Chapter Thirteen: Trixie's Suspicions
This story is rated blue star and suitable for all ages.
The next day, Trixie threw herself into her chores with far more enthusiasm than usual. When she stopped for some milk and cookies, her mother smiled across the table at her.
“You’ve been very dedicated this morning, dear.”
Trixie flashed her a slightly guilty look. “I’ve just been trying not to think about the show and the safety check. You know, Moms, if they do find lots of problems, it might mean we can’t use the theatre, and that might mean cancelling the show altogether.”
“I’m sure it won’t come to that,” Helen Belden said reassuringly.
Trixie shrugged. “Is it okay if I call Honey now? She was going to work on Mart’s cloak this morning, but she said she might be free by lunchtime.”
Her mother nodded her permission. “Tell Honey she’s welcome to come here for lunch if she wants.”
Jim and Honey both joined the Beldens for lunch, and afterwards while Honey fitted Mart’s cloak, Jim helped Trixie clear the cups and plates that they’d used for lunch.
“I know you’re worried about the theatre, Trix,” he said.
Trixie shrugged. “You’re right. As long as we’re back in by Monday or Tuesday, everything should be fine. I’m just glad we’ve got the day off on Thursday. It will give us more time.” She began filling the sink. “How much longer do you think it will be until we hear?”
“Mr. Saunders said he’d let us know as soon as he could.”
“I just hope everything’s all right.”
“Me, too.” Jim gave her shoulder a reassuring pat.
“Do you think we could ask the people doing the safety check to look at that door?” Trixie asked.
Jim frowned thoughtfully. “It’s not technically unsafe, just annoying. I think Brian and I could actually take care of it. It sure shuts fast and hard though.”
“I know,” Trixie said. “We talked about this. I heard it when I went to fetch our clipboards during lunch. It actually gave me a fright, I thought someone must have been in the theatre.”
Jim dropped the dishtowel he’d just picked up. “What do you mean, during lunch?” he said, eyes narrowed.
“Isn’t that when you found out there was something wrong with it?”
Jim shook his head slowly. “No, that happened first thing this morning while Dan was checking the sound system. I didn’t go anywhere near it after that.”
Trixie was about to speak when the phone rang, and she quickly wiped her hands, hurrying through to find her father speaking into the receiver. “Well that’s a relief. I do wish they’d found something to explain what did happen.” There silence for a moment, then. “No, I understand the need for that.”
Within a few minutes he had put the phone back in its cradle. Jim had summoned Brian, and Mr. Belden turned to face the anxious young people.
“That was Mr. Saunders. His foreman has checked out the actual light, he couldn’t get to it until now, but the county will need to send in a safety inspector in tomorrow to sign off after the incident. All being well, you’ll be able to get back in either tomorrow or the next day after school.”
There was a general sigh of relief, and Trixie grabbed her father’s arm. “Did Mr. Saunders say how if the light was faulty, Dad?”
Peter Belden frowned. “As a matter of a fact, they weren’t able to determine that. It looks as if the screws that held it in must have been loose.”
“That seems odd.” Brian frowned. “How many screws were in it?”
His father raised his eyebrows slightly. “I didn’t think to ask, why?”
“Well, if it were just a couple, I guess I can see how that might happen, but not if it were four or five,” his son replied.
“I’ll make sure we find out,” Mr. Belden promised. He nodded reassuringly and headed for his den.
“I guess we’d better finish the dishes,” Jim said, ushering Trixie back through into the kitchen.
Trixie was sporting a frown of her own. “Before, you said that neither you nor Honey went through that door during lunch.”
“Right,” Jim said.
“What about some other noisy door?” Trixie asked.
“There is no other noisy door,” Jim said patiently. “Besides, you weren’t gone that long. Honey and I didn’t run around downstairs opening and closing doors.”
Trixie wrinkled her nose, “Then I did hear a door close in the auditorium, and you know what that means?”
Jim’s expression was puzzled, and Trixie’s blue eyes met his questioning green ones.
“It means someone else really was there.”
Jim regarded his friend doubtfully. “Are you sure? I mean you didn’t say anything and—” he broke off, seeing a familiar mulish expression appear on Trixie’s face.
“I didn’t say anything because you did a whole song and dance routine about the problem door,” she said, eyes flashing.
Jim knew better than to react when she was in this particular mood, and he kept his tone even as he responded. “I’m sorry if my timing was off, Trix, but be fair, I didn’t know you were going to misinterpret what I said.”
Trixie took a deep breath. “Okay, but believe me when I tell you I’m sure I heard something. I was so sure I even checked the other doors, but I didn’t see any evidence of anyone hanging around.”
“I guess it’s possible,” Jim conceded. “Maybe one of the entrants left something behind and came back for it, or maybe one of the workmen came in to check on something.”
“Then why didn’t they answer when I called out?” Trixie demanded.
“Maybe they didn’t hear you.” Jim was often practical.
“I think there was someone and I think they did hear me.” Trixie was definite.
“Why are you so sure?” Jim asked, suddenly sensing there was more going on than he realised.
“Because we’ve been in and out of that place for days and so have the workmen,” Trixie replied.
“I don’t want to sound like Mart, but I’m not following your scrambled logic,” Jim said.
“Honey would know what I mean,” Trixie said with just a hint of frustration.
“Well, let’s go get her then,” Jim offered. “Because I’m struggling to keep up.”
“Fine,” Trixie said and marched back into the living room. She wasted no time in recounting her conversation with Jim to the others; she only added one thing and that was to question why there was a ladder on the stage in the first place, but when she’d finished she looked from each Bob-White to the next. She was met with a series of blank or puzzled stares until she got to Honey.
Honey’s hazel eyes were wide, her cheeks slightly flushed. “Oh, Trixie, no,” she breathed.
“No what?” Mart demanded spinning from his sister to Honey. “You can’t possibly expect me to believe that you made any kind of sense out of that garbled nonsense.”
Trixie looked set to explode but her less temperamental partner answered instead. “Oh, yes I can.” Honey gave her head a defiant toss. “And you should be able to as well. If someone was in the theatre and they didn’t answer when Trixie called, and I don’t believe they wouldn’t have heard her, the acoustics in that place are terrific, then they were up to no good.”
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Dan stood up, his narrow face worried.
“Unfortunately, yes.” Mart said with a disbelieving shake of his own sandy head. “Once again Belden and Wheeler girl detectives prove they can leap to conclusions faster than Superman can scale tall buildings.”
“Hold it, Mart.” Brian said. “I’m not about to do any kind of leaping, but we owe Trix and Honey the chance to explain why they think what they think.”
“But what exactly do they think?” Di, who’d been dropped off at Crabapple Farm after a morning of babysitting asked, looking from one to the other. “I really don’t understand.”
“They’re saying that there is some kind of connection between hearing a door close, finding a ladder on a stage and a light that fell down almost taking a couple of Bob-Whites with it.” Jim counted off on his fingers as he spoke. “Am I right, Trix?”
“I’m saying, we’re saying,” Trixie corrected after an encouraging nod from Honey, “that it’s possible.”
“Why?” Brian asked. “I grant you it’s not entirely beyond the realm of possibility, but why would someone do something that potentially dangerous?”
Trixie and Honey exchanged looks. “That I don’t know,” the former said, with a rueful sigh.
“Because they don’t want us working on the benefit?” Honey hazarded, her expression doubtful.
“Again, and I’m sorry if I sound pedantic, but why?” Brian asked.
“It just all sounds a little far fetched,” Jim said, coming to stand beside Trixie. “I’m not trying to throw cold water on your idea, but even given that someone was in the theatre yesterday it doesn’t automatically follow that they were there to sabotage a light.”
Brian nodded. “It would have been awfully risky. Any one of you could have just walked in on them and then what would have happened? I mean, if we go along with your theory, that’s almost what did happen.”
“And how the heck would they have known that you’d gone off to have lunch anyway?” Mart added. “Or are you going to suggest that they have x-ray vision or maybe that the placed is bugged?”
“I haven’t worked everything out yet. I just know that it’s very fishy. That ladder near the stage, for instance.” Trixie tried to keep calm in the face of the boys’ doubts, knowing that losing her temper wouldn’t help her cause.
“It doesn’t seem particularly likely, does it?” Dan asked. “No-one could want to stop a benefit like this one.”
“Not everyone’s a fan,” Trixie countered. “There’s that Gavin, and, well, I overheard a couple of the workmen complaining about us, and that’s at least one more, maybe two.”
“And there’s Mitch Taylor. He hasn’t stopped making cracks about us or the benefit, plus he just plain doesn’t like us,” Honey added staunchly.
“Mitch Taylor’s been hassling you?” Brian looked concerned.
“No distractions, please.” Mart hooked a sandy brow at his brother.
“He does have a pretty bad rep,” Jim mused, “but we all know that doesn’t necessarily mean much.”
Dan laughed. “I’m guessing that’s my cue to step in. Look, I doubt that all the stories about Mitch are true, but I do know he definitely spent time in an upstate detention centre.”
Diana’s violet eyes were wide with alarm. “Then he might be really dangerous,” she said.
“It doesn’t always follow. We don’t know what he did,” Jim said, not liking the fear her could see in Diana’s face.
“Even if he does have it in for us, there are easier ways to sabotage us. He could spray paint or damage the building. He could put an axe through the sound system, he could—”
“You have way too many ideas about this sort of thing,” Brian said, cutting his younger brother off mid sentence.
Trixie was so relieved not be shouted down that she was prepared to be magnanimous. “Maybe we should just all keep our eyes open from now on, but in the meantime, we can get back to the actual benefit.”
“Agreed,” Brian said, “and then later you can reveal this overheard conversation that only some of us seem to know about.”
The following day, an impatient Trixie called her father at lunchtime, only to learn that the county inspector would not be at the theatre until late that day, meaning that they would not be able to use the theatre until Tuesday afternoon.
Knowing that they would be free after school, Honey organised for their first study session with Miss Trask.
Trixie and Honey both found algebra with Miss Trask somewhat less intimidating than they did at school.
“Didn’t I tell you what a wonderful teacher she is?” Honey said, hazel eyes shining with affection.
Miss Trask, who had been instrumental in the Wheelers’ purchase of The Manor House, was very important to Honey. It was she who’d insisted the young girl be allowed to go to public school and live a normal teenage life. The trim, cheerful middle-aged woman had chaperoned the Bob-Whites on numerous trips as well as helped co-ordinate local events and was a good friend to all of them.
Trixie nodded. “You didn’t exaggerate a bit, Honey,” she said, beaming up at Miss Trask.
“You two girls are good for my self-esteem,” Miss Trask said with a smile. “And I’m sure you’ll be doing this in your sleep in no time at all.”
“Probably— it’s giving me nightmares already,” Trixie said.
“Now, Trixie, you and Honey are both very bright. You just need to put the same kind of effort in to your studies that you do into your sleuthing,” the older woman said.
“I keep telling myself it will all start to make sense, but…” Honey shook her head. “I guess I’ll just never be as smart as Jim and Brian, or Dan and Mart for that matter.”
Miss Trask smiled again as Trixie nodded her agreement. “Your brothers certainly set very high standards, but it’s important to remember that everyone has their own gifts. There will be things where you outshine the boys I’m quite sure.”
Trixie rolled her eyes. “So far, it’s mysteries and maybe pigheadedness.”
“Persistence and tenacity are extremely valuable character traits.” Miss Trask corrected with a light laugh. “You are also generous with good instincts and sound reasoning skills, and all of those things can be applied to your schoolwork.”
Trixie smiled at the older woman gratefully.
“Swimming and sewing are no use at all when it comes to regular school,” Honey said, wrinkling her nose.
“And you, young lady, are also tactful, thoughtful, analytical and have an excellent memory, and they are things that can help you with your studies.” Miss Trask bent down to give Honey an affectionate hug.
“I feel much smarter than I did an hour ago,” Honey said with a giggle.
“Me too,” Trixie added with a grin, “but I’d better get home or Mart will soon remind me of all my shortcomings.”
She dutifully went bike riding with Bobby, who almost wore his sister out with his constant questions. After she’d handed her youngest brother over to their mother, she went into the kitchen to fix herself a snack.
Brian was already there, pouring an orange juice, and he waved the bottle in his sister’s direction, filling a glass for her after she nodded her assent. “Now, Trix,” he said, pulling out a chair and taking a seat at the wooden table. “I have a couple of bones to pick with you.”
Trixie helped herself to a slice of chocolate cake and sat down beside him. “What have I done wrong now?” she asked, leaning her elbows on the table as she spoke.
Brian grinned. “You haven’t exactly done anything wrong, but why didn’t you fill us all in on what you overheard at the theatre?”
Trixie shrugged. “Jim didn’t think there was anything to it, and I wasn’t in the mood for another one of your Trixie never gives up, Trixie always overreacts, etc, deals.”
“I’ve said I was sorry at least half a dozen times for that.” Brian took a deep breath. “Do I need to say it again?”
“No, but you can buy me flowers, too, if you like,” she teased.
Her brother just raised his dark brows at her. “I just think you and Honey and sometimes Jim make decisions without involving the rest of us, which is fine if it only concerns the three of you, but not really fair when it doesn’t.”
“We don’t mean to leave you out,” she said, looking chagrined.
“I know that,” Brian said, “and I know that you and Honey have a special relationship and will always talk about things and do things that we aren’t privy too, and I also know that Jim is always the first person you go to for advice, but try and remember there are four other Bob-Whites—we might have something useful to offer.”
“I do. You guys help all the time,” Trixie said immediately, blue eyes full of remorse, “and Honey, especially, always wants to ask you what you think. It’s just sometimes we kind of get carried away.”
“Nice touch, soothing my ego,” her brother said, smiling. “It’s okay, Trix really, and Jim did fill me in today so I’m in the loop now. I just want you to know you can come to me, even if I don’t always agree with your take on things. I’d at least like to know.”
“Fair enough. Is the lecture over?” Trixie regarded him hopefully.
“Almost,” Brian said. “Just one more thing, if Mitch Taylor gets out of hand with you girls, you let me know, deal?”
“Deal,” Trixie said, shaking his hand. She released it and then quickly grabbed it again. “Do you think he might be capable of sabotaging the benefit?”
“I think I’d need a little more information before I could make a call on that, but it’s not a completely insane idea,” he admitted, winning a half-smile from his sister.
“What about the workmen? Some of them really don’t want us there.”
“It seems like a pretty extreme reaction; why should it matter to them?”
“I can think of a couple of reasons,” Trixie said, “but that’s beside the point. You said earlier that it was too risky a thing to do, come in and mess with that light. Well think about this for a moment, if we had walked in on one of them on a ladder on the stage, we probably wouldn’t have been suspicious at all.”
BSM:MAIN NEXT
I can't thank Dana enough for sticking with me through this. I made lots of mistakes. If there are any left, you guessed it, they're mine. Trixie Belden et al remain the property of Random House. No profit is being made from these scribblings.
“You’ve been very dedicated this morning, dear.”
Trixie flashed her a slightly guilty look. “I’ve just been trying not to think about the show and the safety check. You know, Moms, if they do find lots of problems, it might mean we can’t use the theatre, and that might mean cancelling the show altogether.”
“I’m sure it won’t come to that,” Helen Belden said reassuringly.
Trixie shrugged. “Is it okay if I call Honey now? She was going to work on Mart’s cloak this morning, but she said she might be free by lunchtime.”
Her mother nodded her permission. “Tell Honey she’s welcome to come here for lunch if she wants.”
Jim and Honey both joined the Beldens for lunch, and afterwards while Honey fitted Mart’s cloak, Jim helped Trixie clear the cups and plates that they’d used for lunch.
“I know you’re worried about the theatre, Trix,” he said.
Trixie shrugged. “You’re right. As long as we’re back in by Monday or Tuesday, everything should be fine. I’m just glad we’ve got the day off on Thursday. It will give us more time.” She began filling the sink. “How much longer do you think it will be until we hear?”
“Mr. Saunders said he’d let us know as soon as he could.”
“I just hope everything’s all right.”
“Me, too.” Jim gave her shoulder a reassuring pat.
“Do you think we could ask the people doing the safety check to look at that door?” Trixie asked.
Jim frowned thoughtfully. “It’s not technically unsafe, just annoying. I think Brian and I could actually take care of it. It sure shuts fast and hard though.”
“I know,” Trixie said. “We talked about this. I heard it when I went to fetch our clipboards during lunch. It actually gave me a fright, I thought someone must have been in the theatre.”
Jim dropped the dishtowel he’d just picked up. “What do you mean, during lunch?” he said, eyes narrowed.
“Isn’t that when you found out there was something wrong with it?”
Jim shook his head slowly. “No, that happened first thing this morning while Dan was checking the sound system. I didn’t go anywhere near it after that.”
Trixie was about to speak when the phone rang, and she quickly wiped her hands, hurrying through to find her father speaking into the receiver. “Well that’s a relief. I do wish they’d found something to explain what did happen.” There silence for a moment, then. “No, I understand the need for that.”
Within a few minutes he had put the phone back in its cradle. Jim had summoned Brian, and Mr. Belden turned to face the anxious young people.
“That was Mr. Saunders. His foreman has checked out the actual light, he couldn’t get to it until now, but the county will need to send in a safety inspector in tomorrow to sign off after the incident. All being well, you’ll be able to get back in either tomorrow or the next day after school.”
There was a general sigh of relief, and Trixie grabbed her father’s arm. “Did Mr. Saunders say how if the light was faulty, Dad?”
Peter Belden frowned. “As a matter of a fact, they weren’t able to determine that. It looks as if the screws that held it in must have been loose.”
“That seems odd.” Brian frowned. “How many screws were in it?”
His father raised his eyebrows slightly. “I didn’t think to ask, why?”
“Well, if it were just a couple, I guess I can see how that might happen, but not if it were four or five,” his son replied.
“I’ll make sure we find out,” Mr. Belden promised. He nodded reassuringly and headed for his den.
“I guess we’d better finish the dishes,” Jim said, ushering Trixie back through into the kitchen.
Trixie was sporting a frown of her own. “Before, you said that neither you nor Honey went through that door during lunch.”
“Right,” Jim said.
“What about some other noisy door?” Trixie asked.
“There is no other noisy door,” Jim said patiently. “Besides, you weren’t gone that long. Honey and I didn’t run around downstairs opening and closing doors.”
Trixie wrinkled her nose, “Then I did hear a door close in the auditorium, and you know what that means?”
Jim’s expression was puzzled, and Trixie’s blue eyes met his questioning green ones.
“It means someone else really was there.”
Jim regarded his friend doubtfully. “Are you sure? I mean you didn’t say anything and—” he broke off, seeing a familiar mulish expression appear on Trixie’s face.
“I didn’t say anything because you did a whole song and dance routine about the problem door,” she said, eyes flashing.
Jim knew better than to react when she was in this particular mood, and he kept his tone even as he responded. “I’m sorry if my timing was off, Trix, but be fair, I didn’t know you were going to misinterpret what I said.”
Trixie took a deep breath. “Okay, but believe me when I tell you I’m sure I heard something. I was so sure I even checked the other doors, but I didn’t see any evidence of anyone hanging around.”
“I guess it’s possible,” Jim conceded. “Maybe one of the entrants left something behind and came back for it, or maybe one of the workmen came in to check on something.”
“Then why didn’t they answer when I called out?” Trixie demanded.
“Maybe they didn’t hear you.” Jim was often practical.
“I think there was someone and I think they did hear me.” Trixie was definite.
“Why are you so sure?” Jim asked, suddenly sensing there was more going on than he realised.
“Because we’ve been in and out of that place for days and so have the workmen,” Trixie replied.
“I don’t want to sound like Mart, but I’m not following your scrambled logic,” Jim said.
“Honey would know what I mean,” Trixie said with just a hint of frustration.
“Well, let’s go get her then,” Jim offered. “Because I’m struggling to keep up.”
“Fine,” Trixie said and marched back into the living room. She wasted no time in recounting her conversation with Jim to the others; she only added one thing and that was to question why there was a ladder on the stage in the first place, but when she’d finished she looked from each Bob-White to the next. She was met with a series of blank or puzzled stares until she got to Honey.
Honey’s hazel eyes were wide, her cheeks slightly flushed. “Oh, Trixie, no,” she breathed.
“No what?” Mart demanded spinning from his sister to Honey. “You can’t possibly expect me to believe that you made any kind of sense out of that garbled nonsense.”
Trixie looked set to explode but her less temperamental partner answered instead. “Oh, yes I can.” Honey gave her head a defiant toss. “And you should be able to as well. If someone was in the theatre and they didn’t answer when Trixie called, and I don’t believe they wouldn’t have heard her, the acoustics in that place are terrific, then they were up to no good.”
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Dan stood up, his narrow face worried.
“Unfortunately, yes.” Mart said with a disbelieving shake of his own sandy head. “Once again Belden and Wheeler girl detectives prove they can leap to conclusions faster than Superman can scale tall buildings.”
“Hold it, Mart.” Brian said. “I’m not about to do any kind of leaping, but we owe Trix and Honey the chance to explain why they think what they think.”
“But what exactly do they think?” Di, who’d been dropped off at Crabapple Farm after a morning of babysitting asked, looking from one to the other. “I really don’t understand.”
“They’re saying that there is some kind of connection between hearing a door close, finding a ladder on a stage and a light that fell down almost taking a couple of Bob-Whites with it.” Jim counted off on his fingers as he spoke. “Am I right, Trix?”
“I’m saying, we’re saying,” Trixie corrected after an encouraging nod from Honey, “that it’s possible.”
“Why?” Brian asked. “I grant you it’s not entirely beyond the realm of possibility, but why would someone do something that potentially dangerous?”
Trixie and Honey exchanged looks. “That I don’t know,” the former said, with a rueful sigh.
“Because they don’t want us working on the benefit?” Honey hazarded, her expression doubtful.
“Again, and I’m sorry if I sound pedantic, but why?” Brian asked.
“It just all sounds a little far fetched,” Jim said, coming to stand beside Trixie. “I’m not trying to throw cold water on your idea, but even given that someone was in the theatre yesterday it doesn’t automatically follow that they were there to sabotage a light.”
Brian nodded. “It would have been awfully risky. Any one of you could have just walked in on them and then what would have happened? I mean, if we go along with your theory, that’s almost what did happen.”
“And how the heck would they have known that you’d gone off to have lunch anyway?” Mart added. “Or are you going to suggest that they have x-ray vision or maybe that the placed is bugged?”
“I haven’t worked everything out yet. I just know that it’s very fishy. That ladder near the stage, for instance.” Trixie tried to keep calm in the face of the boys’ doubts, knowing that losing her temper wouldn’t help her cause.
“It doesn’t seem particularly likely, does it?” Dan asked. “No-one could want to stop a benefit like this one.”
“Not everyone’s a fan,” Trixie countered. “There’s that Gavin, and, well, I overheard a couple of the workmen complaining about us, and that’s at least one more, maybe two.”
“And there’s Mitch Taylor. He hasn’t stopped making cracks about us or the benefit, plus he just plain doesn’t like us,” Honey added staunchly.
“Mitch Taylor’s been hassling you?” Brian looked concerned.
“No distractions, please.” Mart hooked a sandy brow at his brother.
“He does have a pretty bad rep,” Jim mused, “but we all know that doesn’t necessarily mean much.”
Dan laughed. “I’m guessing that’s my cue to step in. Look, I doubt that all the stories about Mitch are true, but I do know he definitely spent time in an upstate detention centre.”
Diana’s violet eyes were wide with alarm. “Then he might be really dangerous,” she said.
“It doesn’t always follow. We don’t know what he did,” Jim said, not liking the fear her could see in Diana’s face.
“Even if he does have it in for us, there are easier ways to sabotage us. He could spray paint or damage the building. He could put an axe through the sound system, he could—”
“You have way too many ideas about this sort of thing,” Brian said, cutting his younger brother off mid sentence.
Trixie was so relieved not be shouted down that she was prepared to be magnanimous. “Maybe we should just all keep our eyes open from now on, but in the meantime, we can get back to the actual benefit.”
“Agreed,” Brian said, “and then later you can reveal this overheard conversation that only some of us seem to know about.”
The following day, an impatient Trixie called her father at lunchtime, only to learn that the county inspector would not be at the theatre until late that day, meaning that they would not be able to use the theatre until Tuesday afternoon.
Knowing that they would be free after school, Honey organised for their first study session with Miss Trask.
Trixie and Honey both found algebra with Miss Trask somewhat less intimidating than they did at school.
“Didn’t I tell you what a wonderful teacher she is?” Honey said, hazel eyes shining with affection.
Miss Trask, who had been instrumental in the Wheelers’ purchase of The Manor House, was very important to Honey. It was she who’d insisted the young girl be allowed to go to public school and live a normal teenage life. The trim, cheerful middle-aged woman had chaperoned the Bob-Whites on numerous trips as well as helped co-ordinate local events and was a good friend to all of them.
Trixie nodded. “You didn’t exaggerate a bit, Honey,” she said, beaming up at Miss Trask.
“You two girls are good for my self-esteem,” Miss Trask said with a smile. “And I’m sure you’ll be doing this in your sleep in no time at all.”
“Probably— it’s giving me nightmares already,” Trixie said.
“Now, Trixie, you and Honey are both very bright. You just need to put the same kind of effort in to your studies that you do into your sleuthing,” the older woman said.
“I keep telling myself it will all start to make sense, but…” Honey shook her head. “I guess I’ll just never be as smart as Jim and Brian, or Dan and Mart for that matter.”
Miss Trask smiled again as Trixie nodded her agreement. “Your brothers certainly set very high standards, but it’s important to remember that everyone has their own gifts. There will be things where you outshine the boys I’m quite sure.”
Trixie rolled her eyes. “So far, it’s mysteries and maybe pigheadedness.”
“Persistence and tenacity are extremely valuable character traits.” Miss Trask corrected with a light laugh. “You are also generous with good instincts and sound reasoning skills, and all of those things can be applied to your schoolwork.”
Trixie smiled at the older woman gratefully.
“Swimming and sewing are no use at all when it comes to regular school,” Honey said, wrinkling her nose.
“And you, young lady, are also tactful, thoughtful, analytical and have an excellent memory, and they are things that can help you with your studies.” Miss Trask bent down to give Honey an affectionate hug.
“I feel much smarter than I did an hour ago,” Honey said with a giggle.
“Me too,” Trixie added with a grin, “but I’d better get home or Mart will soon remind me of all my shortcomings.”
She dutifully went bike riding with Bobby, who almost wore his sister out with his constant questions. After she’d handed her youngest brother over to their mother, she went into the kitchen to fix herself a snack.
Brian was already there, pouring an orange juice, and he waved the bottle in his sister’s direction, filling a glass for her after she nodded her assent. “Now, Trix,” he said, pulling out a chair and taking a seat at the wooden table. “I have a couple of bones to pick with you.”
Trixie helped herself to a slice of chocolate cake and sat down beside him. “What have I done wrong now?” she asked, leaning her elbows on the table as she spoke.
Brian grinned. “You haven’t exactly done anything wrong, but why didn’t you fill us all in on what you overheard at the theatre?”
Trixie shrugged. “Jim didn’t think there was anything to it, and I wasn’t in the mood for another one of your Trixie never gives up, Trixie always overreacts, etc, deals.”
“I’ve said I was sorry at least half a dozen times for that.” Brian took a deep breath. “Do I need to say it again?”
“No, but you can buy me flowers, too, if you like,” she teased.
Her brother just raised his dark brows at her. “I just think you and Honey and sometimes Jim make decisions without involving the rest of us, which is fine if it only concerns the three of you, but not really fair when it doesn’t.”
“We don’t mean to leave you out,” she said, looking chagrined.
“I know that,” Brian said, “and I know that you and Honey have a special relationship and will always talk about things and do things that we aren’t privy too, and I also know that Jim is always the first person you go to for advice, but try and remember there are four other Bob-Whites—we might have something useful to offer.”
“I do. You guys help all the time,” Trixie said immediately, blue eyes full of remorse, “and Honey, especially, always wants to ask you what you think. It’s just sometimes we kind of get carried away.”
“Nice touch, soothing my ego,” her brother said, smiling. “It’s okay, Trix really, and Jim did fill me in today so I’m in the loop now. I just want you to know you can come to me, even if I don’t always agree with your take on things. I’d at least like to know.”
“Fair enough. Is the lecture over?” Trixie regarded him hopefully.
“Almost,” Brian said. “Just one more thing, if Mitch Taylor gets out of hand with you girls, you let me know, deal?”
“Deal,” Trixie said, shaking his hand. She released it and then quickly grabbed it again. “Do you think he might be capable of sabotaging the benefit?”
“I think I’d need a little more information before I could make a call on that, but it’s not a completely insane idea,” he admitted, winning a half-smile from his sister.
“What about the workmen? Some of them really don’t want us there.”
“It seems like a pretty extreme reaction; why should it matter to them?”
“I can think of a couple of reasons,” Trixie said, “but that’s beside the point. You said earlier that it was too risky a thing to do, come in and mess with that light. Well think about this for a moment, if we had walked in on one of them on a ladder on the stage, we probably wouldn’t have been suspicious at all.”
BSM:MAIN NEXT
I can't thank Dana enough for sticking with me through this. I made lots of mistakes. If there are any left, you guessed it, they're mine. Trixie Belden et al remain the property of Random House. No profit is being made from these scribblings.
