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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’d 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 shoelaces 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 idea—” “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 gulped. “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 wouldn’t 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 complained, his lower lip protruding in a pout. “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 once 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’ll 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 caressed 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
responded 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 stay—” “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 goodbye 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. “Maybe
Mart could go with you.” Trixie shook her head. “I won’t be long.” She trotted off
to buy a cola before a bodyguard could be assigned to her. While she stood in the long line, she studied the crowd. Gleeps! There sure 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 couldn’t help but wish that she could do the same
thing. 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 gasped as she noticed something familiar about the nefarious
character. She rubbed her eyes, positive she was seeing things. Could that be…What’re the odds? The cute redhead pulled out a cell phone. While he was talking,
Trixie noticed that the suspicious man hovered close by, clearly up to no
good. 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 closely
set 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! Trixie thought. Instinctively, she gave a shrill whistle. The handsome executive
jumped at the sudden noise, and Dick hastily moved away to find his next
target. 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?” Mart 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. She knew what she’d seen, even
if nobody believed her. Two hours later… Mart wearily pulled the family station wagon into the
driveway at Crabapple Farm. He was anxious to get inside and put Bobby to
bed. The little boy had been sniffling ever since their parents had boarded
the plane. “Hey, when’s Moms gonna be back?”
Bobby 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.” “But that’s a long time,” Bobby whined, 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’s 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 bawled the
entire way home.” “You’re so mean, Mart,” she giggled. Mart grimaced. “Let’s just hope our overly-uxorious
procreators don’t come home with another Belden on the way,” he muttered. “Ewww! I don’t even want to think
about that!” Trixie shrieked, sticking 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. “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 that there weren’t any
mysteries to solve… “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. “Was that Brian, calling back to give some last minute
instructions?” “No.” “Then who was it?” “It must’ve been a prank call,” she replied softly. Mart put down his cupcake and leveled his eyes at his sister. “Did
you recognize the voice?” Trixie shook her head. “All I know is it was a guy, but I can’t be
sure. It sounded like he used something to disguise his voice.” “What did he say, Trix?” Mart prompted. “He said something about Moms and Dad being gone. Then he asked if
I could come out to play.” Trying to dismiss the call as harmless, Mart shrugged and waved
his hand in dismissal. “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. “Do you want to call the
police?” “Definitely not,” Trixie replied. “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 double-checked that all the doors were tightly
bolted shut. This was his watch, and he wasn’t taking any chances. In the morning... Trixie rubbed her eyes sleepily as her alarm clock jarred
her awake. She’d not gotten nearly enough sleep last night. They’d 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, and then went in to
wake up Bobby. Thankfully, he jumped out of bed as soon as she called for
him. “Here are your clothes, Bobby,” she
said. “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’d stayed awake all night, making sure nobody broke into Crabapple Farm and
kidnapped anyone. “Good morning, my dear almost-twin!” she exclaimed
cheerfully. Mart grunted and rolled his eyes. No matter how sleepy he
was, he still felt the need to bug Trixie with his oversized vocabulary,
especially since she was so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. “My sweet Beatrix,
I find your precocity in bidding me aurora salutations 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. However, 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. Brian would kill us both!” 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 hot man in
the suit 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 snorted. “Susie’s not even your horse to bet, so of
course you wouldn’t mind risking her.” He poured a heaping mound of cereal in
a mixing bowl that he found in the cupboard. “Still, I’ll be glad when Brian
gets home. I’d rather you be Mr. Responsible’s
charge.” “So, you’re willing to concede that
it’s possible that I did see Dick the Dip.” “The only thing I’m conceding is that
you’re a regular pain in the tookus, and it’ll be
nice when I can tell you to bug Brian instead of me,” Mart informed her. “Humph!” Trixie huffed loudly. Mart smiled; that was the exact
reaction he’d been going for. To tell the truth, he was a lot more concerned
than he was letting on. Though he’d never tell a soul, especially Trixie,
Mart had no doubt that she’d seen Richard Blank. And that is what worried
him. Who knew what kind of revenge the ex-con had been plotting while he was
in prison? 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. She had to do a
double take when she saw him. “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 pieces that had fallen
onto the table, as well as the cereal that had fallen on the floor, and
popped the flakes he’d 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.” Mart grinned at his little brother. “That’s what protective
headgear is, small fry,” he corrected. “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
said, 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, on top
of the refrigerator. “Is this it, Bobby?” Bobby jumped up and grabbed it. “Yup! That’s it! Short 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. They’d barely
gotten there when 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, lad,” 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 saw
at the airport yesterday?” Mart inquired, his blue eyes twinkling. “Was it a movie star?” Honey asked excitedly. “It wasn’t
Tom Welling, was it?” 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 he could’ve escaped. All I know is that I’m positive it was that
little weasel.” “I still think he
was sort of handsome,” Honey admitted with a giggle. “You know, in a skinny
kind of way.” Trixie shivered. “I’ll never
understand your taste in men. First you think Dick the Dip is attractive, and
then you start crushing on my—” “Actually, it’s kind of ironic that
you saw Dick, Trixie,” Honey interrupted. “Miss Trask and I had to run an
errand yesterday to White Plains, and on our way home, we thought for sure
that we saw Snipe Thompson on a path near Crabapple Farm.” “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 Bob-Whites, but she’d 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 when Trixie
and Honey found her. “Morning, Di!” Trixie greeted in her
usual exuberant manner. “We missed you on the bus. Especially Mart.” Di blushed. It wasn’t a secret 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, not my real uncle;
he’s in Arizona, silly. 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, claiming the seat beside Jim. Bobby quickly
scooted in the booth to sit on her left, forcing her to sit closer to Jim. Jim looked at her fondly and tugged his favorite curl. “Did
you 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 in Beatrix’s future,” Mart taunted. “Is Trixie goin’ to a fort?”
Bobby inquired. “If she’s goin’ to a fort, then I wanna go, too.” Honey laughed. “No, Bobby. Mart just said that Trixie is
going to be grounded for two weeks.” “For the record, it really isn’t just Trixie’s mystery,” Di
added supportively. “Honey and I are involved, too!” “Well, then that changes everything,”
Brian said sarcastically. “You know everything will be okay.” Bobby tugged on his sister’s sleeve
to get her attention. “Hey, I think it’s neat that ya
found another mystery, Trixie. When I get bigger, I wanna
solve mysteries, too.” Trixie smiled down at her little
brother and patted his head affectionately. “So, what kind of mystery have you girls found?” 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 announced. “On the contrary, dear sister, you think 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 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. Eating proved
to be of greater importance than conversation. “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, 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. He opened his mouth,
but nothing came out. “Dan, tell us what you saw,” Jim urged. “I… I think I just
saw Luke,” Dan whispered. “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.” “Luke Duke ain’t bad, Dan,” Bobby argued. Trixie placed her
arm around the little boy’s shoulders. “It’s not the same Luke, lamb. The
Luke that Dan knew was very mean.” “Oh,” Bobby murmured
thoughtfully. “Then I hope it ain’t Luke.” Brian studied Dan’s
face carefully. “Are you sure it was him?” Dan nodded. “Surely, you’ve been
militated by my xanthous-haired sibling and are
excogitating apparitions from the distant preterition,”
Mart retorted. “Listen, I don’t know
what you just said, but I do know
what I saw!” Dan insisted. “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 remarked, his dark brows meeting in the deep groove above his
nose. “It seems a little too coincidental.” Jim frowned. “And
this would just happen to be the weekend when Mr. and Mrs. Belden are away,”
he added. “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 regularly using the word ‘mysterious’!” Dan wasn’t 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 breaks…” 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
promised. “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. He 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? Don’t you wanna hear my plan?” Noticing his
distress, Trixie put an arm around her little brother. “Of course we do,
Bobby. It’s just that you said something very funny on accident.” “What did I actually say that was funny?” Bobby
queried. “Well, when you were
telling us about the barbells, you meant to say 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 offered 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. His little chin quivered as he tried to suppress the tears that
were burning his eyes. 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 up at
his sister thankfully. “Thanks, Trixie! You don’t treat me like a baby like
Mart and Brian.” She winked at him
and patted his arm under the table. 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. “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 slash 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 unhappily. “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 Reese Witherspoon and Vin Diesel,” Honey informed them. “Let’s go! I’m rather
partial to Reese!” Jim said with a wink. Trixie scowled and elbowed him in
the gut. “Uh, excuse me,”
Brian began with a nod in Bobby’s direction, “but what’re we supposed to do
with Bobby? 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,
I promise!” Luckily for the
Bob-Whites, Miss Trask conveniently appeared just when they needed her. “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. “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 mood change. “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 behind him. 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. Although he didn’t notice anything out of the
ordinary, he placed 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 the pretzel, 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!” Although the movie
was good, Trixie couldn’t get her mind off the possibility that someone was
following her. 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 had 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. Mart made her feel
welcome in his embrace. “Maybe we should see it again,” he teased. “Oh, Di’s right. I
never suspected who the killer really was!” Honey exclaimed. “That movie was
a lot spookier than I expected it to be. I’ll have nightmares tonight!” 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. The sedan just turned off the main road.” Trixie still wasn’t
convinced. Intermittently, she glanced behind them to look for any sign that
they were being followed. “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 needled. “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 we have a
lot to do before bed,” 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. “I think I’m good
for the next week or two,” Dan answered with a grin. “Honey and I can be
there at nine, if that’s good for everyone else,” Jim said. “It works for me,” 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 and then bowed. Di 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 unlocked the
house and began turning on lights. It was dark outside, and they had
forgotten to leave on any of the lamps. “Ooh!” Bobby gasped
nervously. “It’s kinda scary here in the dark.” He
anxiously stayed near his sister’s side, tenuously clasping her hand. “Don’t be silly,
Bobby,” Trixie chided. “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 bottle of
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.
She shrieked and
dropped the paper 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!” Knowing Bobby would
panic if he knew she was afraid, Trixie tried to control her breathing. “I
know you didn’t, lamb. I just shut my finger in the drawer.” “Oh, no! Are you
okay?” “I’m fine.” She
picked up the piece of standard notebook paper by the corner, as to not
disturb any fingerprints the writer may have left behind. “Do you know
anything about this note, Bobby?” 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? My water’s getting cold.” 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
left, 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”. Neither he nor Trixie said anything 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, I
wouldn’t dream of turning you down,” Trixie said with a laugh. “I wasn’t
exactly thrilled to be cooking anyway, and I daresay that my brothers aren’t
any more 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
something to show you, too. Something 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, for your information.” “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 teased. 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?” 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. “Bob…” She screamed as
a hand reached out from under the bed to grasp 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
eatin’ 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 he could do something to help Jim. Although he loved his
two older brothers, it was no “see-crud” that Bobby idolized the husky
redhead. “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. As Trixie watched her friend descend, she couldn’t help but think
that Honey was 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’re 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 gasped. “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 has 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 as they
waited for the food to be brought out to them. 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. “Thanks for letting us come to breakfast,
Miss Trask. Everything looks delicious!” “You’re welcome any
time, dear,” Miss Trask replied, smiling. “Of course, I thought
Trix was anxious 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’ve concocted.” “I’ve never had any
complaints from you before,” Trixie retorted, handing her almost-twin a
napkin to wipe the syrup that was 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, making the muddy water splash 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 all males under the age of 30 to them; it’s in their genes.” “Well, it’s on my jeans now,” Trixie muttered,
brushing at the brown spots on her Levis. 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 grasp
and read it out loud.
Brian’s hands shook
as he finished reading the note. “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 got 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 from either him or Mart, 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 assume they’re jokes. There’re 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 argued. “As your older
brother, it’s my responsibility to make sure you’re still alive when Moms and
Dad get home.” “Brian, Sgt. Molinson will 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’d 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. “This sounds
serious, Trixie. I don’t think we can handle it by ourselves.” 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’d moved away for a while to work in White Plains, but had
recently returned to Sleepyside, along with his younger brother, Tad. “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 aren’t 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 while the rest of the Beldens spoke with the authorities. 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. “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, didn’t seem surprised. “Richard Blank was
released from prison last week,” Molinson continued.
“Apparently, new evidence was presented, and he was released and cleared of
all charges.” 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. “As for Tilney Britten, he 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’s lost
contact with his parole officer and is in danger of being sent back to
jail. “As for Dan’s old gang,
there’re 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 called out. Trixie, Brian, and Mart met
the rest of the Bob-Whites at Wimpy’s. They’d
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,” she
told him. “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. “So, just as I thought,”
Trixie concluded, “there’s probably nothing to worry about.” “Well, I’ll set a trap for
those bad guys just in case, 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. “Doncha trust me?” Mart opened his mouth to
speak, but was cut short by Trixie. “Of course they do, lamb,”
she said gently. “It’s just that Brian and Mart might want to make a few
traps of their own.” That seemed to appease
Bobby, and he ate the rest of his food without complaint. After everyone had
finished lunch, the Bob-Whites headed back to the clubhouse for their
meeting. None of them noticed the figure keeping an evil eye on them in the
distance. 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 wasn’t quite as positive as
he sounded, but he didn’t want his little brother to know that. “Ol’
Dickie could be sneakin’
‘round outside, jus’ waitin’ to break in here an’
grab Trixie!” Bobby persisted. “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 wouldn’t 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
offer further protest, 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 famous, or rather infamous. Tears filled Bobby’s
blue eyes. “Please, Trixie? Moms always sings me a
song when she tucks me in at night.” Afraid that Bobby
would begin sobbing for their mother, Trixie quickly relented. “Okay, Bobby.
I’ll be up in a minute.” Minutes later, Trixie
was tucking the blankets around her little brother. 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”, which was one of her
favorites. Bobby’s eyes were drooping near the end. She kissed his forehead
and tiptoed out of the room. “I think you singed
real good, Trixie,” Bobby murmured, but then he
rolled over and immediately 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 or let her figure it out for herself. 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. “We’re not arguing
about it, Trixie,” Mart said. “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. But something wasn’t quite
right. She thought for sure that she heard the sound of breathing, and it
wasn’t coming from her. “Don’t go back to
sleep now, little detective,” a voice snarled. “I warned you that I was
coming over to play.” Trixie sat up again.
The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t quite make out the
identity. The room was pitch black, and she couldn’t
see her own hand in front of her face, let alone someone standing a few feet
away. “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, trying to
figure out who it was. “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. Her visitor cackled.
“I assume that the loud-mouthed one was supposed to be on watch, but he was
asleep on the couch downstairs. I simply 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’re 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!” Her assailant turned
on a flashlight and held it under his chin to illuminate his face. Trixie
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 shrieked. “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! You’ll never
outshine me ever again!” Trixie’s curiosity
temporarily outweighed her fear. “What’re 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. With Brian and Mart out of
commission, she was a goner for sure. 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
on the head with Moms’ big cast iron skillet. After the man was
knocked unconscious, Bobby 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.” Bobby glanced over at
Molinson, who was out like a light. “What about
him?” “Just watch him
carefully,” Trixie instructed. “If you see him 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 left to free Mart and
Brian. However, a loud WHACK
brought her back to the bedroom. “Is everything okay?” Bobby looked up
angelically. “Sorry. False alarm. I thoughted he
moved, but he was jus’ breathin’.” Trixie giggled.
“Well, it’s better to be safe than sorry.” She turned and walked down the
hallway. She’d 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’d dreamed of hitting the grumpy old
sergeant in the head with something. Maybe
Bobby’ll let me take a turn after while, 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!
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 Jixemitri Circle Writing Project #10. The
required elements were: 1) mention of
a holiday that falls between March 1 and July 1 (Mother’s Day), 2) any song
with the word “Rain” in the title (can include raindrops, rainbows, etc.)
(“Somewhere Over the Rainbow”), 3) an umbrella (one on Bobby’s paper), 4) a
muddy shoe (Bobby’s that Mart removes), 5) a cupcake (Mart and Trixie’s
snack), 6) a game of hopscotch (Bobby played hopscotch on the way to the
clubhouse), 7) markers (Bobby took them to the clubhouse), 8) a straw (Can’t
drink Mike’s shakes through one), 9) a bicycle helmet (Bobby tried to wear
one to school), 10) a missing homework assignment (Bobby’s umbrella paper),
and 11) a carry-over item (a BWG singing against their will, from CWP #6)
(Trixie singing to Bobby).
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