The perfectly perfect feeling did not last as long as both girls had wished it would. The Bob-Whites and Regan had long since reached Interstate 87 and traveled a good distance speaking about the boys time at camp as well as the non-mysterious things Honey and Trixie had seen and done in Saratoga. Regan chimed in every once in a while to help them explain things about Thoroughbred racing that they hadn’t understood themselves or were jumbling with their explanations. But mostly he sat silently, off in his own world. Honey and Trixie noticed this and were fairly certain that the world was named Joan. Eventually however, a both strange but not so strange silence descended on the travelers in the car, all of whom had varying thoughts about the events of the past week.

Honey, sitting in the back seat between Brian and Mart had closed her eyes, allowing them to rest. She laid her head against Brian's shoulder and he slipped one arm across hers. Though comforted by this action, her thoughts were still conflicted.

I'm so glad we found Regan. I'm not sure I like the way in which it happened, but he can come home now with a clear conscience. I knew Daddy would keep his job for him until he was able to return. Daddy… he was awfully angry with Trixie and I last night, and even this morning I'm sure he thought it was our fault that all the Bob-Whites disappeared. I know he was upset and scared. I saw him trying to hold back tears last night. But he doesn't usually get angry with us. I don’t even remember him being angry after that horrible Lontard kidnapped us in Mississippi. I wonder if it's because he thinks that we deceived he and Mother to get ourselves to Saratoga? I know he has a reason to be angry. But I hope he's not disappointed in us. Adults are always telling us that we don't know what we're doing until we finish a case and then they tell us what a great job we did but that we should have left things to the police. That’s never made sense to me. But Daddy and Mother, and Trixie's parents, they never really say much of anything about our detective work. They just tell us to leave things to the police. Well - everyone tells us that, but it makes me wonder sometimes if they really even support our dream of becoming detectives. I never really thought much about what I wanted to be before I met Trixie. I guess I just thought I’d get married, as expected and daddy would one day hand over the business to whoever my husband was. And I would turn out just like mother.

Oops. Honey self-consciously clapped a hand over her mouth at this last thought and hid the gesture behind the pretense of a yawn.

I mean, not that Mother isn’t wonderful but, well. Oh Honey, you know what you mean. But anyway – I’ll bet daddy never imagined I’d want to become a detective when he moved us out to Sleepyside. I guess it’s probably not the way he imagined his little girl turning out. I’m not even sure I can imagine it myself after what just happened to us. Maybe I’ll sit behind my desk and Trixie can do the investigating.

But just as Honey said it, she shook her head ruefully, knowing that she’d never allow Trixie to go off on any assignment without her. She glanced across the front seat at her partner, smiling as she realized that Jim and Trixie had subtly intertwined their arms with their hands resting in between them for this long stretch of highway. She sighed, contentedly wondering what was going through Trixie’s mind.

Trixie’s thoughts however, were no more positive.

I suppose it’s way too much to hope that Moms and Dad will be so happy that we were found safe and relatively unharmed that they’ll skip the lecture.

Staring straight out at the road ahead of them, she rolled her eyes at the thought.

Don’t I wish. Oh well. It will make an interesting topic on "What I Did This Summer". I was grounded for almost the whole month of August because I dared to try and help out a friend. Yeah, she thought. Regan IS a friend, to all of us Bob-Whites. No way was I not going to try and help him out. And even if I am grounded until school starts, I am glad I was able to help Regan. Just imagine if he had had to face Scarface and Louie all alone. At least this will give me some ground the next time Regan tries to stop us from investigating anything. I’ll remind him that we did a pretty good job of finding him. Well, except for getting kidnapped. That wasn’t so brilliant. But no harm done. Bob-Whites to the rescue again.

Trixie unknowingly sighed causing Jim to look down at her with a gentle smile on his face.

But why don’t our parents or even our friends ever understand our desire to be detectives. We’re good at it! Okay, getting kidnapped and tied up isn’t fun. But we escaped. We’re learning. And you never learn how to become better at something unless you try, right? Honey and I will make the best detectives in the world. We’ll just have to show them all.

In her mind, Trixie nodded her head for emphasis and closed her eyes. She turned her body slightly towards Jim and lay her head down on the seat back. He once again looked down at her, taking in the softening features of her face as it relaxed along with her breathing, and attempted a smile but this time it was not as forth coming as it had been. His mind was in turmoil. He looked back at the road.

Trixie, Trixie. What are you doing to me? I can hardly function when you pull things like this, his mind screamed. He immediately felt contrite, but only because his sister and Trixie’s latest muddle had helped out someone very near and dear to them all. But simmering below the surface, was that fiery temper that had at times threatened to do damage to those he loved the most.

"I don’t know how you can look so pleased with yourself, Trixie, when you’ve been in and out of danger so many times in the past few days."

Why’d I have to say that? It’s bad enough that her parents are going to rail her over when we get back, but do *I* have to act like one of them?

In his head, Jim kept going over the note he had attached at the bottom of Brian and Mart’s letter.

"…And I wanted to remind you to take care of yourself and not – I repeat, not – get involved in any mysteries while we’re away. I worry about you, Trixie. We all do."

I just don’t worry about you in the same way your parents do, he whispered to himself so softly that he was certain no one else had heard him.

But I do worry Trix. Oh, I worry more than I will ever let you see. I have to be the strong one. I have to be strong for you. But let me state for the record, you’re driving me out of my mind with all of your mysteries and danger. He sighed. But I’ll keep indulging in this self-inflicted torture. The very reasons you’re driving me crazy are the very reasons I…

Jim looked up in the mirror at Brian. He hadn’t realized that Brian was trying to get his attention. Brian let his eyes fall to Trixie’s head, which was lying on the seat nearly touching Jim’s arm, and then glanced back up at Jim. Jim merely quirked one eyebrow as he motioned his head to indicate Honey, still planted firmly on Brian’s shoulder.

Trapped," Brian mouthed.

"Tell me what you’re really thinking," Jim mouthed back.

Brian merely shook his head thinking, "I’ll keep those thoughts to myself."

 

But contrary to what you might be thinking, my friend, they have nothing to do with your sister, Brian mused. They have to do with mine. However did Trixie and I end up so differently? This had been Brian’s thought upon finding out that yes, the girls had indeed involved themselves in yet another mystery.

I know enough about my sister to know that she’s only trying to help people when she goes off on yet another criminal hunt. But good night! Does she have to do it in such a way as this! Why not nursing? Why not teaching? Why not…I don’t know. Anything but being a detective! I have tried and tried over and over to understand this obsession she has. And I just can’t come up with the answer. She’s my sister, and I support her as much as I can. But there will be one day when I won’t be able to come to her rescue or Honey’s. Brian looked up, a startled look in his eyes.

The two come as one package, a voice inside his head warned him. You might just as well be thinking these thoughts about Honey as well.

Brian leaned back against the headrest, frustration seeping out of him so thick it was palpable. Mart, sensing this, looked up from the letter he was writing and looked over at Brian who had by this time, turned his head to look out the window at passing cars.

Don’t fight it big brother, Mart mused silently. You won’t find those answers today, tomorrow or any time soon. He turned his attention back to his letter, rereading to proof.

Dear Trix,

How many cases is this for you? Whatever the number, it’s sure impressive. The others are so busy scolding you that I wonder if they even realize how great you and Honey are at this. I think Mr. Wheeler was so busy getting ready to give you and Honey the riot act that he barely noticed Regan walking in with you girls. J

But sis, I wanted you to hear it from someone. You’re getting to be a pretty fine detective. You not only figured out where Regan had gone, but you found him as well and managed to help catch a real nasty fellow.

Don’t get me wrong. You have given me some pretty intense moments. I mean, this is how many times I have had to rescue you from being kidnapped? I hardly dared to breathe when we saw you guys walking down that road. But you’ll get enough of this from the parental entities. (Sorry – I’m trying to use words even you can understand but that slipped out) J

From me, for once, I want you to know how proud I am. And I am proud of you Trix, dear almost twin. I’m so very proud of you.

Love,

Mart

Mart closed the spiral notebook he had pulled from his backpack. With a small smile on his face, he whispered a "bless you" to Regan who had just sneezed. Regan merely nodded his head, accepting silently Mart’s gesture. His mind had been moving ten times faster than the car they were in and he was so lost in is reverie he was not yet inclined to slow it down with small talk.

He had given a great deal of thought to Joan. After so many years, the spark was still there. He knew he’d miss her when they were not able to be together. But that was an issue that had to work itself out in some other way. He had a home. Sleepyside was his home and he was loathe to leave it. It had almost killed him to make the trip back to Saratoga and that had nothing to do with riding in a four-wheeled vehicle rather than on a four-legged animal. And at some point along I-87, Regan had decided that to dwell on the complicated situation would only make matters worse.

Unfortunately, this left his mind to concentrate on another oddity that he was wrestling with.

This has to be the strangest job in the world. How many other grooms not only have the responsibility for watching over their employer’s daughters – he paused – oh whatever, lets just face it. With Trixie the way she is, Matt Wheeler has two daughters. But they also have the unique experience of being kidnapped with those same two daughters. I should have known it was Trix and Honey when I grabbed them in the stable. It’s a good thing Wheeler doesn’t know I shoved them into the hay like that.

Regan was still acutely embarrassed by the way he had initially treated the girls. He hadn’t meant to frighten them by grabbing them and certainly the stone set to his face had been less than a convincing picture of his innocence.

But darn those girls. Once again they let their curiosity get the better of them. What makes me wake up in the middle of the night though is what happened to the cat.

I should get paid extra for this, he thought, but then changed his mind as the sobering picture of the three tied up in the horse van flashed back into his mind. You, Regan, you and no one else got them into this. If you’d only not run away the first time, they wouldn’t have had reason to follow you the second time. But for once, he mused, it feels good to be so cared for that two teenage girls would come to your rescue And the feeling is mutual and you know it.

It wasn’t the first time that he had felt he really and truly cared for the girls. He cared for all the Bob-Whites, but Honey and Trixie were somewhat special to him. Though his impatience had been obvious while the girls were working to untie the knots around his wrists and ankles, what was less obvious was his distress at the predicament his actions had gotten them into. Harm coming to Trix or Honey was the last thing he ever wanted and in the end, it was *they* that had released *him* from captivity. Lying there on the floor of the dusty van, Regan had cursed himself for his part in the mess. Later, upon finding that Matt Wheeler had kept his job for him, he counted himself among the luckiest of people. Wheeler not only trusted him with his horses and daughters, but his actions, which had ultimately brought potential harm to those girls were overlooked in favor of his returning to Manor House. Regan was more joyful than he could have imagined. Horses could be found anywhere. But nothing could replace the joy that he found in Trixie and Honey, however much strife *they* gave *him* he thought wryly.

 

Later that night…

Bobby leaned against his sister’s chest as they sat on his bed. Trixie had just finished reading The Giving Tree three times and it looked like Bobby was finally ready to settle down. She herself was worn out from the trip home and the events that followed. Needless to say, she was contrite towards but not yet entirely happy with Peter and Helen.

"Trixie?" Bobby asked as he climbed down off of her lap to snuggle under the covers which Trixie knew would stay on as long as it took her to get to her own room.

"Hmmmm?" she responded, running her palm across his forehead.

‘I know you’re a good ‘tective. But Moms and Dad were worried about you. I was too," he added sleepily. "They think I wasn’t listenin’ when they talked with Honey’s dad – but I was. I knowed what they were sayin’. I’d miss you if sompin happened. N’body reads as good as you." his words had gotten softer and softer as he fell asleep saying them.

Trixie leaned down and kissed him, smiling as she did so. "And that’s a good enough reason for me to be more careful little brother. I love you."

She made her way to the door and turned out the light.

"Trix?" came his sleepy voice once again as he struggled to speak.

"What is it sweetie?"

"Love you too," he murmured. And then the steady rise and fall of his baby chest told her he was indeed asleep.

The End

TBH Main