The characters herein are the property of Golden Books/Western Publishing. Just because I think they are silly not to republish the books and make any money with them doesn't mean anyone is crazy enough to pay me to play with my favorite childhood friends. So all you corporate lawyer types are outta luck here.
Trixie Belden and the Southwestern Mystery
by HeatherM.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. I have now turned on the fasten seatbelt light. In just a few moments, we will begin our descent into the Tucson area. Please return your tray tables and seatbacks to their full upright position, and turn off all electronic equipment." The voice washed over the excited Bob-Whites, snapping them to attention.
"Oh Mart, I can’t believe Uncle Monty is getting married!" fifteen year old Diana Lynch said to her boyfriend, Mart Belden. "I mean, he’s been a bachelor his whole life! And now he’s going to get married at 48!"
Sixteen year old Mart smiled down at Di. "I can believe that he wants to get married. I can’t believe we are attending! A reprieve from winter!"
Honey Wheeler, seated next to her best friend, Trixie Belden, both Di’s age, smiled over at Mart. "Jane wanted us to be in the wedding, Mart! It’s lucky for us that Sleepyside has this two day teacher conference right now. Otherwise, our parents would never have allowed us to come out here in the middle of February!"
Jim Frayne smiled at his sister. "I think that Mom and Dad could have been convinced. After all, people don’t get married everyday. They agreed we could take today off, so we could get to Tucson in time for wedding rehearsals."
Brian Belden looked at his sister. "Why so quiet, Trixie?"
Trixie smiled. "I think if I even open my mouth for one second I’ll just burst! Imagine, if we BWGs hadn’t done what we did the last time we were here, we wouldn’t be here this time because Jane Brown would have left the ranch and Uncle Monty wouldn’t be marrying her! I mean, if Jane had left…"
The other Bob-Whites of the Glen were laughing. "Vintage Trixie Belden," Dan said. "We know what you meant, curly!" He added, "I hope that they don’t mind me tagging along with you guys. After all, I didn’t even know you the last time you were here."
"Don’t be silly, Dan. Uncle Monty told me that he particularly wanted you to come, because you didn’t get to come the last time," Di said softy.
Mart gave her shoulders a squeeze. "Better raise your seatback, Princess, before the flight attendant gets you!"
The BWGs gathered their carry-on luggage and filed off the plane. Monty Wilson met them at the gate, smiling broadly. "Good flight, kids?" he inquired, as Di threw her arms around him.
"The flight was fine, thanks," Jim said.
"Let’s get your luggage, then. Jane’s back at the ranch. She’s having her final fitting for the wedding dress, and she couldn’t make it. She can’t wait to see you all!" Uncle Monty put in.
"I just want to stop here at the restroom, Uncle," Di said. "Can you wait for a minute?"
Uncle Monty agreed. "We’ll just step inside this shop." Jim, Trixie, and Dan joined Uncle Monty.
Trixie was drawn to a display of copper jewelry. "Look, Jim, it’s beautiful. I’ve never seen any jewelry like this." Dan browsed through a muscle car magazine.
"I’m going to buy this tie-tack for Dad," Jim stated. "It’s just the thing, and I’ve only been here five minutes!" The duo headed toward the counter. Trixie stopped at a display of small, hand-painted clay pots. She picked up one with a criss-crossed black and white pattern.
"Wow," she said. She turned the little pot over, searching for a price tag. Finding none, she picked up a similarly sized pot and turned it over. She whistled, catching Jim’s attention. "I love this black and white one, but these pots are $29.50. Too rich for me." She put the pot down and ambled to the magazine rack. "Do you see Quarter Horse Monthly, Dan?"
Maybe for you, but not for me, Jim thought. He picked up the pot, shielding his action from Trixie, who wasn’t even watching him. He caught Dan’s eye. Dan, seeing Jim’s action, maneuvered Trixie around the magazine rack so she couldn’t see the cash register.
Jim whipped out his MasterCard and the amused clerk wrapped the little pot quickly. "There isn’t a price on this one," she said softly, "but they are all the same price anyway."
Later, at the ranch, the girls delighted over the dresses that they were to wear for the wedding. Jane’s best friend, Cara, would be her maid of honor, but each of the girls would act as a bridesmaid. The dresses, a rich burgundy, fit perfectly. "Jane, how did you manage to find such perfectly sized dresses?" Honey asked.
"Well, I must admit that I called your mothers! Do you like the color, Di?" Jane asked.
"It’s beautiful. Since your wedding is Saturday, it’s only two days after Valentine’s Day." Di said.
"Valentine’s Day, Smalentine’s Day," Honey grumbled. The holiday was the next day, and Honey was annoyed because she still didn’t know whether Brian was going to ask her to be his Valentine. "Who cares about Valentine’s day?
Trixie laughed. "I’m with you, Honey. Jane and Di have Valentine’s, but us single girls have to stick together.
"Don’t even start, Trixie Belden. I happen to know my brother gave you a bracelet some time ago and has been known to give you the occasional orchid. What have I ever gotten from Brian, except help with my homework?" Honey laughed in spite of herself.
Later, at dinner, Uncle Monty explained the schedule. "Tomorrow, we will have the bridesmaid’s luncheon, and the rehearsal will be in the afternoon. Tomorrow evening, Jane thought you kids might like to stay in town for dinner, uh, on you own, so to speak. We can recommend some places. Anyway, Friday, Di’s parents and the kids are arriving, and then we’ll have the rehearsal dinner and another rehearsal. The wedding’s at 2 on Saturday, and everyone leaves for home on Sunday morning."
Jim glanced at Trixie. I hope she likes her Valentine’s day gift! Maybe I’ll have time to pick up some flowers…
The phone rang. Uncle Monty took the call in the den, while the BWGs and Jane sat in the private living room of the ranch. The ranch had many guests, since February was prime tourist season in the Sonoran desert. Uncle Monty’s assistant was running the ranch, however, and would continue to run it while he was gone.
Monty came into the room. "Any of you kids loose one of your carryons?" he asked. "That was some guy, claimed to be from the airline. Wanted to know if Jim Frayne was a guest here. Said someone in the Frayne party left a bag on the aircraft."
"I don’t think so, sir," Brian answered. "Gang?" Everyone confirmed that they had all of their luggage. Trixie thought, That’s odd. Why would anyone think we’d lost a bag when we didn’t? And why would they think this is the Frayne party? Mr. Lynch paid for the plane tickets…."
Early the next morning, the Bob-Whites watched the sun climb over the desert from the backs of seven of the ranch horses. "It’s beautiful," Honey said. "The desert is amazing."
The other BWGs concurred. Returning to the ranch, they handed their mounts over to the stable staff.
Trixie giggled. "I love Regan, but it sure is nice to get out of the work of horseback riding sometimes!" As they entered the main hall, they realized that someone was practically yelling at the desk clerk. "Surely you have a room!" the man said, agitated. "Any room!"
The clerk assured him once again that the ranch was booked solid. "I’m sorry, sir, but I told you, with all of the proprietor’s wedding guests and the regular reservations, we just don’t have anything."
The man looked around and noticed he was being watched. Trixie noticed that the man was shorter than Jim, with black eyes and hair. He looked Hispanic or Native American, or maybe a bit of both.
"Here now, my good fellow." Alex Barnes said, emerging from the small office behind the front desk. "We don’t have a room, and you can’t treat Ms. Denton this way. I won’t have it. I am going to ask you once to leave the property, and I won’t ask again." The man stomped out the front door.
"Ms. Denton," Mr. Barnes said. "What in the world set him off?"
The clerk, who was almost in tears, turned to Mr. Barnes and sputtered her explanation. "He wanted to check in, but he wouldn’t accept that we didn’t have any rooms. He said he knew some guests who had jest checked in. He wanted to surprise them, he said."
"Miss Denton," Trixie interjected, "who did that man want to surprise?"
"Indeed, Miss Denton," Mr. Barnes said, "who was that unbearable man here to see?"
"Why, Miss Belden, Mr. Barnes… the man was here to see Mr. Frayne, he said." She turned to Jim, "I hope you aren’t offended that he couldn’t get a room, since he is a friend of yours."
Jim looked confused. "I’ve never seen him before. And didn’t you see, he didn’t even look twice at me. He can’t know me."
Brian held up a hand. "He probably just saw your name on the guest sign-in, and tried to use it to get a room here. After all, you probably signed James W. Frayne, II, didn’t you?"
Jim smiled, his confusion gone. "Of course, Brian! That must be it. My name sounds awfully pompous, doesn’t it?"
"Of course it doesn’t!" Trixie protested. Honey nodded her head in agreement. Trixie continued, "Your name is just perfect." Trixie started to blush.
Mart laughed. "I think, James Winthrop, that you have an admirer… or, perhaps, given today’s auspicious date, a Valentine!"
As Jim’s ears began to match Trixie’s face, Di pinched Mart’s arm. "Mart!" she said. "Stop teasing Trixie!"
Later, at the bridesmaid’s luncheon, Trixie, Diana, Honey, and Cara were laughing at Jane’s story of Monty’s proposal. "And then," Jane finished, "we spent 15 minutes getting the Jell-O out of the diamond setting!"
Di was in tears, she was laughing so hard. "That sounds just like something that Mart would do! Imagine, a man putting a diamond ring in a Jell-O mold!"
Just then Honey nudged Trixie. "Trixie," she whispered. "Isn’t he that awful man from the ranch?" Honey pointed across the dining room. Though the inside of the little restaurant, Mi Nidito, was crowded, Trixie could see that the man from the morning was indeed standing at the cashier’s counter.
"What’s he doing here?" Honey asked. "I thought he’d be trying to find a place to stay."
Trixie responded, thoughtfully. "Honey, I don’t think that he was looking for a place to stay. I think something mysterious is going on here! First that strange call from the airline, then that odd man knows Jim’s name, now he has followed us here!"
"Trixie, how could he have followed us? He doesn’t even know who we are!"
"Yes, but we did come in the ranch van! He must have followed us all the way into town!"
Diana was looking at her whispering friends with an odd look on her face. "What gives, girls?"
"That man followed us here!" Trixie said.
"Di, it’s that man from this morning!" Honey said at the same time.
Just at that moment, when all three girls were looking, the man located them. When he saw that they were looking at him, his eyes narrowed and he ducked out the door.
"Do you think he recognized us, Trixie?" Di asked nervously.
"I certainly do, Di. And I intend to find out what’s going on here. Are you two going to help me?"
"I will," Honey said.
Di concurred. "We can’t let him ruin this wedding."
Later, the rehearsal, Trixie tried to convince Brian and Jim that something mysterious was going on. "Come on, Trixie, it was just a coincidence," Brian was saying. Dan just looked from Trixie to Honey with one eyebrow raised.
"And I am sure that he got my name from the guest registry," Jim added. "We don’t even know anyone here! How could anyone be following us?"
Mart was easier to convince. Di took care of that! "Maybe the girls are on to something, fellas. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time one of their hunches was true. Remember the pick pocket in London? Or Imposter Monty?" Di smiled gratefully at Mart.
"Mart’s right, Brian," Jim said. "Ok, Trixie, we’ll keep an open mind.
"Places everyone!" Monty said. "Ok, Dan and Brian, you’ll be ushers. Mart, Jim, you’ll lineup as groomsmen. I’ll stand here," he said, gesturing to a spot just to the right of the altar.
"John, as best man you’ll stand next to me, opposite Cara." John was Uncle Monty’s best friend, and Cara’s husband. "Next, Mart will stand next to John, opposite Diana, next to Cara." Another friend of Monty’s, Paul Edwards, hovered uncertainly nearby. "Jim, you are next to Mart, and Paul, you’re at the end. That puts you opposite Honey and Trixie, respectively." Monty winked at Jim, who grinned back.
The organist struck up the wedding march, and the girls practiced walking at the proper pace. Jane, radiant, looked as if she were meant to walk up that aisle toward Monty Wilson.
"Ok, everyone, that’s enough for now," Monty was saying. Jane whispered up at her fiancé. "I’m going to take Jane back to the ranch with me. I’ll leave you young people the ranch van. Here are the spare keys," Monty said, handing them to Dan, who was the closest Bob-White. "I left a little map in the glove box. You all ought to go down to Fourth Avenue. I marked it. There’s a restaurant down there called Bison Witches. It’s worth the wait, but other restaurants are around there."
Jane chimed in. "Several vintage clothing shops are on Fourth, too. And just two blocks over, down University Avenue, is the University of Arizona. You ought to have a look around. Just be back at the ranch before midnight, so we don’t send out the cavalry!"
Waving their good-byes, the remainder of the wedding party climbed into there cars and headed out. Dan, Mart, and Jim leaned against the ranch van. Dan tossed the keys up into the air, catching them overhand on the down drop. "Well, ladies, why don’t you hop in the…"
Just then, the rude almost-guest emerged from the side parking lot of the church, from the direction of a late-model blue sedan. "Why hello, kids," he said, as Uncle Monty and the rest of the party drove away. In town for the wedding?"
Trixie looked suspicious. "What do you know about it?" she said.
"Well, I’m a friend of Monty Wilson’s," the man replied. "Just wanted to introduce myself. I’m David Manzanillo. You are?" he said, turning to Brian.
"I’m Brian, this is my sister, Trixie; my brother Mart; and our friends Honey, Di, Dan, and Jim."
The stranger shook hands all around. "Jim? You must be Jim Frayne. My brother works at the airline… he said he’s been trying to reach you at the Wilson Ranch. Told him I’d talk to you…"
"Why?" Jim asked, clearly annoyed. "What does anyone at the airline want with me?"
David Manzanillo shrugged. "You’d have to ask him. Listen," he said, pulling Jim to the side. "Here’s his card." Honey, Di, and Mart climbed into the back seat of the van.
Speaking quietly to Jim, Manzanillo continued. "Listen, I heard that you bought a pot. See, my girlfriend really wanted that pot. My brother works for the airline, and he saw you. See, and I was going to pick that particular one up for her. Maybe I can buy it from you? I’d make it worth your while."
"Hey Jim, you need a hand?" Dan called out.
Jim looked really annoyed. "Look, find another one. They’re probably made in Taiwan anyway. I have to go, and I really don’t want to speak with you about this right now."
"Look kid, if you know what is good for you…" Manzanillo blustered.
"Hey buddy, why don’t you buzz off?" a voice called. Manzanillo turned. He was surrounded. Dan, Brian, and Mart didn’t look amused.
"Hey, you kids cool it. I, uh, I was leaving. But you’ll regret threatening me, I promise."
"What was that all about, Jim?" Trixie queried. Mart had regained his seat in the back of the van, which was heading towards Fourth Avenue. Dan was driving and Brian was riding shotgun. Trixie and Jim shared the middle seat.
"It was nothing, Trix! Relax. He was just asking me to contact his brother. I really didn’t need the cavalry here to come to the rescue," Jim grumbled. "Can’t we just enjoy this evening without some little man distracting us?"
Trixie grinned. "I’ll let you off the hook this time, Frayne. It is Valentine’s Day. But you’d better come up with a good distraction!"
"Hey, this looks like a pretty good place to park. Di, your Uncle Monty said the place was down a couple of blocks on the left, right?" Dan queried.
The party had to wait for nearly half an hour for a table in the little restaurant, even though it was early. Bison Witches was a small place, obviously very popular, that offered a wide selection of sandwiches served on thick, homemade bread and soup served in homemade bread bowls. When they had finished eating, even Mart proclaimed himself full.
"What now, gang? Want to browse through the shops, or walk over to the University?" Brian asked.
"Well, I’d like to browse through the shops," Honey said. Di concurred. Brian and Mart agreed to accompany the girls.
"I’d rather walk over and see the University. Trixie, want to come with me?" Jim asked. Trixie smiled at Jim, and tucked her hand in the crook of his arm.
Dan looked at Jim, who met his eyes, and said, "Uh, I think I’ll take a look through the shops. I’d like to buy a little gift for Uncle Bill."
Jim smiled at the group. "Ok, so let’s meet back here in about 2 hours. That’ll give us all plenty of time, and then we could catch a late movie." Everyone nodded their agreement, and the two groups parted company.
Half an hour later, Jim and Trixie sat on the front steps of the Student Union at the University of Arizona. "Can you believe this place, Trixie? All this grass in the middle of the desert, and these tall palm trees lining the mall. What a beautiful place!"
"I admit, I wouldn’t mind living in the sunshine year round, even though I don’t like the heat. Swimming in December! Outdoors! But Jim, I wouldn’t want to come out here, so far from my family, and Honey, and… well, everyone," she finished shyly.
Jim gave her hand a little squeeze. "Me neither, Trixie. Happy Valentine’s Day."
Trixie smiled at Jim. "What, no gift?" she said impertinently.
"Come on, Trixie! Of course I got you a gift. But I couldn’t carry it around all day. It’s back at the ranch."
Trixie threw her arms around Jim. "I was only kidding, silly! You don’t have to buy me anything!"
"I know I don’t have to, Trix. I wanted to," Jim said, blushing. "Let’s look around while we’re here."
They strolled through the campus hand in hand, dodging the joggers, and avoiding the soccer games and Frisbee that seemed to be very popular with the students of the U of A.
"We’d better head back, Jim. The others will be waiting," Trixie said. When Jim agreed, the duo turned and headed back toward Fourth Avenue.
As they turned the final corner, Trixie and Jim noticed the other BWGs less than 15 feet away. Mart and Diana were wearing very silly hats, apparently purchased in one of the second hand shops along the way. Honey was clutching a bouquet of sunflowers in one hand and her other hand was firmly ensconced in Brian’s. Dan was laughing at Mart’s antics.
"Hey there you are! We were going to send a search party!" Diana said.
Mart chimed in, "Ready to head to the cinema?"
The girls were climbing into bed when Trixie said, "Honey, something is very weird about that guy, Manzanillo. What was he bothering Jim about?"
"I don’t know, Trixie. It’s very strange. Speaking of Jim, nice Valentine’s gift! Where did he get it?" she said, gesturing to the small black and white pot, which stood about 5 inched high and had a fat body and narrow neck.
"At the airport, I guess. I was admiring it when you guys went to the bathroom."
"And speaking of Jim, did he kiss you yet? What is up with you two?" Diana asked.
Trixie blushed. "Focus, girls! What is going on with this Manzanillo character?" Diana threw a pillow at Trixie.
"Turn off your light, Detective Belden! It’s after midnight. We’ll talk about it in the morning!"
They didn’t have to wait that long. The girls were awakened in the middle of the night by the arrival of police cars. Uncle Monty and Alex Barnes had caught a man trying to break into the hotel. It was David Manzanillo!
"What happened?" Trixie asked, excitedly. "What’s going on?"
"Seems he was trying to break into your brother’s room, Honey," Uncle Monty said. "Alex saw him sneak in the side door on the security camera in the office. He happened to be going over the receipts from the front desk. He called the police and then me on the private line upstairs. Alex and I and our friends Smith and Wesson kept watch over him until the boys in blue got here."
The police officer in charge said, "Mr. Wilson, Can you come down to the station in the morning and swear out evidence? And if your camera records, bring any tapes out guys features in with you. We’ll get this creep to the jail now. You won’t have to worry about this weirdo anymore."
"Sir," Jim interjected. "This isn’t the first time we’ve met this guy."
"Is that so, young man? Well, then, maybe you’d better all come down in the morning and tell me about it." With that, the young office stepped outside, into his cruiser, and drove
away.
"Back to bed everyone!" Uncle Monty said. "Tomorrow is a big day." Hmmm, though Trixie. There was something odd about Manzanillo. Why Jim? How did he know his name? What did he want?
Trixie’s mind was racing as she climbed into bed, but she didn’t have any answers when she finally drifted off.
Early the next day, everyone went down to the station house to give their evidence. The police Sargent told them that the man had a record of petty theft. "Probably just targeted you kids because you’re staying out at that fancy ranch and you look like tourists."
"You kids want to stop by the Museum?" uncle Monty asked. "We can spare an hour or so – Di’s parents’ plane doesn’t arrive for a while yet." The Museum was on the University campus. Trixie and Jim had noticed the night before that a special exhibit of Southwestern artifacts was visiting the museum.
"Oh, let’s, everyone," Honey said enthusiastically. Everyone nodded their agreement, and
Uncle Monty headed toward the campus. Luckily, he found a parking place right on University Avenue, in front of Sinbad’s Restaurant and less than a block from the Museum.
Once inside, the group split up. "Meet back here in about 45 minutes." Trixie stood looking at a small map of exhibits. "Oh Honey, look!" she squealed. "Southwestern Pottery!"
"Let’s go then, Trixie, we haven’t much time," Honey smiled.
Browsing through the pottery, Trixie and Honey delighted over the beautiful designs. The lighten cases held many styles of pottery. "Why, Trixie, this one looks like your pot!" Honey exclaimed.
"It’s much too big, Honey, but the markings are very similar, Do you think they used this one as a model?" Trixie asked.
Just then, a Museum official stepped behind the girls. "Pretty, isn’t it, girls? You’d never know it, but it’s over 900 years old. It was made by an Anasazi potter."
"Golly," Trixie breathed. "I have a little pot that looks kind of like it. Did an artist use this pot as a model?"
"I don’t think so, but the smaller one, perhaps."
"What smaller one, ma’am?" Honey asked politely.
"Well, it was all over the papers last week, so I don’t suppose it would do any harm to tell you. A pot of ours was stolen, right out of the museum. It wasn’t in a locked case because one of the curators was re-arranging the display. The pot was taken right out of the office of the curator. The lock was jimmied, and the pot was stolen, along with the curator’s pocketbook and her briefcase."
"Wow," Honey breathed. "Maybe the…"
Trixie, whose minds was working over time, interrupted. "That’s an amazing story, but we really have to be going. We’re meeting our friends in five minutes." With that, Trixie took Honey’s arm, dragging her away.
When they’d gotten out of earshot, Honey shook Trixie’s hand away and demanded, "What has gotten into you, Trixie Belden?"
"Honey, shh. I think I know why David Manzanillo was after us. But you can’t tell that woman that we might have her pot. Why, Jim bought it in an airport gift shop! It can’t be an ancient Anasazi pot!"
"You’re right, of course, Trixie. Maybe David Manzanillo just thinks your pot is the Museum pot!"
"Of course! That’s it Honey!" Trixie grinned. "Now let’s get going or Mr. and Mrs. Lynch won’t be very happy when we aren’t at the airport on time!"
The Lynches were very happy to see Uncle Monty, particularly Mrs. Lynch. The group was waiting for the bags to come out the little door onto the luggage claim when Trixie glanced casually to her left. She saw a man dart behind a column!
"Jim!" Trixie hissed. "David Manzanillo is behind that post!" Gesturing only with her eyes, Trixie indicated the wide concrete column.
"Trixie, he’s in jail? Are you seeing things?" Jim was genuinely baffled. "Maybe it was just someone who looked like him."
"Spying at us from behind a pillar? Jeepers, give me some credit!"
"Sorry Trixie, but he is in jail."
"Then maybe it’s an accomplice. I admit, I only got a quick glimpse, but he was definitely peeking at us!" Trixie asserted.
"Trixie, I believe you, really, but I still don’t understand what Manzanillo wanted with us… me." Jim said.
"The pot!" she hissed.
"A souvenir pot from an airport gift shop?" Jim said. "Why on earth?"
"Because it looks just like a pot that was stolen from the Museum here last week, Jim!"
Comprehension dawned. "Hey, Trixie! I guess he thinks it’s the same pot," Jim breathed.
Trixie grinned. "We have to tell the police. The wedding is tomorrow!"
The rehearsal dinner was held at Le Rendez-Vous on Fort Lowell Avenue, a restaurant serving very traditional French cuisine. No expense was spared. The duck a l’orange was
crisp and tasty, and the tender veal sweetbread was exquisite.
Leaning back in his chair, Mart sighed. Diana touched his arm, and smiled. "Well, that’s about it," Mr. Lynch smiled. "Shall we head back to the ranch? It’s a big day tomorrow!"
The party was large, and they had taken the ranch van, Mr. Wilson’s car, and a large, rented SUV that Mr. Lynch was driving into town. The young people had commandeered the van. Just as they turned onto the road that led up to the ranch, they noticed headlights
behind them. "Strange," said Brian. "Everyone else is in front of us. Who’s going to the ranch at this time of night?"
The car sped up, getting very close to the van. "Do you think he’s going to hit us, Brian?" Honey asked.
"Surely not," Brian said, just as the car began to pass the van. It’s a blue sedan, Trixie
thought. Suddenly, the car started to merge into the van. Brian stepped on the brakes, swerving to the right. The car shot past the van. Ahead, headlights came toward the van and the blue car. As the headlights got closer, the blue sedan slowed suddenly, then sped up.
"He’s getting away, Brian!" Trixie yelled.
"I don’t think so, Trixie," Dan, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, put in. Blue lights were flashing. The car that had been coming toward the van was a police cruiser!
"Pull over, Brian. Let’s report this nut," Dan urged. Brian did as requested.
The officer was grateful the teenagers had stopped. "Saw what he tried to pull. I’ll take a statement from you kids. He won’t get out of this ticket!"
Trixie glanced toward the Blue sedan as Brian gave a statement. That’s David Manzanillo! Turning to the officer, she said, "Sir, that’s the man who broke into the ranch where we are staying last night and tried to get into Jim’s room! It’s David Manzanillo!"
"Sorry, miss. I don’t follow. But that guy’s name is Sergio."
"But Officer, I’m sure he’s the same guy. Maybe he gave us a fake name…"
Just then, the man got out of the car and began to yell at the young people. "You kids got my brother arrested! And he didn’t steal nothin’!" Startled, the officer told the man to calm down and get back in his car. "I won’t do it! These stupid kids! They won’t give it back!"
The man, who must have been David Manzanillo’s twin, lunged at Mart, who caught his wrists neatly and held them while the officer cuffed the man.
"I guess this means another trip downtown, officer?" Jim asked. The officer told him that they would be needed the next morning. "Sorry sir," Jim said, "We have a wedding tomorrow."
The officer replied that they wouldn’t be needed long, and asked them to come down that evening. "Sure," Jim said easily.
"But we have to go on out to the ranch and let them know where we are," Brian added.
At the house, Brian and Mart explained what had happened. "I’m just going to run up to the bathroom," Trixie put in. "I’ll be right back down."
"Okay, Trixie, hurry," Mart said.
Upstairs, Trixie visited the bathroom, and picked up her pot. I think it’s time for the police to see this little pot, she thought.
Down at the station, the arresting Officer took their statement. "And you kids don’t have any idea why these guys seem to be after you?"
The group looked from one to the other. Jim looked at Trixie and said, "Well, David told me Sergio works for the airline. But I’m not clear why either one of them wants anything from us. Somehow, I think, Trixie here has an idea."
Trixie cleared her throat and swallowed. "Well, Officer…" she reached into her handbag and brought out the little pot. "I think it has something to do with this."
Trixie continued. "Jim bought this pot for me at the airport, and these two guys seemed to really want it. They think it looks like one that was stolen last week. I guess since one of them works at the airline, the other one must have seen it in the shop…." She trailed off, uncertain.
"Well, miss, Sergio does work at the airline," the officer said. "He’s a flight attendant on the
New York- Tucson route. And David, he works at a shop in the airport. Maybe it’s the same one. But you’re wrong about one detail…"
The officer cleared his throat and continued. "Unless I miss my guess, this pot is the one that was stolen from the museum!"
The group gasped, and then everyone started talking at once. "Wow!" "Gleeps!" "But how…" "I don’t believe…"
The officer quieted the group. "Settle down! I’m calling a museum official."
Sometime later, the Bob-Whites arrived at the ranch. "Looks like everyone has gone to bed," Di said. "I guess we’ll explain in the morning."
At breakfast, Trixie explained the revelations of the night before. "David Manzanillo stole the pot from the museum last week. Since Sergio works the Tucson-New York route, he was going to take the pot to New York and fence it. David planted it at his shop and left a clerk to watch the store. He didn’t want to be seen passing the pot to his brother, who was supposed to leave on the return plane. Sergio was supposed to walk in, buy the pot, and take it to New York. But in that five minutes between David leaving and Sergio arriving, Jim bought the pot."
Trixie’s audience appeared to be holding their collective breath. She continued. "When David returned, Sergio was frantic. The pot was gone. The clerk described us, but by the time he found us, we were leaving in the ranch van. Since the van has the ranch name on it, we were easy to track. David was able to check Jim’s credit card receipt to find out Jim’s name.
"He tried to gain access to the hotel by checking in, but there weren’t any rooms. Sergio followed us girls to the Bridesmaid’s luncheon, while David stayed behind to trail the boys."
"He was at Mi Nidito!?" Jane broke in.
Trixie nodded. "Yes, and David was at the rehearsal. While Sergio waited in his car, David tried to buy the pot from Jim."
"Only I didn’t tell Trixie, because it was supposed to be a surprise for her!" Jim put in.
"Anyway, then David got desperate. He tried to break in and got caught. Sergio was furious and scared. He continued to tail us – I saw him at the airport, when we went to pick up Mr. and Mrs. Lynch – and then he decided to try to run us off the road. Luckily that police officer was there!"
"You children are amazing," Mrs. Lynch was saying. "Why, Trixie, you had it all figured out,didn’t you?"
"No, Mrs. Lynch. I didn’t know that the Manzanillos were twins. I thought I was seeing things! And I was sure that pot was a reproduction. It was Honey who recognized the similarity between my pot and the pot that was stolen. She wanted to tell the museum curator that we might have her pot yesterday," Trixie replied.
Honey blushed.
"Well, Miss Belden, Miss Wheeler – another mystery solved!" Jim said.
The wedding was beautiful. Afterwards, everyone went to a large reception that included a live band.
"May I have this dance, Trixie?" Jim bowed before her.
"Why, of course, Jim," Trixie smiled shyly. Leading her on to the dance floor, Jim tucked her close.
"I owe you a gift, Trixie," Jim said. "After all, your Valentine’s gift was contraband!"
Trixie smiled. "What did you have in mind, Jim?"
Kissing her forehead, Jim replied, "When we get back to Sleepyside, I think I’m going to buy you a name plate."
"Name plate?" Trixie looked up, puzzled.
"One that says, Trixie Belden, Ace Detective. You can use it at the Belden-Wheeler detective agency."
Trixie smiled. "Oh Jim, do you mean it?"
"Well, you may have to rename your agency, though," he said.
The End.