247CH.16 Treasure and Talks
Joe watched as Claire and Max hit the water in slow motion. Somewhere behind him Lexi screamed for her sister and rushed forward, but Joe was faster. "Frank, tie her up. Lexi, go find someone on the staff. I can't imagine no one has contact with the outside world. I've got Claire." He kicked off his shoes as he searched the water for the blonde teenager. In the distance he could see Max starting to swim away. Claire was nowhere in sight. Bracing for the cold Joe jumped in.
Joe spluttered as the stream bubbled around him and his knees hit the bottom. It was only a few feet deep. Pushing himself up onto his feet Joe pushed forward, wading through the icy water. In the darkness he could just make out a blonde head attempting to push out above the water. Claire! Joe launched himself forward and slid his arm around the struggling teen. With his other arm he wrenched the scarf gag from her mouth.
Claire immediately began coughing and gasping for air. "Get me-cough-to-cough-the edge. Max hit-cough- the rocks pretty hard."
Joe nodded and waded towards the side of the stream, careful to keep Claire's head above water. "Don't worry, I've got him," Joe said with his award winning Hardy smile.
"Not if you waste too much time flirting with the damsel in distress."
NDHNDHBNDHB
Claire pulled the towels tighter around her as she sat in front of the living room fireplace. She smiled as Lexi set a cup of hot chocolate in front of her. "Thanks sis."
Lexi smiled warmly. "No problem. I'm just glad you're ok. We could have been in some serious trouble if that water had been any deeper."
"You're telling me," Claire chuckled. "I had the 'oh crap I am going to die' moment just before I hit. But it all turned out ok; just like it always does."
"True, just like it always does. Just be glad Joe was able to catch up with Max or this could have dragged on."
"Definitely. I'm not too keen on the psycho revenge driven killer thing." She took a sip of her chocolate. "So how is Nancy's hand?"
"Well she gave her statement to the police and then Frank whisked her off in one of the patrol cars to get her hand looked at."
"So they're talking?"
"A bit; it was rather shallow. Mostly about her hand. I don't really think Frank gave her a choice."
"Of course he didn't. My brother can be pretty stubborn," Joe added sideling up and draping his arms across the back of Lexi's chair. "How are you doing princess? Warming up?"
"I am not a princess Joseph Hardy. In case you don't remember I did knock an ex-CIA agent on his butt while bound and gagged."
"And then I had to rescue you from a raging stream. As I remember you were a damsel in distress."
"You caught me in an off moment," Claire snapped, her face bright with a flirty smile. "But, seriously, does this mean the whole treasure thing is done? I really wanted to add successful treasure hunt to my resume."
Joe grinned. "Not necessarily. I got a chance to talk to Nancy before my brother whisked her away. Seems Max unknowingly gave her the final clue."
Lexi and Claire perked up at this. "What do you mean?"
"Yeah, Joe spill. I didn't hear this oh so elusive clue."
"Well, Max said Grandma Gramgee was constantly reading mystery novels right?" Claire nodded. "Well apparently Nancy was talking to one of the staff a few days ago and found out all she could do in her final days was read in her bed. She kept having novels brought to her. Now Frank and I tore apart that library—no mystery novels. Nancy, however, found them her first day."
Claire frowned. "She hid the map in some mystery novels? How ironic, but if they weren't in the library where did Nancy find them?"
"Look behind you super sleuth."
Claire glared, but pulled herself out of the chair anyways. Sure enough there was a lonely book shelf in this room, loaded with a number of mystery novels. Claire dropped the towel on the chair and moved to the shelf. One by one she pulled the books from the shelf. As she removed a dark brown leather book from the second shelf a piece of parchment paper fluttered to the floor. Claire bent down and slowly unfolded it, her face breaking into a wide grin. "Well guys, it's the map; we won!"
HBNDHBND
*1 Week Later*
Nancy cringed as the heat of the curling iron came close to her neck. "Are you sure you've done this before, Claire?"
The blonde haired girl rolled her eyes as she looked at the elder teen in the mirror. "Of course," she replied dropping Nancy's titan curl, "Albeit I haven't done it with this arm in a while." She happily waved her right arm. "Can you pass me the hairspray, Lexi?"
Lexi laughed as she clasped one of her silver hoop earrings in her ear. "Get it yourself. You've got two arms now."
The other girl thought a moment before smiling. "Why I guess I do, but still, I got kind of used to having other people get things for me. I'm rather spoiled. Nancy, pass me the hairspray."
The strawberry blonde laughed. "Fine, but only because you've got a hot iron to my head." Nancy handed the can over her shoulder careful not to drop it from her splinted hand.
"Smart girl," Lexi joked.
"Mhhm, very."
Nancy rolled her eyes and decided to change the topic. "It was really nice of the Mr. Gramgee to give us these tickets to Club Blue; it's supposed to be amazing."
Nancy watched Lexi nod in the mirror. "Yeah, well we did stop a rogue ex agent psycho murderer from completing his revenge hit list, and all while uncovering a secret treasure. I'd say we earned it."
"I agree; it is an amazing way to end a more than terrifying case." Claire added as she unplugged the curling iron. "Nancy, you're done and might I say you look gorgeous."
Nancy smiled and ran a hand through her hair which was curled loosely and was pinned back on one side with a butterfly bobby-pin. "It's wonderful, Claire, thank you so much."
Claire smiled. "It was no problem. I'm sure Frank will love it, especially with the scarlet lipstick. He'll only have eyes for you." Nancy brushed invisible lint off her scarlet dress suddenly feeling awkward in the form fitting ensemble. Perhaps she shouldn't have gone with the heels and opted for the flats. Claire bit her lip noticing Nancy's discomfort. "Oh, I'm sorry; I was just so excited that I spoke without thinking. You know, open mouth and insert foot."
Nancy shook her head with a smile. "No it's ok; I really shouldn't have acted the way I did. I got angry with Frank because he was with Callie and wouldn't be with me, but I never should've put him in a situation where he would have to choose between me and Callie. I was asking him to be like Ned when all I should ever want him to be is Frank." Nancy stood up and looked at her reflection in the mirror noting the way the dress shimmered like fire in the florescent lighting. She smiled. "By the way, I agree, he'll love it."
"So let's go party!" Lexi laughed as she clasped a white belt around her black skirt and smoothed her blue and black striped sweater.
"Yes, it is the least we can do. It's too bad the treasure turned out to be a bunch of old books. I could have done with a nice cut of gold, maybe some new earrings." Claire blew a kiss at the mirror before turning on her stiletto, her white peasant skirt rippling behind her in contrast to her pink blazer. "Let's go wow some guys."
Nancy chuckled. "Speaking of wowing guys; when Joe first saw you two he was fairly wowed, especially by the idea of one for each arm."
"Really?" the twins murmured thoughtfully a devious smile passing over their faces.
"Well we'll just have to see about that; won't we L-" Claire jumped as there was a knock on the door. Making a face she walked towards the door with Nancy and Lexi trailing a few steps behind her. "The boys are here early," she commented turning the knob, "Frank, Joe, why aren't you two dressed for the club?"
Nancy stepped over as Claire opened the door wider to allow the two brothers entrance. Joe entered first in a pair of jeans and a T-Shirt followed by Frank who wore jeans and a polo shirt. "Change of plans ladies, Frank and I've got to catch the first plane back to Bayport. Our dad needs help with a smuggling case. So as much as we'd love to escort you three lovely ladies to a club we're going to have to take a reign check." Joe sat down on their bed.
"When are you leaving?" Nancy asked turning toward the elder Hardy.
Frank looked up at her sadly. "Actually, tonight. We've got a flight in an hour. We just came to say goodbye then we've got to finish packing."
Nancy willed herself not to frown as a knot twisted in her stomach. She wasn't going to let Frank see her disappointment. She opened her mouth and replied with a neutral, "Oh." Frank slid his hands in his pocket as an awkward silence ensued. Claire and Lexi exchanged a disappointed glance and Joe crossed his arms as he rolled his eyes at the two.
"So…"
"So…" Nancy and Frank blushed and another silence ensued.
"You go first," Frank finally supplied.
Nancy nodded as she felt the knot in her stomach tighten and her mouth grow dry. "I was just going to say, Goodbye," she managed to croak. At the sound of her voice Nancy closed her eyes in embarrassment and felt hot tears rising.
She was going to cry; she hadn't yet, but she was really going to cry. Nancy slid a hand over her lips and pressed tightly. Frank had seen many sides of Nancy Drew including anger, resentment, happiness, and fear, but never had he seen this side of the girl detective and he didn't know what to do. "Nancy what's wrong?"
Nancy merely shook her head and squeezed her eyes tighter. She didn't want to talk about Frank's exchange with Max. He didn't love her; he loved Callie, and there was no point beating the subject to death. Nothing was going to change. "Just go Frank, please just leave before I say something neither of us want me to say." Damn it, why couldn't she control herself?
Frank recoiled from the venom with which she spoke. "But, Nan-"
"Goodbye," she snapped tersely.
Frank again stepped back in complete shock as Joe stepped forward fully aware that it was best to just leave. His eyes were glazed and his posture defeated. "C'mon Frank. We've got to catch a plane. See you Claire, Lexi. Take some time Nancy, I know you're hurting right now. Ned was a jerk, but this isn't the end. You know I love you like a sister, so when you're feeling up to it, give me a call. I'm sure we can find another mystery to solve."
Nancy nodded silently as Lexi placed her hand on her shoulder. She smiled up at Joe. "It was a pleasure meeting both of you. We learned a ton from working with you guys."
"Yeah, perhaps we can do it again sometime and you guys can give us some more pointers," Claire added.
Joe smiled and Frank nodded. "We'd like that. It's great to have people who idolize us like you do."
Claire smacked him lightly in the arm. "I wouldn't go that far, Hardy. Let's just say we have immense respect for you and someday hope to be as well known and successful as you."
Joe raised a brow at this. "Is that so? Well, I guess Frank and I will have to deal with that." He paused a moment, "I guess this is goodbye," he tightened his hand around Franks arm and began pulling him towards the door, "It's been swell, honestly." He reached the door and went to turn the knob, but Frank twisted out of his grasp.
"You look beautiful, Nancy. You really do."
Nancy grimaced as she realized she could no longer hold back her tears. One tear broke through her lashes sliding down her cheek and splashing onto her hand. She looked up at the ceiling and balled her fists in a futile attempt to reign in her emotions. "Tell Callie," she broke off as a sob threatened to escape her lips, "tell Callie I said hello." Two tears trickled slowly down her cheeks.
Frank moved to take a step forward wanting desperately to see her eyes and to let her know he wasn't trying to hurt her, but Joe again caught his arm. "C'mon, Frank."
"I'm sorry, really I am," Frank whispered causing Nancy to finally utter a strangled sob.
She nodded slowly and took a deep breath before lowering her face to give Frank a forced smile. "I know; that's why it hurts so much." With that said Nancy turned on her heel and headed for the bathroom closing the door behind her. Frank stared after her his face twisted in guilt.
Joe sighed and yanked on his brother's arm. "C'mon Frank. It's time to go." Frank merely nodded, his eyes focused on the closed bathroom door for a long minute before he turned and the two brothers left the hotel room in silence.
HHHHH
Frank exhaled slowly as he took a seat in the taxi and pulled out his cell phone. It was still in the plastic that Gramgee and his men had sealed it in. His brother was being uncharacteristically silent as he stared out the window at the English countryside. Frank looked down at the phone in his hand for a moment before ripping open the plastic and removing the electronic device.
He turned it on listening to the familiar jingle as it searched for a network. Finding one, a missed call screen immediately appeared. Frank had missed twenty-one calls in the time he had been at the Mystery Mansion. Frank sighed and listened to the first one. It was Callie.
"Frank, darling, you must be incredibly busy right now not to be picking up the phone, but I was just calling to tell you about my friend Kelsie, her boyfriend, Mark, proposed to her today at the beach. It was absolutely romantic. Anyways, call me when you get the chance. Love you!"
Frank pulled the phone away from his ear and clicked to the next one. "Frank, it has been an hour since I called you. Why haven't you called me back? I hope everything is ok. Look, Kelsie and I are going shopping soon so call me on my cell. Love you and miss you."
Frank sighed and moved to the next one. "Frank Hardy, I'm starting to get ticked. You still haven't called me so I called your mother to find out exactly what kind of case you're on. She told me it is just a competition in England so I have got to wonder why you haven't called me back. England has phones; I know they do; they're big and red. So don't use your, "I didn't have service," or, "My battery was low," as an excuse."
Frank clicked to the next message. "Frank Hardy this isn't funny. I am seriously wondering if you're taking any of our relationship seriously. You haven't called me in two days and Kelsie is on me about why you still haven't proposed. What is going on? Frank, please call me back. I'm just really worried. I love you."
Joe was now looking at Frank as the elder boy put his head in his hands and clicked to the fourth message. "Frank Hardy, Kelsie and I went shopping for a dress in New York today and you won't believe who I ran into; Bess Marvin. And you know what; she had the funniest thing to say to me. It seems Nancy Drew is in England for some sleuthing competition, but I assume you know that. Is that why you haven't called me? I'm practically you're fiancé and yet you haven't called me so it is only logical that she's the reason for it. Look, just call me, please. Tell me I'm being silly worrying about you and Nancy Drew."
Frank pressed the heel of his hand to the bridge of his nose and hit next. "Frank, I'm giving you one hour to call me back or I call Ned Nickerson. I bet he'd love to find out that you two are on the same case and that I haven't heard from you in almost forty-eight hours."
Click. "Frank Hardy, I know Ned and Nancy aren't together anymore. I know. It doesn't take a genius to know that is why you aren't calling me. I just can't believe you're doing this to me."
Click. "Frank Hardy I-"
Click. "-Call me!"
Click. "I'll bet you and Nancy-"
Click. "-ENGAGED!"
Click. "Four Days and still-"
Click. Click. Click. Click. Click. Click. Click. Click. "Frank Hardy, damn it; call me!"
Frank grimaced as the message screen finally disappeared and was replaced by his blue and green wallpaper. Joe was still staring at him, no glaring at him with an "I told you so" air about him. The younger Hardy opened his mouth, probably to voice his opinion, but Frank beat him to it. "Don't say a word, Joe, not a single word." And with that he began furiously punching a number into his phone.
Ring. Ring. Ring. Frank tried to remain calm as he waited for Callie to answer the phone and after four rings he heard the phone click. "Oh so now you can call me," his girlfriend's sarcastic voice drifted through the earpiece and Frank silently cursed caller ID. He had wanted the first word.
"Yeah, I'm finally calling you."
"And?"
"And I think we're overdue for a talk."
"Well of course it's been two weeks."
"Callie, you're not going to want to hear this."
"What do you mean? Frank Hardy, I think I very much want to hear this apology."
"I'm not apologizing."
"What do you mean you're not apologizing? I'm angry at you."
"You're always angry at me." Frank sighed. "Look, what I'm trying to say is-"
"Stop that Frank. You make it sound like you're trying to break up with me."
"That's because I am. Look Callie, you know I love you, but I also know you can't keep doing this. If you stay with me you'll always be waiting on the end of the mysteries, and the reality is that those aren't going away." His words were calm, emotionless and he was met with a momentary silence on the other end of the line.
"Wh…What do you mean you're breaking up with me? Frank, we were going to be engaged."
"I'm sorry, Callie, but we were never going to be engaged."
"But I had plans. Everyone said we're so perfect for each other and our families get along so well. I was just over visiting your mother earlier and- Frank, I'm sorry for all the calls. I was just so worried. Imagine what it was like for me to not hear from you for two weeks. I'm sorry if the calls were over the top, but I just got scared. Please don't do this to me. I love you."
"I'm sorry, I really am, but things have been over between us for a long time now. The fighting about cases, the constant hints about wanting me to propose when you know I'm not ready. It's just too much. You're ready to settle down and have this wonderful suburban life with a house, kids, and nine to five jobs and I'm just not. Actually, I'm not sure I'll ever be. You can't be completely shocked by this."
He heard a sniffle on the other end of the line and knew Callie was crying. "No, no I can't say I am. Just tell me one thing Frank."
"Anything."
"Is it…is it her?"
Frank shut his eyes tightly knowing exactly who "her" was. "No, Callie it isn't her."
"Oh." There were several sniffles on the other end the line and Frank suddenly became aware that his face was wet. Their relationship may have been heading down the tubes and he may have not been in love with her, but she still held a special place in his heart. Her voice cracked over the connection, "Frank, I think… I think I'm going to hang up now."
"Go ahead, Callie. Just trust me when I say I'm sorry."
"I do. Ha, seems so strange, I do," she whispered and the line went dead.
Frank took a deep breath and pulled the phone away from his ear before shutting it. He sat there a moment feeling Joe's eyes on him. He knew Joe wanted to say something, he was fidgeting, but he was also respecting his elder brother and his feelings. After all, it wasn't everyday that you broke up with you're girlfriend of several years even Joe had to have some decency.
Frank finally sighed and dropped his cell phone on the seat between him and his brother. "Joe," he whispered not looking up, "It's done."
"So I gathered. I thought you'd finally decided to marry her. That whole speech back in the boat house kind of cemented that. You didn't love Nancy; you wanted to marry Callie."
Frank sighed, "I had to make him think I'd shoot Joe. You know that. I had to make him think there were more important things to me than Nancy, things that I would do anything to protect. I thought it would be obvious to you; you know how I feel about the marriage thing."
Joe ran a hand through his blonde hair and slowly shook his head. "No Frank. You were very convincing."
"So Nancy…"
"I think so."
"Can I borrow your phone?"
"Why? You've got yours right there."
"I've got to call someone very important but I've got the feeling this important person doesn't want to talk to me right now."
"Oh, Frank, I'm not sure that is the best idea. I agree it is high time you two had this conversation, but the phone isn't a good way to go about it."
"Joe, we're leaving the country in under an hour. I don't really have a choice."
"Sorry big brother, but we always have a choice. It's just a matter of whether you believe she'll forgive that choice."
A/N. Well, that's it for this one. I know this isn't the ending some of you wanted, but this last scene was written before the rest of the story and I had to stick to it. I hope you like it and are glad to finally have an ending. Maybe there is some Nancy/Frank in the future, but I was determined they would not get together in this one. I have some thoughts for a sequel eventually, but I wanted to give you guys a chance to voice your opinions. Should I include Lexi and Claire in the sequel or would you prefer a straight Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mystery?