Chapter Ten- The Clue in the Dress
Rated Blue Star for all ages. Some mild violence.
Two worried and miserable girls headed for the bus, glad the other Bob-Whites weren’t on it.
“I have to go home,” Honey said. “My folks are there and they’ve been saying we should all have dinner, but Trixie, I don’t see how I’ll eat a thing.”
“Me either,” Trixie admitted. “Can you come down after dinner? We can say we have to study or something. I don’t think I can get through tonight unless I have you to talk this over with.”
Honey nodded. “I’m sure that will be fine. I do know we’re eating early, so I’ll come as soon as I can.”
They hugged briefly, and Trixie got off the bus and made her way up the Belden drive.
Trixie knew the members of her family were eying her oddly. She did her chores without complaint, ignored Mart’s teasing, and barely ate any dinner before asking to be excused, explaining that Honey was coming over for “a thing.” She didn’t specify what. Somehow, even a small untruth felt wrong in the circumstances. She waited in her room, and when Honey arrived, she dragged her friend upstairs straight away.
The two girls did find some comfort in one another’s company, but as their conversation went around and around in circles, they were no closer to finding a way to deal with their problem.
“Oh, Trixie,” Honey wailed. “What are we going to do? Do you think I should tell my dad, after all? I know it’s not the right thing to do, but at least he can afford to pay whatever the doll’s worth.”
“Honey we can’t do that. We just can’t. We’ll have to find another way. Maybe we can get the doll back ourselves.”
“How?”
Before Trixie could reply there was a sharp knock on the door. “Yes?” she called.
The door opened and both Mart and Brian stood in the hallway.
“I told you something was up,” Mart said, walking into his sister’s room.
Brian followed suit, his expression concerned as he scanned the two girls faces. Trixie knew her own face was flushed. She felt miserable, and her brothers knew her well enough to tell it.
Brian did a double-take as he focused on Honey. Her brow was furrowed and there were tears in her eyes. "What's happened?" he asked gently, taking a seat on the guest bed beside her.
Mart dropped down next to Trixie. “Spill, sis,” he said, dropping an arm around her shoulders.
“It’s just awful,” Honey cried. “We’re in so much trouble. I’m never doing another favor for anyone ever.”
In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Trixie gave an involuntary snort and both her brothers smiled.
“The doll’s missing,” Trixie said bluntly. “And the charming Mr. Reid thinks we took it.”
“What?” Brian’s dark brows shot up in surprise.
“That’s nuts,” Mart said. “Why the heck would he think that?”
“He’s crazy, a criminal, just plain mean,” his sister returned.
“But he might be right, sort of,” Honey sighed.
“Not really following.” Mart rarely used big words when things were serious.
“Honey’s kind of worried that we might have accidentally led the possible thief to the doll.” Trixie slumped back against her pillows.
“How could you…” Brian trailed off. “The mysterious redheaded man?”
Trixie nodded and, despite her best effort, there was a sheen of tears in her blue eyes, too. “Mr. Reid said if he didn’t have the doll by tomorrow, he’d have Honey and me thrown in jail.”
“No, he can’t, he can’t. He can’t send Trixie and Honey away.”
The four Bob-Whites all looked up to see Bobby standing in the doorway of his sister’s room.
“I’m the one who’ll haf to go to jail.” He ran across the room to fling himself beside his brother and sister on Trixie’s bed. “But I didn’t taked the doll, honest.” He burst into a flood of noisy tears.
Mart got up and hurried over to close the door. “I’m guessing we don’t want to involved our illustrious parents in this,” he said.
It took all four teenagers to calm Bobby down, but eventually he stopped sobbing.
“Bobby, whatever’s happened, you won’t go to jail. I promise you.” Brian leaned over to pat his brother’s hand.
“Do you really promise, Brian?” Bobby asked. He knew his oldest brother would not lie to him.
“We all do,” Trixie said, doing her best to sound calm. “But Bobby are you saying that you have the doll?”
Bobby nodded. “A little black dog came over to our place and gave it to me as a present.”
“Willy!” Trixie and Honey shrieked in unison.
“Mrs. De Keyser’s dog?” Mart nodded his head. “That does make sense. I don’t how many things I rescued from that mutt on Saturday.”
“Where is the doll?” Trixie asked her little brother, keeping her voice gentle.
In answer, Bobby stood up and, taking his sister’s hand, led her out of the room. The others followed.
Sure enough, the delicate porcelain doll had joined Bobby’s treasure collection. Trixie picked it up then handed it to Honey. “You should probably hold this. I might drop it or something.”
“Are you really, really sure I won’t have to go to jail?” Bobby asked.
“Definitely not,” Brian assured him.
“In fact,” Trixie added. “You’re kind of a hero, Bobby. Finding her and giving her back to us, so that we can return her to her…owner.”
“So, I’m not in any trouble?”
“Well,” Brian allowed. “It might be a good idea to let us know when you get special presents like this.”
His worries gone, Bobby frowned. “I tried to do that. Remember, Trix?”
“I remember,” Trixie said with a wry smile of her own. “I’ll look next time, Bobby. Honest, I will. Now, can you do something else for us?”
“What?”
“Can you keep this a see-crud for a little while?”
“Course I can.” Bobby squared his shoulders.
“Thank you, Bobby. Trixie’s right.” Honey bent down and kissed the little boy on the cheek. “You are a hero.”
The four left him playing happily with his treasure collection and returned to Trixie’s room.
“That thing doesn’t look quite as pretty as it did when we picked it up,” Trixie said, eyeing the doll balefully. “Willy obviously dragged it through the dirt. Do you think we can make it look like it used to, Honey?”
“Of course. This fabric is quite light-weight. We’ll wash it, let it dry, and then I can iron it and we’ll redress her.”
“Good idea,” Mart said. “Though I do have to say that having seen it up close, I’m still not convinced it’s that valuable.”
“No,” Honey agreed. “Seeing it again, it doesn’t look like the really expensive dolls I saw in the books. And, Trixie, I think you’re right about her being sort of heavy. Here, feel.” Honey handed the doll to her friend.
Trixie sat on the bed to avoid any disasters and lifted the doll up, turning her around carefully. “It is pretty heavy. Maybe it’s solid or something. Here, you take her again. She’s beginning to give me the heebie jeebies.” She stood and gave a yelp. Something had slipped from the doll’s garment and landed on her foot. “What the heck?” She bent down and picked it up and held it out for the others to see.
“What is it?” Honey asked, moving closer. “Is that writing on it? It looks like it’s made of some kind of metal.”
“Yes, it does,” Mart agreed, his voice oddly hollow. “Brian?”
Brian joined them and held his hand out. “It can’t be.”
Trixie passed the object to him, studying her brothers’ faces.
Honey took the doll from her friend. “It must have been sewn into this pocket under the dress,” she said. “And there’s another one, here, too.”
“That might explain it, then,” Brian, said, holding out his hand for it, “because this looks like a twenty-dollar bill and that…”
“Is the other side of it.” Trixie gulped, examining the item in her own hand. “Uh-oh, we’ve uncovered another counterfeiting ring. And Carl Reid is a counterfeiter.” She glanced around at the others. “I’m right, aren’t I?”
Honey’s shoulders slumped and she nodded wordlessly. Mart nodded his own sandy head and Brian met his sister’s blue gaze squarely.
“Looks like you are, Trix, and I also think we’re in a whole lot of trouble here. This is big stuff.”
“But we have found the plates,” Honey stammered. “So, we can hand them in, can’t we?”
“Oh, Honey.” Trixie resumed her position on her bed. “I don’t think we can. We might get charged for real if we did that.”
Honey looked horrified and her gaze shifted immediately to Brian. The look on his face was enough for her to realize how bad things were. “Because we brought the doll into the country,” she said miserably.
Trixie nodded.
“It would be your word against his,” Mart explained.
“It’s all my fault,” Honey said. “I was the one who wanted to do the favor. I was the one who kept it from my parents. It was my dad’s plane…they couldn’t drag my parents into this, could they?”
Brian took a couple of steps and slid an arm around her shoulders. “We’ll work it out, Honey. Won’t we, guys?”
Trixie nodded so hard her curls bounced. “Of course, we will. And I didn’t really try to stop you, Honey. If I’m honest, I kind of liked the idea of Mr. Reid owing me a favor.”
“Neither of you is to blame,” Mart said briskly. “I agree that this looks like your, ‘not so friendly,’ antique dealer is a crook. That makes it his fault.”
“Maybe he doesn’t know,” Honey suggested half- heartedly. She searched her friends’ faces. “You’re right. Of course he knows. That’s why he was funny about the doll.”
“Maybe he and the redheaded man are partners or something,” Trixie mused. “It would explain him turning up all the time.”
“We need a plan.” Mart folded his arms.
Trixie nodded. “Let’s call an emergency meeting of the Bob-Whites. Between us, we must be able to come up with something.”
“I’ll ring Jim and see if he can pick up Di,” Brian said.
“And I’ll call Dan. We can meet at the clubhouse,” Mart added.
“I’ll wash the doll’s dress. It’ll give me something to do,” Honey said.
“And I’ll grab some snacks from the kitchen.” Trixie stood up. “And don’t forget to dress warmly, everyone. We still don’t have heating since the stove broke down.”
Diana had thought to bring a small electric heater with her, so the clubhouse was almost bearable for the teenagers who all wore thick jackets, hats and scarves.
“It won’t make much difference but it’s portable.” Diana started pouring small cups of hot chocolate from a thermos.
“It was a good idea,” Mart said. “I’d say let’s get a couple more, but they cost too much to run all the time. It’s just a pity the oil heater died.”
“Not that our heating issues aren’t important, but I’m pretty sure that’s not why we we’re here.” Dan accepted the proffered chocolate and settled back in his chair.
Jim nodded. “Obviously, something’s up. Is everyone okay?” He rested his hand on
Trixie’s arm and shot his sister a look of concern.
“We’re okay—for now.” Trixie squeezed his hand, and took a deep breath. “Let me fill you in.”
With help from Honey and the occasional explanation from Brian, Trixie relayed the news to her friends.
“I am definitely with you guys on it looking like this man Reid is in it up to his neck. Though I wonder why he’d threaten the girls with jail rather than something less…savory,” Dan observed when she was through.
“Oh, great.” Honey sank back in her seat. “Now, I’m even more worried.”
“Sorry,” Dan said swiftly. “I’m just thinking aloud. I guess what I mean is, it doesn’t sound as if he suspects you know the truth about the doll.”
“Dan’s right,” Mart agreed. “I’m just not completely certain whether Reid knows the truth or not. He may have been duped. Maybe it’s this redheaded guy.”
“Well, either way, it seems like we’re in real trouble,” Diana said, receiving grateful looks from both Honey and Trixie for the ‘we’. “Do you think we should go to the police?”
“I was wondering the same thing,” Jim admitted.
“Normally, I’d be right there with you.” Brian began to pace, his brow furrowed. “But Trixie and Honey brought that doll into the United States, technically illegally. I just don’t know how that will play out with the authorities.”
“Brian’s right,” Honey said dolefully. “We’re smugglers or some sort of criminals. We probably are headed for the big house.”
“I hope it’s one of those cozy jails,” Trixie added. “You know, the farm sort. At least I’d feel more at home.” In spite of the situation, her lips twitched.
“And I look quite good in orange,” Honey added valiantly.
“But I look awful,” Trixie cried. “It clashes with my everything.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Jim gave her a half-smile. “I seem to remember a certain pumpkin coloured outfit featured at Tom and Celia’s wedding. I liked it.”
“Puh-leeze.” Mart held up his hand. “Focus, people. Seriously. Orange?”
Dan nodded. “Yeah, what ever happened to good old-fashioned prison stripes?”
“We could petition the court for you at sentencing,” Diana offered. “Orange for Honey, stripes for Trixie.”
“See.” Trixie turned to Honey. “Don’t we have the best friends ever?”
“We sure do.” Honey leaned back in her chair. “So how are they going to break us out of whichever jail we end up in?”
“How about we stop you going there in the first place?” Jim suggested, green eyes twinkling.
“I vote for that option,” Trixie said.
“I doubt it would actually come to jail,” Brian said, dark eyes twinkling. “We can always go to our parents. There might be some grounding of certain people, however.”
“A form of jail itself,” Trixie said glumly.
“Can’t we just give the doll back, and then work out what to do next?” Honey asked.
“It’s an option,” Mart conceded.
“Maybe we need to sleep on it,” Brian said. “See if we can come up with a way to get the doll back to Reid and alert the authorities, all without involving Trixie and Honey’s illicit import activities.”
“We didn’t mean to be illicit. We were accidentally illicit,” Honey said firmly. “That has to count for something.”
“Probably. But let’s do what Brian suggests. We can talk again tomorrow.” Dan stood and, with a general nod of agreement, the group went their separate ways.
Author's Notes: Without the amazing Vivian and wonderful Deanna, this would never have seen the light of the day. It is down to me that it has spent over 18 months waiting for me to post it. Their support deserved better.
No profit is being made from these occasional and sporadic scribblings. Trixie Belden et al belong to Random House and not to me.
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Two worried and miserable girls headed for the bus, glad the other Bob-Whites weren’t on it.
“I have to go home,” Honey said. “My folks are there and they’ve been saying we should all have dinner, but Trixie, I don’t see how I’ll eat a thing.”
“Me either,” Trixie admitted. “Can you come down after dinner? We can say we have to study or something. I don’t think I can get through tonight unless I have you to talk this over with.”
Honey nodded. “I’m sure that will be fine. I do know we’re eating early, so I’ll come as soon as I can.”
They hugged briefly, and Trixie got off the bus and made her way up the Belden drive.
Trixie knew the members of her family were eying her oddly. She did her chores without complaint, ignored Mart’s teasing, and barely ate any dinner before asking to be excused, explaining that Honey was coming over for “a thing.” She didn’t specify what. Somehow, even a small untruth felt wrong in the circumstances. She waited in her room, and when Honey arrived, she dragged her friend upstairs straight away.
The two girls did find some comfort in one another’s company, but as their conversation went around and around in circles, they were no closer to finding a way to deal with their problem.
“Oh, Trixie,” Honey wailed. “What are we going to do? Do you think I should tell my dad, after all? I know it’s not the right thing to do, but at least he can afford to pay whatever the doll’s worth.”
“Honey we can’t do that. We just can’t. We’ll have to find another way. Maybe we can get the doll back ourselves.”
“How?”
Before Trixie could reply there was a sharp knock on the door. “Yes?” she called.
The door opened and both Mart and Brian stood in the hallway.
“I told you something was up,” Mart said, walking into his sister’s room.
Brian followed suit, his expression concerned as he scanned the two girls faces. Trixie knew her own face was flushed. She felt miserable, and her brothers knew her well enough to tell it.
Brian did a double-take as he focused on Honey. Her brow was furrowed and there were tears in her eyes. "What's happened?" he asked gently, taking a seat on the guest bed beside her.
Mart dropped down next to Trixie. “Spill, sis,” he said, dropping an arm around her shoulders.
“It’s just awful,” Honey cried. “We’re in so much trouble. I’m never doing another favor for anyone ever.”
In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Trixie gave an involuntary snort and both her brothers smiled.
“The doll’s missing,” Trixie said bluntly. “And the charming Mr. Reid thinks we took it.”
“What?” Brian’s dark brows shot up in surprise.
“That’s nuts,” Mart said. “Why the heck would he think that?”
“He’s crazy, a criminal, just plain mean,” his sister returned.
“But he might be right, sort of,” Honey sighed.
“Not really following.” Mart rarely used big words when things were serious.
“Honey’s kind of worried that we might have accidentally led the possible thief to the doll.” Trixie slumped back against her pillows.
“How could you…” Brian trailed off. “The mysterious redheaded man?”
Trixie nodded and, despite her best effort, there was a sheen of tears in her blue eyes, too. “Mr. Reid said if he didn’t have the doll by tomorrow, he’d have Honey and me thrown in jail.”
“No, he can’t, he can’t. He can’t send Trixie and Honey away.”
The four Bob-Whites all looked up to see Bobby standing in the doorway of his sister’s room.
“I’m the one who’ll haf to go to jail.” He ran across the room to fling himself beside his brother and sister on Trixie’s bed. “But I didn’t taked the doll, honest.” He burst into a flood of noisy tears.
Mart got up and hurried over to close the door. “I’m guessing we don’t want to involved our illustrious parents in this,” he said.
It took all four teenagers to calm Bobby down, but eventually he stopped sobbing.
“Bobby, whatever’s happened, you won’t go to jail. I promise you.” Brian leaned over to pat his brother’s hand.
“Do you really promise, Brian?” Bobby asked. He knew his oldest brother would not lie to him.
“We all do,” Trixie said, doing her best to sound calm. “But Bobby are you saying that you have the doll?”
Bobby nodded. “A little black dog came over to our place and gave it to me as a present.”
“Willy!” Trixie and Honey shrieked in unison.
“Mrs. De Keyser’s dog?” Mart nodded his head. “That does make sense. I don’t how many things I rescued from that mutt on Saturday.”
“Where is the doll?” Trixie asked her little brother, keeping her voice gentle.
In answer, Bobby stood up and, taking his sister’s hand, led her out of the room. The others followed.
Sure enough, the delicate porcelain doll had joined Bobby’s treasure collection. Trixie picked it up then handed it to Honey. “You should probably hold this. I might drop it or something.”
“Are you really, really sure I won’t have to go to jail?” Bobby asked.
“Definitely not,” Brian assured him.
“In fact,” Trixie added. “You’re kind of a hero, Bobby. Finding her and giving her back to us, so that we can return her to her…owner.”
“So, I’m not in any trouble?”
“Well,” Brian allowed. “It might be a good idea to let us know when you get special presents like this.”
His worries gone, Bobby frowned. “I tried to do that. Remember, Trix?”
“I remember,” Trixie said with a wry smile of her own. “I’ll look next time, Bobby. Honest, I will. Now, can you do something else for us?”
“What?”
“Can you keep this a see-crud for a little while?”
“Course I can.” Bobby squared his shoulders.
“Thank you, Bobby. Trixie’s right.” Honey bent down and kissed the little boy on the cheek. “You are a hero.”
The four left him playing happily with his treasure collection and returned to Trixie’s room.
“That thing doesn’t look quite as pretty as it did when we picked it up,” Trixie said, eyeing the doll balefully. “Willy obviously dragged it through the dirt. Do you think we can make it look like it used to, Honey?”
“Of course. This fabric is quite light-weight. We’ll wash it, let it dry, and then I can iron it and we’ll redress her.”
“Good idea,” Mart said. “Though I do have to say that having seen it up close, I’m still not convinced it’s that valuable.”
“No,” Honey agreed. “Seeing it again, it doesn’t look like the really expensive dolls I saw in the books. And, Trixie, I think you’re right about her being sort of heavy. Here, feel.” Honey handed the doll to her friend.
Trixie sat on the bed to avoid any disasters and lifted the doll up, turning her around carefully. “It is pretty heavy. Maybe it’s solid or something. Here, you take her again. She’s beginning to give me the heebie jeebies.” She stood and gave a yelp. Something had slipped from the doll’s garment and landed on her foot. “What the heck?” She bent down and picked it up and held it out for the others to see.
“What is it?” Honey asked, moving closer. “Is that writing on it? It looks like it’s made of some kind of metal.”
“Yes, it does,” Mart agreed, his voice oddly hollow. “Brian?”
Brian joined them and held his hand out. “It can’t be.”
Trixie passed the object to him, studying her brothers’ faces.
Honey took the doll from her friend. “It must have been sewn into this pocket under the dress,” she said. “And there’s another one, here, too.”
“That might explain it, then,” Brian, said, holding out his hand for it, “because this looks like a twenty-dollar bill and that…”
“Is the other side of it.” Trixie gulped, examining the item in her own hand. “Uh-oh, we’ve uncovered another counterfeiting ring. And Carl Reid is a counterfeiter.” She glanced around at the others. “I’m right, aren’t I?”
Honey’s shoulders slumped and she nodded wordlessly. Mart nodded his own sandy head and Brian met his sister’s blue gaze squarely.
“Looks like you are, Trix, and I also think we’re in a whole lot of trouble here. This is big stuff.”
“But we have found the plates,” Honey stammered. “So, we can hand them in, can’t we?”
“Oh, Honey.” Trixie resumed her position on her bed. “I don’t think we can. We might get charged for real if we did that.”
Honey looked horrified and her gaze shifted immediately to Brian. The look on his face was enough for her to realize how bad things were. “Because we brought the doll into the country,” she said miserably.
Trixie nodded.
“It would be your word against his,” Mart explained.
“It’s all my fault,” Honey said. “I was the one who wanted to do the favor. I was the one who kept it from my parents. It was my dad’s plane…they couldn’t drag my parents into this, could they?”
Brian took a couple of steps and slid an arm around her shoulders. “We’ll work it out, Honey. Won’t we, guys?”
Trixie nodded so hard her curls bounced. “Of course, we will. And I didn’t really try to stop you, Honey. If I’m honest, I kind of liked the idea of Mr. Reid owing me a favor.”
“Neither of you is to blame,” Mart said briskly. “I agree that this looks like your, ‘not so friendly,’ antique dealer is a crook. That makes it his fault.”
“Maybe he doesn’t know,” Honey suggested half- heartedly. She searched her friends’ faces. “You’re right. Of course he knows. That’s why he was funny about the doll.”
“Maybe he and the redheaded man are partners or something,” Trixie mused. “It would explain him turning up all the time.”
“We need a plan.” Mart folded his arms.
Trixie nodded. “Let’s call an emergency meeting of the Bob-Whites. Between us, we must be able to come up with something.”
“I’ll ring Jim and see if he can pick up Di,” Brian said.
“And I’ll call Dan. We can meet at the clubhouse,” Mart added.
“I’ll wash the doll’s dress. It’ll give me something to do,” Honey said.
“And I’ll grab some snacks from the kitchen.” Trixie stood up. “And don’t forget to dress warmly, everyone. We still don’t have heating since the stove broke down.”
Diana had thought to bring a small electric heater with her, so the clubhouse was almost bearable for the teenagers who all wore thick jackets, hats and scarves.
“It won’t make much difference but it’s portable.” Diana started pouring small cups of hot chocolate from a thermos.
“It was a good idea,” Mart said. “I’d say let’s get a couple more, but they cost too much to run all the time. It’s just a pity the oil heater died.”
“Not that our heating issues aren’t important, but I’m pretty sure that’s not why we we’re here.” Dan accepted the proffered chocolate and settled back in his chair.
Jim nodded. “Obviously, something’s up. Is everyone okay?” He rested his hand on
Trixie’s arm and shot his sister a look of concern.
“We’re okay—for now.” Trixie squeezed his hand, and took a deep breath. “Let me fill you in.”
With help from Honey and the occasional explanation from Brian, Trixie relayed the news to her friends.
“I am definitely with you guys on it looking like this man Reid is in it up to his neck. Though I wonder why he’d threaten the girls with jail rather than something less…savory,” Dan observed when she was through.
“Oh, great.” Honey sank back in her seat. “Now, I’m even more worried.”
“Sorry,” Dan said swiftly. “I’m just thinking aloud. I guess what I mean is, it doesn’t sound as if he suspects you know the truth about the doll.”
“Dan’s right,” Mart agreed. “I’m just not completely certain whether Reid knows the truth or not. He may have been duped. Maybe it’s this redheaded guy.”
“Well, either way, it seems like we’re in real trouble,” Diana said, receiving grateful looks from both Honey and Trixie for the ‘we’. “Do you think we should go to the police?”
“I was wondering the same thing,” Jim admitted.
“Normally, I’d be right there with you.” Brian began to pace, his brow furrowed. “But Trixie and Honey brought that doll into the United States, technically illegally. I just don’t know how that will play out with the authorities.”
“Brian’s right,” Honey said dolefully. “We’re smugglers or some sort of criminals. We probably are headed for the big house.”
“I hope it’s one of those cozy jails,” Trixie added. “You know, the farm sort. At least I’d feel more at home.” In spite of the situation, her lips twitched.
“And I look quite good in orange,” Honey added valiantly.
“But I look awful,” Trixie cried. “It clashes with my everything.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Jim gave her a half-smile. “I seem to remember a certain pumpkin coloured outfit featured at Tom and Celia’s wedding. I liked it.”
“Puh-leeze.” Mart held up his hand. “Focus, people. Seriously. Orange?”
Dan nodded. “Yeah, what ever happened to good old-fashioned prison stripes?”
“We could petition the court for you at sentencing,” Diana offered. “Orange for Honey, stripes for Trixie.”
“See.” Trixie turned to Honey. “Don’t we have the best friends ever?”
“We sure do.” Honey leaned back in her chair. “So how are they going to break us out of whichever jail we end up in?”
“How about we stop you going there in the first place?” Jim suggested, green eyes twinkling.
“I vote for that option,” Trixie said.
“I doubt it would actually come to jail,” Brian said, dark eyes twinkling. “We can always go to our parents. There might be some grounding of certain people, however.”
“A form of jail itself,” Trixie said glumly.
“Can’t we just give the doll back, and then work out what to do next?” Honey asked.
“It’s an option,” Mart conceded.
“Maybe we need to sleep on it,” Brian said. “See if we can come up with a way to get the doll back to Reid and alert the authorities, all without involving Trixie and Honey’s illicit import activities.”
“We didn’t mean to be illicit. We were accidentally illicit,” Honey said firmly. “That has to count for something.”
“Probably. But let’s do what Brian suggests. We can talk again tomorrow.” Dan stood and, with a general nod of agreement, the group went their separate ways.
Author's Notes: Without the amazing Vivian and wonderful Deanna, this would never have seen the light of the day. It is down to me that it has spent over 18 months waiting for me to post it. Their support deserved better.
No profit is being made from these occasional and sporadic scribblings. Trixie Belden et al belong to Random House and not to me.
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