After Midnight

Chapter One

Fenton Hardy grinned into the phone at his ear, happy to hear the voice he hadn't heard in a long, long time.

"Charlie Swan!" he boomed. "How're things in Forks?"

The man who answered him did not sound like the man private investigator Fenton Hardy had worked with years ago when they both were part of the NYPD. Instead of sounding quiet, kind of hesitant, but friendly and kind, Fenton's old friend sounded quiet, kind of hesitant, but upset and frantic.

"Not good, Fenton."

"What's going on up there, Charlie?" Fenton asked sharply. He had known all along that this call wasn't a friendly 'how do you do' reunion. Something had gone wrong up in Washington State, something that his old partner needed help with.

There was a pause. "It's a long story, Fenton. And you know how much I hate talking on the phone." If it had been under better circumstances, Fenton would have joked that Charlie hated talking period. Charlie had always been the quiet type, not one to start a conversation with a stranger, sometimes reluctant to start one with a friend. He was perfectly happy with silence, and had always been absorbed in his work. Fenton had been one of his best friends before Charlie had moved to Forks with his new wife, Renée. Not a year later came the news that he had gotten divorced, and his ex-wife had taken their baby daughter, Bella, with her. Charlie just didn't connect well with people, even his own wife.

Instead of making a joking remark about Charlie's social life, Fenton frowned. He was in the midst of a big case at the moment, and he had other clients that had priority. Fenton hated turning down an old friend, but he just didn't see how he could help until he had this case wrapped up, which could take up to several more days.

But he couldn't just tell Charlie no. It was wrong, criminal, to point-blank refuse to help an old coworker and friend when he was obviously so distressed.

"How urgent is it, Charlie? I mean, how much do you need my help?"

There was a short, sad sigh. "I'm not exactly sure how urgent it is, Fenton," the Chief of Police said softly. "I might even be over reacting. But…I can't just sit here and do nothing. But that's all I can do at the moment. Nothing. Everyone around here knows me, knows how I feel about…certain people. There's no way I could investigate without causing a big scene, and Bella'd never forgive me for butting my nose in, even if I am right, and something is going on…"

"Your daughter?" Fenton asked in surprise. "I thought she lived with her mom in Phoenix."

"Again, a long story. But what do you say, Fenton? Do you think you can help me?" The desperation in Charlie's voice touched Fenton. He had to do something to help his friend.

He heard a car pulling in the driveway from his second-story study and glanced out the window to see his sons' black van cruising into the driveway and come to a neat stop. His two sons had helped him on a lot of his cases, and they were doing a lot of investigating on their own now…

Watching eighteen-year-old Frank and seventeen-year-old Joe get out of the van and walk toward the house, Fenton made a quick decision. "Charlie, I'm on a big case right now, and it could take up to a week to wrap it up. But you remember my sons, Frank and Joe?" When Charlie grunted in agreement, Fenton realized that Charlie had last seen them when they were about two and three years old. "Well, they do a lot of investigating, and have helped me with many cases, and have cracked a bunch on their own. What would you say if I sent them up to Forks and you can tell them your story? Then they can start the investigation. If you still need my help when I wrap up my case, I can still come up there too. I promise they're very competent and mature and can handle your case perfectly."

Charlie hesitated on the other line. Fenton knew he was struggling against his need for help and the thought of letting two teenagers that were pretty much strangers to him come and stay in his house. It wasn't that Charlie was rude or inhospitable; he was just accustomed to being alone.

Fenton quickly threw in, "The boys can stay in a hotel, if you want them to."

"Uh-uh. Forks is a small town. We don't have a hotel, at least not one that isn't crumbling to the ground. I tell you what, that's fine, Fenton. I trust you, and I trust that your sons will be able to find out what's going on with Bella."

"Alright," Fenton said, relieved that he could be of some help to his friend, "I'll talk to the boys and they'll be on a plane to Washington tomorrow morning. I'll call you when their plane is supposed to land in Seattle, so you'll know what time to expect them."

"Do I need to pick them up?" Charlie asked uneasily. Fenton knew he was horrified at the thought of spending two hours trapped in his police cruiser with two strangers, having to make polite conversation to pass the time.

Fenton chuckled. "No, they're big boys. I'll give them directions to Forks and they'll rent a car. No need to worry, though. I just want to let you know what time they'll arrive in Forks so you guys can talk." He paused. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it, Charlie? I mean, you know I'm always here for you…"

"Nah, I'll be okay until tomorrow. I'm probably just over reacting anyway. But I want to be sure. Bella is my daughter, and I want her to be safe." There was an uncomfortable pause. "Well, 'bye, I guess. And thanks."

"No problem. See ya later, Charlie."

The line went dead. For a few moments, Fenton Hardy sat at his desk and stared into space, thinking. What could have Charlie Swan, one of the bravest men he knew, so shaken up? Maybe he was over reacting. But somehow Fenton didn't think so. Briefly, Fenton recalled the last case he and Charlie had worked on together and shuddered, hoping that what was going on now in Forks had nothing to do with what had gone on in Italy so many years before.

He sighed, then stood up and started downstairs to talk to his sons, wondering what kind of trouble he was getting them into this time.

~Emachinescat ^..^