Past and Present Danger Read online

  PAST AND PRESENT DANGER

  “What do you know about a reporter named Clayton Silvers?” Frank Hardy asked Joe’s friend Darryl, an intern at the Bayport Times.

  “Take ’Em Down Silvers? I know the good and the bad.” Darryl handed Frank a folder of articles. “Silvers brought down mobsters as well as crooked politicians and corporations. Nothing and nobody was too big for him to tackle. He cost some powerful folks some serious green…. Guess he made some, too.”

  Frank looked up. “What do you mean?”

  Darryl pulled out a clipping. “‘Silvers Is Tarnished,’” Darryl quoted without looking at the paper. “‘Well-known reporter accused of taking bribes.’”

  “Bribes for what?” Callie Shaw asked.

  “They found proof that people had paid him to go after their opponents or business rivals,” Darryl said. “They’d even given him tips and leads. He made their rivals look bad, so his clients looked good.”

  “This is too wild!” Joe exclaimed. “How are we going to tell Aunt Gertrude that her old, best friend … is a crook?”

  The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories

  #105 The Smoke Screen Mystery

  #107 Panic on Gull Island

  #108 Fear on Wheels

  #109 The Prime-Time Crime

  #110 The Secret of Sigma Seven

  #114 The Case of the Counterfeit Criminals

  #124 Mystery with a Dangerous Beat

  #133 Crime in the Kennel

  #139 The Search for the Snow Leopard

  #140 Slam Dunk Sabotage

  #141 The Desert Thieves

  #143 The Giant Rat of Sumatra

  #147 Trial and Terror

  #148 The Ice-Cold Case

  #149 The Chase for the Mystery Twister

  #150 The Crisscross Crime

  #151 The Rocky Road to Revenge

  #152 Danger in the Extreme

  #153 Eye on Crime

  #154 The Caribbean Cruise Caper

  #155 The Hunt for the Four Brothers

  #156 A Will to Survive

  #157 The Lure of the Italian Treasure

  #158 The London Deception

  #159 Daredevils

  #160 A Game Called Chaos

  #161 Training for Trouble

  #162 The End of the Trail

  #163 The Spy That Never Lies

  #164 Skin & Bones

  #165 Crime in the Cards

  #166 Past and Present Danger The Hardy Boys Ghost Stories

  Available from MINSTREL Books

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  A MINSTREL PAPERBACK Original

  A Minstrel Book published by

  POCKET BOOKS, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

  www.SimonandSchuster.com

  Visit us on the World Wide Web: http://www.SimonSays.com

  Copyright © 2001 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

  For information address Pocket Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

  ISBN: 0-7434-2342-9

  ISBN-13: 9-7807-434-2342-7

  eISBN-13: 9-7807-434-2342-7

  THE HARDY BOYS MYSTERY STORIES is a trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  THE HARDY BOYS, A MINSTREL BOOK and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  Contents

  1 Out of the Blue

  2 Old Friends, New Enemies

  3 Tips and Tales

  4 Hard Headlines

  5 Dangerous Curves

  6 Nowhere to Go but Down

  7 Tall Stories

  8 Big Brother Is Watching

  9 Invasion

  10 Nowhere Is Safe

  11 “SEARCH”

  12 Escape

  13 Program for Destruction

  14 Ground Zero

  15 Subject Neutralized

  16 All Clear

  PAST AND PRESENT DANGER

  1

  Out of the Blue

  “You think we’ll survive this?” seventeen-year-old Joe Hardy asked his older brother as he felt the muscles in his back tense up.

  “I don’t know.” Frank Hardy stood grinning, surrounded by shopping bags. They were everywhere. “They’ve got us outnumbered four to one. It does look hopeless.”

  “It wouldn’t be, if you two would stop procrastinating and load those bags,” a stern voice insisted.

  Frank and Joe smiled sheepishly. The voice belonged to their ever-efficient aunt Gertrude, their father’s only sister. “It’s four o’clock, and we still have three more stops to make before dinner.”

  The two brothers quietly groaned and finished loading the shopping bags in through the rear of their custom van. The boys often used the van to chase down crooks, but things had been quiet lately, as if all criminals had taken a holiday.

  They couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed, as this was the second day of their weeklong school break and they had hoped to spend it doing something—anything—more exciting than shopping.

  It was a beautiful early fall day, perfect for biking, skateboarding—not for playing errand boys.

  “Hey, Frank, Joe, what’s up?” Tony Prito called out as he cruised by in his car. “See you down at Mr. Pizza later?”

  “Not likely,” Joe replied. “We’ve got more … important things to do.”

  Tony grinned. “Yeah, I can see that. Later.”

  “This wouldn’t be bad if it were just down time between cases,” Frank said. “But things have been too quiet lately.”

  Joe nodded.

  “I’m extremely happy you two are not involved in any murder and mayhem,” said their aunt. She crossed several items off her list of errands. “It’s bad enough Fenton courts danger, without his sons following suit.”

  Fenton Hardy, the boys’ father, was a well-known and successful private investigator. It seemed as if his skills had rubbed off on the boys. Robbers, kidnappers, and saboteurs—Frank and Joe had tackled them all and with tremendous success.

  “If only something would happen,” Joe continued. He stepped over to a sidewalk newspaper dispenser and purchased a paper. The headline was in bold black type.

  “‘City Council wants to bring more business to Bayport,’” Joe read out loud. “Our senator is lobbying for better ecological management of our shoreline. As I said, nothing earth-shaking.”

  “Senator Ogilvy is a good man,” Aunt Gertrude declared. “I volunteered in his last campaign. He really cares about his constituents. In fact, he spends more time here than he does in Washington.”

  Frank Hardy shrugged his shoulders. “That’s great, Aunt Gertrude,” he said, “but a lot of politicians say and do anything to get elected.”

  “Well, not our senator, he—” Suddenly Aunt Gertrude glanced at the big clock on top of a store down the street. “Oh my, it’s later than I thought, and we still have a lot to do before dinner.”

  Joe winked at Frank. “So maybe we should skip the rest of the list,” he said.

  Aunt Gertrude gave her nephew a look that said that was not an option.

  “Okay, okay,” Joe said sheepishly. “Scratch that idea.” He walked around to the side of the van to hold the door for his aunt. “Okay, Aunt Gertrude,” Joe said. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

  Joe looked around. Where was his aunt? She was no longer standing behind the van. Movement caught his eye, and he turned to see his aunt
running down the street. “Aunt Gertrude, where are you going?” Joe called out.

  “What’s up?” Frank asked.

  Joe pointed to their aunt, who as now half a block away, in front of the mini mall they had just left. “I’ve never seen her run like that before,” Joe said.

  Frank grabbed his brother by the arm and took off after her. He thought he knew what had caused his aunt’s running off. Then Joe spotted what Frank had seen.

  Just beyond Aunt Gertrude three men were fighting. As the brothers drew closer it became clear that two of the men, one blond and one dark-haired, were attacking the third one. The two men then started to drag the third by the arms toward a white van parked at the curb.

  Before Frank and Joe could catch up to their aunt, she had reached the men. The dark-haired one, tall and lean, had just raised his hand above the victim’s head. Joe spotted a blackjack in the attacker’s hand, ready to come down hard. That was when Aunt Gertrude shocked the boys for the second time. She reached up and quickly grabbed the man’s arm, and held on with all her might.

  But the man was strong, and the boys knew that it was only a matter of seconds before he’d break her grasp—and the first thing he’d strike would be her.

  2

  Old Friends, New Enemies

  Frank and Joe put on a burst of speed, just as the attacker lowered his arm and Aunt Gertrude bit his hand. This caused the man to drop the blackjack.

  The victim, a man with dark brown skin and short cropped hair, who was still on the sidewalk, took advantage of Aunt Gertrude’s actions and focused on his other attacker, tripping him and sending him crashing to the pavement. The victim then tried to help Gertrude Hardy by grabbing her assailant around the legs.

  Again, the man proved to be too strong. He kicked out and struck the victim a mean blow to the face while at the same time shoving Aunt Gertrude up against the van. The second assailant pushed up to his feet and was getting set to kick the victim. That was when Frank and Joe arrived.

  Joe leaped and landed on the blond attacker while Frank jumped between the dark-haired man and their aunt. “Back off!” he shouted. The assailant only grinned wickedly as he swung a large fist at Frank’s face.

  The older Hardy ducked the swing and fired three rapid blows to the man’s midsection. The attacker stumbled back, momentarily stunned and surprised. As Frank stepped in to deliver another blow, the man recovered enough to grab Frank’s arm, elbow him in the jaw, and flip him over his shoulder.

  Frank landed with a thud, the wind knocked out of him.

  Joe had managed to wrestle himself on top of the other man and was about to deliver a right cross when he felt a sharp pain in his side. He was kicked by the man Frank had been fighting. The blow sent Joe spilling off his opponent, gasping for breath. He and his brother could only watch as the two men jumped into the white van. A third person, the unseen driver, threw the vehicle in gear and sped off. In seconds it was gone.

  A crowd had begun to gather, and some people offered to help.

  “Are you boys badly hurt?” Aunt Gertrude asked. She knelt between Frank and Joe as they rose up on their elbows.

  “Just my pride,” Joe replied, pushing himself to his feet.

  Frank moaned slightly. “I think he hurt me a little bit more than that.” Aunt Gertrude looked alarmed. “I’m really okay,” he said, consoling her. He did wince slightly as he got to his knees, though. “Honest.”

  “Good,” she said. Then she checked on the victim. “Are you all right?” she asked, the concern showing in her voice.

  The man rubbed his jaw tenderly. “I guess so,” he said slowly. Then he stared at Aunt Gertrude, and a stunned expression fell across his face. “I don’t believe it. Spitfire, what are you doing here?”

  Aunt Gertrude beamed, then blushed as she realized the boys and several onlookers were staring at her.

  “Spitfire?” Frank and Joe said in unison.

  Aunt Gertrude frowned as her whole face turned bright pink. “Boys, uh … this is Mr. Clayton Silvers, a friend of mine.”

  “An old friend,” Mr. Silvers corrected enthusiastically. “We went to high school together.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Frank said. He rose to his feet and extended his right hand to Mr. Silvers.

  “I can call the police on my cell phone,” one bystander offered.

  “No, thank you,” Clayton Silvers said quickly. “I’m okay.”

  “Spitfire?” Joe said, not wanting to let go of an obviously awkward situation.

  Aunt Gertrude picked up her purse from the sidewalk and removed a handkerchief. “No one has called me that in years,” she said. She gingerly dabbed at a cut on Clayton Silvers’s lip.

  Joe glanced at Frank, then back to his aunt. “Spitfire?” he repeated.

  “We gave her that name because—Ow!” Clayton Silvers jerked away from Gertrude Hardy. “You trying to mend my wounds, or open them up?”

  “Just hold still, Clayton,” Gertrude Hardy told him.

  “As I was just about to say. I—”

  “Don’t you dare, Clayton Aloysius Silvers!”

  Clayton exchanged a mischievous look with Joe. “But why not? You used to be proud of that name. You earned it. I think the boys—”

  Aunt Gertrude’s nostrils flared. “You open your mouth, and I’ll—”

  “See what I mean?”

  “Right now I think we need to deal with the question of who those men were,” Frank said, taking the heat off his aunt. “Why were they attacking you, Mr. Silvers?”

  Joe noticed a fast change in Clayton Silvers’s attitude. But it vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

  “Muggers,” Clayton replied evenly. “I assume you have them here in Bayport just like anywhere.”

  “Did they take your money or wallet?” Joe asked.

  “No,” Clayton replied, not even checking his pockets. “So let’s forget about it, okay?”

  “But we should report it to the police,” Frank said.

  “Absolutely,” Aunt Gertrude added. “In fact, Fenton often works with the authorities, and I’m sure—”

  “No,” Clayton replied more strongly than necessary. “I’d rather not.”

  Gertrude Hardy studied her old friend. “Are you here on a story?” she asked. Once again, Clayton Silvers appeared momentarily uncomfortable.

  “A story?” Frank asked.

  “Clayton is a crime reporter on a big Washington newspaper,” Aunt Gertrude replied.

  “Crime reporter?” Joe’s interest was piqued. “Great! And you’re here in Bayport?” Joe said eagerly. “What kind of story?”

  Clayton Silvers threw up his hands and chuckled. “Now, wait a minute,” he said. “I’m here on vacation.”

  “And you never called to say you were coming,” Aunt Gertrude said, somewhat annoyed.

  “I didn’t even know you were still living here,” Clayton Silvers explained. “Besides”—Silvers began brushing dust off his jacket—“you know Fenton was never one of my fans.”

  Frank and Joe exchanged curious glances. “Why not?” Frank asked.

  “He felt I used to get his older sister in a lot of trouble.” Clayton Silvers smiled at Aunt Gertrude. “Had trouble getting him to believe it was the other way around.”

  “Oh, I want to hear all about this!” Joe said enthusiastically. “Why don’t you come on by the house so we can—”

  “I can’t now,” Clayton blurted out. He glanced at his watch, and once again Joe noticed the uneasiness in the man’s manner. “I … I have an appointment in here,” he said, indicating the mini mall. “An early dinner, but I’d be glad to stop by for a visit tomorrow.”

  “Fine then,” Gertrude Hardy said. “Come for lunch, around one o’clock. All right?” She jotted their address on a slip of notepaper and handed it to Clayton.

  “I’ll be there. Now I really have to run, but I’ll see you all tomorrow. Promise.” Clayton Silvers took a few steps, then turned back to the Hardys. “Good t
o see you again, Spitfire!” He laughed, then hurried into the mini mall.

  Gertrude Hardy appeared to be flustered as she started back toward the Hardys’ van. “Let’s go, boys. We still have to finish those errands.”

  The boys fell in behind her. “I think Silvers is here on a story,” Joe whispered to Frank. “Did you notice how he clammed up when we asked questions?”

  “He did seem a little jittery for a guy on vacation,” Frank replied. “But I thought it was because of the mugging.”

  “That’s another thing,” Joe said. “Did you notice the clothes on those muggers? They were pretty well dressed for guys who make street grabs.”

  Frank nodded. “Grab is the word,” he said. “The incident had a professional feel to it,” he added. “Two for the pull, and a man at the wheel. I think they were trying to kidnap him.”

  Joe came to a sudden stop. “Stall Aunt Gertrude. I want to see who Mr. Silvers is meeting for that early dinner. Maybe that is part of the picture.”

  “But we have no right to—”

  Joe was already running back down the street, and a few seconds later he had ducked through the main entrance to the mini mall.

  The mall was a one-story building, about a block long and constructed in a C shape. Most of Joe’s friends hung out at the large mall outside of town that contained lots of stores, arcades, a food court, and a multiplex movie theater. This mall specialized in novelties, bookstores, and a fancy coffeehouse.

  Joe knew it did not have any major restaurants, so he wondered why Clayton Silvers was having a dinner date there. Moving quickly, Joe jogged by the stores from one end of the mall to the other. He stopped now and then when he spotted someone who looked like Mr. Silvers.

  By the time he reached the far end of the mall, he had not seen his quarry anywhere. Joe was about to run back to join Frank and his aunt when someone opened an exit door leading to the parking lot. The rectangle of bright light caught Joe’s attention, and he got a glimpse of a man wearing a jacket the same style and color as Silvers’s.

  Joe ran to the door and pushed through it, spotting the man walking toward the far end of the parking lot. The lot was packed, giving Joe plenty of vehicles to hide behind as he followed his aunt’s friend.