CHAPTER 7
The Hardys tensed as they glanced at the two tall men warily – anticipating a sudden attack. Then one of them began walking toward the boys. He had short crew cut blond hair and a pair of steely gray eyes.
"Is this the Hardy house?" the man demanded.
"Who wants to know?" Joe shot back.
"We're looking for Fenton Hardy," he said crisply.
"What for?" Frank spoke up.
"That's none of your business," the man snapped.
"He's not here. I suppose if you have something to say, you'd better say it to us and we'll relay the message to him," Frank told the man coolly. Fenton Hardy and his wife were on vacation in Florida at the moment.
"That's all right, Eric," a new voice suddenly spoke up from behind the man. "I'll take over from here." An elderly man in gray executive suit came out from the back of the car and approached them slowly.
Frank could have sworn he had seen this person recently. Where had he seen him? Then suddenly it hit him.
"You're –" he started to say.
"Bauer. Armando Bauer," the man introduced himself, extending his hand.
"Bauer? As in Lee & Bauer?" Joe asked in surprised, shaking hands with the man.
"That's right. You know who I am?" Mr. Bauer sounded pleased.
"Just recently," Frank admitted. "So, what can we do for you, Mr. Bauer?"
"I supposed you're Fenton Hardy's sons?" he asked, studying the boys curiously.
"Yes, I'm Frank, and this is Joe," he said, pointing toward his brother.
"I suppose both of you should be able to handle it," Mr. Bauer muttered thoughtfully. "I've heard your reputation as detectives."
"Handle what, Mr. Bauer?" Frank asked curiously.
He glanced around carefully. "I think we should talk privately. This is something I'd rather not have in the news."
"All right. Let's get inside," Frank said, turning back to the house.
"No, get inside my car. We can talk there," Mr. Bauer said. His tone might have been casual, but it oozed with authority. Obviously, he was used to have people obeying his orders.
The Hardys exchanged glances, wondering if this might be a good idea. Finally, Joe just shrugged.
"All right," Frank said, reluctantly.
All of them except the two muscled men climbed into the backseat of the limo. Mr. Bauer didn't say anything at all during the ride. The boys just glanced at the man warily, growing tense and alert every seconds. Mr. Bauer might be a well-known man in the business industry, but that didn't mean he was clean.
The ride took them up a hill, almost heading out of Bayport – toward another town, Riverside. The Hardys looked at each other with a knowing look.
"You live in Riverside, Mr. Bauer?" Frank asked, starting the conversation.
"Yes, all my life," Mr. Bauer replied. He didn't elaborate further.
They reached into an upper-class section of the town with big bungalow houses lined on either sides of the street. The limo turned and stopped in front of a wrought iron gate. The gate automatically slid open and the limo rolled inside and pulled to a stop in the driveway.
Mr. Bauer, accompanied by the two men, whom Frank guessed were his bodyguards, entered the big white house. He motioned the boys to step into his big cozy living room.
"Please sit down, boys," he told them waving toward the antique sofas. "Would you like anything to drink?" he asked them.
The boys declined politely. "So, why are you bringing us here?" Joe started after he was comfortably seated.
Mr. Bauer went to the homemade bar and poured himself a drink. Then he walked over to the sofa and sat down, facing the two boys.
"I want you to find my daughter," he told them simply.
The Hardys looked at him in surprise. "Your daughter? Is she missing?" Frank asked, curiously.
"Yeah, she hasn't been home for two weeks," Mr. Bauer told them.
"And you haven't report it to the police?" Joe asked incredulously.
"I said I don't want any police involvement. I've tried to find her myself but I guess it hasn't been successful," he scoffed.
"How do you know she's missing, and not going off somewhere?" Frank asked.
"Because she's been kidnapped, and I happened to know who he is," Mr. Bauer told them levelly.
"Who?" asked Joe.
"Duncan Blackwell."