I do not own Trixie or the Bob-Whites. No profit is being made from their use.

Chapter Six

"Jim," Honey said as she walked toward them, "why is Trixie's hand bleeding?"

"Stay back," Jim cautioned her. He knew she was deathly afraid of snakes. With Trixie his main concern, he didn't want Honey to faint in the meantime. Looking at Trixie, he said calmly, "I need you to remain still while I check this little guy."

He smiled reassuringly at her, and then stood up. Reaching for the cooler, he carried it to the edge of the parking lot. His heart was beating heavily as he lifted the lid he had angled away from his face. His emotions overwhelmed him as he gazed at the snake coiled in the bottom of the cooler. He snapped the lid shut and looked at Trixie. She was pale with fright, while Honey stood beside her wide-eyed with concern. A protective instinct surged over him, like nothing he had ever felt before. Crossing back to where she sat, he pulled her close and held her tight, trying to find his voice once more.

"Jim?" Trixie questioned with a quiver in her voice.

"Black snake," Jim murmured, "just a black snake." He could feel her go slack with relief. As he felt her tremble, he knew she had been just as terrified as he had been. He held her tighter, wondering if she could feel his own body trembling. The world forgotten, he continued to keep her in his arms until she relaxed, and then he became angry.

Trixie looked up at him in concern when she felt his body stiffen, noticing his fierce glare and the flush of his face. "It wasn't an accident, was it?"

Jim was aware that Honey had sat beside them by then. He glanced at both girls before speaking. "No, it couldn't have been." He looked intently at Honey. "Maybe you didn't have an accident either. Maybe someone did shove you."

Honey paled and tried to think calmly before replying. Licking her lips in nervousness, she said, "It was really strange earlier this morning. While you and Trixie were walking, I felt like someone was watching me. You know, that weird feeling you get sometimes."

"I think it's time we left," Jim said suddenly as he pulled Trixie to her feet.

"What about our friend?" Trixie looked reluctantly at the cooler.

"He's harmless." Jim's green eyes darkened with remembrance, someone else wasn't. "I'll turn him loose."

While Trixie and Honey sat in the car, Jim retrieved the cooler. This little episode was merely meant to frighten, but Honey could have been killed. Another thought caused him to catch his breath. If he hadn't been there to catch Trixie when she fell from the ladder, she could have been killed then, too. Whoever did this was not playing games. And why he did it was something they had yet to figure out.

At Jim's insistence, he drove Trixie to the local clinic. Even with the doctor's assurance that the wound was superficial, the ride home was silent and thick with tension. Jim looked at Trixie sitting beside him and at Honey through his rearview mirror. For their safety, they would have to be clued in on the mishap with the ladder. As things were now, he couldn't rest until they all talked with Regan. Today.

Trixie noticed Jim's uneasy glances. She looked at Honey who nodded in return. "Jim?" she asked softly. "Is there more you need to tell us? Something we need to know."

Jim sighed reluctantly. "I think we need to talk with Regan. We were suspicious about the ladder." He looked grimly at Trixie. "It was no accident. Someone tampered with the rungs."

Wide-eyed, Trixie and Honey exchanged shocked looks.

"Do you have any idea why someone would want to hurt any of us?" Honey was truly puzzled. "What would be the purpose?"

The question hung over them for the rest of the ride home. When they arrived at Honey's home, Jim quickly parked his car and led the girls down to the stables. If Regan's investigation had turned up anything, they needed to know and they needed to fill him in on the events of the day.

They found Regan in his office, quietly studying the forms he had signed when he bought the old farm. He glanced at the trio, noting their grim expressions. "Bad news?" he asked curiously.

"How can you tell?" Jim said with a rueful grin.

"Your solemn faces," he said with a life of his brow. "What happened?"

Jim quickly explained Honey's accident and the scare Trixie had with the snake in the cooler. Lifting his shoulders in a perplexed shrug, he added, "Does any of this make sense to you? It's not like any of this would cause any damage to the reputation of your stables."

Regan ran a hand through his thick red hair. "The bank wasn't very forthcoming about any competitors, although I did manage to get them to admit that none were very serious about the place."

"There goes our theory," Jim slumped in one of the nearby chairs. "Now what?"

"What was your theory?" Trixie questioned them. She perched on the edge of Regan's desk as they explained their suspicions to Honey and her.

"I think it's time I called your parents," Regan continued. "If something else was to happen, well, the next time could be serious."

"Please, Regan," Trixie begged, "Moms would make me come home the minute she heard from you. If we promise to stay together, we'll be safe enough."

"I don't know, Trixie," Regan shook his head. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea."

"What if we checked with the police?" Honey suggested. She had remained silent as she listened to the exchange between the three of them. With a hopeful tone, she said, "We could tell Dan. He's coming up for the weekend."

"Please, Regan," Trixie cajoled wistfully, "just until we hear what Dan has to say."

Regan looked questioningly at Jim, who was looking back with agreement. "Okay, but I expect you two to stay with either me or Jim the entire time," he said sternly.

"We promise," Trixie grinned happily. "You do realize that you'll have to take us to the farm with you, don't you?"

"Heaven help us," Regan groaned, giving Jim a sympathetic look, "if you don't give me gray hair, you're sure to cause Jim to turn white-headed before he's thirty."

When the group laughed and the mood lightened, Jim tried not to think about what could have happened. Instead, he focused on the rest of his vacation with Trixie. "I think Trixie is ready to start her riding lessons tomorrow."

This drew a tremendously pleased expression from the curly blonde. "Really?" She looked expectantly at Regan as he frowned, holding up her hands. "See, just a small cut that doesn't even hurt."

"At least, that should keep you out of trouble," Regan nodded, "but if your hand gives you the least bit of trouble I want you to stop."

"I promise," Trixie vowed, winking at Jim.

"Great," Jim smiled at Trixie, "we'll start in the morning."

After wishing Regan a good night, the trio walked back to Honey's home. With a wave, Honey left the couple to say their goodbyes alone.

Jim leaned against his car and pulled Trixie close, holding her so tightly that she gave a small gasp. He didn't say anything for a long time, just keeping her in his arms and melding her to him. Fear wasn't an emotion he was used to feeling, but today he had experienced it twice, the first time with Honey and then later with Trixie. He smiled ruefully and pulled away to look at her, still keeping his arms around her. "Your brothers tried to warn me," he told her. "I should have listened when they said that trouble follows you."

"Having second thoughts?" she asked.

"No," he answered as he placed a kiss on her temple, "I like keeping an eye on you."

"And I like keeping an eye on you," Trixie said, blushing shyly.

"Mmm-hmm," Jim murmured as he placed kisses across her jaw before finding her lips. He couldn't stifle his throaty moan as she responded willingly in his arms, always amazed at how she felt when he held her.

"I don't think," Trixie whispered between kisses, "this is what my brothers had in mind when they asked you to keep an eye on me."

"Don't think," Jim said huskily as he pulled her into another embrace, "just feel."

The next few days were smooth and peaceful once more, lulling them into a sense of security. Trixie resumed her riding lessons each morning with Jim and Honey, and then they would accompany Regan to the farm to help with the minor repairs. Since Regan despised painting, Trixie and Honey were more than eager to volunteer for that job, leaving Jim and Regan free to do the heavy work.

After one particular grueling day, Regan wiped a hand across his sweaty forehead and said, "I will be glad to put that nephew of mine to work if he ever shows up."

Jim laughed at Regan's show of irritation. "Dan will be thrilled, I'm sure."

"Right," Regan chuckled. "Let's go check on the girls. It's time to call it a day."

Trixie waved at them just as she and Honey were applying the last touches of paint to the window sills of the small house next to the barn. Pushing a damp curl from her forehead, she asked, "What do you think? Will we pass as painters?"

"Yeah," Regan nodded as he stroked his chin thoughtfully, "I'll let you two do the barn next."

Realizing he was teasing, Trixie replied, "We could do it, you know. We're not helpless."

Regan and Jim exchanged a wry grin. "I don't think you have to convince us," laughed Regan. "We've seen you in action."

Jim took the paint brush from her hand. "We promise you can paint your little heart out," he told her, "just not today. You've earned a rest, and besides, Dan will be here in the morning. Why don't we take the rest of the day off?"

Trixie blushed at the meaningful look in Jim's eyes, especially when she noticed Honey rolling her eyes at Regan. Turning away, she began clearing away the painting supplies.

As the two girls worked close together, Honey whispered in her ear, "You know, Trixie, if you want some time alone with Jim you might want to take advantage of Dan's absence. He won't give you two a moment's peace when he arrives."

Trixie glanced over her shoulder at Jim who was in deep discussion with Regan. Smiling, she whispered back, "Thanks, Honey. I hate to abandon you though. Are you sure you don't mind?"

"Just be home by midnight," Honey grinned, "or else I'll have to make excuses to Miss Trask."

Trixie shook her head at Honey to indicate there would be no reason to make excuses to anyone, but then she caught Jim's eye. The intense look made her bones melt. Maybe, just maybe, she would need excuses after all.

Jim lifted his hand to wave at Honey as he and Trixie drove away that afternoon. Although too early for supper, both were famished after their hard day of work. When Jim suggested they grill steaks at his parent's house, Trixie happily agreed. She was dying to see the inside and Jim had promised her the grand tour.

"You parents won't mind, will they?" Trixie asked as he pulled into the drive.

"Of course not," Jim laughed. "I live here too, you know." He opened the car door for her and added with a grin, "Just don't let them know we're borrowing their steaks."

"Jim," Trixie admonished him, "quit teasing me. Your mother told me not to let you get away with that."

Jim pulled her close and kissed her hard on the lips. "What else did my mother say?"

"I'm not sure I want to tell you," Trixie grinned. She didn't want Jim to know that she and Katie talked regularly on the phone and the conversations usually centered around him.

"I have ways of making you talk," Jim threatened as he grasped her waist and began tickling her.

"Never," Trixie laughed as she fought her way free. "I owe it to your mom."

"Ganging up on me, I see," he chuckled. He crossed his arms and stood at his tallest. "Just for that, you'll have cleanup detail, Miss Belden."

"While I'm still waiting on those steaks." She spread her empty hands.

"You keep your little secrets," Jim told her with a shrug. "By the time I have you fed and happy, you'll be willing to tell all."

"So you keep saying," she giggled and pulled him toward the house. "Now prove it."

Pretending to be reluctant, Jim followed behind her and then led her into the kitchen. When he pulled out two steaks that he had been marinating, he chuckled at Trixie's surprise. "I'm a Boy Scout, remember? I'm always prepared."

"Is that a warning?" Trixie questioned with a laugh.

"It's a promise," he answered her, his voice husky and low.

"Oh," she swallowed breathlessly.

Jim tugged one of her curls as he passed by her to take the steaks to the grill. She followed slowly and watched as he cooked their steaks while she cut up a few veggies to throw on the grill with them. When the meal was done he sat a plate before her and then excused himself. He returned with two glasses of wine.

"I seem to remember that you enjoy a glass every now and then," he grinned.

"Just not by the bottle," Trixie said as she lowered her eyes and blushed.

"You know, Trix," Jim said as they began eating their dinner, "we've really never discussed what didn't happen that weekend."

"I guess it's a good thing that certain things didn't happen," Trixie admitted. "I don't think I was ready then."

Jim stared intently at his food. Trixie leaned over and touched his arm. "Jim, I still don't know if I'm ready."

Jim lifted his head and never let his gaze waver from Trixie's eyes. "I love you, Trixie. I never want to force you to do anything, but I do want you to know that I cherish you more than anyone that's ever been in my life. I won't be going anywhere if that's what's worrying you."

With her heart beating madly, Trixie slowly sipped her wine. She sat her glass on the table. "I won't be going anywhere either."

Jim clasped her hand and brought it to his lips. "Then I guess wherever we go, we'll go together."

"Why don't we go inside?" Trixie suggested. "You can show me the rest of your home."

Wordlessly, Jim got to his feet and held Trixie's chair as she stood. Holding hands, they walked inside. Jim stopped and pulled her into his arms. "This is the living room," he whispered. "You saw the kitchen. There's a study through the other door and over there is the stairway." He stopped and pulled back to stare directly into Trixie's eyes. "Up the steps are the bedrooms. My bedroom. Do you want to see it?" His voice became low and husky. "It's up to you, Trixie. You decide."