“Our psychic powers,” Mrs. Randles said.
For a few seconds, nobody said anything, then Joe said, “Colin, are you sure you weren’t fighting Frank? Somebody was.”
Colin took a deep breath. “I called your house and told you not to come to this séance,” he admitted, “and I followed you in my car, trying to keep you from coming here. I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have done either one of those things, but I was not fighting Frank by the gazebo.”
“I’ve already told you that,” Mr. Randles said. “Colin came home and told us what he had done and why Nella was here.”
“That’s why we came over here,” Mrs. Randles added. “It was the first we knew about the séance Nella was holding.” She looked at her daughter. “Why?”
Nella bowed her head. “I thought it might be a way to make friends fast,” she said. “I’m tired of never having any friends.”
Callie and Iola went over and put their arms around her. “We’d be friends with you, Nella, even if you didn’t hold a séance.”
“Some people won’t have anything to do with you if you’re psychic,” Mr. Randles said. “You scare them. So we all agreed to stop. We just wanted the kids to have a normal life.”
Frank shook his head. There had to be more to this than he was hearing. Somebody had been fighting him by the gazebo. If it wasn’t Colin—and he was almost sure now that it wasn’t—then it had to be somebody who had come to Nella’s séance. But that would mean he was fighting a person who wasn’t . . . alive.
Mr. Randles stood up. “We’ve taken up too much of your time already,” he said. “We need to be going home. I have a job interview in the morning.” He turned to Nella. “Get your things,” he added.
“Why don’t you let her stay?” Mrs. Shaw said. “The girls have been looking forward to this.”
“Please, Dad,” Nella said.
“I don’t think there will be any more séances,” Mr. Shaw said. Looking at Frank, Joe, and Chet, he added, “Or young men playing practical jokes around here. Right, Chet?”
“Right,” Chet said.
Mr. Shaw turned to Mr. Randles. “What’s the job interview you have?”
Mr. Randles named a factory in Bayport. “It’s just assembly line work, but it’s work, and they may even have something for my wife.”
Mr. Shaw thought for a minute. “I’ve just bought a hardware store here in Bayport, and I’ll need a manager and a clerk. Do you two know anything about hardware?”
“Well, we’ve had to use it a lot, because we’ve never been able to afford a lot of plumbers or carpenters over the years,” Mr. Randles said. He looked at his wife and smiled. “And we’re both fast learners.”
Mr. Shaw wrote down an address. “I’ll meet you here in the morning at nine o’clock. I think this may work out for both of us.”
Mr. Randles turned to Nella. “It’s all right if you stay, as long as you girls get some sleep.” Nella nodded.
As they headed out of the Shaws’ house, Colin came up to Frank. “No hard feelings, Charlemagne?”
Frank grinned. “No hard feelings, Geronimo.”
Frank, Joe, and Chet got back into Chet’s car, but Frank told Chet to wait until the Randles had already gone.
“Why?” Chet said. “There’s no way I’m going to play another prank on anybody!” He grinned. “Not tonight, at least.”
“That’s what I thought,” Joe said. “I didn’t think your practical joke playing days were over.”
“Not by a long shot, buddy,” Chet assured him.
“So, what are we waiting for?” Joe asked Frank.
“There’s just something here that’s not adding up,” Frank said. “I can’t believe that Mr. and Mrs. Randles would be so upset about Nella’s having a séance at a sleepover. It has to be something bigger.”
“Well, they did say that they used to tell fortunes in other towns,” Joe reminded him.
“What’s the big deal there?” Frank said. “That shouldn’t really get people all that riled up. There are a lot of fortune-tellers around. No, it has to be something else. They weren’t telling everything they knew about their psychic abilities.”
No one said anything.
Finally, Frank said, “I think it has to do with Colin. He’s the only one in the family nobody said anything about.”
“What do you mean?” Joe asked.
“I think Colin is the real psychic,” Frank explained. “Oh, I don’t mean the rest of them aren’t. During that séance, something attacked me. It could have been sticks and stones blown up by a strong wind, I guess, but what if Nella contacted a really angry spirit? Anyway, I’ll wager that séances and fortune-telling are minor compared to Colin’s psychic abilities.”
“I say we find out,” Joe said.
“I say we do, too,” Frank agreed.
On Monday morning Frank cornered Colin after English class. “We need to talk.”
Colin tried to pull away to his right, but Frank blocked his path.
“I don’t have to talk to you, Hardy,” Colin said.
When he tried to go to the left, Frank blocked that way, too.
“I didn’t take you for a bully, Hardy,” Colin said. He was staring directly into Frank’s eyes, and there was something very disquieting about it.
“I’m not a bully, Colin,” Frank said. He tried to make his tone friendlier. “I’m just trying to find out what’s going on here.”
“You’re asking the wrong person,” Colin said. “You need to ask my sister.”
Frank looked around. He didn’t want Ms. Long or anyone else to hear him. “I don’t think I am, Colin. Nella may be able to call up spirits at séances and your parents may be able to tell fortunes, but I think it’s your psychic ability that your family is really worried about. What are you not telling people?”
Colin took a deep breath and once again stared darkly into Frank’s eyes.
“I see things that other people don’t see, Frank,” Colin whispered. “I see other’s people’s secrets.”
Frank stepped back, stunned.
“Satisfied?” Colin said.
Just as he started to leave, Joe came up with Phil Cohen.
“Our chemistry teacher needs some chemicals for an experiment we’re doing in the lab this afternoon,” Joe said. “Phil and I are driving over to a chemical supply company to pick them up. We both have study hall now, and the principal said we could. I’m taking the van.”
“You can’t do that,” Frank said. “I promised the coach I’d pick up a couple of new hurdles at that big sports warehouse just outside of town. I’ll need the van for that.”
“No problem, Joe,” Phil said. “We’ll take my car.”
Joe wasn’t sure that was such a great idea, because Phil sometimes drove too fast. Since he had gotten his new sports car, he was about to set a record at Bayport High School for receiving the most speeding tickets.
“Well, I guess—,” Joe started to say.
But Colin interrupted with, “No, Joe! Don’t do it!”
Everyone looked at him.
“What did you say?” Joe asked.
Colin swallowed hard. “Nothing. Forget it.”
Joe turned to Phil. “Well, come on, then. We have just enough time to get to the chemical place and back before chemistry class starts.”
Joe and Phil hurried away.
When Frank turned back to Colin, Colin had disappeared.
“Where did he go?” Frank muttered. He suddenly felt very anxious and wasn’t sure why, but he knew it had something to do with Colin Randles.
Frank hurried to the end of the hall, but Colin was nowhere in sight. Frank tried the restroom. He found Colin inside, washing his face with cold water.
“Colin! You have to tell me!” Frank said. “What did you mean when you told Joe not to go with Phil?”
Colin looked up. The water on his face made him look as though he had just come in from a thunderstorm.
“I saw a bad car wreck,” Colin m
anaged to say. “I don’t think Joe and Phil will make it back here alive.”
5 Mr. Hardy’s Secret
* * *
Frank suddenly grabbed Colin’s arm and said, “Come on—help me look for Phil’s red sports car.”
Frank dragged Colin down the hall. At the end he turned down a hallway that led to the parking lot next to the coach’s office where Frank had parked the van.
“I can’t miss class, Frank,” Colin protested. “We’re having a test, and I need to get a good grade.”
Frank didn’t let go. “Which class is it?” he asked.
“Speech,” Colin replied. “I’m giving my major speech today.”
“Is it Thompson’s class?” Frank said.
Colin nodded.
“Don’t worry, then. I’ll make it right for you,” Frank said. “Joe and I solved a mystery for her last year. She’d want you to help save my brother.”
“I don’t know if I can or not,” Colin pleaded. “You can’t just turn this stuff off and on.”
They had reached the exit. Frank stopped and got in Colin’s face.
“No more games, Colin. On our way to make sure Joe and Phil aren’t killed in an accident, you’re going to tell me everything!”
Frank didn’t wait for Colin to reply. He pulled him out the door. The van was right by the exit, in a faculty parking place that the coach had allowed Frank to park in today.
Frank opened the passenger door and pushed Colin inside. He got in on the driver’s side and squealed out of the parking lot.
“Where to?” Frank demanded. He was doing forty-five in a twenty-five mph zone. “Do we turn right or left up here?”
When Colin didn’t say anything, Frank yelled. “Right or left?” To himself, he thought, Get a hold of yourself, Hardy. This guy’s making you crazy. You’re totally losing it.
“Don’t you know the way to the chemical supply company?” Colin said. “I just moved here. I don’t know my way around.”
“There are a few chemical supply companies in Bayport,” Frank said. “Joe didn’t mention this one’s name. Hurry! Think!”
“Left!” Colin shouted just as they reached the boulevard in front of Bayport High School.
Frank made a quick left, almost colliding with another car.
“Keep talking, Colin,” Frank said.
“Sometimes what I see is in the future, Frank,” Colin explained. “The wreck might not even happen today. It might happen next week or even next month.”
Frank looked over at Colin. “I don’t believe you. You seemed pretty certain before of when the crash was going to happen. I think you’re just stalling.”
“I’m not, I’m not,” Colin said. “The image was very vivid, though, which usually means it’s going to happen pretty soon.”
“Then you’d better start seeing whatever it is you see, Colin,” Frank warned him, “because if anything happens to Phil and Joe, I’ll . . .”
“Make a right at the next intersection,” Colin said. “The images are coming fast now.” He gave Frank a wan smile. “Sometimes a lot of stress will do that.”
Frank grinned himself. “Sorry. You’re making me crazy. I don’t understand any of this stuff.”
“Neither do I,” Colin admitted, “and I’m the psychic one.”
Frank was driving twice the speed limit. If they were stopped, he only hoped it was by a police officer who recognized the Hardy name.
“There’s a red sports car up ahead!” Colin shouted.
Frank could see Phil weaving in and out of traffic. He laid down on his horn. He pressed three longs, two shorts, and then one more long. Now, it was all up to Joe.
Frank saw Joe turn in their direction.
Frank signaled with the horn again. “We made up this horn code years ago, in case we ever needed it,” he told Colin. He shook his head, thinking about the reason. “We decided that if either one of us were being kidnapped, the other would follow in a car, using this horn code, so that whoever was being kidnapped would know somebody was coming to the rescue.”
Phil had pulled over to the side of the road, just at the edge of the next intersection. Frank maneuvered into the far lane so that he could pull up behind him.
Just then, they heard a loud blast of a horn. Beyond them, in the intersection, a runaway truck was barreling through at breakneck speed.
“That’s it, Colin! That’s what you saw!” Frank shouted. “Joe and Phil would have been smashed like a tin can if they hadn’t stopped.”
Frank jumped out of the van and ran up to Phil’s sports car. Colin was right behind him.
“Hey, man, did you see that?” Phil said. “I’m glad you stopped us, Frank. We’d be long gone if you hadn’t.”
Frank could tell that Joe was visibly shaken. Suddenly, he gave Colin a hard stare.
Colin returned his look. “It’s okay now, Joe. There won’t be any more trouble,” he said. “You guys can go on and get the chemicals. I’ll talk to you later.” He turned to Frank. “We need to get back to school. I have a speech to give.”
Frank nodded. “I’ll explain later, Joe. You might not believe me anyway.”
Phil was giving all of them funny looks. “You guys are talking in code,” he said. “Would you mind translating?”
“I’m not quite sure I have all of the pieces of the puzzle,” Joe said, “but I’m getting there.” He never took his eyes off Colin. “You’re right. We’ll talk more about this later.” He turned to Phil. “We need to pick up those chemicals and get back to school.”
The light had just turned green, so Phil put his car in gear and sped through the intersection. He waved without turning around. Joe stared straight ahead.
When they got back to school, Frank once again offered to explain to Mrs. Thompson why Colin was late, but Colin said he’d take care of it. Frank decided not to push it.
“Okay. Then I’ll pick you up after school,” Frank said. “We have to talk this thing out. Joe will be expecting you, too.”
Colin sighed. “Okay,” he said heavily. “It follows me everywhere I go. There’s no getting away from it.”
With that, he disappeared inside the building.
True to his word, Colin was waiting for them when Frank and Joe came out of the locker room. He followed them quietly to their van.
In fact, nobody said anything during the drive home. It was only when they pulled into the Hardys’ driveway that Colin said, “I know what’s going to happen now. We’ll have to leave Bayport, just like we had to leave every other place we lived. It’s always my fault.”
Mrs. Hardy had some snacks ready for them, which meant that dinner was going to be served later than usual.
“Thanks, Mom!” the boys said. They introduced Colin to her.
“It’s a pleasure, Colin,” Mrs. Hardy said. “I hope you’re getting used to Bayport. We’ve lived here a long time. It’s a very interesting town.”
“Oh, yes, I am,” Colin said. “It’s a very interesting town, all right.”
Frank and Joe grabbed the snacks, pulled three soft-drink cans out of the fridge, and they led Colin to their room.
When they got there, Joe shut the door and immediately said, “So, earlier this afternoon, you saw us being killed, didn’t you?” There was anger in his voice.
“Calm down, Joe,” Frank said. “Colin and I have already had this conversation.”
Frank flopped down on the floor and started eating a sandwich.
Joe and Colin stood facing each other for a few minutes, then they followed Frank’s lead and joined him on the floor. They managed to put away several of the small sandwiches Mrs. Hardy had made.
Finally, Joe sighed and said, “Well, what made you change your mind, Colin? What made you decide to save me?”
“I didn’t have a choice,” Colin said.
“I made him,” Frank explained.
Joe turned to Colin. “So if my brother hadn’t made you find us, I’d be dead now.”
Col
in threw down his sandwich and got in Joe’s face. “Am I supposed to save the world, Joe Hardy? Is that what you’re saying?”
Joe didn’t back down. He got right in Colin’s face, too. “I’m not talking about saving the world, Randles, I’m talking about saving me.”
“Well, I’m talking about saving the world,” Colin countered. “Do you think yours is the only death I see every day?”
Joe blinked.
Frank stopped eating. “What do you mean?” he asked.
“I mean just what I said. I get these horrible visions every day. I see all of these awful things happening,” Colin said. “Of course, I don’t have any idea who most of these people are, they’re just people, all over the world, who are . . .” He stopped and put his head in his hands. After a couple of seconds, he looked up. “I don’t have any control over it. I have never had any control over it. The rest of my family is psychic, but I’m the most psychic, and I’m the one who gets my family in trouble. People don’t want to know about the horrible things I see.”
After a while, Joe said, “I’m sorry, Colin. I had no right to condemn you. It’s just that I . . .”
Colin managed to grin. “It’s just that you’d like to stick around for a few more years,” he said. “I understand that perfectly.”
After a brief pause Joe said, “You can’t just let all those horrible things continue to happen. If you can stop them, then I think you have a responsibility to do just that.”
Colin took a deep breath and let it out. “You’re not telling me anything that I don’t already feel, Joe, but you and Frank are the first people who’ve made me feel that this psychic thing is more gift than curse. I’ve been trying to push these visions out of my head for years.”
Frank shook his head. “It’s amazing,” he said. “You study and study and study and you think you’re so smart, because you know all of these facts, and what’s really crazy is that we have just barely scratched the surface of all there is to know.”
“People don’t want to hear what I know,” Colin said. “It scares them.”
“The unknown scares people,” Frank said. “That’s just a fact we all have to accept.”
The Case of the Psychic's Vision Page 3
