned and raked a hand through his disheveled blonde hair, frowning at his reflection. He was glad he had taken that catnap after he had gotten home from work, but the little shut-eye did nothing for his appearance, nor did it do anything to calm his nerves.
Joe glanced nervously out the bathroom's door and at the ring box that stood alone on the middle of the large mahogany dresser. He had bought the ring three months ago in plans of asking Vanessa to marry him, but he had yet to come up with the nerves to carry through-- until now.
Joe turned back to the mirror and looked at the tired face of the young man who stared back at him. He had the guts, so why not ask her tonight? But the dream had put another roadblock in his way. Iola Morton.
It had been over six years since the car bombing that had taken his Iola away from him. Joe thought he would be over it by now, but the dream confirmed he couldn't hide his feelings forever. Joe loved Vanessa, but he still found himself thinking about his little pixie-faced Iola. And even now, six years later, Joe found himself missing her again.
"Grow up, Hardy." Joe grumbled, removing his wrinkled dress shirt and throwing it into the wicker laundry hamper. "She's gone. She has been for six years. You have Vanessa now…" He let his voice trail off and stared misty-eyed into the mirror. Yeah, he had Vanessa, but then why couldn't he let go?
But Vanessa I love her. The simple line reentered his head as he remembered the dream. He frowned knowing it was all too true. He knew he couldn't let go. Iola would always be a part of him, a part of his life. But she's dead. You have Vanessa now…and tonight's the night, Hardy. Tonight you're going to ask her to marry you.
Joe half-smiled into the mirror as he reached for his comb. He pushed all the painful memories into the back of his mind. Tonight, he wouldn't think of Iola. Tonight was reserved for Vanessa. Tonight, he would ask Vanessa to marry him.
