Chapter Eight
"God, I'm so sick of being locked up in here!" Annie moaned, hiding her face in her hands.
"Yeah... As if picking locks wasn't your specialty." Bobby teased from across the room. "Anyway, you have to be patient. Things will work out just fine, you'll see."
"Easy for you to say. You can walk outta here anytime you want and go into that perfect little house of yours and be with your perfect little family!"
Bobby couldn't help feeling hurt by the irony in her voice. Hey, I'm not to blame for whatever happened to you! So just quit being obnoxious ok?"
Annie opened her mouth to answer but seemed to think twice and gave it up. She knew he was right. But it was much easier to blame him for having a nice life than to admit she envied him. "So, what's with this club anyway? Who are the others you keep talking about?" she asked, trying to change the subject.
Still frowning, Bobby decided it was best to overlook her previous words and answered more lightly: Well, there's my two brothers, Mart and Brian. There's Honey, Jim's sister, who is going to marry Brian soon enough. There's Diana, Mart's girlfriend and my buddy Dan. He saved my life once." Bobby added, with a proud smile.
"Dan... He must be the one Jim mentioned... The one that was in trouble once too."
Bobby nodded in agreement. "Yeah... He wasn't very nice when he first got here. He always trying to defend himself by attacking others... Hey, that kinda reminds me of someone else!" Bobby was staring straight at her when he said this and he had the pleasure of seeing her blush.
"Yeah, yeah, right..." Annie was going to say something else when Bobby suddenly told her to be quiet. "What's the matter?" she whispered, instinctively getting closer to him.
"I heard something." As soon as he said this, they both heard the distinctive sound of a lock being tampered with. Bobby felt like kissing himself for remembering to lock the door from the inside. It would give them time to hide. Thinking fast, Bobby nearly dragged a half petrified Annie to the small storage room on the back of the clubhouse. It was packed with skiing gear, sleighs, back packs and all off their camping material but they managed to fit inside. Looking around, Bobby tried to find something that would block the door. With Annie's trembling help, he managed to quietly pile up some boxes against the door, hoping they would hold in case someone tried to open it. Somehow he had known their intruder was not a friendly one. Through a narrow crack in the door he peeked outside. There was a man standing right in the middle of the room. He was young but dangerous looking.
"Well, well... The rats abandoned the ship..." Bobby heard him say. Looking down at Annie, he saw she was terrified. Her lips formed the word "Dave". Bobby squeezed her hand trying to reassure her but his heart was racing and in his mind he couldn't help seeing the most horrid pictures of what would happen should Dave find them. So they both stood as quiet and as motionless as they could.
Dave cruised around the room, his hands on his hips. "Where are you, you little..." Then he seemed to notice the door to the storage room and walked towards it, grinning. Bobby held his breath and closed his eyes. He heard the handle turn, but the boxes held the door tight. Silently, he blessed Mart for never throwing anything away. Opening his eyes, he looked outside again. Something else had caught David's attention. Bobby's heart stopped when he saw Annie's backpack in a corner of the room. Apparently, Dave had seen it too for he walked to it and violently grabbed it.
"Oh, Annie, Annie, aren't you careless!" he laughed. His laughter was dry and mean, as far as Bobby could hear. The man opened the bag and emptied on the table. He seemed to be disappointed and mad for not finding whatever he was looking for.
"No, it's not there, you jerk!" Annie murmured, almost to low for even Bobby to hear.
Dave kicked one of the chairs over and loudly cursed. "I'll find the money, all right!" they heard him say, before he left the clubhouse. "And then I'll find you, wherever you are!" Dave shut the door with a loud bang. Inside the clubhouse, Annie and Bobby finally breathed again but they didn't dare leave their hiding place until almost an hour had passed.
Jim had walked on, without a destination for a while. He needed to cool off. He knew that what he had done was risky and careless but he had seen no other way out. He was fed up with always beating around the bush, so this time he had beat the bush itself! What he would do if Trixie refused his proposal he didn't know... But if he thought about it now he would go insane!
Soon enough, his attention was drawn to something else. A truck was pulling over next to the bus stop and a man got out. Jim thought he looked familiar and then he remembered: it was the same man he and Dan had followed across town that very morning. David Halston! He hadn't had time to think about it again, but as soon as Dan had mentioned the man's name, he had wondered if this David and Annie's Dave were the same person. It would be too much of a coincidence to have two guys named David from New York City in Sleepyside and both of them with a police record the size of Manhattan.
Praying that Dave wouldn't recognize him, Jim followed him again. This time he knew where he was headed and took his precautions. Taking his cap from his back pocket, he buried it up to his eyes. Experience had shown him that nothing stands out in the middle of a crowd as red hair. And so he walked after David, apparently without drawing his attention. The man was too engulfed in his own thoughts to take notice of him. As they approached the hotel where him and Dan had seen Dave enter, Jim stopped. There was a bus stop just around the corner from where he could see the building, so he sat on the depredated bench and watched.
He didn't have to wait long. Before Dave even entered the hotel, another man came up to him and stopped him. Jim peeked from under his cap as inconspicuously as he could. The second man was a bit older than Dave, maybe in his early thirties and his features were the kind that always pass unnoticed. Their conversation was heated. Dave's friend was apparently telling him something the other wasn't enjoying. Finally they seemed to reach an agreement and walked away together. Jim hesitated on what to do. If he followed them, Dave would probably notice him. But he hadn't come this far to go away empty handed. He stared at the hotel. An idea was brewing in his mind and he smiled. I'm starting to think like Trixie, he thought as he crossed the street.
There was no one in sight as Jim crossed the doorway. The place was as depredated as the surrounding atmosphere, dust pilling up everywhere, old magazines and newspapers on a nearby table. From the office behind the reception counter, came a loud snore. Looking around, and making sure no one was watching, Jim leant over the counter and picked up the registration book. It was a long shot, but he figured that if Dave was as cocky and sure of himself as Dan had told him, he wouldn't have any problems in signing his own name. Lucky strike or just a great hunch, it was right on target. There it was: D. Halston, number seven.
Jim shot up the stairs. Room number seven was at the end of a dim corridor, lighted only by a filthy window. He tried the door. Locked. Well, it seemed as if he would have to recur to the street learning he had picked up years before. Reaching for his wallet in his back pocket, he took his ATM card and placed it between the door frame and the ancient lock. Just a few nudges and thrusts and... voilá! He heard the blessed click of a door opening.
The room was small and as grim looking as whole of the neighborhood. There was a single bed pushed against the far wall and a bedside table next to it. On the opposite wall stood a small closet. The wallpaper was pealing in more than one place and humidity had done its dirty work all over it. Jim couldn't help to shiver but he didn't lose much time in contemplating his surroundings. He knew he had work to do. His survey of the closet proved fruitless. There was nothing there but clothes. He was luckier with the bedside table, though. In the drawer was a thin gold chain. Hanging from it was a heavy locket, appearing to be very old. Jim had no doubt it was Annie's. This was the proof his hunch had been right: Dan's David was the same as Annie's Dave.
Mentally crossing his fingers, he looked for the opening mechanism. Apparently Dave had tried to do the same, for there were scratches on the sides as if someone had tried to force it open with a knife. But Jim knew better than that. He remembered his mother having a locket very similar to that one and as a child he hadn't had a moment's rest before he figured out how to open it. Carefully, he felt around the locket, trying to find the nearly invisible mechanism. It didn't take him long to find it, since it was where he remembered it to be. The locket didn't open in half as lockets usually did. Instead there was a small compartment right in the middle of it. And inside was a tiny key. Carefully, Jim picked it up and a wide grin spread across his face. The key to the train station locker!
In his excitement he never heard the footsteps outside or the sound of the door opening. But he certainly felt the pain across his skull when someone hit him from behind. Next thing he saw was darkness.
Trixie's stopped in the middle of a sentence when she saw Bobby running downhill. With Annie. Dan and Honey were still standing with her outside Crabapple Farm. They had been teasing her into telling them what had happened between Jim and herself, since Jim hadn't come back to Wimpy's after their talk. It wasn't that difficult to ease herself out of that subject, but it would be much more difficult to explain who was the girl running towards them with Bobby and why they were both looking so scared.
When the two teenagers arrived at the Belden's farm gate they were out of breath. Trixie gulped as she saw the confused looks on her friend's faces. Boy, this is it!, she thought. She would have to tell the truth. "Bobby, what happened? Why is Annie here?" Trixie asked carefully.
Only then did Bobby seem to notice Dan and Honey's presence. But he was too scared to think twice about it. "We were at the club house... Dave went there. We hid in the storage room. But I couldn't let her stay there on her own."
His sister nodded, concern easily seen in her expression. Dan was frowning and he knew something was wrong. "Trixie, what the hell is going on? Who's Annie and why was she staying in the club house?"
The blonde girl sighed and stared at the anxious faces around her. "Well, guys... I think it's time we call an emergency meeting of the BWG's."
"From all the crazy things you've done through the years, Beatrix Belden, this is by far one of the craziest!" Mart exclaimed, as he passed around the room. "Why on earth didn't you tell us what was going on? I knew from the start you were up to something! You and Mr. Robert Belden!"
Bobby slid on the chair at his brother's reproach. "It's not my fault!" he mumbled.
"Don't take this personally, Annie, but some of the members of this club have a knack for getting into trouble!" Brian said to the pale girl sitting next to him. She smiled shyly at him.
"Why didn't you tell us, Trixie?" Honey's voice sounded hurt and it didn't pass unnoticed to Trixie. She felt sorry for her friend and wished she had told her.
"Oh, Honey, I was going to... But things were so crazy lately... And Jim, Bobby and I were handling it. It didn't seem necessary to bring anyone else on it."
"We're not just 'anyone else'!" Honey said, on the verge of tears.
"And where is that co-president of ours?" Dan said, trying to diverge the subject. "He, of all people, should know better!"
"He told me he was going for a walk..." Trixie lied. In her heart, she was beginning to feel scared too. Though she knew he probably had a lot on his mind and wanted to be alone, she had a gut feeling that something was wrong. But she kept quiet.
"Mart, remember that guy I mentioned to you? The one I told you was trouble?" Dan went on. "I think he's the guy chasing Annie here. It would be too much of a coincidence."
"You mean David? You know him?" Trixie asked, her eyes widening in amazement.
"Oh, I know him all right. A regular at the D.A.'s office! He was arrested a few weeks ago on some drug bust but got away on a technicality. He's a piece of work!"
"That's why it took him so long to track me down!" Annie whispered.
Suddenly, Trixie got up almost knocking the chair over in the process. "My God! How could I've been so dumb? It was obvious! Di, remember that man Mr. Lytell told you about? The one who was making questions about the Wheeler estate? I bet it was Dave!"
Di nodded in agreement. "Yes, I think you're right! I remember Mr. Lytell complaining about too much city people moving in, that they were spoiling the neighborhood! I bet he meant the man was from the city!"
"C'me on, guys, calm down!" Dan said, concerned. "I'm really worried about Jim. He might have gotten to the same conclusion I did about Dave. We followed him over to Hawthorne Street this morning and I mentioned his name! Jim is bound to have put two and two together!"
"Oh, God!" Honey hid her face in Brian's shoulder, trying to hold back the tears.
Trixie was finding it hard to contain her own. Seeing how upset she was, Mart came up to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "Easy, Trix. He knows how to take care of himself. He'll be ok." He whispered. His sister gave him a thankful smile and sat down again. Everybody kept silent. No one really knew what to say. They were all worried about Jim. Suddenly, the club door opened. Trixie jumped in her seat, startled and fearing she would turn to see Dave walk through the door. Instead, Jim walked in. Pale and tired, but in one piece.
Trixie forgot everything and ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck. "Oh, Jim, we were so worried." She said, her face still buried in his chest.
He held her tight and smiled. He would have gone through everything again just to feel her hold him that way. "I'm fine. Got a big bump on the head but I'm fine." He stated, as they walked to the table.
Hearing this, Brian rushed to his friend and examined his head. "Ouch! This must have hurt. But you were pretty lucky. No fracture. Still I want you to look out for dizziness or nausea. This could be serious." Brian warned, seriously.
"I know, man. Don't worry. I've had my share of bumps in the head during my acquaintance with your sister!" Jim smiled at Trixie and she stuck her tongue out, relieved to see that even after their talk everything was alright between them.
Soon the BWG's had briefed Jim on what had happened during his absence. Jim heard with a grave look on his handsome face and then told them his own adventure. Trixie shivered when he mentioned the attack. "How did you get away?" she asked.
"I didn't. I blacked out! When I woke up, the room was empty and the locket was gone."
"And the key?" Trixie was almost bursting with excitement.
He grinned, mischievously and reached for his pocket. On his opened palm, he showed them the tiny key to a big fortune.
"God, you're as bad as Trixie!" Dan exclaimed as he did it. "You knew that guy was dangerous!"
"I had to do it, Dan. It was worth it." Jim replied. "And you know you would have done the same."
"I guess... Still, we have to do something about Annie."
Seven faces turned to Bobby and Annie who had kept silent, trying to pass unnoticed. "Please, don't call the police." Annie pleaded, her eyes full of terror. Her cockiness and street smartness were long forgotten. She was plain scared now.
"They won't." Bobby tried to reassure her, by holding her hand. "Will you guys?"
"No, don't worry. Like I said to Trixie, that would complicate things for her. Dan here will have to agree." Jim waited for Dan's nod to go on. "I guess the best place to keep her is Manor House. There are lots of people there to look out for her. Dave won't be able to get to her there."
"That's a great idea." Honey said, smiling for the first time since the meeting had started. Her eyes met Trixie's and the later understood Honey had forgiven her for keeping a secret from her. "But if we do it, we'll have to tell my father."
The BWG's looked at each other. Matthew Wheeler was a great friend of them but they all knew their temper. And instantly they knew it wouldn't be easy to convince him.
Matthew Wheeler's eyes traveled from his two children and their friends to the skinny, pale girl standing beside them. He had been thinking Trixie was kind of quiet lately and he couldn't help feeling relieved for Honey's change of mind regarding the agency. But now he knew it was no use. Those kids would always get in trouble, no matter what they decided to do with their lives.
"Kids, this is serious." he said, a stern expression on his face. "This is probably one of the biggest scrapes you've been in... so far!" Mr. Wheeler added, making Trixie blush. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward and said: "I know, Mr. Wheeler. But this time we didn't look for it... We couldn't just let Annie run off again. We have to help her. And we were going to talk to the police... eventually. You have to admit it would have been worse for Annie to talk to them immediately."
He stared at them silently for a minute and then nodded. "All right, I give up. Annie can stay here. There's no need to take unnecessary risks. But I will talk to Lewis Parker myself."
"You...?" Jim exchanged glances with the other BWG's. "You know Mr. Parker, dad?"
Matthew Wheeler nodded and sighed. "I even went to the funeral... Jason's funeral." Saying this, Mr. Wheeler glanced at Annie to see her reaction. She was paler than before but managed to hold herself together. "I was in college with Lewis. We never kept much contact but exchanged letters and phone calls at Christmas and such. He was devastated when Jason died... And he told me he would do anything to catch the murderer, that the police wasn't doing much. So I know he'll want to hear about this."
"What about me?" Annie asked, shy in the dominating presence of Matt Wheeler. The red headed man walked towards her and smiled as he laid a hand on her thin shoulder. "You, my dear, will stay here. Tomorrow we'll take care of recovering the money."
Trixie went to bed that night with a feeling of accomplished duty. There was still a lot to be done, but at least Annie was safe. Manor House was like a safe house, especially with Matt Wheeler on the lookout. And she had just done something else to make her even safer. Captain Molinson was now warned that a dangerous character from New York City was cruising around Sleepyside. As soon as she had arrived home, she'd headed for the phone and called Molinson. They had to do something about Dave, but since they had no proofs of his wrong doings, they would have to take advantage of Captain Molinson's well-known crusade for Sleepyside's safety. He would keep an eye on him.
Molinson had been suspicious of the warning and asked her what she was up to. But Trixie had managed to convince him she was speaking in Dan's name. Her friend had fallen in Molinson's good graces since he had decided to become a lawyer, so she knew the mention of his name would be enough. So, now she felt at peace with herself. At least as far as Annie was concerned, because there was something else bothering her. Jim. Jim and his proposal. After their talk he had acted as friendly as he usually did... Almost too friendly, as if nothing had happened. But she knew he was trying to give her space to decide. Marry Jim! The mere thought made Trixie shiver in anticipation. Cuddling up in her sheets, she remembered all those lonely nights she had dreamed of him and her together at last. All those years... Her eyes clouded. Was this the right time? Wasn't it too late? Trixie was so confused her head was spinning. Through her mind passed all the moments she had spent with Jim... He had been a part of the most special moments in her life. Would there be any special moments without him?
The day had hardly dawned yet when Trixie, Jim, Dan and Annie hoped into Mr. Wheeler's BMW. He had made a point in going with them to the train station. Trixie looked back as the car went down Glenn Road as saw Bobby still standing by Crabapple Farm's gate. She knew her little brother was disappointed for not going with them but Matthew Wheeler had been adamant as far as not endangering someone else. And Bobby still felt too intimidated by Mr. Wheeler's imposing presence to complain. She couldn't help smiling as she remembered her parents' faces as they were told about Bobby's latest adventures. And Peter Belden's involuntary remark had left no doubts as to what they were thinking: "Oh, God! It's Trixie all over again!"
And History was repeating itself. The previous night had been a time of revelations for Trixie. It had to be more than a mere coincidence that exactly nine years before she had found Jim hiding in an abandoned house. That there was a big bundle of money to be found and a wicked man chasing him. It had been the beginning of everything. She hardly remembered her life previous to that. And now it was starting all over again. With Bobby and Annie. A new beginning, she thought, Maybe it's life's way of telling me I should move on and let the future take its rightful place.
Sighing, Trixie moved her gaze away from the car window and found Jim's deep green eyes staring at her. Annie was sitting between them in the back seat but he found a way of reaching out and gently caressing her cheek. Trixie blushed under his intense scrutiny and looked away. This would have to wait until after Annie's case was solved. She only hoped it didn't take much longer!
Sleepyside's train station was crowded in the mornings. There were lots of people leaving to work in NY and surroundings towns. They had chosen that time to go into the station on purpose; it was best that they mingled with the crowd, if Annie was really being chased. And they hadn't many doubts left. As they approached the entrance, Jim and Trixie instinctively placed themselves on each side of Annie. Matthew Wheeler walked behind them, guarding their backs and Dan took the lead, since he was the one more likely to quickly recognize Dave.
The locker area was empty. No one was to be seen. The sound of the crowds moving in and about the station was muffled and distant. Trixie shivered. There was something wrong. She felt observed. Looking at Jim, she could tell by the serious look in his face and his wandering eyes that he was feeling it too. But they moved on. Suddenly, without any of them expecting it, Annie ran towards the metal cabinets leaning against the far wall. "This is the one!" she said, excitedly. And abruptly, as she was reaching up to point at the locker in which she had hidden the money, a man appeared out of nowhere and violently grabbed her by the arm. Pushing a gun against the frightened girls' forehead he backed away from the group a few paces more, saying: "Don't even think about coming closer! I want the money. You can have her, but only after we have a chat!" Looking down at Annie, he snorted "We have a lot to talk about, haven't we, baby?"
"Let her go, Halston!" Dan ordered, his dark eyes glistening in fury. "You can have the money but let her go. Kidnapping would look wonderfully on your resume!"
"You rich kids think you're real smart, don't you? Chasing me around town, breaking into my room... I should have done something more... permanent with you, hey Red? I could charge you with breaking and entering, you know?" Dave said, nodding towards Jim.
"You've got some nerve!" Jim shouted. "Let the girl go or I promise I will personally lock you up and throw away the key!" Looking up at him, Trixie was scared by the determined look in his face and feared he would do something silly. She had to act.
"It's no use, Jim. Our friend here knows his way around the courtrooms, isn't that so, David? You know that with a smart lawyer you can get away with murder." she said, folding her arms across her chest. She knew flatter was the quickest way to drive someone into making a mistake.
Dave's grin widened. "Yeah, little lady, you bet! You're the only real smart one in that bunch!"
"Sure. And you are much smarter than any of us. You managed to follow us here without we noticing it. We never suspected a thing. And neither did Jason, did he? Not until the very end." Trixie gulped as she saw his grip on the gun harden.
"Jason wasn't very smart... He could have been rich by now! But he had to play Mr. Nice Guy. I couldn't let him spoil the party, could I?"
"You killed him!" Annie shouted, as she finally woke up from her dazed state and tried to escape from his grip.
"Yes, I did! And I'll do the same to you if you try anything funny!"
"Oh, isn't it nice to hear a man admit his own actions?" a voice said from above them. Startled, David looked up. Standing on a veranda above them was Captain Molinson and some of his men, pointing their guns to David. Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, Annie kicked his shin. The sudden and unexpected pain made Dave let go of her. Next thing he knew Annie was safe in Trixie's arms and Dan had pinned him to the ground. Jim rushed over to kick the gun away from them.
"Captain Molinson, I've never been so happy to see you!" Trixie said, smiling widely.
"I bet!" Molinson's expression was harsh but there was a twinkle in his eyes. "Mr. Wheeler, I thought you had these kids under control!"
"So did I, Captain." Jim's adoptive father glanced at the silent quartet and couldn't hide a smile. "But they always manage to surprise me."
"Talking about surprises..." Trixie interrupted. "How did you know, Captain?"
"I know you, Miss Belden. I've known you for nine long years! And I knew that call of yours last night didn't come out of the goodness of your heart. You never took the bother of warning me there were crooks on the lose in my town before, so this time it had to be something big!"
"You were spying on me?" Trixie was shocked.
Captain Molinson blushed. "Well, not exactly. Let's say I took your warning seriously and kept an eye on Mr. Halston. Especially after I took a look at his record."
A big smile appeared on Trixie's face. "Captain, you took my warning seriously? Since when?"
"Like I said, I've known you for nine years... And I could count the times when you were wrong by the fingers of one hand."
It was Trixie's time to blush.
"But you won't get away with just praise, Miss Belden. You'll have to tell me this whole story... Now!"
A/N: So thanks so much for all these wonderful reviews. You guys have really made my day. So as you can see the story is staring to come full circle. Now I want to let you know that their is a sequal to this story and I'm wondering if you guys are interested in reading it. If you are, just leave it in your review and once this story is done, start looking for it out there.
PS-If you've seen it, I have now started posting a story that is a spin-off of Trixie Belden that involves the characters Linnie, Ned, Barbara, Dot, and Bob. It's called Mystery at Drake University. It's more of a mystery type story, but it still involves all the elements I used in this. Check it out and let me know what you think of it in a review.