Reading Registry Key

I am working on a C# application that can take a computer name and connect to that computer over the server and check several of the local security policies and create a log of what policies are incorrectly set.  In a nutshell, it is an automated way of going through a security checklist rather than manually looking at each policy at each computer.  I am currently trying to read the "Audit Policies" such as "Audit Policy Change" etc.  I found a registry key located in  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Security\\Policy\\PolAdtEv named "(Default)" that is a hexadecimal value that represents the setting of each of the 9 audit policies.  Exactly what I need!! There is only one problem.  The code below shows how I am trying to read this key.  I have read that GetValue("") will read keys named "(Default)," I was also told to try null and "@".  I tried all of them and am still having the same problem.  ans in the code below always has an undefined value after the GetValue executes.  I think the problem is that the (Default) is a REG_NONE type.  To test this theory I used the registry editor to copy the (Default) and made it a REG_BINARY and named it "mine."  I tried the same code again instead using rk.GetValue("mine").  Now the code works and I get the list of hex numbers that I need to determine the policies.  Does anyone know why it will not read the (Default) key   Is it because it is a REG_NONE   Is there a way around this problem   I can't go to each computer and copy this key and change the type each time I want to run the program (well i could but I shouldn't have to).  I would appreciate any help you can give.  Thanks in advance.  Sorry so lengthy.