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Saccharine Sweet Revenge Jixemitri CWP #10
This story is my official debut as a Jix Author. Thank you to CathyP for allowing me to be counted among such talented
writers. Saccharine Sweet Revenge takes place after the story, “A Day in the Life of Moms”. “Bobby Belden! Where are you?” Trixie yelled from the middle
of her little brother’s room. She had been assigned the unpleasant task of
making sure that he was clean and dressed. Peter was taking Helen to “Bobby!” she repeated a bit louder. As she impatiently
turned to walk out of the room, her feet mysteriously tangled and she landed
in a heap on the floor. “Ooomph!” she gasped
loudly, the wind knocked out of her. “Gotcha!” Bobby cried gleefully, crawling out from under
his bed. “I maked you fall, Trixie! If you was a
bad guy, I woulda catched
you!” Trixie tried to get up, but as soon as she stood, she fell
again. While on the floor, she saw that her laces had been tied together.
“Bobby! That’s not very nice. You could’ve made me break my neck!” Bobby giggled and quickly exited his room while Trixie was
busy untangling her laces. He ran to the safe haven of his parents’ room and
hid behind his mother as she finished zipping her suitcase. He knew his
sister’s revenge would be sweet; saccharine sweet, as he liked to say. “Moms!” Trixie hollered as she stomped into her parents’
room in pursuit of her young charge. “Bobby tied my laces together and made
me fall!” Helen Belden looked up at her daughter. “Am I going to be able
to leave your brother here without coming home to any fatalities?” she asked, arching
a sandy brow skeptically. “I’m not sure this is a good id---” “What’s not a
good idea?” Peter Belden interrupted, coming in the room to retrieve the
heavy suitcase. “Leaving our children here.” Seeing that her husband was
not convinced, Helen added ominously, “Alone.” Peter kissed her cheek. “They’ll be fine, dear. You’ve been
looking forward to this trip, and you need a break. Doesn’t she, Trixie?” He emphasized his last words and looked
pointedly at his daughter. “You sure do, Moms,” Trixie agreed with a gulp. “You can
count on us to take care of everything.” She remembered how one of her
mysteries ruined the previous Mother’s Day; she was determined not to ruin Moms’
birthday, as well. Helen shook her head. “School just started. I really should
be here to help Bobby get ready.” “I can do it, Moms!” Trixie insisted. She would not allow
her mother to give up her much needed holiday. “Bobby will be good, won’t you
lamb?” She nodded to her brother. “Sure. I don’t want Moms to miss her ‘cation.
It is her birthday. Hey, when will
it be my birthday, Trixie? I never
getta have a birthday!” “Your birthday
isn’t for a long time, lamb,” Trixie answered honestly. “I’ve been six for forever!” Bobby pouted. “Well, let’s go change your clothes so we can take Moms and
Dad to the airport. Maybe you’ll get to see some big planes take off.” “Oh, boy!” Bobby exclaimed, hurrying to his bedroom. Trixie
rolled her eyes in exasperation and followed him. “Are you sure they’ll be all right?” Helen quietly asked
her husband when they were alone. Peter laughed. “They’ll be fine. They’re old enough to stay
by themselves. And if they have an emergency, the Wheelers are close by.” “Well, I suppose I can call to check in…” “No, you will not, Mrs. Belden. This is our time away alone, and there will be
no phone calls home unless there’s
an absolute emergency.” Helen sighed wearily. “I’d just feel better if Brian was
home.” Their oldest son had left for college a couple of weeks earlier. “Brian will be home tomorrow evening. They’ll only have one
night without him here.” “Still, I’d feel better if…” “If they came along with us?” her husband teased. Helen got a horrified look on her face. “I guess a few days
alone will be good for them.” Peter chuckled at his wife’s expression. “I thought that
might change your mind. If it makes you feel any better, I called Sgt.
Molinson and asked him to keep an eye on the kids. I’m sure he’ll make sure
Trixie doesn’t get involved in any mysteries while we’re away.” “That makes me feel better. And it has been a quiet summer.” She stroked her husband’s cheek. “Tell
me again about this cabin where we’ll be staying.” Peter smiled. “Well, it’s by the ocean, and it has a
king-sized bed. There’s a lovely fireplace if it gets chilly in the evening,
and there’s a big Jacuzzi on the private deck.” “It sounds heavenly,” Helen purred as she kissed his parted
lips. “Do not my overly amative forebears have a quixotic chamber
reserved where they may retreat for their noxious displays of affection?”
Mart interrupted, munching an apple. “Why did we have
kids, Helen?” Peter inquired, scratching his head. “Sometimes I have trouble remembering, dear,” Helen said
with a giggle. “Well, cherished begetters, I am apprehensive about
arriving at the airport in time for you to embark; however, if my winsome
maternal ancestor would rather forsake her natal anniversary excursion and st---” “Okay, Mart, we get the message.” Peter grinned at his
middle son, who reminded him so much of himself at that age. “Trixie! Bobby!
Time to go!” He and Mart carried the luggage downstairs and took it out to
the station wagon. Soon, everyone was
in the car and off to the airport in At the
airport… Trixie sighed impatiently as she waited in the terminal.
They had gotten there well ahead of schedule and had eaten dinner in a nearby
café. Now, she and her brothers waited until their parents could board their
flight. Bobby was determined to wave good-bye to Moms and Dad as their plane
took off in the sky. “I’m bored,” she complained. “We’ve still got a few
minutes, so I’m going to the snack stand and get something to drink.” “Will you be all right by yourself?” Helen asked. “Would
you like Mart to go with you?” Trixie shook her head. “I won’t be long.” She trotted off
to buy something to drink before a bodyguard could be assigned to her. While
she stood in the long line, she studied the crowd. Gleeps! There are a lot of people in the airport this evening, she
thought. Impatiently awaiting her turn
to order, she amused herself by people-watching. This is better than the zoo! she giggled
to herself. She
watched a little girl turn around in circles until she got dizzy and fell
over. She saw a young couple embrace passionately. She noticed an older
couple arguing heatedly over who would carry the money. Finally, her eyes
drifted to a young executive off by himself. He had dark red hair and looked
very handsome in his expensive suit. Trixie watched him with great interest,
reminded of a certain supple friend. Then,
she noticed a person lurking close to the good-looking executive. The man had
a hat drawn over his eyes. Trixie stared at him suspiciously. He looks like he’s up to no good! She
rubbed her eyes, positive she was seeing things. Why, he looks very familiar! The
cute redhead pulled out a cell phone. While he was talking, Trixie noticed
that the suspicious man hovered close by. The suspect was skinny, and a
thatch of dirty-blond hair peeked out from his cap. When she got a better
glimpse of his face, she saw how close together his eyes were. She snapped
her fingers as his identity dawned on her. Dick the Dip! She
kept her eyes glued to the executive and the suspicious-looking man. While
the redhead talked on the phone, Dick reached for the businessman’s back
pocket. He’s going to steal his wallet!
Instinctively, Trixie gave a shrill whistle. The handsome executive jumped at
the sudden noise, and Dick hastily moved away. Trixie
stared at the dubious pickpocket as he fled. Suddenly he turned around and
glared at her. Gleeps! I’m positive that that IS Dick the Dip! He must’ve gotten
out of prison! Forgetting her thirst, she ran back to her parents. She
tried to control her breathing. “You’ll never guess who I saw!” she blurted
to her family. “Does
the fair Beatrix wish to play ‘A Kilo of Inquiries’
while we tarry in the terminal?” Mart inquired. She
stuck her tongue out at her almost-twin. “For once, I get to correct you. A
‘kilo’ is a thousand, not twenty!” “How
well I know that,” Mart scoffed, “but since when did you ever stop at twenty
questions?” “I
just saw Dick the Dip!” she exploded, ignoring his teasing. “The
guy who stole the diamond and hid it in the gatehouse?” Mart scratched his
head. For once, he forgot to put his great vocabulary to use. Trixie
nodded, trying to catch her breath. “He was trying to swipe some guy’s
wallet.” “I
don’t like Dickie no more,” Bobby commented with a
pout. “I thoughted he was my friend, but he wasn’t.
I ‘dored him but he didn’t really ‘dore me. He was mean.” “I’m
sure it wasn’t the same man,” Helen surmised, her brows furrowed with
concern. “Richard Blank was in prison the last I heard.” “Well,
maybe he got out. I just know it was him,” Trixie insisted. “Remember
the time you thought Mr. Maypenny was a crazy unicyclist in the circus?” her
almost-twin remarked. “You were sure about that, too.” Trixie
rolled her eyes. “No, I thought Mr. Maypenny was a poacher, but that’s beside
the point. I’m sure I saw Dick the
Dip, Mart. I got a good look at him.” “Remember
when you thought for sure that Ned Shultz’s dad was stealing Uncle Andrew’s
sheep?” Mart taunted. “But
I’m positive about this!” Trixie cried desperately. “Remember
when you…” “Fine!”
Trixie interrupted angrily. “Don’t
believe me. I know what I saw, though.” “Trixie,
I’m sure you saw someone who just
looked like Dick,” Peter told her, patting her arm comfortingly. She
merely shrugged her shoulders. Trixie knew what she had seen. Two hours
later… Mart wearily pulled the family station wagon into the
driveway at Crabapple Farm. Bobby had been sniffling ever since their parents
had boarded the plane. “Hey, when’s Moms gonna be back?”
he asked for the hundredth time. “Tonight is Thursday,” Trixie patiently explained. “They’ll
be gone Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They’re coming home late Sunday night,
so when you wake up Monday morning, they’ll be here.” “That’s a long time,” Bobby cried, dragging into the house. “Go brush your teeth and change into your PJ’s, small fry,” Mart ordered gently after removing his
brother’s muddy shoes. “Trix will be
up to tuck you into bed in a few minutes.”
Surprisingly, Bobby obeyed immediately. “The poor thing is exhausted!” Trixie said sympathetically. “Just be thankful that he is. I was afraid we were going to
have to spike his nightly gallon of water with valium after he wailed the
entire way home.” “You’re so mean, Mart,” she giggled. “Let’s just hope our overly-uxorious procreators don’t come
home with another Belden on the way,” he muttered, grimacing. “Ewww! I don’t even want to think
about that!” Trixie shrieked, putting her fingers in her ears. She ran
upstairs and tucked Bobby into bed. After he said his prayers and heard a
short bedtime story, he instantly fell asleep. She kissed his forehead and
tiptoed out of the room. Trixie found Mart in his usual spot--- the kitchen. She
poured herself a glass of milk and grabbed a cupcake before her almost-twin
ate them all. “The little monster’s out for the
night,” she garbled with her mouth full. “Ah, peace at last!” Mart exclaimed in relief. “I’d better
call Brian and let him know that Moms and Dad made it off okay.” He dialed
the number for Brian and Jim’s dorm room. “Hey, Brian….Yeah, we just got home a few minutes ago…He
cried the whole way home, but he’s asleep now…Yes, I remembered to lock the
doors…Yes, I’ll set my alarm for the morning…Yes, I’ll feed Reddy…No, we
won’t eat candy bars for breakfast…Yes, I’ve been brushing my teeth before
bed for several years now. I don’t think I’ll forget to do it tonight...Hey,
here’s Trix.” Mart rolled his eyes and handed the
phone to Trixie. She mouthed a sarcastic “thank you”, and then took the
receiver. “Hey, Brian…We’re doing just fine…Yes, I’m helping Bobby
get on the bus in the morning…Yes, I told him you would pick him up from
school tomorrow…Yes, we’re meeting you at Wimpy’s for dinner…Hey! Guess who I
saw at the airport?...Yes, I’m purposely changing
the subject…You didn’t answer my question. Guess who I saw!...Dick
the Dip!...It was him! I got a good look at him...I won’t…I said
I won’t, Brian! I didn’t get to solve one single mystery all stinkin’ summer!...Well, I am
disappointed… “Sure, I’ll talk to Jim…Hi, Jim….Yeah, we’ll be there
tomorrow…Gee, Jim, that sounds great!...*sigh* I already told Brian that I
wouldn’t…But it was him! I’m sure of it…Yes, I
remember when I thought Trixie
hung up the phone noisily. “Those boys are such…such…men!” Mart
snorted. “So you got the third degree, too?” She
nodded, a frown marring her brow. “They must think I’m pretty stupid if I’m
going to look for a mystery while Moms and Dad are away. I don’t want to ruin
their trip.” Both
Trixie and Mart jumped as the phone rang. She hurriedly picked it up, her
blue eyes sparking with indignation. “What, Brian? Think of some more last
minute lectures?” she yelled, expecting her oldest brother on the line. “Mommy and Daddy are gone now. Can Trixie
come out to play?” an evil voice sneered on the other line. “Who is this?” Trixie demanded, her
voice shaking. But the caller hung up without answering. She held the phone
for a minute, shock prohibiting her from saying a single word. “What’s
wrong?” Mart inquired, stuffing another bite of cupcake into his mouth. “It
must’ve been a prank call,” she replied softly. Mart
put down his cupcake and leveled his eyes at his sister. “What did he say,
Trix?” “He
said something about Moms and Dad being gone. Then he asked if I could come
out to play.” Mart
shrugged. “Aw, it was probably Jerry Vanderhoef and
Bill Wright making crank calls. They’re just giving you the business.” “Yeah,
you’re probably right.” She nervously chewed on her bottom lip as she mulled
his words. “Did
you recognize the voice?” her brother questioned. “No.
It sounded like he used something to disguise it.” “Do
you want to call the police?” “Definitely
not. Sgt. Molinson would probably accuse me of working on another mystery.
I’m sure it was just a joke. A lot of people knew Moms and Dad were going
away.” “Should
we call Brian?” “Gleeps, Mart! Brian would call the National Guard and
have them camp out in our yard! I’m sure it’s nothing.” Trixie jumped up.
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m worn out. I’m going to bed. Good
night.” “Night,”
her almost-twin answered back. After he heard Trixie’s footsteps on the
stairs, he quickly double-checked that all the doors were tightly bolted
shut. In the
morning... Trixie rubbed her eyes sleepily as her alarm clock blared.
She had not gotten nearly enough sleep last night. She had gone to bed late
after dropping Moms and Dad off at the airport. Then, she had tossed and
turned for several hours, worrying about the mysterious phone call. When she
finally did fall asleep, she dreamed about Dick the Dip all night. She hurriedly showered and dressed, then went in to wake up
Bobby. Thankfully, he jumped out of bed right as soon as she called for him. “Here are your clothes, Bobby.
After you’re dressed, come downstairs and get some breakfast. Oh, and don’t
forget to brush your teeth. With toothpaste!” She hurried downstairs to avoid
Bobby’s scowl. Trixie laid out boxes of cereal, bowls, and spoons on the
counter, and then she put slices of bread in the toaster. Soon she heard Mart
clump down the stairs. Although he had no intentions of telling his sister,
he had stayed awake all night, making sure nobody broke into Crabapple Farm. “Good morning, my dear almost-twin!” she exclaimed in a
cheerful voice. Mart grunted and rolled his eyes. “My sweet Beatrix, your precocity in bidding me aurora salutations
is quite vexing.” “Not get enough sleep?” she asked with a giggle. Mart grabbed the first pieces of toast that popped out of
the slots. “No. I conject that your somnolence was
luxuriant.” He slathered butter and jam on his
toast, and then took a big bite. “Well, if you’re asking how I slept, the answer is rotten!”
Trixie corrected. “My mind was too busy to shut down. I kept thinking about
seeing Dick the Dip, and also about that phone call. Why, it was all
so...so...myst---” “Don’t say it!” Mart interrupted, squinting
his eyes fearfully. “You’re not allowed to find a mystery while Moms and Dad
are away.” Trixie sighed as she poured herself a bowl of cereal. “I
never try to find mysteries, Mart.
They somehow find me. But you have
to admit, it was a coincidence that
we got that strange call after seeing Dick at the airport.” “Correction, my flaxen-haired sister! After you thought you saw Dick at the airport.” “I’m positive it was him. After I warned that handsome
executive that someone was trying to steal his wallet, I got a good look at
the pickpocket. I’d be willing to bet Susie that it was our old friend
Richard Blank.” Mart shrugged. “Susie’s not even your horse to bet.” He
poured a heaping mound of cereal in a mixing bowl that he found in the
cupboard. “Still, I’ll be glad when our eldest kinsman is home. I’d rather
you be Mr. Responsible’s charge.” Though he would never tell a soul,
especially Trixie, Mart had no doubt that his sister had seen Richard Blank.
And that is what worried him. They both looked up as Bobby skipped into the room. “Mornin’!” the little boy greeted cheerfully. The youngest
Belden had such an excess of energy that a lack of sleep never seemed to
bother him. “Good morning, Bobby,” Trixie answered. “Ummm...what do have on your head?” Bobby had successfully dressed in the
clothes that his sister had laid out for him, but on his head he wore a
bicycle helmet. “Nuthin’,” Bobby innocently
replied, while pouring his cereal. He scooped up the cereal that had fallen
on the table, as well as the cereal that had fallen on the floor, and popped
the flakes he had gathered into his mouth. “Methinks my puerile brother’s anomalous protective
headgear may be deemed improper by the prolocutors at his institution of
higher learning,” Mart babbled between bites of cereal. “Hey, I don’t got no headgear on,
Mart,” Bobby stated with an authoritative tone. “I jus’ gotted
my bicycle helmet on. An’ I’m not per...pur…
whatever you said.” “That’s what protective headgear is, small fry,” Mart
corrected, grinning. “And ‘puerile’ means young.” Bobby shrugged and stuffed a big bite of toast into his
mouth. “Then why didn’t ya jus’ say ‘Why does my
younger brother gotted a helmet on’?” Trixie hooted as she carried her cereal bowl to the sink.
“Bobby has more sense than you do, Mart! Everybody had better finish up soon.
The bus will be here any minute.” Bobby looked up in alarm. “Where’s my homework?” “Surely you don’t have homework already, Bobby,” Trixie
commented, nonchalantly removing his helmet. “I do!” he wailed, tears threatening to fall. “Moms holped me with it when I gotted
home yesterday. I hadta trace the letter of the day
an’ color the picture. Moms putted it up after I gotted
it done so I wouldn’t lost it, an’ I don’t ‘member where she putted it! So
now it really is losted!” “Don’t worry, lamb. I’ll find it,” she assured him. She
looked in her mother’s best keeping spot. Sure enough, there it was, high up
on top of the refrigerator. “Is this it, Bobby?” Bobby jumped up and grabbed it. “Yup! That’s it! ‘U’ says uhh as in umbrella! See how I good I colored it, Trixie?” “Yes, that’s a good job. Now we’d better catch your bus.”
She hurriedly wiped the jelly from his face and grabbed his book bag. “Better
stick your homework in your bag so you don’t ‘losed’
it again.” “You mean ‘losted’,” Bobby
corrected. They walked down to the end of the driveway. Soon, Bobby’s
bus pulled up. “Be good in class today, Bobby,”
Trixie said, giving him a peck on the cheek. “And don’t forget that Brian’s
picking you up after school. You get to go to Wimpy’s with all the
Bob-Whites.” “Hooray!” Bobby yelled gleefully as he climbed on the bus. “Comport yourself in a gratifying manner,” Mart called. Ten
minutes later, the bus to On the
bus... On the bus, Trixie happily chatted with her best friend,
Honey Wheeler. They were talking about the upcoming Homecoming dance. Mart
and Dan sat across the aisle from them. “Hey, Honey, did my sleuthing sibling tell you who she
ascertained was at the airport yesterday?” Mart
inquired with a twinkle in his blue eyes. “Was it a movie star?” Honey asked excitedly. Trixie rolled her eyes. “Not quite. In spite of my
almost-twin’s doubts, I’m positive that I saw Richard Blank.” “Dick the Dip!” Honey gasped in surprise. “Are you sure? I
thought he was in prison!” “I don’t know,” Trixie said with a shrug. “Maybe he was
paroled, or maybe he escaped. All I know is that I’m positive it was that
little weasel I saw.” “I still think he
was sort of handsome,” Honey admitted with a giggle. “You know, in a skinny kind
of way. Actually, that’s kind of ironic, Trixie. Miss Trask and I had to run
an errand yesterday to “Really?” Trixie replied in a surprised voice. “I wonder
what he’s doing out of jail.” “I don’t know, but both Miss Trask and I saw him.” “Dick the Dip and
Snipe Thompson both out of prison at the same time. How myst---” “Mysterious!” Dan and Mart chorused with her. Both were clutching
their hair and feigning shock. Trixie sniffed indignantly and tossed her sandy curls. “If
you (here she sniffed again) boys will excuse us, Miss Wheeler and I need to
confer privately.” She and Honey spent the rest of the ride to school huddled
together, whispering. At school... Trixie and Honey hurried to their lockers, hoping to find their
other best friend, Diana Lynch. She normally rode the bus with the rest of
the BWGs, but she had been absent that morning. Of
course, sometimes her father dropped her off on his way into the city. And
this was one of those mornings. Pretty Di Lynch was digging through her locker. “Morning,
Di!” Trixie greeted in her usual exuberant manner. “We missed you on the bus.
Especially Mart.” Di blushed. It was well known that the violet-eyed beauty
and the verbose blond were quite fond of each other. “Daddy wanted some company on his way to
work this morning,” she explained. “I needed to talk to you on the bus, but
Daddy said it could wait until I got to school.” “What’s up, Di?” Honey asked curiously. “You’ll never believe who we saw yesterday!” she squealed,
flipping her ebony hair over her shoulder. “Daddy and I took both sets of the
twins out for a ride yesterday. Actually, I think Mummy just wanted some peace
and quiet because she had one of her awful migraines. So, we took a lovely
ride all through Sleepyside. I told the twins about Hoppy,
and it was so cute watching them all say hello. Then we---” “Who did you see, Di?” Trixie impatiently interrupted. Trixie
had many virtues, but patience was not one of them. Di blinked her lovely eyes. “I was just getting to that
part. Daddy decided to take the twins down “Uncle Monty from Di shook her head in confusion. “No, my fake Uncle Monty. Tilney Britten!” Trixie and Honey both gasped. “Are you sure, Di?” Trixie
asked. “Positive. Daddy saw him, too. He was going to call the
Police Station and ask Sgt. Molinson about him, but he forgot.” “How strange!” Honey exclaimed. “I thought I saw Snipe
Thompson yesterday. And Trixie saw Dick the Dip at the airport.” “It’s more than strange,” Trixie grinned. “It’s downright myst---” “Mysterious!” Honey and Di chimed in with her. They
temporarily forgot about criminals and giggled as they went to their first
period classes. After
school… Having made
plans to meet Brian, Jim, and Bobby at Wimpy’s for dinner, the others walked
over to the diner after the final bell at school had rung. When the group got
to their favorite hangout, they saw that Brian, Bobby, and Jim had already
claimed the large booth in the back. “I’m starving!” Mart exclaimed, plunking into a seat. “Maybe my almost-twin is too hungry to use his immense
vocabulary,” Trixie teased, grabbing the seat beside Jim. Jim looked at her fondly and tugged his favorite curl. “Find
any mysteries while we were away, Shamus?” “As a matter of fact, I did,” she answered with an
indignant sniff and toss of her sandy curls. “Beatrix Belden!” her oldest
brother scolded. “You were under strict orders to avoid all mysteries while
Moms and Dad are away.” “I can’t help it, Brian! Mysteries just fall into my lap.
It’s my destiny,” she cried dramatically. “I foresee a fortnight restriction from any festive
alacrity,” Mart taunted. “Is Trixie goin’ to a fort?”
Bobby inquired. “I wanna go to the fort, too.” Honey laughed. “No, Bobby. Mart just said that Trixie is
going to be grounded for two weeks.” “And it really isn’t just Trixie’s mystery,” Di added suuportively. “Honey and I are involved, too!” “What are you girls up to?” Dan warily peeked up from the
menu he was perusing. “Diamond thieves? Kidnappers? Sheep rustlers?” Honey giggled. “Well, two out of three isn’t bad, Dan.” “As some of you know, I saw Richard Blank, alias Dick the
Dip, at the airport yesterday,” Trixie said. “On the contrary, dear sister, you speculate that you saw Mr. Blank,” Mart corrected. “Well, I, for one, believe her!” Honey cried loyally. “And
Miss Trask and I saw Snipe Thompson!” “And Daddy and I saw Tilney Britten!” Di retorted. Jim whistled through his teeth. “Is there a ‘Trixie Belden
Haters Club’ meeting in town? All we need now is Pierre Lontard
and Nick Morgan.” “And Blinky, Tony, and Pedro,”
Mart added. Brian nodded his head. “And Thea
Van Loon, Fred Swisher, Laura Ramsey, and…” “All right, gang. Let’s order,” Jim interrupted, noticing
the agitated look on Trixie’s face. She smiled at him gratefully, and he
patted her hand. After they all had ordered cheeseburgers and fries, they
discussed future possible fundraising projects. The Bob-Whites of the Glen
did more than just have fun; they donated much time and money to various
charities. Over the years, they had helped UNICEF, the The talk slowed down once their food arrived.
“Yummy-yum-yum!” Trixie exclaimed, biting into her burger. “Perfectly perfect!” Honey commented, daintily dipping a
fry into some ketchup. “Wimpy’s food is almost gooder
than Moms!” Bobby said with his mouth full. “If you clean your plate, and then
you can have one of Mike’s milkshakes,” Trixie promised. “So thick you can’t drink
it through a straw!” Honey grinned. “Unless you want your
cerebellum to hemorrhage,” Mart added with a wink. Suddenly, Dan stood
up and looked out the window. A few minutes later he sat back down, his face
white as a ghost. “What’s wrong, Dan?”
Honey asked. “I think I just saw
Luke,” he replied quietly. “Luke Duke?” Bobby
asked excitedly. Recently, Bobby had recently discovered “Dukes of Hazzard” reruns and was quite impressed with the Southern
cousins. Dan shook his head.
“Luke was in the gang with me, Bobby. He was a very bad person.” “Surely, you’ve been
militated by my xanthous-haired sibling and are
excogitating apparitions from the distant preterition,”
Mart retorted. “I know what I saw!”
Dan insisted impatiently. “It was
Luke. He even had on his Cowhands jacket.” “Maybe it was only
someone who looked like Luke,” Di
suggested helpfully. Dan shook his head
again. “No, it was Luke. I’d recognize him anywhere.” “I don’t know about
anyone else, but I’m getting kind of nervous about all these guys being
around,” Brian said, his dark brows meeting in the deep groove above his
nose. “It seems a little too coincidental.” “And this would just
happen to be the weekend when Mr. and Mrs. Belden are away,” Jim added,
frowning. “Do my ears deceive
me, or do we have some new partners in the Belden-Wheeler Detective Agency?”
Trixie teased. “Soon you boys will be using the word ‘mysterious’!” Dan was not laughing,
however; he looked quite serious. “This isn’t a joking matter, Trix. There
are some dangerous criminals in town, who don’t like you very much, might I
add.” “When we get home,
I’m calling Sgt. Molinson. He needs to know about this,” Brian informed them. “Maybe you should
spend the night at Manor House,” Honey pleaded in a frightened voice. “Just
in case anyone bre…” She stopped when she saw
Bobby’s wide eyes. “Are some burgers comin’ to our house?” he asked,
his blue eyes as big as saucers. “Cuz I’ve been practicin’ for ‘em! I gotted my plans all ready!” “Just don’t put nails
in the driveway again,” Brian answered dryly. “Moms is
still kind of sore at you for that.” “I won’t,” Bobby
replied solemnly. “But there’s lotsa other junk I can do. I could put tacks in the
welcome mat or saw a hole in the floor an’ cover it with a rug or…” Brian grinned at his
impish little brother. “I don’t think you should be sawing around on Moms’
floors, Bobby. Not if you want to live a long life, that is.” “Well, I can get some
big barbells like is on that nymphomercial…” The Bob-Whites hooted
with laughter at Bobby’s misspeak. “He’s a Belden, all right,”
Dan commented, wiping his eyes. Dan remained amused by Mr. and Mrs. Belden’s
constant public displays of affection. Bobby looked
confused, as well as a little angry. “Hey, what’s so funny?” Noticing his
distress, Trixie put an arm around her little brother, who was sitting on the
other side of her. “You mean an ‘infomercial’,” she explained, trying to
stifle a giggle. “A ‘nympho’ is, well, never mind.
You’ll figure that out when you’re older. And it might not be a good idea to
hang barbells from the ceiling.” “I got lots more
ideas,” Bobby said hopefully. “Why don’t you leave
the defensive tactics to the obsolesce members of our clan,” Mart retorted in
a superior tone. “Yes, Bobby,” Brian
agreed. “You’ll only end up getting hurt. Mart and I will take care of
everything.” Bobby hung his head
dejectedly. Trixie leaned over to
her younger brother. “Psst! Don’t worry, Bobby,”
she whispered. “We’ll think of something for you to do.” Bobby grinned at his
sister thankfully. “Thanks, Trixie! You don’t treat me like a baby like Mart
and Brian.” Everyone ordered
milkshakes after the burgers and fries “mysteriously” disappeared. While they
were all draining the last of the chocolate from their glasses, they began
discussing the rest of the evening’s plans. “So, what’s the plan
for the night?” Jim asked, casually putting his arm around the back of the
booth behind Trixie’s shoulders. “We could go look at
Crimper’s,” Di suggested hopefully. “I need a new handbag to match my outfit
for Homecoming.” “Beautiful Diana, as
much as my heart aspires to gratify you, I must enunciate my abhorrence of
garment and or accessory perusal,” Mart refused, with a shake of his head.
“Are there any other propositions?” “There’s a new movie
playing at The Cameo,” Honey commented. Dan raised an
eyebrow. “Is it a chick flick?” Honey giggled. “No,
it’s a psychological thriller, guaranteed to please even the manliest of
men.” “Is Ewan McGregor in it?” Jim questioned skeptically. “Or Tom Welling?”
Brian added. “Or Matthew McConaughey?” Mart muttered. Trixie laughed. “I
don’t know why you boys don’t like those actors. They’re very talented.” “Pretty easy on the
eyes, as well,” Diana whispered to Honey, who was sitting to her left. “And to answer your
question, no, those hunks… er, guys aren’t in it. I
think it stars Meg Ryan and Harrison Ford,” Honey informed them. “Let’s go! I’m rather
partial to Meg Ryan!” Jim said with a wink. Trixie scowled and elbowed him in
the gut. “Excuse me, but
what’re we supposed to do with Bobby?” Brian brought up with a nod to his
littlest brother. “I don’t think Moms would want him to see that movie. It
doesn’t sound G-rated.” “Oh, please, Brian!”
Bobby pleaded. “I’m older than ya think! Please! I
won’t get scareded in the movie. I’ll hide my
eyes.” Luckily for the
Bob-Whites, Miss Trask conveniently appeared. “Why, hello, kids!” she greeted
them. “I just finished some errands and got a craving for one of Mike’s
delicious milkshakes. What’re your plans for the evening?” “We want to see a
movie, but unfortunately, the one showing at The Cameo is a little too scary
for Bobby,” Honey explained forlornly. “So I guess we’ll just do something
else instead.” “I can take Bobby
with me, if you’d like. I’d appreciate his company,” Miss Trask said with a
wink. “Maybe we can stop at the stable and see Regan.” Bobby sighed
forlornly. “Why am I the most youngest of ev’rybuddy?” he asked sadly, a big tear rolling down his
cheek. “I never getta do nuthin’!” “So, you don’t want
to be the very first one to see Susie’s new foal,” Miss Trask slyly observed. “Oh, boy!” Bobby yelled, his tears instantly dried. “I’ve never gotted to see a baby horse before! Can we go now?” Miss Trask laughed at
his sudden jolly mood. “Yes, I’ll get my shake to go. You all have a good
time, and you can pick Bobby up after the movie.” “Thank you, Miss
Trask!” Brian called as they walked off. “Well, let’s get to The Cameo.” “Most assuredly, my
comrade,” Mart saluted. “Methinks a sojourn at the sustenance vendors is well
in order.” “Can we stop at the
concession stand and get some popcorn after we finish at the vendors?” Di asked, her violet eyes filled with confusion. Mart’s eyes twinkled
as he cast Diana an affectionate glance. “Your wish is my command, my delicate
purple pansy,” he cooed, ignoring Dan’s fake vomiting. The Bob-Whites
wandered over to the movie theater and paid for their tickets. Feeling
something amiss, Trixie glanced around the street suspiciously. “What’s wrong, Trix?”
Jim asked. “Have you ever felt
like you were being watched?” she whispered, her voice wavering slightly. Jim carefully studied
the crowd surrounding them, placing a protective arm around her shoulders.
“Did you see someone suspicious?” Trixie shook her head
nervously. “No, but I can just tell that someone’s watching me.” “Hey guys, are you
coming?” Honey inquired, holding the door open for them. Trixie and Jim gave a final scan, and then
entered the movie theater. They were almost an hour early, so the group
played video games and made selections at the concession stand until it was
time to claim their seats. A few minutes before show time, they
all wandered in and found seats together. Jim sat on one end, next to Trixie.
Honey grabbed the other seat beside Trixie, followed by Brian. Di sat on the
other side of Brian, and Dan jokingly tried to block Mart. After a death
threat, Dan allowed Mart to sit next to Di and settled for the seat beside
Mart. They whispered back and forth before
the lights went out. In the middle of Mart and Dan’s heated argument over
which food item was a better dancer in the concession stand’s commercial, the
corndog or bag of popcorn, Trixie suddenly stood up and peeked at the crowd
around her. “What’s wrong, Trix?” Jim inquired. “Do
you see Dick or one of the other people?” Trixie sat back down and shook her
head. “No, I haven’t seen any of them. But I just can’t shake the feeling
that we’re being watched.” The lights went down and the previews
appeared on the screen. An announcer’s voice blared over the speakers. “Welcome to The Cameo! Hope you enjoy the
show!” Two and a half hours later… After the movie, the
Bob-Whites piled into the club’s station wagon and headed to the Manor House.
Brian had parked his jalopy there when he and Jim returned home from college.
They had taken the Bob-Whites’ car to pick up Bobby at school. “Gosh! That movie
gave me the creeps!” Di shrieked, snuggling closer to Mart in the backseat. “Maybe we should see
it again,” Mart teased, enjoying her closeness. “Oh, Di’s right. I never suspected who the killer really was!”
Honey exclaimed. “I’ll have nightmares!” Trixie, however, was
turning around in the backseat, looking behind them. “Jim, is it my
imagination, or has that dark sedan been following us since we left The
Cameo?” Jim looked in his
rearview mirror. “I don’t know, Trix. I can’t say that I’ve noticed.”
Suddenly, the dark-colored car turned right. “We’re safe, Trixie,”
Dan said. “They were probably leaving the movie theater also. You don’t have
to worry about them. They just turned off the main road.” Trixie was not
convinced. Intermittently, she casually glanced behind them to look for the
mysterious car. “Could my
corkscrew-haired sister be stimulated by the timorous cinematic feature we
just viewed, and therefore is fabricating non-apparent rogues in our rearview
mirror?” Mart taunted. “Aw, go eat a
dictionary!” Trixie blustered. She did notice, however, that Jim kept peeking
in the rearview mirror, his ginger brows wrinkled with concern. When the Bob-Whites’
station wagon pulled into the Manor House driveway, Bobby ran out to greet
them. “Hey, guess what!
Guess what! I sawed Susie’s little baby!” he yelled in delight. “Was it a boy or a
girl?” Di asked him. Bobby shrugged his
shoulders. “I dunno. I never thoughted
to look. But it’s the most cutest thing I ever sawed.
It’s all black, an’ its legs are real wobbly.” “I’ll be glad when I
can ride Susie again,” Trixie commented. Susie was her favorite of all the
Wheelers’ horses. “Well, we’d better
get Bobby home. He still needs a bath before bed,” Brian said, opening the
door to his newly painted jalopy. “Yes,
and there are a plethora of tasks awaiting us at Crabapple Farm,” Mart
groaned. “We’ll see you
tomorrow. We need to talk about the fundraiser for Multiple Sclerosis
Research that we’re planning. What time can everybody be at the clubhouse?”
Trixie inquired. “I have to help Mr.
Maypenny patrol, but I can be there around “What? No wood to
chop?” Honey teased. “Jim and I can be there then.” “Me too,” Di agreed.
“Uh, Brian, do you mind taking me home?” “No problem, Di,”
Brian replied. “Your chariot awaits, m’lady!” Mart gallantly
opened her car door. She giggled as she hopped into the back seat, and Mart
slid in beside her. “Bri,
just drop Bobby and me off at the farm,” Trixie requested. “That way, I can
go ahead and run his bath water.” Brian agreed, and
Trixie and Bobby climbed into the front seat beside him. They waved as Brian smoothly pulled out of
the Manor House driveway. At the bottom of the hill, he stopped at the farm
and let Trixie and Bobby out. Mart snuggled close
to Di and motioned for Brian to pull out. “To the Lynch house, Jeeves!” Trixie and Bobby
unlocked the house and began turning on lights. It was dark outside, and they
had forgotten to leave on any lamps inside. “Ooh!” Bobby gasped nervously. “It’s kinda scary in here in the dark.” He anxiously stayed
near his sister’s side, tenuously clasping her hand. “Don’t be silly,
Bobby,” Trixie chided gently. “It’s time for your bath.” They went upstairs,
but Bobby stayed close to his sister until all the lights were on. While
Trixie ran his bath water, he scurried to his room to find some pajamas. Trixie was so deep
in thought that she didn’t hear Bobby sneak back into the bathroom. “Boo!” he shrieked,
giggling in delight at his sister’s reaction. In her fright, she
dropped the bubble bath into the full tub, soapy bubbles splattering all over
her shirt. “Gleeps, Bobby,” she sighed in
exasperation. “You scared me to death.” “Sorry.” The little
boy’s devilish grin contradicted his apology. “I’m going to change
out of these wet clothes. Hurry up and get into the tub.” “Okey
dokey,” Bobby happily complied, wiggling out of his
Spiderman T-shirt. Trixie went into her
room and turned on the light. She dug through the clothes crammed in her
dresser, and pulled out her most comfortable nightshirt. She was getting
ready to change when she spied a note on the top of the antique highboy. Are
you missing Mommy and Daddy yet? They won’t be home for a day or two. We
still have lots of time to play. P.S.
This is one case that the Belden-Wheeler Detective agency won’t solve! She shrieked and
dropped the note on the floor, jumping back almost as if she expected it to
bite her. Bobby hurried into the room, his blue jeans bunched around his
knees. “What’s wrong, Trixie?” he asked breathlessly. “I didn’t do nuthin’, honest!” Afraid Bobby would
panic if he knew she was afraid, Trixie tried to control her breathing. “Do
you know anything about this note, Bobby?” She picked up the piece of
standard notebook paper by the corner, as to not disturb any fingerprints the
writer may have left behind. Her little brother
looked at it and shrugged. “Maybe you have a see-crud ‘mirer.” “Somehow I doubt
that,” she snorted. Her hand trembling, she held the letter close so she
could read it again to check for clues. “Maybe Brian or Mart
wrote it,” Bobby suggested. Trixie slapped her
forehead. “You’re a genius, Bobby! Mart knew what that mysterious caller
said. He probably told Brian about it, and Brian could’ve left this note on
the way to pick up the Bob-White station wagon. It sounds just like something they would do
to tease me. Well, I’m not going to give them the satisfaction of scaring me.
I’m just going to pretend I never found it.” Her eyes fell on her
little brother. He was certainly not known for his “see-crud” keeping
abilities. “Bobby, let’s play a trick on Brian and Mart. Don’t let them know
that I found that note. All right?” Bobby giggled and
nodded his head. “Sure, Trixie. It’s our see-crud! An’ I promise I’ll keep
this one. Now can I take my bath?” Trixie laughed. “Go
ahead and get in the tub, Bobby.” The little boy hitched
up his blue jeans and hastily ran back to the bathroom. After he was gone,
Trixie picked up the note again. She thought of some of the familiar faces
that had been seen recently in the area. Could one of them have left this? she
wondered. Nah! They couldn’t get inside
the house. It had to be someone
with a key. It has to be Mart and
Brian. Meanwhile outside,
the lone figure watched Trixie’s window. “It won’t be long now,” the ominous
visitor whispered. “Soon, I’ll have my revenge on you, little detective. And
no one will be there to save you this time.” The next morning… For once, Bobby
successfully kept a “see-crud”. He and Trixie said nothing to Brian or Mart
about the mysterious note. The next morning before Trixie went outside to
feed the chickens, the phone rang. “Good morning. Belden
residence,” she answered pleasantly. Her best friend
giggled on the other line. “Why, you sound as professional as Celia! Daddy
may want to offer you a job.” Trixie snorted.
“Well, I do have a few manners. I
just choose not to use them. What’s up?” “I was calling to see
if you and your brothers would like to come up here for breakfast before our
meeting at the clubhouse. Cook has already begun preparing extra, so you just
have to say you’ll come!” “Don’t worry,” Trixie
said with a laugh. “I wasn’t looking forward to cooking anyway, and I daresay
that my brothers aren’t that excited about eating whatever I’d make. We’ll be
up after we finish our chores.” She carefully scanned the room for her
brothers. “And I have to show you something, too. Top secret!” “Ooh! What is it?”
Honey asked in delight. “It seems my beloved
brothers are playing a trick on me,” Trixie answered in a low tone. “They…”
She heard the slamming of the back screen door and changed the subject. “They’d
be thrilled to come, Honey! You know we Beldens never turn down free food. See
you later!” She quickly hung up the phone. “So, what’s the lazy
squaw up to?” Mart asked, flopping down on the sofa. Trixie sniffed
indignantly. “I was just hanging up the phone.” “I would speculate
that you would benefit more from accomplishing the list of chores bestowed
upon you by our forebears,” Mart scolded. “After hearing much clucking
outdoors, I have come to the peremptory conclusion that the domesticated
fowls abiding in the coop in the backyard are suffering from extreme
malnourishment. I do so believe that feeding the aforementioned fowls is your obligation.” “Well, I’ll hop right
to it, Chief Bossy-Britches,” she retorted sarcastically. “I guess I’ll tell
you about our breakfast invitation later.” “Hold it! What breakfast invitation?” “Ah, methinks the
fowls aren’t the only chickens clucking for their food,” Trixie needled him.
She smiled in satisfaction at her almost-twin’s scowl. “Honey called just as
I was getting ready to go outside to do my chores,” she explained. “We’ve
been invited to the Manor House for breakfast.” Mart let out a whoop
of joy. “And I was afraid that we’d be dining upon burnt toast and lumpy
oatmeal!” “What was that about
Honey?” Brian inquired as he entered the room. Trixie sighed in
exasperation. “You tell him, Mart. I’ve got to feed those chickens.” She
hurried outside and grabbed the grain, scattering it around for the countless
hens pecking about. When she went back
inside, she looked around the living room. “Where’s Bobby?” she asked her
older brothers. Brian shrugged. “He’s
awake. I haven’t seen him for a few minutes. I told him we were going to
Honey and Jim’s for breakfast and that he should get dressed, but I haven’t
seen him since.” “You’d better go find
him, squaw,” Mart ordered in a superior tone. “My stomach’s rumblings are of
seismic anomaly magnitudes.” “If it weren’t for me
and Moms, nothing would get done around here,” Trixie muttered under her
breath. She trudged up the stairs and called for Bobby. Not finding him, she
went in his room. “Bo…” She screamed
as a hand grasped her bare leg. She glanced down to see her giggling younger
brother. “I gotted you, Trixie!” he squealed in delight. “I snucked up on you real good!” Trixie took a deep
breath. “You sure did, Bobby. Now, you need to get ready so that we can go to
the Manor House for breakfast. Then you can come with us to our Bob-White
meeting.” “Yippee!” he exclaimed,
crawling out from under the bed. “I ‘dore eating at
Honey’s house. If I drop one of my forks on the floor, there’s always another
one right beside it!” Trixie smiled. Meals
at Manor House certainly were more formal than at Crabapple Farm. “Don’t forget to take some paper and
markers,” she reminded him. “You can draw if you get bored at our meeting
later.” “Okey
dokey, Trixie!” Bobby scurried around, gathering
art supplies in his backpack. A few minutes later,
the Belden kids were pulling into the Manor House driveway. Jim was sitting outside
on the veranda, teaching his Springer spaniel, Patch, some new tricks. “Hey,
guys!” he called out to them. Bobby ran out of the
jalopy to Patch. He squatted on the ground and was “attacked” by Jim’s
hunting dog. The little boy giggled as his face was covered with doggy
kisses. “Patch has really
been lonely since I’ve been at college. Maybe you could stop by and visit him
for me, Bobby,” Jim suggested. “Oh, I’d love to!” he
answered, proud that the could do something to help
Jim. Although he loved his two older brothers, it was not “see-crud” that
Bobby idolized Jim. “I just ‘dore doggies!” “Is Honey in the
house?” Trixie questioned in an offhand manner. Jim nodded. “Yeah.
You can go on inside and say hello. We’ll be in after I show Bobby Patch’s new
tricks.” He grinned at the sandy blonde. “I believe you know the way.” She wrinkled her nose
at Jim then went inside. Honey was gracefully walking down the large staircase,
the picture of elegance. Gleeps! I
wish I could look like that when I walk down stairs! Trixie thought
with a wistful smile. Honey sure knows how to make an entrance! “What are you
laughing about, Trixie Belden?” Honey asked, her delicate brows raised in speculation. Trixie giggled. “Oh,
I was just thinking about how graceful you looked coming down the staircase.
I probably would’ve fallen on my face!” “You aren’t as clumsy
as you used to be. In fact, you probably wouldn’t fall at all anymore, if you
weren’t always in such a hurry.” “My mind’s so busy
that it’s hard for my feet to keep up!” Trixie explained with a sheepish grin.
“Now, let’s sneak in your father’s study so I can show you something.” The girls tiptoed into
Matthew Wheeler’s large office and quietly shut the door behind them. Trixie
pulled the note out of her shorts’ pocket. “Look what I found in my room
after we got home last night.” Honey took the note
and read it. “Oh, Trixie!” she exclaimed in a worried voice. “Who could’ve
left this for you? Do you think it was Dick or one of the other criminals
that were spotted around town?” Trixie shook her
head. “The house wasn’t broken into. It had to be someone who had a key. I’m
guessing that it was an inside job!” Honey’s pretty face
scrunched in confusion. “What do you mean?” “I think it was my goony
brothers,” Trixie whispered. “I think they want to scare me while Moms and
Dad are away. You know how annoyed they were when I mentioned seeing Dick at
the airport.” Honey nodded her head
knowingly. “You could be right. It might be their way of discouraging you from
beginning another mystery.” She giggled as another thought came to her. “Of
course, they should know that this would make you search for a mystery even
more!” Trixie snapped her
fingers. “That’s it, Honey! They want me to make a big deal out of this note,
so they can tease me about my mystery-itis. Well,
I’ll show them. I’m not going to say a single solitary word about it.” “But what if it is
for real?” Honey inquired, a touch of fear in her
voice. “You have made a lot of
enemies the past couple years.” Suddenly, the boys
opened the study door. “Here you are!” Jim exclaimed. “We’ve been looking for
you.” “I do believe that
our antemeridian repast is awaiting us,” Mart told them. “Hey, I thought we
was havin’ breffesk, not
an anteater pass,” Bobby commented, scratching his head. All the older kids
laughed and went into the dining room. The Beldens and Jim
and Honey sat at the large table. Trixie breathed a sigh of relief when she
learned that Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler were on a business trip in Soon Miss Trask
helped Celia bring in platters of pancakes, bacon, and fresh fruit. “Yummy-yum-yum!”
Trixie said, filling her plate. “Thank you so much for letting us come to breakfast, Miss Trask. Everything looks perfectly
perfect!” “You’re welcome any
time, dear,” Miss Trask replied, smiling. “Of course, I thought
Trix was looking forward to cooking a big breakfast for her brothers this
morning,” Jim teased with a wink. Mart snorted. “I
shudder to contemplate what inedible victuals my domestically-challenged Y-chromosome-hindered
sibling would have concocted.” “I’ve never had any
complaints from you before,” Trixie retorted, handing her almost-twin a
napkin to wipe the syrup dripping from his chin. After breakfast, the
Bob-Whites made their way to the clubhouse. It had rained the previous night.
Bobby played hopscotch along the path, jumping in all the mud puddles on the
way. “Quit it, Bobby,”
Trixie scolded impatiently. “You’re getting water on everyone.” “Then ya might as well hop with me!” Bobby exclaimed cheerfully.
“Jumpin’ in mud puddles is lotsa
fun!” He proved his point by bounding in an
especially deep one, muddy water splashing all around. “You’re just wasting
your breath, Trix,” Brian grinned. “It’s physically impossible to keep little
boys out of mud puddles. Some overwhelming magnetic force draws boys to them;
it’s in their genes.” “Well, it’s on
my jeans now,” Trixie muttered, brushing at the spots on her They met Dan and Di
walking along the path to the old gatehouse, which the Bob-Whites had
converted into their clubhouse. “Good morning!” Di
greeted congenially. “Have you heard from your parents?” “Not yet,” Brian
answered. “Knowing Moms and Dad, they’re probably too busy to give their dear
children a phone call.” “Well, yesterday was Friday, you know,” Dan teased, his
dark eyes twinkling. “Isn’t that scr---” he was
interrupted by Mart coughing and Brian frantically nodding towards Bobby.
“Oh, hey, Bobby! Didn’t see you there, buddy.” “I getta be a Bob-White t’day,”
Bobby proudly stated. “Trixie said they hadta drag
me around ‘cuz she didn’t want me to bug Miss
Trask. But I’ve gotta be quiet or she’ll feed me brussel sprouts for dinner t’night.” Jim unlocked the clubhouse
door, and they all filed inside. Bobby sat down at the table with his markers
and paper and began drawing a picture. Trixie went over to the lectern that
she and Jim used so she could jot down a few ideas for the meeting. Suddenly, her face
turned beet red and she stomped her foot. “All right! I’ve had enough! Whose
handiwork is this?” she demanded,
glaring at Brian and Mart. She held up a piece of paper with a trembling
hand. “What’re you talking
about, Trixie?” Brian asked. He snatched the piece of paper out of her hand
and quickly read it out loud. Are
you getting worried yet, little detective? I watched you last night. Cute
nightshirt. I can tell you’re afraid. And you should be! The Belden-Wheeler
Detective Agency will soon be put out of business. Permanently! I’ll
be over to play soon. Brian’s hands shook
as he read the note aloud. “We didn’t leave this for you, Trixie.” He passed
the note around for everyone to look at. “Well, who did? The
clubhouse was locked and… and…” Trixie stammered. “Of course, the last one…”
She choked back a few tears that were threatening to fall due to frustration.
Honey rushed over and hugged her friend. “You’ve gotten
another one?” Jim interrupted. “What did it say?” Trixie pulled the
crumpled note out of her pocket. “I found it last night when Brian dropped me
off to take Di home. I just thought it was the boys playing a trick on me.” “So this person not
only got into our locked clubhouse, they also have been in Crabapple Farm,”
Dan observed a bit warily. “I assume you keep the house locked when you’re
away.” Mart nodded. “Crabapple
Farm was locked up tighter than a drum.” “Any signs of
intrusion?” Jim asked, concern etched on his
handsome features. Mart shook his head.
“I didn’t notice anything out of place.” “Me either,” Brian
agreed. “So this person must be skilled at picking locks.” “Is the bad man gonna steal Trixie?” Bobby questioned in a frightened
voice. Diana put her arms around the little boy to comfort him. “Of course not,
Bobby,” Brian assured, his voice missing the confidence it usually held. “Oh, Trixie, maybe
you should stay with us until your parents get home!” Honey cried, her hazel
eyes filling with tears. Trixie tossed her
sandy curls. “Pooh! I’m not afraid of this guy,” she answered. However,
everyone noticed the slight tremor in her voice. “This person’s just playing
some sort of joke on me trying to frighten me while Moms and Dad are away.” “Don’t be so sure,”
Dan warned. “If these notes are from any of those criminals you caught, I
don’t think they’re jokes. There are some dangerous crooks out there.” “And they might want
revenge,” Di added in a soft voice. “We’re going to town
right now and talking to Sgt. Molinson.” Brian’s voice made it clear that the
subject was not up for discussion; the matter was settled. “Brian!” Trixie
wailed plaintively. “Sgt. Molinson doesn’t have time to check up on these
little pranks!” “Trixie, these
little so-called ‘pranks’ could mean trouble,” Brian bellowed. “As your older
brother, it’s my responsibility to make sure you’re still alive when Moms and
Dad get home.” “Brian, he’ll just end up making fun
of me and telling me to mind my own business.” Trixie crossed her arms, her
lower lip protruding in a pout. She had never learned to trust the gruff
police officer. “Trix, we’re only
trying to do what’s best for you,” Mart chided gently. “If we didn’t care
about you, we wouldn’t worry.” Trixie sighed loudly.
She turned to Honey for her opinion. “What do you think, Detective Wheeler?” “I think we ought to
talk to Sgt. Molinson,” Honey advised solemnly. “This sounds serious,
Trixie.” Trixie threw up her
hands in resignation. “All right. Let’s go get chewed out.” Jim covered her hand
sympathetically. “Maybe Spider will be there, and he and Molinson can play ‘good
cop, bad cop’,” he said with a wink.
Spider Webster was the Bob-Whites’ favorite police officer. He had
moved away for a while to work in “I know which part
Molinson will play,” Trixie moaned. “He’ll probably shine a light in my eyes
and singe my arm with cigarettes.” Honey giggled. “They
don’t torture suspects anymore! Besides, you’re not a suspect. You’re a
victim.” “Beatrix
Belden a victim? Ha!” Mart snorted. The Bob-Whites loaded into the station
wagon and drove into town. Brian,
Trixie, and Mart went inside the police station. Jim, Honey, Di, and Dan
decided to take Bobby to get an ice cream cone, hoping it would take his
overly-active imagination off the situation. Trixie walked hesitantly into the
police station. She politely asked to speak to Sgt. Molinson, nervously
tapping her foot while they waited to be called into his office. “Relax,” Brian whispered. “You’re not
in trouble.” “Yet!” Mart added with an impish grin. Soon, Sgt. Molinson called for them. He
wearily rubbed his temples when he saw Trixie and grabbed a pen to take
notes. “How can I help you today, Miss Belden? Did you discover some drug
dealers? An assassination attempt on the mayor? Armed robbery at Lytell’s?” Trixie nervously licked her lips and
after an encouraging nod from Brian, she pulled out her notes. “Somebody’s
been trying to scare me. Whoever it is left me these notes.” Sgt. Molinson put on his glasses and
examined the letters. “I assume that you all were careful to keep your
fingerprints off these.” Trixie shook her head ruefully. “No, sir.
Actually, at first I thought Brian or Mart left them, so I wasn’t very
careful. All the Bob-Whites touched them.” The police sergeant exhaled loudly in
exasperation. “I thought you’d know better than that. If you’re going to
become a detective someday, you’re going to need to start using your head.
Any fingerprints that may’ve led us to the author have all been destroyed by
now.” Trixie hung her head in shame. She knew
he was right. “Any other suspicious contacts?”
Molinson asked. Trixie nodded her head. “We got a phone
call Thursday night after my parents left. The caller knew that they were
gone.” Molinson shrugged his shoulders. “That
narrows it down a bit. Only the whole town knew that they were going away for
the weekend,” he said sarcastically. “Did you recognize the voice?” “No, it was distorted,” Trixie replied.
“Anything else you’ve noticed?” “Well, I have seen some suspicious characters around,” Trixie offered. “I
saw Dick the Dip at the airport. And Tilney Britten, Snipe Thompson, and some of Dan’s old gang have
been sighted, as well.” “Why don’t you tell me these things
when they happen, Beatrix Belden?” Molinson snapped
at her, gruffly. “When will you figure out that you can’t go around solving
crimes by yourself all the time? Even good police officers need back up!
Someday you’re going to get yourself in a heap of trouble!” He slammed his
notepad on his desk and stood up in a huff. “Stay here, kids. I’ll be right
back.” He angrily strode out of the office. “I don’t know why he’s so grumpy,”
Trixie muttered. “Uh, gee, maybe because your autonomy
could possibly imperil yourself and your kindred,” Mart retorted
sarcastically. “Mart’s right, Trix,” Brian lectured.
“You should’ve learned by now to report this stuff to the police
immediately.” Trixie crossed her arms. Her pout put
even Bobby’s to shame. The room was filled with an uncomfortable silence. An eternity later, Molinson returned
with reports in his hand. He sat back down at his desk. “Those sightings have
all been confirmed,” he informed them. “Really?” Brian gasped, shocked by the
revelation. Mart, however, did not seem surprised. “Richard Blank was released from prison
last week,” Molinson continued. “Apparently, new evidence was presented, and
he was released.” Trixie inhaled sharply. “But we caught
him red-handed! How could there be evidence to say that he was innocent?” Molinson shrugged. “All I know is
what’s in my report. If Mr. Blank has been released, I wouldn’t worry about
him since the charges against him were dropped. He probably wants to stay as
far away from you as possible. “Tilney Britten escaped from prison a month ago. He was sighted
on “Snipe Thompson was released from
prison a few weeks ago for health reasons. However, he has lost contact with
his parole officer and is in danger of being sent back to jail. “As for Dan’s old gang, there are too
many to keep up with. I do know that Al Finlay and
Oliver Tolliver are still in prison, but we’ve lost track of Luke. Since he
was a juvenile at the time of the crime, he slipped through the cracks like
those punks are prone to do.” “So what can we do to protect Trixie,
sir?” Brian asked. “I talked to the Captain about this,
and he feels someone’s just trying to scare you,” Molinson went on gruffly.
“Richard Blank’s glad to get out of prison and wouldn’t want to risk going
back. Tilney Britten
hasn’t been sighted for a day or so, so he’s probably on his way to Trixie hopped up out of her seat.
“Okay, so there’s nothing to worry about. Let’s go!” “Not so fast, Detective Belden!” Molinson snarled. “I recommend that you kids
stay at home tonight and not run around Sleepyside. We’ll send a patrol car
to check on you every half hour. And let us know if anything,
and I mean anything, else suspicious happens. Now, get out of here. I’m
working on a case.” Trixie’s ears perked up as she went into
detective mode. “What kind of case?” Brian rolled his eyes and dragged her
out of the office. “Thank you!” Sgt. Molinson gruffly
called out. Trixie, Brian, and Mart met the rest of
the Bob-Whites at Wimpy’s. They had finished their ice cream and were doing
their best to keep Bobby entertained. “Trixie!” Bobby exclaimed, running up
to his sister. “It was drivin’ me nervous worryin’ ‘bout you!” She smiled and patted his chubby,
chocolaty cheeks. “Do you mean ‘driving you crazy’?” He shook his head. “I wasn’t crazy. I
was just plain nervous!” “I’m fine, Bobby. There’s nothing to
worry about.” The Bob-Whites decided to have lunch there, and while they
waited for their food, Trixie told them what Sgt. Molinson said. “Well, I’ll set a trap for those bad
guys, just like Kevin ‘allister did in that movie,”
Bobby announced in between bites of his grilled cheese sandwich. “I can make
a trap by puttin’ gum in fronta
all the doors, an’ I can hang one of Moms’ iron skillets from the ceiling, an’
I…” “We’ll take care of everything, Bobby,”
Brian insisted in his authoritative tone. Bobby’s eyes filled with
disappointed tears. After they were finished with lunch,
they headed back to the clubhouse for their meeting. None of them noticed the
figure keeping an evil eye on them. That night… “I don’t wanna go to bed!” Bobby wailed. “I wanna
stay up and catch bad guys! I wanna watch out the
window with my nocklers!” “The bad guys aren’t
coming to our house,” Brian insisted. Honestly, he was not quite as positive
as he sounded, but he did not want his little brother to know that. “Ol’
Dickie could be sneakin’ ‘round
outside, jus’ waitin’ to break in here an’ grab
Trixie!” he cried tearfully. “I wanna holp catch him!” Trixie shook her
head. “Sgt. Molinson has some police officers watching the house.” She pulled
back the drapes in the living room as the lights of a patrol car pulled out
of the driveway. “See there, Bobby. There’s nothing to worry about.” “Besides, Richard
Blank may not be known for his excess of perspicacity, however, one would
conclude that he would not be fatuous enough to mess with Beatrix
Belden again,” Mart explained. “Dickie
wasn’t ‘fatuous’, Mart. He was real skinny,” Bobby corrected. “Fatuous doesn’t mean
fat; it means foolish.” Mart sighed wearily. “Go to bed, Bobby.” Before Bobby could
protest again, Trixie said, “I’ll be up to tuck you in. Maybe I’ll tell you a
story.” The little boy
brightened slightly. “Could you sing me a song instead? I just ‘dore your singin’.” Trixie rolled her
eyes. “You know I don’t like to sing.” Her rendition of “The Star Spangled
Banner” was infamous. Tears filled Bobby’s
blue eyes. “Please, Trixie? Moms always sings to me
when she’s here.” Afraid that Bobby
would begin sobbing for Moms, Trixie quickly relented. “Okay, Bobby. I’ll be up
in a minute.” Minutes later, Trixie
was tucking her little brother into his cozy bed. She handed him his favorite
teddy bear and sat on the edge of the bed. “You gonna sing now, Trixie?” Trixie nodded and
sang the first verse of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. Bobby’s eyes were
drooping near the end. She kissed his forehead and tiptoed out of the room. “I think you singed
real good,” Bobby muttered sleepily, but then he rolled over and fell asleep.
After she went back
downstairs, Trixie found her older brothers in a deep discussion. “What’s
wrong?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at them. The boys looked at
each other, trying to decide if they should tell her what they were talking
about. Brian finally spoke
up. “We’ve decided to take turns sitting up all night. That way, one of us will
always be on guard in case anyone tries to break in.” “When’s my shift?”
Trixie inquired. “Negative, fair
maiden,” Mart contradicted. “Your indomitable brothers will be manning the
watchtower. It has been arbitrarily decided that if we are to endure this situation
and have you be unscathed, then it would behoove us to exile you to your
somnolence domicile.” Trixie stomped her
foot angrily. “W-w-why Mart Belden, that’s just plain sexist!” “Trix, you have to
admit that you have a certain knack for getting into trouble,” Brian gently
reminded. “And I have a knack
for getting out of it, too!” she snapped brusquely. “We’re not arguing
about it, Trixie,” Mart said. When he was truly worried about someone, especially
Trixie, he often forgot to use his immense vocabulary. “We want you safe and
sound when Moms and Dad return tomorrow night.” She scowled at them,
her blue eyes shooting daggers. “Well, I suppose as the fair maiden of this
castle, I shall retire to my chambers,” she retorted sarcastically. With an
indignant sniff and a defiant toss of her curls, she stomped up the stairs to
her bedroom and loudly slammed the door. “That went over
well,” Mart replied sheepishly. Trixie sat up in bed
anxiously. She was positive she heard something. Probably just one of the boys downstairs, she thought sleepily.
She settled back into her bed and closed her eyes. “Don’t go back to
sleep now, little detective,” a familiar voice snarled. “It’s time to play.” Trixie sat up again.
“W-w-who is it?” “It’s your old
friend. I’ve come to see you.” Trixie’s breaths
became rapid. She stared at the figure standing over her bed. “M-my brothers are d-downstairs,” she
stammered nervously. “They’ll hear you.” “Your brothers
are…indisposed.” “What did you do to
them?” she hissed, clutching the blankets to her chest. The figure cackled.
“The loud-mouthed one was asleep on the couch downstairs. I tied his hands
behind his back, gagged him, and blindfolded him before he even woke up. I
did the same thing to the oldest one. He was asleep in his bed.” “What are you going
to d-do to me?” The man threw his
head back and laughed. “Why, I’m going to dump you in the river like I wanted
to do in the first place, Detective Belden!” She looked up at Sgt.
Molinson in fright. Was he serious, or was this a reckless prank to make her
give up solving mysteries forever? Another look at the crazed policeman told
Trixie that this was most certainly not
a joke. His glazed-over eyes darted back and forth and sweat beaded on his forehead.
He had an evil leer on his face, making him look more like a deranged
psychopath than a gruff policeman. “H-how did you g-get
in?” Trixie stuttered. “Your parents were
kind enough to loan me a key while they were away. They asked me to check on you
during their trip. And I’ve certainly been doing that,” he answered with a
lecherous grin. “You won’t get away
with this,” she challenged. She clenched her fists, trying to keep her hands
from shaking. “Oh, but I will! I
have the perfect plan. I’ve been working on it for the past year! It’s
guaranteed to get rid of you forever.” Trixie bit her lip,
determined not to cry. “B-but why?” Her heart beat furiously inside her
chest. “Do you know how much
I hate you, Detective Belden?” He spat out her name
with contempt. “Ever since I met you, you’ve been a thorn in my side! Do you
know what it’s like to be in a kid’s shadow?
Every time I worked on a case, you’d show up. And, somehow, you’d figure it
out before me. “It got so bad that
the Police Captain started asking me to check with that Belden girl to see if
she had any leads. Imagine, me, a
decorated Police Sergeant, having to go to a little girl for information!”
he screamed shrilly. “Well, I won’t have
to put up with that anymore,” he continued. “Tonight, Detective Belden will
be kidnapped by one of her old enemies and I’ll be the hero!” Trixie’s curiosity
temporarily outweighed her fear. “What are you going to do?” Molinson sneered at
her in contempt. “Since you won’t be around to solve this mystery, I suppose
I’ll give you the details now. Out in my patrol car, Richard Blank is tied up
and gagged. I had a meeting planned with him. He had to…repay me for a favor. You see, Detective, I was the one who provided the evidence that set him
free!” Molinson giggled the giggle of the truly demented. “I’m taking you to a
deserted spot along the “After I’ve made sure
that he’s dead, I’ll call for backup and request that the river be searched
for your body. When the divers find your lifeless form, they’ll think that
Dick did it!” He chuckled wickedly. “Now it’s time to go swimming, Detective Belden.” Trixie shuddered with
fright. She knew that Molinson’s plan sounded
foolproof, and that he was crazy enough to do it. The evil policeman
stepped closer to the bed to grab her by the arm, but when he did, he
suddenly stumbled to the ground. Quick as a wink, little Bobby Belden crawled
out from under his sister’s bed and whacked Molinson in the head with Moms’
big cast iron skillet. After the man was
knocked unconscious, the little boy pulled out the handcuffs that Trixie had
used on him a few weeks earlier. After he latched the cuffs shut, he grinned
triumphantly at Molinson’s shoelaces--- which had
been tied together tightly by none other than Bobby Belden! “Robert Harold
Belden! You little imp!” Trixie cried joyfully, throwing her arms around her
hero. “You saved the day!” “Told ya I could catch the bad guys!” he proudly proclaimed. “I
pretended to be asleep when you lefted my room. Then
I crawled under your bed, where I hided the skillet earlier today. I thoughted it might come in handy.” Trixie laughed.
“Looks like Brian and Mart owe you an apology. You stay here and guard
Molinson while I go untie them. Then I
need to call Spider. If you see Molinson move, whack him again with the skillet.” Bobby nodded and
locked his eyes on the policeman’s limp form. “Okey
dokey, Trixie.” Trixie smiled. She
knew Bobby would vigilantly keep his post. She quickly left to free her older
brothers. However, a loud WHACK
brought her back to her bedroom. “Is everything okay?” Bobby looked up
angelically. “Sorry. False alarm. I thoughted he moved,
but he was jus’ breathin’.” Trixie giggled and
left the room. She had made it to the boys’ door when she heard, WHACK! “Sorry!” Bobby called
apologetically. “He breathed again!” Trixie stifled a chuckle as she thought
about how many times she had dreamed of hitting the grumpy sergeant with
something. Maybe Bobby’ll
let me take a turn, she thought with a smile. WHACK! “Hey!” her little brother yelled. “Sgt.
Molinson’s fat tummy really goes waaay up and waaay down when he
breathes. He keeps foolin’ me!” WHACK! Trixie Belden walked down the hallway
to Brian and Mart’s room. She knew without a doubt that she and her older
brothers were in safe hands. Bobby Belden was on the job!
Credits: Bobby Belden asked me to let him
make up for all the trouble he caused in the last adventure. We talked it
over and decided that it was time for him to be a good guy for a change!
Currently, his head is still swollen from all the praise he received after Molinson’s capture. Moms bought several editions of the
Sleepyside Sun that featured the story and mailed them to all the relatives
who were worried that Bobby would be destined for a life of crime. If I’m not
mistaken, Aunt Alicia was mailed two copies. You know, just in case she lost
one. Moms has taken the Bobster
to the seaside until the publicity wanes. Lately, he’s been receiving too
many offers for the CIA, FBI, Scotland Yard, and such. I’m sure after they return,
Bobby will be back to his lovable, rambunctious self. Sorry to any Sgt. Molinson fans
out there! I always thought he was so mean to Trixie. I’m sure he had a lot
of issues caused from being outsmarted by a teenage kid. J I didn’t know if the bad guy
would be him or Mr.Lytell. I flipped a coin, and
Sgt. Molinson lost. Right now, Sgt. Molinson is in prison, denied bail
because of his continued hostility to the entire Belden family. Mark Geragos is working on his case. They will claim police
brutality and use the knots on Molinson’s head
(from Bobby’s continuous whacking) as evidence. The television networks are
putting offers on the table for rights to the story. Be sure to check out the Blooper
Reel at The Cameo! This is my initiation story as a
Jix author. Thank you so much for accepting me, CathyP!
I’m honored to be counted among such talented writers. Thank you to my fabulous
editors, Kaye KL (the best anti-KK protection a writer can have!), KayRenee (the fastest editor in the west…er south!), and LoriD (the comma
queen, extraordinaire!). You all were a big help and encouragement! Hugs to
you all! A big hug and thank you to Janey for providing the word “nymphomercial”.
That was her creation. Thanks so much for letting me use it, Janey! This is |
