A/N: Well, this is my first Hardy Boys fic on here. So please bear with me. Please R&R. I will cherish them forever.

Chapter 1

"You think Mom and Dad will kill us since we got home so late," Joe asked his older brother Frank.

"Nah, they know how bad traffic can get on Friday nights downtown," he answered back.

The brothers were driving down the road going home on Friday night from their dates. Between the bad traffic and taking Iola Morton to the Morton's farm it was almost 11 o'clock. They turned the corner on Elm Street and pulled into the driveway of the family's two story house.

The house appeared dark and vacant. Joe turned off the ignition and they got out of the car and headed towards the back door.

"I thought Mom and Dad were supposed to be home tonight," Joe asked.

"Yeah they said they were going to stay home while Aunt Gertude went and saw some family down south," he answered back.

The Hardy's got to the back door to find it open. They stepped into the house to find it a mess. They searched the house from top to bottom but not trace to what had been going on that night.

"Mom and Dad wouldn't just run off late on Friday night without telling us or leaving a note," Frank said.

"Plus, Mom wouldn't leave the house in a state of chaos like this," Joe added.

"Do you think Dad might've run into some trouble with that case he was working on?" Frank asked.

"I don't doubt it," Frank answered. "Dad said it could turn dangerous and it was a pretty big racket."

"Look no clothes are gone, all there luggage is here, even Dad's wallet and penknife are here," Joe said.

"Dad wouldn't go anywhere with out being toughly prepared," Frank said.

Which was true. Fentone Hardy had served on the New York Police Department for many years. He finally decided to get out of the public eye and do some private business on cases. He was still well-known for his work on the NYPD and on his own.

"Frank, do you think that gang came and took Mom and Dad off trying to get Dad off there trail?" Joe asked.

"It wouldn't be the first time but I'd say we'd better wait around tonight and in the morning to see if anything comes up," he answered.

"Now let's give this house a good look over," Frank said.

The brothers did fingerprints, searched for shoeprints and everything else. Having solved many cases on their own they know how to search for clues. There were no fingerprints in the house or shoeprints.

They then went outside and looked in the yard. They found a piece of paper that was smudged bad. It read:

Carnival at Bayport

1:00 P.M.

June 23

Oceanside Park

"What do you think this means?" Frank asked his brother.

"This means that somebody was around our house and had this paper with them," he answered.

"June 23rd is tomorrow," Frank said. "Do you know where Oceanside Park is?" he asked Joe.

"Yeah, it's down near the ocean," he said.

"Well, since we don't have anything else do go on I guess we're going to a Carnival tomorrow," Frank said. "Let's call Chief Collig and tell him what's going on."

The boys went inside and called the Chief at home. He answered the phone groggily and the boys told him the story quickly. He seemed surprised and had no idea where his parents could be.

"Well, listen boys there isn't anything we can do tonight," he said. "In the morning you can follow up the lead on the carnival and see what that turns up if nothing does we'll file a missing persons report."

"Alright then Chief, thank you, sorry to wake you up too," Frank said.

"No problem boys, give me a call tomorrow and tell me if anything comes up," he answered.

The boys tidied up the house and decided they'd done a good enough job. So they went to bed still thinking What's going on?

A/N: Well, hope you all dig it. I'll update soon. Please R&R. Corrections, suggestions, ideas, etc. much accepted and appreciated.