The Shore Road Mystery (2 page)
Read The Shore Road Mystery Online
Authors: Franklin W. Dixon
“Thanks,” said Joe, then turned and raced for the water. Frank followed.
“Whoa there!” From behind a pair of sunglasses appeared the tan, smiling face of blond Lifeguard Biff Hooper.
The Hardys greeted Biff and looked around the beach. There were not many bathers in evidence.
“Where is everybody today?” Frank asked.
“I think the car thefts are keeping folks away,” Biff answered. “It's been like this for a week.”
“Have any of the rest of our crowd been here today?” Joe put in.
“I haven't seen Iola all day,” Biff teased.
The others laughed, and Joe joined in. Bashful with girls, he was used to being teased about his attachment to Chet Morton's sister.
“Say, where's Chet?” Frank asked.
“Chet? I haven't seen him here this week,” Biff replied. “But I did hear he's been spending some time at the Bayport Museum.”
“It must be connected with food.” Tony grinned. Their stout friend loved to eat.
Frank and Joe went swimming. An hour later they saw Biff beckoning to them from shore. “Message for you fellows!” he shouted. They swam quickly to the beach.
Biff exclaimed, “A phone message was just brought to me! Jerry finally got his new car! He's at Beach Grove. Why don't you Hardys run over later and take a look at it?”
“Great!”
Jerry Gilroy, a fellow student, had long spoken of buying a handsome car for which he had been saving earnings from summer and after-school jobs.
Before leaving, Frank and Joe decided to stroll along the beach toward a black stone jetty in the distance. Suddenly they came upon a dead bat in the sand.
“Funny,” said Joe. “Wonder how that got here.”
The boys walked on to the end of the jetty and scanned the horizon. Beyond the bathing area, a black fishing boat cruised by slowly. Moments later, the Hardys recognized a smaller green-and-white boat which belonged to their friend Jack Dodd.
They waved to him. Jack seemed about to wave back when they saw him lurch forward sharply and drop below in his boat. Then he stood up and signaled frantically.
“Something's wrong!” Joe gasped. “Look! The bow is beginning to list!”
The Hardys dived off the jetty and swam swiftly out to meet the craft as Jack headed it toward the rock promontory. In moments they had climbed into the boat.
“Frank! Joe! Quick! In there!”
Jack pointed to the small forward compartment as he maneuvered the boat closer to the jetty. Below, the Hardys found themselves standing in an inch of churning water!
“Near the left bulkhead!” Jack called down, cutting the motor.
Frank had already spotted a small, bubbling fount and covered it with his foot. Joe ripped a towel off a hook and together they stanched the leak until some wood sealer was found in the paint locker. By the time Joe and Jack were mooring the boat to the jetty, Frank had tightly plugged the leak.
“I guess I owe you fellows my boat.” Jack smiled gratefully as the three bailed most of the water out of the compartment.
Jack Dodd was a likable, dark-haired youth. He and his father, a widower and respected Bayport citizen, worked a farm on Shore Road.
“The exercise did us goodâand in.” Joe laughed and jumped onto the jetty. “How did it happen, Jack? Did you strike a rock?”
Jack shook his head worriedly. “Some other object struck my boat underneath.”
Frank's face showed astonishment.
“Something's wrong!” Joe gasped
“It sure seemed that way. I was moving along great until I heard a scraping noise and then the gush of water. I've never hit any rocks around here before.”
“But who would deliberatelyâ” Joe was puzzled.
“You've got me.” Jack shrugged. “I've run into some cranks along the coast, but never any who seemed likely to do this sort of thing.” A gleam came into Jack's eye. “Say, how would you fellows like to help Dad and me solve a mystery?”
“A mystery!”
“Yes,” Jack continued, brightening. “My uncle, an astronomy professor at Cheston College, is coming up from Greenville tomorrow to assist us, but we need a couple of good local detectives.” He grinned at the Hardys. “This mystery concerns a geographical puzzle that's been puzzling our family for three centuries!”
The Hardys whistled. “You bet we'll help!”
Jack promised to give them the details the following day. He cast off, waving good-by.
After Frank and Joe had changed into their sport clothes, they returned to the motorcycles and headed north on Shore Road, eager to see Jerry's new car.
As they neared Beach Grove Point, they saw a boy running toward them. “It's Jerry!” Frank exclaimed.
The Hardys screeched to a halt as their wiry, red-cheeked friend flagged them down. His hair was tousled and his eyes wide with worry.
“The carâmy new car!” he gasped. “It's just been stolenâsky-blue Cavalier hardtop! Did it pass you heading south?”
The brothers shook their heads. “Then it must have gone north,” Jerry declared.
“We'll chase it,” Joe offered.
The Hardys gunned their motors and swept northward. Crouching low, they whipped up an incline beneath a rock overhang.
“There it is!” Frank shouted.
Several hundred yards ahead a light-blue hardtop sped around a long curve in the highway. When the car came into view again, the gap between it and the boys had widened. The Hardys accelerated and streaked ahead through an unbroken stretch of farm country.
“We're gaining on him!” Joe yelled.
He had no sooner said this when Frank saw something that made him exclaim in dismay.
A huge, bright-red produce truck pulled out of a dirt road directly ahead, entirely blocking off the highway! It stood still.
“Joe, look out!” Frank shouted, desperately braking down from top speed.
But it was too late! Tires smoking, the motorcycles screeched into a skid off the road!
CHAPTER II
Police Tip-off
SWERVING to avoid a wooden fence, the Hardys windmilled their motorcycles violently. Both boys flew off as the machines came to a stop in a cloud of dust. Dazed, Frank pulled himself up and limped over to Joe.
“You okay?” Frank asked with concern. His brother had a bruised forehead and had skinned his left arm.
Joe seemed stunned but managed a weak smile. “I just hope our cycles came out of it as lucky as we have.”
“The radio's banged up,” Frank said.
Up ahead, the door of the produce truck slammed. A short, plump man with yellowish-white hair approached the Hardys. From his floppy straw hat, denims, and mud-stained shoes the boys concluded that he was a farmer.
“You fellers all right?” he asked. “Mighty sorry âbout that spill. Didn't see you comin'. My truck horn don't work noways. Hope you wasn't in no hurry.”
“We were after somebody, but it's too late to catch him now,” said Frank. “May we use your phone?”
“Ain't got one,” the man replied.
As he drove off, the Hardys righted their motorcycles. To their relief, both machines were operable.
“We'd better get back to Beach Grove,” said Frank, and the boys chugged off.
They found that Jerry had already phoned the police. There were no noticeable footprints or other clues where he had left his car.
“I sure hate to lose that bus,” Jerry said. “Although the car was a year old, it was a good one, and an expensive model, too.”
“Was your car locked?” Joe asked their friend.
“Yes, but the thief managed to get it open.”
After the police arrived, Frank and Joe said they must leave. Jerry thanked the boys for their efforts. “I'll let you know what happens,” he promised.
In a short time the brothers reached the pleasant, tree-shaded Hardy home, which stood at the corner of Elm and High streets.
After dusting off their motorcycles, the boys entered the back door and tiptoed through the fragrant kitchen.
“I'm ready to put away a good meal,” Frank remarked.
Smudged, unkempt, and with a few bleeding cuts, they hoped to wash before alarming their mother or peppery Aunt Gertrude. Their father's unmarried sister was a frequent visitor.
They had no sooner started up the stairs when Miss Hardy came from the living room and called to them.
“Supper is almost readyâ” In the moment of silence that followed, there was a disapproving gasp. “Frank and Joe! Look at yourselves! Dust and mud and dirt andâ” the tall, angular woman began.
“That supper sure smells good, Aunty!” Joe said, smiling.
“Joe Hardy, don't you change the subject!” she continued. “A fine spectacle you are! And tracking dirt all over your mother's vacuumed carpetâ”
Suddenly Aunt Gertrude saw Joe's skinned arm and bruised forehead. “Joe, you're cut! And Frankâwhy are you limping? Oh, my goodness, what happened?”
Her nephews could not repress smiles. They soon dispelled her concern without mentioning the details of their accident on Shore Road. The brothers loved their aunt and knew that beneath her huffish way she held great affection for them.
“Well, maybe you didn't track the carpet too badly,” she said. “But, Joe, you'd better put some antiseptic on that ugly scratch. Frank Hardy, be careful going up those steps!”
Later, the boys joined the family at dinner. Their mother was a sweet-faced, quiet woman. Mr. Hardy was tall and distinguished looking.
After hearing the details of the day's happenings, the detective announced that he was leaving for New York on business. He left the table before dessert was served and hurried upstairs. Presently he reappeared, set a suitcase in the hall, and prepared to say good-by in the dining room.
“A big case, Dad?” Frank asked him.
“Not big enough, son.” The detective grinned. “After that last shirt was packed, I had to stand on the case to get it shut.” The pun brought pretended groans from his sons.
Their father went on, “I'll be in New York City, perhaps for several weeks. Authorities there have asked me to work on an arms-smuggling case. The smugglers are apparently supplying American criminals with foreign-made lethal weapons.”
“Got any leads, Dad?” Joe asked.
“Not yet. The government is greatly concerned over their distribution.”
Mr. Hardy kissed his wife and sister good-by. Then Frank and Joe accompanied their father outside to wait for his taxi to the airport.
“Too bad about Jerry's car,” the detective said. “Chief Collig asked my help on the theft case. Unfortunately, I had already accepted the New York assignment.”
“Do you mind if we have a try at the Shore Road mystery, Dad?” Frank asked hopefully.
“It sounds like quite a challengeâeven for my sons!” He smiled. “But I think the police could use any help available. Take care of yourselves and keep in touch. By the way, put my car in the garage before you go to bed. It's in the driveway.”
“Sure thing, Dad,” said Frank.
Back at the table, the brothers discussed the day's events with the women. “I wonder why Jerry's stolen car was headed north,” said Frank. “The other Shore Road thieves always turned south.”
Just then they heard a familiar voice from the kitchen door.
“Hi, Chet! Long time no see!” called Frank.
Stout, good-natured Chet Morton appeared, eating a piece of celery he had picked up from the kitchen table. Chet's visits to the Hardy household at mealtimes were not a rarity.
He greeted Mrs. Hardy and Aunt Gertrude, then said, “Hi, fellows!” Chet dropped into Mr. Hardy's vacant chair. “Sorry I couldn't meet you fellows at the beach today, but I've been kind of busy with my work.”
“Your work?” Joe repeated. Work was not one of Chet's strong assets.
He reached for an olive as Mrs. Hardy said, “How about some dinner? I'll get you a plate.”
“Not tonight, thanks, Mrs. Hardy.”
Aunt Gertrude raised her eyebrows. Seldom did the stout boy turn down an offer of food!
Frank and Joe hid smiles behind their napkins. Finally Frank urged, “Come on, Chet, something's in the air. It's not like you toâ”
Joe was not paying attention. He interrupted to say, “Listen! I just heard a noise from the driveway. It sounded like a door of Dad's car being shut!”
The three boys rushed out to the back porch. “Look!” cried Joe.
A hulking figure was getting into Mr. Hardy's sedan. Another man was already in the car.
“Stop!” Frank ordered.
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