Disclaimer: I don't own the Drews, the Hardys, or any other characters you
recognize.
Have fun reading anyway. Don't forget to review!
Chapter 1:
Eighteen-year-old Nancy Drew stepped into her spacious hotel room. Her best friend George Fayne was right behind her. George flopped onto the bed. "That was the most boring, uneventful car trip I have ever been on," she stated flatly.
Nancy rolled her eyes. "It wasn't that long. Stop acting like such a drama queen! You sound like Bess!" She was referring to George's cousin Bess Marvin. "Seriously though, did I ever thank you for accompanying me on my dad's trip? I mean, Columbus, Ohio isn't exactly fun city."
George grinned. "For the millionth time, its okay! Its not every day I get to stay in a four-star hotel. If you still feel bad, how about taking me to lunch and we'll call it even."
Carson Drew poked his head through the door. Nancy's father was a criminal lawyer. He had come to Columbus to speak to a client. "My thoughts exactly, George. You girls ready? Let's find a place to eat!"
************************************************************************
Joe and Frank Hardy walked into Columbus Memorial Hospital. Joe automatically started checking out the nurses. Frank followed his brother's gaze.
"Cut it out, will you?" he asked in exasperation. "We're here on business, remember?"
Joe defended himself. "I know, I know. I'm multitasking." He sauntered up to the nurse at the front desk. "Excuse me, could you tell us where to find Dr. Greene?"
The nurse didn't look up. "Try room 312." she said in a bored voice.
"Thanks, Valerie," Joe said, squinting at her nametag. He and Frank strode down the bland white halls, finally reaching room 312. Frank knocked, and the door swung open, revealing a gray-haired man who was bent over a pile of paperwork.
"I just don't understand it..." he murmured, shaking his head.
"Doctor Greene?" Frank asked tentatively. "We're sorry to disturb you. I'm Frank Hardy and this is my brother Joe. Our father said we should talk to you. Can you tell us what about?"
"Ah, yes, thank you, boys." Dr. Greene said distractedly. "You see, I have a potentially dangerous problem." He crossed the room and shut the door. "A number of supplies and prescription drugs have been disappearing from the hospital, as well as chemicals from the research lab. I have no idea who is taking them or why, but I'm worried about what may happen if these fall into the wrong hands."
Joe looked at Frank, who nodded imperceptibly. "Can you give us a list of the stolen items?"
"Oh! Of course..." The man shuffled through the papers on his desk and handed Joe a list. The Hardys scanned it and saw items like ammonia, cyanide, chlorine, chloroform, needles, and syringes, as well as several other chemicals they couldn't identify.
"Wow..." Frank's eyebrows shot up. "This stuff could do a lot of damage." ************************************************************************
The Hardys searched the research lab for over an hour but found nothing out of the ordinary. Frustrated, they left the hospital, promising to return later.
Joe spotted a diner as he pulled out of the hospital's parking lot. "All right! Let's eat!" ************************************************************************
Carson Drew glanced at his watch. When he saw the time, he did a double take. "Girls, if I don't leave now, I'll be late for my meeting."
"You aren't finished eating," Nancy observed. She sighed. The service here had been unbearably slow. They had been sitting in that booth for the past forty minutes.
Carson smiled. "I'll be fine. Listen, I'll meet you back at the hotel tonight." He rushed out of the restaurant.
"How's your meal?" George asked.
"It's very good, but it isn't worth the time I spent waiting for it." Nancy grumbled.
George leaned forward. "In a bad mood?" she asked. A surprised look crossed her face. "Hey Nan, I have a feeling that your day's about to get a whole lot better..." Nancy looked at her, confused. George raised her eyebrows suggestively. "Frank Hardy is here."
"What?" Nancy exclaimed. One hand flew unconsciously to her hair. She glanced around them and spotted Frank and Joe Hardy waiting to be seated. She looked at George, who raised an eyebrow. "What are you looking at?" George shrugged. Nancy turned away from her, she was pretty sure she didn't want to know what George was thinking.
George smiled inwardly at Nancy's reaction to seeing Frank. She had realized a long time ago that Nancy and Frank were more than just friends, but...if Nancy wanted to deny it... Seeing Frank and Joe approach their table brought her back to earth.
"Hey guys!" Joe said brightly. He slid into the booth next to George. Then he spoke in a lower voice, "What are you doing here?"
"It's nice to see you, too," George said sardonically. "By the way, I could ask you the same question!" Frank was sitting next to Nancy, she noted silently.
"We're here on vacation, so to speak," Nancy said. "But I'll bet that you two are here on a case." She glanced at Joe, and then turned to Frank. "Am I right?" she asked.
"As always." said Frank. He lowered his voice even more. "And since I know you want in on it, I'll tell you. We're here investigating stolen medical supplies, but we have no leads, suspects, or evidence as of yet."
Nancy smiled. "Of course I want in! You know I can't resist a good mystery." Nancy immediately answered, then looked away, trying not to think about how handsome Frank was. Her thoughts were getting scrambled. She physically shook her head, as if that would clear it. "Tell me about it." She said eagerly.
Joe filled her in on the details of the case, but they really didn't know much yet. As he finished, the waitress stepped up to their table. Nancy stiffened visibly.
"Can I help you?" The waitress asked politely.
"No," Nancy answered quickly. "We were just leaving." She stood up and looked at the others impatiently. The waitress backed off.
"Hey," Joe said. "I was hungry!"
Nancy smiled, amused and impatient. "I know. That's why we're getting out of here. If you want to eat at all today, we'd better go find a vending machine or a McDonald's or something." She walked out of the restaurant. An amused George followed. Frank shrugged at Joe and they both went to catch up with Nancy.
************************************************************************
After the Hardys had eaten, the group drove back to Columbus Memorial Hospital. Nancy introduced herself to Dr. Greene as an amateur detective and a friend of Frank and Joe's. Dr. Greene welcomed her, but Nancy could see that he was preoccupied.
"So, guys, what are we looking for?" George asked her friends after Dr. Greene had left the room.
"Uhhh, I'm not really sure..." Frank mumbled. Joe, George and Nancy waited for him to finish his sentence. "But I think we should start by checking out the supply closets that were broken into."
Nancy smiled. Frank always had a plan. "I'll take the one on the first floor." she volunteered.
"Good," Frank said. "Then I'll go to the third floor, George can go to the second, and Joe can check out the basement." The group nodded and set to work. ************************************************************************
Joe tried the door that led down to the basement. It was locked. No problem, he thought, taking a miniature lock picking kit from his back pocket. He had the door open in fifteen seconds flat. The stairs creaked as he made his way down. He felt along the wall for a light switch. He didn't find one. After he had searched for a few minutes, the door swung shut, leaving him in pitch blackness. Joe stopped suddenly and heard footsteps. That's okay, he thought. If I can't see him, he can't see me. Joe was wrong.
In the darkness, a figure sneaked up on him and brought a heavy object down on the back of his head. Joe crumpled to the cement floor.
Have fun reading anyway. Don't forget to review!
Chapter 1:
Eighteen-year-old Nancy Drew stepped into her spacious hotel room. Her best friend George Fayne was right behind her. George flopped onto the bed. "That was the most boring, uneventful car trip I have ever been on," she stated flatly.
Nancy rolled her eyes. "It wasn't that long. Stop acting like such a drama queen! You sound like Bess!" She was referring to George's cousin Bess Marvin. "Seriously though, did I ever thank you for accompanying me on my dad's trip? I mean, Columbus, Ohio isn't exactly fun city."
George grinned. "For the millionth time, its okay! Its not every day I get to stay in a four-star hotel. If you still feel bad, how about taking me to lunch and we'll call it even."
Carson Drew poked his head through the door. Nancy's father was a criminal lawyer. He had come to Columbus to speak to a client. "My thoughts exactly, George. You girls ready? Let's find a place to eat!"
************************************************************************
Joe and Frank Hardy walked into Columbus Memorial Hospital. Joe automatically started checking out the nurses. Frank followed his brother's gaze.
"Cut it out, will you?" he asked in exasperation. "We're here on business, remember?"
Joe defended himself. "I know, I know. I'm multitasking." He sauntered up to the nurse at the front desk. "Excuse me, could you tell us where to find Dr. Greene?"
The nurse didn't look up. "Try room 312." she said in a bored voice.
"Thanks, Valerie," Joe said, squinting at her nametag. He and Frank strode down the bland white halls, finally reaching room 312. Frank knocked, and the door swung open, revealing a gray-haired man who was bent over a pile of paperwork.
"I just don't understand it..." he murmured, shaking his head.
"Doctor Greene?" Frank asked tentatively. "We're sorry to disturb you. I'm Frank Hardy and this is my brother Joe. Our father said we should talk to you. Can you tell us what about?"
"Ah, yes, thank you, boys." Dr. Greene said distractedly. "You see, I have a potentially dangerous problem." He crossed the room and shut the door. "A number of supplies and prescription drugs have been disappearing from the hospital, as well as chemicals from the research lab. I have no idea who is taking them or why, but I'm worried about what may happen if these fall into the wrong hands."
Joe looked at Frank, who nodded imperceptibly. "Can you give us a list of the stolen items?"
"Oh! Of course..." The man shuffled through the papers on his desk and handed Joe a list. The Hardys scanned it and saw items like ammonia, cyanide, chlorine, chloroform, needles, and syringes, as well as several other chemicals they couldn't identify.
"Wow..." Frank's eyebrows shot up. "This stuff could do a lot of damage." ************************************************************************
The Hardys searched the research lab for over an hour but found nothing out of the ordinary. Frustrated, they left the hospital, promising to return later.
Joe spotted a diner as he pulled out of the hospital's parking lot. "All right! Let's eat!" ************************************************************************
Carson Drew glanced at his watch. When he saw the time, he did a double take. "Girls, if I don't leave now, I'll be late for my meeting."
"You aren't finished eating," Nancy observed. She sighed. The service here had been unbearably slow. They had been sitting in that booth for the past forty minutes.
Carson smiled. "I'll be fine. Listen, I'll meet you back at the hotel tonight." He rushed out of the restaurant.
"How's your meal?" George asked.
"It's very good, but it isn't worth the time I spent waiting for it." Nancy grumbled.
George leaned forward. "In a bad mood?" she asked. A surprised look crossed her face. "Hey Nan, I have a feeling that your day's about to get a whole lot better..." Nancy looked at her, confused. George raised her eyebrows suggestively. "Frank Hardy is here."
"What?" Nancy exclaimed. One hand flew unconsciously to her hair. She glanced around them and spotted Frank and Joe Hardy waiting to be seated. She looked at George, who raised an eyebrow. "What are you looking at?" George shrugged. Nancy turned away from her, she was pretty sure she didn't want to know what George was thinking.
George smiled inwardly at Nancy's reaction to seeing Frank. She had realized a long time ago that Nancy and Frank were more than just friends, but...if Nancy wanted to deny it... Seeing Frank and Joe approach their table brought her back to earth.
"Hey guys!" Joe said brightly. He slid into the booth next to George. Then he spoke in a lower voice, "What are you doing here?"
"It's nice to see you, too," George said sardonically. "By the way, I could ask you the same question!" Frank was sitting next to Nancy, she noted silently.
"We're here on vacation, so to speak," Nancy said. "But I'll bet that you two are here on a case." She glanced at Joe, and then turned to Frank. "Am I right?" she asked.
"As always." said Frank. He lowered his voice even more. "And since I know you want in on it, I'll tell you. We're here investigating stolen medical supplies, but we have no leads, suspects, or evidence as of yet."
Nancy smiled. "Of course I want in! You know I can't resist a good mystery." Nancy immediately answered, then looked away, trying not to think about how handsome Frank was. Her thoughts were getting scrambled. She physically shook her head, as if that would clear it. "Tell me about it." She said eagerly.
Joe filled her in on the details of the case, but they really didn't know much yet. As he finished, the waitress stepped up to their table. Nancy stiffened visibly.
"Can I help you?" The waitress asked politely.
"No," Nancy answered quickly. "We were just leaving." She stood up and looked at the others impatiently. The waitress backed off.
"Hey," Joe said. "I was hungry!"
Nancy smiled, amused and impatient. "I know. That's why we're getting out of here. If you want to eat at all today, we'd better go find a vending machine or a McDonald's or something." She walked out of the restaurant. An amused George followed. Frank shrugged at Joe and they both went to catch up with Nancy.
************************************************************************
After the Hardys had eaten, the group drove back to Columbus Memorial Hospital. Nancy introduced herself to Dr. Greene as an amateur detective and a friend of Frank and Joe's. Dr. Greene welcomed her, but Nancy could see that he was preoccupied.
"So, guys, what are we looking for?" George asked her friends after Dr. Greene had left the room.
"Uhhh, I'm not really sure..." Frank mumbled. Joe, George and Nancy waited for him to finish his sentence. "But I think we should start by checking out the supply closets that were broken into."
Nancy smiled. Frank always had a plan. "I'll take the one on the first floor." she volunteered.
"Good," Frank said. "Then I'll go to the third floor, George can go to the second, and Joe can check out the basement." The group nodded and set to work. ************************************************************************
Joe tried the door that led down to the basement. It was locked. No problem, he thought, taking a miniature lock picking kit from his back pocket. He had the door open in fifteen seconds flat. The stairs creaked as he made his way down. He felt along the wall for a light switch. He didn't find one. After he had searched for a few minutes, the door swung shut, leaving him in pitch blackness. Joe stopped suddenly and heard footsteps. That's okay, he thought. If I can't see him, he can't see me. Joe was wrong.
In the darkness, a figure sneaked up on him and brought a heavy object down on the back of his head. Joe crumpled to the cement floor.