Chapter 2.
TRIXIE'S POV
"Hold on a second Trix, I just want to check something." Jim said as he gracefully dismounted and started searching the hiding places, to see what had spooked the horses. Great! Finally worked up the courage, and he cuts me off. Just great. Cold shivers were passing down my back, and I could have promised to see a ghost, or a misty object reach for Jim's hand. A gasp escaped my chapped lips, and I was amazed Jim hadn't heard. Susie stirred beneath me, as if she could see the ghost too, and Jupiter shied away slightly from Jim as the white haze reached his rider. All Jim did, much to my disappointment and relief, was shrug his broad shoulders.
"I don't have a clue what might have spooked the horses." *** "Ok, what were you trying to say before?"
"That was probably what spooked the horses."
"What do you mean?"
"My life story probably frightened the poor horses because they knew it would be so tragic!" Jim's eyes bore a hole through me as he glared in my direction.
"Okay then, let's just say that you are either going to bore me to death with your problems are ill secretly write the next Shakespeare tragedy. Deal?" I poked my tongue at him. Ignoring all of my mother's teachings about being ladylike.
"It's Honey and Brian," She paused and breathed a deep breath, "Mart and Di too." She said, pushing away any suspicion from my detective's mind.
"What are they doing that has gotten you this upset?"
"You always used to wish that Mart would leave you alone and he has now that him and Di are together. And Brian and Honey was going to happen whether anyone noticed or not."
"You know about them?" I asked quizzically. My almost-twin was going to be in so much trouble.
"Yeah, with the way they looked at each other I'm surprised all of Sleepyside doesn't know!" I laughed and Jim urged me to continue with his sparkling green eyes, but I didn't notice.
"I was threatened within an inch of my life so that I wouldn't tell anyone when everyone knows anyway?"
"Looks like it!" Jim chuckled softly, "Now tell me what's gotten you like this?" I shook my head and immediately regretted it. This heat was making me so dizzy. He raised an eyebrow, and I almost burst into laughter. I would have if not for the seriousness of the conversation.
"We never do anything anymore. All we do is lay around in that hot and sticky clubhouse!" I grumbled, hoping my voice didn't carry off as childish as I thought I sounded.
"If you wanted to do something else why did you just say so?"
"I don't know, it just seemed like what every one else wanted to do." I sighed and Jim let out a howling of laughter.
"Do you really believe that? I would have loved to go swimming with you on a hot day like this!" His face beamed. He whispered, "Or any day!" without thinking that I would hear him. I knew he still had a crush on me.
"Let's go then!"
"You serious?" His voice squeaked, like he couldn't keep up with me anymore. Not that he ever really could.
"Yes, come on!" I called, urging Suzie into the other direction.
Do you want to invite the others?" Jim asked hesitantly as we began trotting side by side.
"Nope, just you and me!" I smiled and they galloped the horses back to the Wheeler Mansion. Not that I knew the consequences.
You could see it from a mile away. If the Wheeler Mansion was on fire, you wouldn't be able to see it from this far, but Regan and his anger, now that was a different story. Fists clenched, I was a little scared to dare ask what happened and Jim spoke up for the both of us.
"Just the nerve of that woman! She came straight up to me and starting demanding that I fix my car. I tried to tell the lady that I'm about as useful with a car as a sewing needle and she went into quite a rage. More than what young Mr Frayne and I have before all bundled together. And all of this happened in front of that poor darling brother of yours." He huffed and the redness in his cheeks had almost disappeared. Bobby was now chasing Patch, Jim's black and white springer spaniel, around the front lawn of the Mansion. "Poor Bobby." Regan whispered in apology.
"Poor Patch." Jim said, obviously watching the same event that I was.
"Don't mind Bobby, he probably thought you were putting on a play for him or something, you know what he's like." I spoke calmly and dismounted, and I could almost see the anger rising in Jim. "Oh Regan, I hope she doesn't complain about you to anyone."
"If I were you, I wouldn't worry about that. Shouldn't you pair be off having fun or something?" Jim and I nodded in unison and lead Susie and Jupiter the rest of the short journey to the stables in a hurry before Regan turned and used that anger of his against them for working the horses so hard on such the scorching temperature. Jim watched as I puffed on the front steps and he laughed. They untacked the horses in silence and I felt my cheeks rise when Jim caught me watching him work. Jim disappeared after being caught, and left me by myself in the Wheeler stables. I crooned to the sweet black mare, and in return, Susie rested my small head against I's shoulder. Before leaving, I went around the stable and said hello to the other probably neglected horses from the lack of riding the Bob-Whites have done in the recent heat. Jim and Regan were deep in thought, talking in whispered voices as soon as I rounded the corner to the garage. They broke away as soon as I came into their views, and Jim walked over without mentioning anything to be alongside me. We half walked because of the heat and half ran because of our abounding energy to the Manor House in silence. I walked straight to Honey's room and opened the drawer full of my clothing. Moms had always insisted to her only daughter to wear her own clothes when visiting the Wheeler's, so she filled one of Honey's drawers with clothes to swim, ride and sleep in. Not that Honey really cared. It was Mrs Wheeler that might have had a problem with Moms refusing to let me where Honey's clothes. Let's just say that Moms wasn't always the easiest to accept charity, whereas Mrs Wheeler couldn't wait to assist my family financially.
"Oh, what to wear?" I laughed as she heard the voices of my best friends in my head. Even though I swear I'm not crazy, it wasn't unusual for me to hear voices lately, probably because of the lack of communication between the Bob-Whites. I also pushed the ghost apparition to the 'crazy' part of my mind. Honey's room expanded as I step inside the recently added walk-in wardrobe. The cutest little v-neck top and a faded pair of jeans almost fell out of the drawer, so that's what I decided to wear above a blue bikini. It was too hot to wear a full swimsuit and it was only Jim. I could trust him.
"Whoa!" Jim exclaimed. I watched his eyes light up at whatever he was looking at. He was looking at me.
"What?" I questioned, playing the dumb blonde.
"Nothing." Jim said a little too quickly, and then changed the subject as his cheeks darkened. I laughed, I'd caught him out. "C'mon, we should get going to the lake." I nodded and followed as Jim went further down the clearing trail. The shade of the trees was scarce down this pathway, so I decided to jump from patches of shade to the next, with Jim walking only just in front of me. Jim gave up trying to pretend he didn't know me for fear onlookers might think he was crazy as well. After a few times of racing back in front of him and calling out his name with laughter in my voice, I finally gave him. Whoever said college boys were hot, well they were right but college boys seem to be a boring sort of mature. The perfect example in oh-so-mature Jim. I could see the clearing which opened up into the beautiful, cooling lake, but stopped dead in my tracks. A slight rustle had caught my attention, and my detective side jumped for joy as my mind ran wild at all the mystery possibilities. Nowhere in my body did anything click and say 'you might be in danger'. Well, it kind of did when the misty stuff appeared again.
"Leave!" A raspy voice whispered in a commanding voice. Another shiver went down my spine and the white mist reached for me this time. My heartbeat raced and I somehow forced myself to take a step backwards. As if this apparition stole my breath, I choked and coughed as the misty arm grew closer and bigger, reaching for me evermore. Something hard pushed against my back as if the ghost suddenly was reaching from behind me, and a hot breath breathed alongside my neck. A girly squeal escaped my lips and strong arms flung my around, grabbing on to my small shoulders.
"Calm down Trixie, it's only me."