Chapter Two
Thursday, 9 AM
Sleepyside High
Early morning classes were the hardest for Annie to endure. Hours seemed to fly by when she was reading or studying, and she always ended up getting to bed really late. All through the previous summer, the BWGs had tutored her so she could catch up with what she had missed after being away from school for two years. Nevertheless, the test the school had put her through still left her two grades behind Bobby. And, since she was only a year younger than he was, this made her feel quite frustrated. So, she was trying hard to catch up on the lost time.
Yawning, she walked over to her locker. Bobby caught her halfway.
"Hey, did you lose the bus again?" he asked, merrily.
"Yeah… Forgot to wake up. Mr. P…Dad gave me a ride on his way to town."
Bobby smiled as she corrected herself. "It's still pretty hard to call them Mum and Dad, hum?"
She nodded. The Parkers had formally adopted her a few months back, but it was still difficult for her to adjust to having a family again. "They are really nice to me, but sometimes I think they only adopted me to replace Jason."
He touched her cheek with his hand, tenderly. "Don't be silly. That feeling will pass, in time."
"I hope so, Bobby. I really do," she said as she opened her locker.
Then, suddenly, she felt someone grab her by the arm and spin her around. Her books fell to the ground with a thump. Still dazed, she found herself face to face with Maddie Kendall, a tall blonde girl, one of the most popular girls in school. And one that seemed to hate Annie from day one.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Annie pushed her away as Bobby stood between the two, keeping them apart.
"I should be asking you that!" the girl said, arms folded across her chest. "We never had drug dealing here until YOU came along." A smug smile showed on her lips as a small crowd gathered around them.
Annie looked around and narrowed her eyes. Bobby knew very well what such look meant. Her days of having to fend for herself were not so far gone and her survival instinct still resurfaced easily.
"Maddie, what are you trying to say?" the blue eyed Belden boy asked, trying to be calm.
Maddie's voice became softer and she pushed her hair away from her face as she answered him. "Well, Bobby, who else could be bringing in drugs but her? I mean, she is a delinquent."
"I'll show you the delinquent!" Annie exclaimed as she plunged towards a terrified Maddie. Despite her smallish stature, Annie was strong. Bobby dealt with Annie when she was angry in the past, so he knew Maddie wouldn't stand a chance. Part of him wanted Annie to teach her a lesson, but he also knew she would get in trouble. Taking a deep breath, Bobby pulled Annie off Maddie and away out to the courtyard.
"Are you crazy? What were you going to do? Beat her up?" he scowled as he managed to make her sit down in a stone bench.
"Oh no, the thought never crossed my mind!" Annie said, sarcastically.
"Just ignore her!" Bobby crouched in front of her and held her hands in his own.
"Right… Like it's easy to ignore someone who is accusing you of dealing drugs!"
"Hey, I know! But she's insane. No one will mind her," Bobby winked at her. "Maybe she was doing it just to get my attention. She has been all over me, giving me hints about the spring dance."
"Oh, really?" Annie lowered her eyes. "You better be careful. She's poisonous, that one!"
Bobby was confused. Annie thought he would be taking Maddie to the dance?
"Annie…" he sat down beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. "I'm not taking her. I already told her that I wasn't going to the dance."
"Oh…" Annie actually sounded even more disappointed now. So, he was right. His heart beat like a drum in his chest, but he knew he would never find the nerve again. So, taking a deep breath, he let it out.
"But I could change my mind… If a certain someone would go with me."
She looked up at him, widening her brown eyes. "Who?"
He smiled, sweetly. "You."
Her jaw dropped, and she was speechless. "You want me to go with you to the dance?" Annie asked, trying to regain her composure. "Or are you just teasing me?"
"I would never do that! I really want you to be my date. I never really liked that dance stuff, but I think we would have fun. And I would be very proud to be the one to take you out on your first date…Even if it is just a school dance." Bobby blushed as he said the words. It hadn't been easy, but the expression of bewilderment in Annie's face was priceless.
"Well, it would be fun to see Maddie's face…" Annie was finding it hard to meet his eyes. Bobby was asking her out? Well, he was a friend but still… "OK, I'll go with you," she finally said.
His face lit with a smile. "Great!" Then he took a look at his watch. "Gleeps, I'm late! See you later!" he waved as he ran back to the school building.
The girl just sat there for a few more moments, trying to decide which of the latest events was more important. Somehow, Maddie's accusations didn't mean as much when compared to Bobby's invitation. She couldn't stop a smile from lighting her face. Annie Dugan, out on a date. With Bobby Belden, considered one of the best looking boys in Sleepyside High! Not that she found him attractive or anything. But…
A tap on her shoulder woke her from her reveries. She jumped, half expecting to see Maddie back. But it was Trixie standing behind her with a smile.
"Aren't you late for class, Miss Dugan?" she asked, mocking a frown.
"Yes, I guess I am. Good morning, Trixie."
"C'mon on, I'll walk with you. What class are you supposed to be having?"
"Biology," Annie answered, with a disgusted face.
"Don't like it, hum?"
"I would like it, really, if it wasn't for Miss Martin. She seems… weird!"
Trixie glanced at the girl. "What do you mean weird?"
"I don't know, Trix. I don't feel comfortable around her, that's all…"
"But I thought she was generally liked by the students." Trixie pictured the mentioned teacher in her mind, trying to figure out what was so weird about her. Miss Martin was in her early thirties and usually considered to be a classy, educated, elegant woman.
"Maybe it's just me, but I feel strange around her. And she doesn't seem to like me either," Annie shook her head. "Can't explain it, really…" the girl stopped as she saw Principal Richardson and Captain Molinson walking towards Trixie and herself.
"Good Morning, Mrs. Richardson," said Trixie. "You wanted to see me? Hello, Captain."
"Good morning, Trixie. No, actually we wanted to a have a talk with Annie," the principal said, staring sternly at the girl. Annie seemed to be frightened half to death, as if she knew what was coming.
"What did I do?" she asked, with a trembling voice.
"Nothing as far as we know, missy." Captain Molinson approached her. "But there have been some accusations…"
Trixie was getting impatient. "Captain, come on. Annie is a BWG! She would never do anything against the law!"
The policeman stared at Trixie and his smile was ironical. "Oh, I can recall more than a few times you and your friends didn't play by the book either." Trixie blushed. "But the accusations that were made about Annie are a lot more serious than your small peccadilloes."
"Annie, we're going to have to search through your locker," Mrs. Richardson said. "I'm sure we won't find anything in it, but still… This is a serious situation. We must check every possible clue."
"You mean…this is about the drugs?" Annie's brown eyes were like a scared small animal's.
"I'm afraid so. Shall we, then?"
Trembling, Annie walked over to her locker. Trixie watched as Molinson searched through the girl's things, feeling furious. How dared they suspect Annie? She was a friend of hers! Molinson should know better!
The small plastic bag was nicely tucked in amidst Annie's things, in the back of the locker. And its contents were unmistakable.
11 AM
"WHAT?" Bobby stood staring at his sister, not really believing what he was hearing. "They found what in Annie's locker?"
"Stop yelling!" Trixie admonished. The hallway was beginning to fill up again and it was too soon for everyone to know about Annie. "It's bad enough to have Annie in this situation. We don't need people looking sideways at her."
"Oh, you can bet they will. They already do because of her past!" Bobby ran his fingers through his blond hair, in a gesture that reminded Trixie of Brian when he was concerned about something.
"We got to play it cool, Bobby. No one needs to know, unless…" Trixie bit her lip. She couldn't believe the thought had even come to her mind.
Her brother stared at her. "Unless they prove that stuff really belongs to her," he completed his sister's sentence and his eyes fell to the ground. After a few seconds of silence, his blue, big eyes met hers, so like his own and asked, in a trembling voice that betrayed his mixed emotions, "Do you think there's a chance of Annie really…?"
He never had the time to finish. Trixie's pale face told him something had gone terribly wrong. Bobby turned and saw Annie standing right behind him, accompanied by Molinson. From the hurt look in her eyes and the tears falling down her face, he knew she had heard his last question. "Annie, I…" his voice trailed off, as she turned her back on him and walked down the hallway.
Molinson scratched his head. "Guess you're in trouble, kid."
Bobby lowered his eyes and didn't answer.
"And is she in trouble, Captain?" Trixie asked.
"Well, it was an anonymous tip and we haven't found her prints on the bag. Or anyone else's for that matter! Which is strange, I must agree. But still, though circumstantial, it is evidence!" The police officer shrugged his shoulders. "Anyway, we thought it best to keep Miss Dugan away from school for a few days, until we get the blood tests results. She has agreed to be tested and I'm taking her to the lab right away."
"Are you going to press charges?"
"Not until we have more than this. I know how to do my job, Miss Belden."
Trixie recognized the tone as the same the Captain used many years before, when she got in the way of his investigations and couldn't help smiling. "I know, sir. I know." Somehow, knowing he was personally taking care of the event made her feel more reassured.
5 PM
Near the Parker Estate, Glen Road
Dan rode Odin slowly down Glen Road, back to the Manor House stables. The sun was beginning to set, but there was still enough light to enjoy the end of the day. The first days of April were warm and sunny, but he knew nature well enough to know the prophetic showers would come anyway. He kicked the grey stallion's flanks lightly, encouraging him to speed up a little. His uncle, Bill Reagan, the Wheelers' groom, hated when the horses were brought in after dark. Dan smiled as he remembered the way his uncle had made him take Odin for a ride. He always managed to have his way, somehow.
Odin had just passed the private road that led to the Lynch's estate, and Dan could already see the Parker's house, just around the bend. The large colonial style building had belonged to a family who had lived in Sleepyside for generations, but who had had financial difficulties. The estate had been practically abandoned until the Parkers had bought it.
Dan wondered how Annie was doing. He liked the kid. There was so much of him in her it was scary. He remembered well when sarcasm and irony were his own weapons against a world he knew nothing about, in his early days in Sleepyside. Somehow, facing all those people had been scarier that the toughest hoods in NY.
He decided to stop by the Parker's and see if Annie wanted a ride to the clubhouse. Mart had called him earlier to tell him of the emergency meeting and, though he had no idea what could be so urgent, he had a gut feeling it was serious.
But as he directed Odin to the Parker's driveway, a car suddenly appeared right in front of him, out of nowhere. Startled, Odin bucked and Dan had to struggle not to be thrown off. He held on to the reins so hard that the leather burned his hand as the scared horse stood on his rear legs.
"Easy, boy. Calm down," he kept saying, fearing the animal would end up falling. Odin was still a very young horse, easily scared. After some terrifying seconds, the stallion seemed to calm down. Only then did Dan notice the car had stopped and the driver was staring at them through the window, wide eyed. Oh, no! It can't be! Dan thought. But it was.
Joeanne Darnell opened the pickup door slowly, making sure she wouldn't scare the restless again. "I'm so sorry!" she said, in a barely audible voice. "I really didn't see you!"
"Maybe you should pay more attention!" Dan grunted as he dismounted. His stomach was still very much in his throat. Being trampled under Odin's hooves wasn't the best way to die, that much he knew.
"Are you ok?" Joeanne asked, concerned. "Is he ok? Oh, God! Why didn't I pay attention?"
Her tone made him look back at her. The girl was really pale, and Dan realized she was just as scared as he was. He took a deep breath and said, "He'll be fine. Don't worry. But be careful whenever you drive by this area. Horses and cars don't really mix!"
She gave him a nervous smile and brushed a black strand of hair behind her ear.
"But what are you doing here anyway? Well, it's not my business, but I didn't know you knew the Parkers."
"Well, I didn't know you knew them either." Dan frowned at her answer, but then he saw the smile lightening her features and realized she was joking. She went on, "They adopted a girl last summer, Annie Dugan. Well, her case was assigned to me and..."
Dan interrupted her. "Annie's case? But I thought the adoption process was concluded."
"It is," Joeanne stated. "But there's reason to believe the girl may have got in some trouble, and the Services decided to keep an eye on her."
"Trouble? What kind of trouble?" Dan was beginning to worry. Somehow, he had a feeling this had something to do with the BWG's emergency meeting.
"You know I can't tell you that, Dan. But if you're friends with Annie, you'll find out soon enough." Joeanne took a deep breath and reached out her hand. "I apologies once more, Dan."
He took her hand and shook it. "Don't worry, we're fine."
Joeanne took a few steps towards her car and then hesitated. After a few seconds, she turned again and said, "Just tell Annie I'm a friend, ok? I don't think she likes me all that much."
Dan grinned and the words escaped his lips before he could think about the consequences. "Well, sometimes you do have that effect on people." The full meaning of his sentence hit them both at the same time. Dan wanted the ground to open under his feet and swallow him, as he saw her eyes turn to stone all over again. She turned her back on him and walked back to her car. She was out of his sight before he could say a word.
Hell! He silently cursed himself
. Why can't I keep my foot out of my mouth?
5:45 PM
Bob-Whites of the Glen Club House, Wheeler Estate
"I simply don't believe Annie has anything to do with this!" Di exclaimed, her beautiful violet eyes welling up with tears.
"None of us does." Mart said, putting his arm around his girlfriend." And right now, I really think she needs to know that."
"She would, if only she was here," Jim remarked as he glanced around the meeting table at the clubhouse.
"I called her, my dear co-president." Trixie pinched Jim on the arm, playfully. "But Mrs. Parker told me she couldn't come to the phone and took the message."
As Trixie spoke, Dan entered the clubhouse. "Sorry for being late, but my uncle is a slave driver."
"We're still waiting for Annie too, Dan. She hasn't arrived yet," Brian said.
"You mean she isn't here?" Dan looked worried. "I was by her place about half an hour ago and Mrs. Parker said she had just left. We both though she was coming here. And, yeah, if you're wondering, Mrs. Parker told me about what happened."
At this, Bobby looked up from the table. He seemed frightened. "Do you guys think she might run away again?"
Seven pairs of eyes exchanged glances and then stared back at the teenager.
Bobby's eyes widened with what seemed to be fear. "Oh, hell! I got to find her before she does something crazy!" Saying this, he got up and shot out the door, knocking over his chair in the process.
"Bobby!" Trixie motioned to follow him, but Brian's hand on her arm firmly pulled her back down.
"Easy, sis. Let him go. If anyone can find her, it's him."
Trixie sighed. There was nothing she hated more than feeling powerless.
"Well, anyway, and no matter how much we are worrying about Annie, there's something else I need to tell you…" Jim hesitated as his friends stared back at him. "A friend of Dan's informed him that Jonesy got out of jail last week."
"Oh, Lord!" Honey grew pale. The man was still a part of her darkest nightmares. "I had actually forgotten he would get out one day."
"I didn't…" Mart got up and restlessly paced around the room. "I kept counting the days, but this marriage thing made me overlook it. Rats!"
"Guys, calm down." Brian made his soothing voice heard. "There's no need to overreact. We all fear the man, but there's a chance he's even more afraid of us. We got him as kids. Now we're grown up, so there's a whole lot more we can do."
"I don't think his mind works like that, Brian," Jim said. 'I agree there's no reason to panic, but I think we should be on the lookout."
"Do you know where he is now?" Di asked, looking from Jim to Dan and back again, her violet eyes wide open.
Dan shook his head. "I'm trying to find out. But I called Molinson and warned him about this." Then he tried to lighten the mood and joked: "The man would have to be the invisible man to get in Sleepyside without being seen."
Honey and Di seemed a little more relieved but the others saw the dark shadow in Jim and Dan's eyes.
Think, Belden, think! Where can she be? Bobby pedaled fast down Glen Road. He had just been to the Parker's estate. Annie wasn't back yet, but at least she hadn't taken anything but her bike with her. Mrs. Parker had told him that even the medallion that had belonged to her mother was still in its place, in her room. That was good news, because he knew Annie would leave anything behind, but that. So, where was she?
The trees were a mere blur as his legs made the bicycle almost fly down Glen Road. And his mind raced just as fast, thinking how he could possibly apologies. How could he even have doubted? It would serve him right if she never forgave him. His heart ached at the mere thought. He had been so happy that morning when she had accepted his invitation to the dance. For weeks he had been trying to gather courage to ask her. And now he had totally blown it.
As he reached Manor House, a thought crept into his mind. He had checked the stables, the boathouse, even Ten Acres. But there was one place he hadn't checked. Bobby smiled and shook his head in disbelief. Well, it made sense. She probably thought it would never cross his mind she would go there, just because everyone knew it made him mad.
There it was, under some bushes. Annie's red bike. Bobby took a deep breath and looked up at the tree house, almost hidden in the midst of the thick branches. Slowly and silently he climbed the steps nailed to the trunk, remembering a night, months before, when his heart had beaten just as hard.
Everything was silent, so he carefully lifted the trapdoor. The sun was setting, but there was still light enough to see Annie lying down near the wall. Her heavy breathing told him she was fast asleep.
Bobby crouched beside her and gazed at her for a few moments. How could anyone believe that such a pretty girl could ever do something that wrong? Well, there had been a shadow of a doubt in his heart, even for just a split second. He would never forgive himself for that. Slowly, he brushed back a lock of hair from her face, caressing her cheek with the back of his fingers.
Her nose was reddish and so were her eyelids. She must have cried herself to sleep, he thought, heartbroken.
"Annie," he called, softly. "Wake up, Annie."
Annie's eyes fluttered and opened. She sat up, startled, when she saw Bobby.
"Hey, relax. It's just me!" he said, smiling, as he reached out to brush her hair away from her face.
She pulled back and sat with her back against the tree-house wall, her arms circling her knees and the small movement felt like a kick to Bobby's stomach. Still, he knelt beside her. "Everyone's worried about you. The Bobwhites had an emergency meeting and you didn't show, so I thought you might have run off again!"
"Why should I go to the meeting? To listen to your reasons for kicking me out?" Annie's voice was hard and cold. "To hear you say I'm not good enough to hang with you?"
Bobby turned white. "Do you really think we're that mean?"
Annie bit her lip and tears started flowing down her face again. Bobby's heart melted and he tried to bring her back into his arms, but she pushed him away.
"Do you think it's easy? To have people speaking behind your back? To know they keep making up stories about you? And then to have your friends doubt you?" Annie wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
"But we don't..." Bobby started, but she interrupted him.
"The Social Services have been to my place. The woman said that if they prove I really did it I'll have to go to a Reformatory... and there's a chance they'll stop the adoption process."
Bobby turned white. "I had no idea... But I know it will all turn out fine," he said, trying to sound reassuring. "And your parents will stand by you."
Annie shook her head. "I don't know if they'll want to be my parents now..." The girl's voice trailed off again as the tears choked her. Bobby took a deep breath and crossed the space between them with one long stride. Pulling her forcefully over to him, he said, "I will always be here for you. I won't let anyone hurt you!"
"You were the one who hurt me the most!" she said, her voice muffled by his shirt.
"Shh…I know I had no right to even think about it, but I was confused…" he whispered as he cradled her in his arms. "I know that's no excuse… But all I can say is I'm sorry."
Annie pulled back from his arms and stared him right in the eyes. "Who could have done this to me?" she asked.
The boy wiped her cheeks with his hand and shook his head. "I don't know. But I guess someone thought you were the perfect victim for a set-up."
"That includes just about everyone…"
A smile shone on Bobby's lips. He winked at her and said: "No, not everyone. Just someone who doesn't know what the Bobwhites are capable of. Annie, you are one of us. We are standing by you."
She looked up at him, not knowing if she should believe his words.
"Am I forgiven?" he asked, fearfully.
"Do you still want me to be your date at the dance?" the girl retorted.
"Of course! I told you I wouldn't go with anyone else."
"Then don't ever, ever even think I would do something like that!" She shook a finger menacingly in his face.
He chuckled, relieved, and, grabbing her hand, he pulled her back into his embrace. "Don't worry, I won't! Though making up is really nice!"
His words made her automatically pull away and get up. "Don't go getting any ideas, Belden. It's better if…"
The sound of someone calling out their names interrupted them. Looking down, through the small window, Annie saw Bill Regan, the Wheelers groom and a great friend of the BWGs.
"Will you kids come down?" the red headed man asked, with his hands on his hips. "Half the town is out looking for you!"
Annie and Bobby climbed down.
"How did you find us? I thought no one else would think of this place!" Bobby said as he reached the ground and faced Regan.
He folded his arms across his chest and smiled sardonically.
"Yeah… You keep forgetting I get a great view of the woods from my room. I saw you riding that bike like crazy into the woods and then Miss Trask told me Annie was missing."
"Are you guys coming or what?" Annie was getting impatient as she pulled her bike from underneath the bushes.
As they walked up the trail after her, Reagan said, "Don't worry. I won't tell about your little make-out spot!"
Bobby's blue eyes widened in amazement and his jaw dropped.
"We weren't…I wasn't…We didn't…"
The older man laughed, and the boy realized he was only teasing him. A few moments later, Bobby's embarrassment vanished and his eyes glowed. Actually, it wasn't such a bad idea after all!
The faces around the table were all stern and grave. One more student had been caught with drugs. Heading the usual Friday's teacher's meeting, Principal Richardson's looked nothing like the playful woman Trixie had come to admire. Even her dark, chocolate coloured skin had lost some its glow.
In fact, there was only one person attending the meeting that didn't seem affected by the whole ordeal. Trixie admired, with some envy, the ever golden, always impeccable hair, the classy make-up and the elegant two-p—p-piece suit of Janet Martin, a Biology teacher that had moved to Sleepyside that same year.
Conscious of their difference in appearance, Trixie couldn't help hiding her hands under the table, when noticing the state her nails were in after a week of nervousness and distress.
"Well, I do believe there is no reason for over reacting," Janet said, her voice low and perfectly calm. She brushed back a long strand of golden hair. "We are not the first school in the world to face this problem. We merely have to deal with it as a normal occurrence."
"Miss Martin, I hate to disagree, but this is anything but normal," the older man at the end of the table retorted. James Wilson had been Trixie's English teacher in her last two years at Sleepyside High and had been teaching there for the past thirty years. The school was like home to him, so he was taking the case quite personally. "If we regard this as normal, then we will be saying it's ok. And it is anything but that!"
"Mr. Wilson, I do respect your… experience," Trixie noticed the small pause and the ironic tone of Janet Martin's voice and shivered. "But Sleepyside is entering the modern age. Bad as it is, this is a sign of the changing times. I do not mean to take this lightly. All I'm saying is that we have to deal with it without panic. Believe me, it won't be the last time it will happen."
"It will, if I have anything to say about it." Principal Richardson made her voice heard at last. Till then she had remained silent, watching carefully and listening. "Sleepyside may be… entering the modern age if you'd like, Janet…but I'll do my best not to face this as normality."
Trixie smiled, inwardly. Janet Martin was nice enough, but she was getting on her nerves with that I-was-a-teacher-in-New-York attitude.
"I'm with you. I think we have to make the kids understand how serious this really is," Mart said, with the most serious face Trixie had ever seen him make.
"Well, of course I must comply with your decisions," Janet said, with the smug smile still on her lips.
Boy, now I know why Annie doesn't like her, Trixie thought.
"So," the blonde woman went on, leaning towards the table. "If that's the case, you must be considering quite extreme measures regarding Annie Dugan."
Mart and Trixie exchanged glances. They weren't aware the other teachers had been filled in on the case. If that was so, then chances were the whole school knew about it.
Mary Richardson frowned, as if she hadn't been aware the news had spread. "Well," she said slowly. "If Miss Martin has heard of this, I take it you all know it too." The guilty faces around the table told her she was right. Sighing, she went on. "I've been in teaching for far too long to be surprised. Since you already know, I ask you not to make this more serious than it really is."
"Oh, please!" Janet Martin let out an ironic laugh. "Now that you have a possible culprit, you make nothing of it! This is nonsense!"
"Annie is innocent!" Trixie spoke out, without thinking. She felt Mart kicking her under the table but she decided she couldn't be silent anymore. "I know how serious a matter this is and that what was found in her locker is incriminating, but please, don't condemn her before we straighten this out. I know her and I vouch for her innocence."
"And how can you be so sure, Miss Belden?" Janet asked, staring at her right in the eyes. "As far as I know your acquaintance hasn't been lifelong. And even if it had, no one can be completely sure of anyone. A word of advice: don't go standing up for just anyone. It could backfire."
Before Trixie could answer, Principal Richardson said, "Your concern about your friend, Trixie, is commendable but you should try to be impartial." Trixie couldn't help blushing and Mart's I-told-you-so look made her feel even worse.
Mary Richardson went on. "But we won't crucify the child without being absolute sure. And even if we are able to prove her guilt, we won't stop at that. If a child is involved in this sordid affair, he or she would be no more than a pawn. There has to be someone else behind it."
"Do you believe we're dealing with a... gang?" one of the older teachers asked, pronouncing the word as if it was swearing.
"I can't answer that. I'm not sure, but it is a possibility." Mary Richardson leaned back on her chair, noticeably tired.
"Well, our little Annie does wear that strange red jacket..." Janet started.
Trixie jumped in her seat but Mart was faster in answering. "That strange red jacket, as you put it, is as familiar to the Sleepyside authorities as to this school. It means she is part of the BWGs, the Bobwhites of the Glen, which is a club and not a gang."
"We've been an active part of the community, doing voluntary and benefit work, not just here in town, but in many other places." Trixie added. She knew where this was headed. It wasn't the first time someone had accused the BWGs of being a gang.
"Oh, I see. I'm sorry if it sounded as if I was implying anything... but that's just not a usual thing, is it? And it can easily be confused with other things. But if the authorities and the school know you all so well, it's all right." Janet's eyes had a strange glow to them as she added, "At least I hope it is."
"Oh, I could just kill her!" Trixie exclaimed as Mart drove them back to Crabapple Farm. "How dare she? She was trying to say we could have something to do with it!"
"Easy, sis," Mart smiled. "She gets on my nerves too, but she did come from a violent city. People who live in places like that tend to face these occurrences a little more lightly than we do. And she doesn't know anything about us."
"Yeah, but still... Janet sounded too... I don't know... trigger happy, if you know what I mean."
"Uh-oh! Yeah, I know what you mean! I know that mystery-itis look too well!" Mart frowned. "Just hold your horses! There's nothing mysterious about Janet."
"I didn't say there was... Oh!" Trixie moaned and folded her arms. "I'm frustrated! I want to help Annie, and I just don't know how to! After all, I do have a responsibility to the school... But I can't help wanting to help Annie. She is my friend."
"She's a friend to all of us, Trix. And we will do our best to help her. But don't just go rushing to conclusions."
"I won't. I haven't done that in a while, you know?" Trixie playfully pinched her brother.
"Thanks to our beloved co-president, I dare say." Mart's smile gave way to a more serious expression. "Things have been so hectic lately I haven't even had the time to check on my baby sister's heart. How are things?" The way Trixie's face lit up was enough of an answer and Mart smiled again. "That good, hum?"
"Just perfect, Mart," she answered. "Jim's planning to rebuild the mansion, you know? I guess with all this happening at the same time he didn't even have time to tell you all about it."
"That's great, Trix. And Moms will love it. She was afraid you guys would move into town."
"She should have known better. I would never be away from my woods."
Mart reached out and squeezed her hand. "Are you sorry, Trixie? For giving up on...?"
She interrupted him, blue eyes shining. "I gave up nothing, Mart. I made a choice and that was to follow my heart. Nothing changed, except the fact that now I know my life is just starting. And I don't think I left anything back. The agency... Well, maybe one day. But it's not that important anyway. I love what I'm doing and, as you can see, mysteries are still attracted to me."
"I'm happy for you, honey. I really am. For the both of you... and for me, too. Sleepyside wouldn't be the same without you."
Trixie stretched to kiss him on the cheek. Mart could be a pest sometimes, but he was also one of the best brothers in the whole world.
5 PM
Wheeler lake
Sitting on the shadowy and sandy margin of the lake, Annie realized she loved sunsets just as much as she hated the early mornings. At least she did since she came to live in Sleepyside. In fact, it had been just the opposite while she had lived in the New York streets. Sunsets brought along the dread of the long, lonely, cold night while morning meant relief. But now things had changed. She had a home, a family, friends... and the prospect of losing it all once more was just too awful to consider. But Annie was aware there was risk, even if the blood tests had come up negative for drugs. The social worker had said so.
I won't think about it. Annie threw her hair back, brushing the thoughts away and went back to writing her diary. There were other things on her mind, happier things, and Jason had taught her long ago to hold on to the nice things, no matter how small. Being asked to the dance was a very nice thing. And being asked by Bobby Belden was even nicer. The thought brought a blush to her cheeks and a smile to her lips.
"Am I interrupting?"
Annie jumped at the sound of the voice coming from behind her. She turned around and smiled as she saw Dan coming up to her. "'Course not! I was just... oh, daydreaming I guess!" As she spoke, Dan noticed she hid a book behind her.
Breathing in the scent of the pine trees, Dan sat beside her on the sandy margin of the Wheeler's lake. "Keeping a diary, are you?" he asked, smiling as she blushed.
"Yeah," Annie admitted, "Mrs... Mum gave it to me at Christmas. She said it was nice to remember things as the years went by."
"I guess it is." Annie's hesitation in calling Mrs. Parker 'Mum' didn't escape him. "So, how is it like to live with the Parkers. Do you like it?"
The girl smiled. "Yes, I do. They're really nice to me, but it's still strange... calling them mum and dad, I mean. I was talking to Bobby about it just the other day. They are very... careful, when it comes to me. They want to know what I think about every topic. Dad talks to me a lot. I guess they are trying to raise me without making the mistakes they did when raising Jason."
"That's only natural, don't you think? I mean, you do need time to adjust to each other. I've been there, so I know what I'm talking about."
She nodded. "I know. But I'm really afraid of letting them down... and all of you. I'm innocent, you know?"
Annie's eyes told Dan she needed reassurance. So he got closer to her and slipped an arm around her shoulders. "We know. We wouldn't have made a BWG out of you if we weren't sure of what's in your heart."
"Bobby suspected me," she whispered.
"No, he didn't. Not with his heart. But he was confused and when we are confused we say silly stuff we really don't mean. And we hurt other people. Has it never happened to you?"
She kept silent for a few moments, gazing at the lake in front of them, and then said, "It has. But it hurt anyway."
"He apologized, didn't he?"
"Yeah, he did. He's even going to take me to the dance at school," she blushed again.
Dan's face lit with a smile. "Oh, but that's an event! So you see, not everything is bad."
"I didn't say that. But I was getting enough aggravation from some idiots at school who hate me for my past... Then all this lands on my back... And now the social services are worried about... my situation," she spoke the last words with some spite.
Well, here we go, Dan thought. "Yeah, I heard someone had gone to your house."
"Miss Darnell, that's her name. She was pretty nice, but she also said they could reconsider the whole adoption process if..."
Dan interrupted her. "No one is reconsidering anything, Annie. The social services are there to look after your best interest. I know it sounds like a lot of crap, but it's true. I happen to know Miss Darnell, and I think she would do everything in her power to help you out."
There was hope in Annie's wide brown eyes as she stared at him. "Really?"
"Really. She asked me to tell you she was your friend." He reached out to brush her hair back from her face. "And I am too. So, if you need to talk, just come to us before running away. Promise?"
Dimples appeared in her cheeks as she smiled. "I promise. Thanks, Dan." In a rare demonstration of affection, Annie threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. He hugged her back, touched by the girl's gesture. Then he said, "Why don't we go on over to the clubhouse? I bet the rest of the gang will be over there."
"Let's go then." Annie got up, a new light shining in her eyes. Dan got up too and they strode down the path, towards the clubhouse.
5:30 PM
BWGs club house, Wheeler Estate
"The thing is we've been running around in a panic. And we all know that will get us nowhere. What we need is a plan," Brian said, his voice calm and soothing as always. He had a way of settling down arguments with a mere word. Especially when it came to eight stressed out BWGs.
The clubhouse was suddenly silenced, a, and eight pairs of eager eyes landed on the tall, dark-h-haired young doctor. Brian blushed. "Hey, I said we needed a plan. I never said I had one."
"And that comes from the genius amongst us. We're doomed!" Mart sank back on his chair and groaned in despair.
"Martin Belden, are you admitting your brother is actually smarter than you?" Di teased, batting her eyelashes.
"Sweetheart, I'll admit to murder if you give me that look one more time!" Mart bowed before his girlfriend and kissed her hand.
"What we need is bait." Annie said, shyly. "Someone to bring the dealer out in the open."
Jim frowned and rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. "You might have something there, Annie. But who?"
"Me! They already suspect me anyway and it won't hurt my reputation. And since I can go back to school on Monday, it will be perfect." Annie offered.
"No way, kid. You might not care about your reputation, but you have to care about the adoption process. You have to be clean on this." Dan's tone left no place for an argument, and Annie took the reproach silently.
"Dan's right. Besides being too dangerous, the person who tried to frame you is probably the one responsible for this whole mess, so he or she will never be fooled." Trixie shook her sandy curls decisively. "We'll have to think of something else..."
Bobby's voice interrupted her. "We all know Annie's idea is perfect. And since she is necessarily excluded, the only other reasonable option is me."
"In your dreams, Bobby!" Trixie exclaimed. "It's way too dangerous! Didn't you hear me saying so just now?"
"Yeah, like you've always listened to people warning you about danger. Want me to refresh your mind?" Bobby asked, sarcastically. Trixie blushed and Jim tried to hide a smile.
"You're aware you've created a monster, aren't you?" Mart whispered in his sister's ear. Her only answer was a kick to his chin that made him groan.
There was silence for a while. Trixie could almost hear her brain working out a solution. Hesitation as to what was best was evident on every face. Dan was the first to speak out. "Guys, I agree it's risky but we must do something." He got up and walked around the table to where Bobby was sitting. Laying a hand on the blond boy's shoulder he said: "Bobby is smart enough to know what he's getting into, and he will bail out the moment he gets a clue." His statement was more of a threat than a warning. "Won't you, Bobster?"
"Well, I hate to say this, but I have to agree with Dan and Bobby." Jim reached out to touch his fiancée's cheek. "We'll be on the lookout, honey. Don't worry. And Bobby knows how to defend himself."
Trixie gazed at him, frowning. "Now, why did I never hear you say that when it came to me?"
Jim leaned towards her, green eyes shining with malice. "Maybe because you usually didn't warn us when you set out to do this kind of stuff... and we also have to consider the fact that I'm not in love with your brother." Jim's remark lightened the mood and the BWGs laughed heartily. The look on Trixie's face was priceless.
"I'm not sure I like the idea, but I agree there's not much choice. Annie's in trouble and we have an obligation not to let this thing grow. After all, we decided long ago that we had a part to play in our community. And if there's anything we can do to help Molinson... " Brian took a deep breath. "Mart, Trixie, you guys are in the best positions to keep an eye on Bobby. And you, Mister," he turned to his younger brother, "Just keep us posted, and be careful. This is not a game."
"I know, Brian. I promise the moment I get a hint I'll bail out." Bobby's face was serious and grave. Brian had to struggle not to smile at his grown up expression, even though his baby brother was not such a baby anymore.
As the group left the clubhouse, Annie pulled Bobby aside. "Thanks, Bobby. What you did inside was really wonderful," the girl said, having trouble looking him in the eye.
"What are you talking about? You mean offering to be the bait? Annie, I'll do anything to get you off the hook." Bobby's eyes stared deep into hers, a, and she had to look away again.
"Still, not many people would do that for a friend."
He smiled. "Well, we do. That's a BWG thing. We like to stand up for the ones we love."
"I'm not talking about the BWGs. I'm talking about you."
Bobby reached out and squeezed her hand. "Well, I had ulterior motives. I wanted to prove to you I know you had nothing to do with his."
She swallowed hard and struggled not to let her eyes fill with tears. "You're my best friend, Bobby. Do you know that?"
The boy's jaw dropped. No, he didn't know that. "Even better than Jason?" he asked, in a husky voice.
"Jason is gone." Annie looked back up at him. "He was very special to me. He taught me a lot, he saved my life... but we had no choice than to hold on to each other to survive. But you... you turned your life upside down to help me. You brought me into your house, when most people would brush me away and call me a bum. And now you're putting yourself in danger for me. That means a whole lot."
Bobby was speechless. After a few seconds he followed the others down the path, his hand still holding Annie's. It took him about five minutes to process all she had said. Finally, he brought himself to say: "You're my best friend too, Annie. My very best friend."
Saturday, 9.30 AM
Crabapple Farm
Please, please, let there not be any April showers today! Trixie silently pleaded as she got ready to leap out of bed. As she opened the curtains she smiled. Saturday morning was as sunny and clear as a spring day could be. A perfect day for a party, she thought as she headed for the shower.
It was strange, but the get-togethers at Crabapple Farm still felt as exciting as years before, when she would wait for a freckle-faced, green-eyed teenage boy to come into the kitchen, feeling her heart about to burst out of her chest. And it wasn't merely about Jim. Every moment spent with her friends was priceless and unforgettable. Even more so now, when the natural course of life had made those moments scarcer.
There was no real reason for a celebration. Actually, there were enough things going on to warrant not celebrating at all. But they also needed some time off. Time to relax and have fun. And what better place to do so than the cozy, simple kitchen that was Mrs. Belden's kingdom? Today they might even take it outside. It was warm enough, and the elastic walls of the Belden's house were beginning to stretch to its limits. After all, there were all of the nine BWGs, Mr. and Mrs. Belden, the two pairs of Lynches twins and Joeanne Darnell and her two brothers, if they chose to come.
Of course Reagan and Miss Trask had been invited too, but probably their chores at Manor house would keep them from staying long. Gleeps! That's a heck of a lot of people, Trixie thought, rushing out of the shower. She didn't know how her mother could do it and bring everything to perfection. I'm sure I'd be a nervous wreck by the time the guests came. But still they're not really guests at all, are they? She smiled inwardly. They're family.
As she came downstairs, she noticed Brian and Mart were already setting up the tables in the yard and that her mother was bustling away in the kitchen. The smell of apple pie was already on the air.
"'Morning, Moms," Trixie said as she kissed her mother's cheek. "Was I the only one who slept in late?"
"Guess so, sweetie. Your father and Bobby went to town to get a few things that we needed and on the way back they'll stop at Mr. Lytell's to bring the rest of the groceries. But don't worry, there's still a lot for you to do around here." Helen Belden smiled and winked at her only daughter.
Trixie smiled too and felt like the luckiest person in the world.
He watched as the car parked in front of the white farm house. He watched as the two men got out and started to carry paper bags into the house. He knew them. He remembered them well. The brat is all grown up now, he thought. I wonder where SHE is? Patience was never his virtue, but he didn't have to wait long anyway. He would recognize those blonde curls any day. He was close enough to even see the freckles on her nose. My, my! Haven't you grown pretty? Oh, wouldn't I like to mark that face! That way you would always remember me!
He saw the young woman's smile disappear as she looked around, as if she had somehow heard his thoughts. Stepping further behind the bushes, he held his breath, half-expecting to be discovered. But she seemed to dismiss the feeling and went back to helping her father and brother unload the van.
Yes, go on to your perfect little life and your perfect little family. Enjoy it while you can! It will only hurt more when I take it all away from you. It will teach you not to underestimate me anymore. You and him.