Pawns & Enemies: A Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys Mystery

7. Nancy

 The brothers had both left me so I decided to take down the motorcycles. As I took down the bikes I called George.

"Hey girl, can you do me another favor?"

"Sure," George answered. "What's up?"

"If I give you a license plate number can you hack me up a background check?" I fiddle with the strap.

"Well," George paused. "Yeah, I'll try."

"That's all I need, a try," I say after giving George Joe and Frank's numbers.

"Talk to you later," George replies.

"Bye, and say hi to Bess for me," I say right before hanging up. "And tell her I am so thankful she got me uncomfortable sandals."

"Ok," George says with a hint of surprise.

When we hang up I continue working on the cycles. I can't lift them on my own so I take a break. How was I going to bring up the "contacts" situation? How was I going to get inside their house? Maybe my answer was walking out the door. A pepper-haired lady about Dad's age was coming down the stairs.

"Oh, heavens! Did my nephews leave you out here to do their dirty work?" the lady gasped. "Oh no!" I insisted but the woman stayed and helped me lift the bikes off the car. It turned out she was pretty strong.

"I am Gertrude Hardy, but you call me Aunt Trudy, everyone does strangers even."

I think I like this lady already.

"I am Nancy Drew. I was helping Frank and Joe get home."

"I thought they were going out of town," Aunt Trudy gushed.

Out of town! That explains the heavy baggage on the bike, weighing them down. I lean against my car. "Do the boys go out of town a lot? Because you don't sound surprised by them leaving."

"Oh, quite often out of state too." She says disapprovingly.

Hum...

I was about to ask more questions when Joe opens the front door, bursting out and leaping down all the steps at once. I didn't think Aunt Trudy was short but compared to Joe's tall figure, she looked to be only about 5'2". Not that she seems short, her personality was huge.

"Hey Aunt Trudy, I see you met Nancy," Joe calls as he runs to us. He skids to a stop in front of my car.

"You had better say thank you to this young lady for doing your dirty work," Aunt Trudy commands.

I see now why she's not married. No guy wants to be pushed around by her.

"Thanks, Nance." Joe smiles. "Oh, it's okay if I call you Nance, right?" His face scrunches up.

"Everyone does eventually," I told him, smiling back.

"Why do you have a bandage on your neck?" Aunt Trudy demanded to know.

"Well, uh, um," Joe looked at me.

I shrug and nod.

"Never mind," Aunt Trudy snaps. "You must be starved. Oh, Nancy, do you have shoes?" Aunt Trudy was staring astonished at my bare feet.

Oops.

"Yes, of course," I reach into the car and grab my sandals. But the embarrassment had already come.

Aunt Trudy looked disapprovingly at me and Joe was laughing so hard he was holding his stomach.

I wonder if Aunt Trudy disapproves everything.

"I am sorry, Nancy," Joe apologizes. as I put on my shoes. "It really wasn't that funny."

"It's fine." Now I was giggling.

"Now that you young people are done with your laughter we can go in and eat," Aunt Trudy declares.

"Oh, that's okay. I can eat at my hotel," I say. I did want to stay but I didn't want to warn off my welcome.

"Nonsense, you will eat here, no buts." Aunt Trudy commands then turns and stalks inside.

Joe and I follow.

"Is she always so...so? " I stutter searching for the right word.

"Moody, demanding, grumpy, and disapproving?" Joe finishes. "Yeah."

As I walk into the Hardys house I realize it is nowhere near as beautiful as the outside. You must imagine a neat, clean, orderly house with everything spick-and-span. But what you and I have forgotten is that not one, but two teenage boys living here. Clothes are everywhere. I think Mrs. Hardy is a pack rat for books.

Joe led me to the kitchen where it must be the cleanest room in the house. Makes sense since Aunt Trudy and Mrs. Hardy clean it regularly. Speaking of Aunt Trudy and Mrs. Hardy they prepare huge lunches. Joe is already sitting down with his mom.

"Oh, Mom, this is Nancy Drew." Joe introduces me as he grabs food and starts eating.

"Nice to meet you, Nancy," Mrs. Hardy replies smiling warmly.

"Thanks for inviting me in, and feeding me lunch," I answer as I sit down.

"That's Gertrude for you," Mrs. Hardy laughs. "She'll take people off the street to feed them. And you have no say in it."

Joe and I join her giggles. Aunt Trudy came to the table from the kitchen.

"You start eating or I'll take the food," she commands.

"We'll eat," Joe speaks for us all as he digs in.

"Joe, where's Frank?" Mrs. Hardy asks.

"Ho, way dong ronch," Joe says through a stuffed mouth.

Seventeen years and you still don't understand," Mrs. Hardy sighs. "Clear your mouth before you talk."

Hoe swallows and takes a sip of his water.

"He...is...away...doing...research," Joe slowly pronounces. "Where's...Dad?"

"Your father left for business. Something with his company was urgent." Mrs. Hardy sighs. "I wish he would stay home more often."

At this time I had finished eating and Joe too but Mrs. Hardy had barely started.

"Here," Joe offers. "I'll show you around. We can leave Mom to eat in peace." He jumps from the table and I follow.

"So this is our family room," Joe says turning right. The room has a television, computer, armchair, and sofa. "This," Joe continues walking to the next room, "is the "library"." The room looks plain except for a few bookshelves, laptop, desk and chair. It also has a door that Joe kept glancing at anxiously. He walks over and stands in front of it.

"What's in there?" I ask, reaching for the door.

"No!" Joe commands jumping in front of the doorknob, "I mean, no you cannot go in there."

"Why not? You're giving me a tour of the house, right?"

"Right! But that's just a closet."

"Oh."

Why was he looking at it so strangely?

I turn and walk away from it just as the "closet" door opened and smashed into Joe. So that's where Frank went. And if you're wondering the "closet" has no clothes but is a dark room beeping and buzzing with electronic screens. I step inside as the brothers bicker. Creeping in, I make sure no one sees me. When I finish slipping in I hear the door slam. I'm trapped! Well, at least I can get some information from their computers. I sit down and start reading.