Christmas Treasure

by Bonnie Bryant

  She pulled the reins over Prancer’s head and stepped to the edge of the creek. “Come on, girl,” she murmured, giving the reins a gentle tug. Prancer stretched her neck out but did not move her feet.

  Lisa stepped into the creek and splashed the water around her feet. “See, Prancer? It’s just cold water. You drink gallons of it every day.” Prancer blinked at the water.

  Lisa waded out into the creek, where the water flowed over the tops of her feet. “Come on, Prancer,” she said, lowering her voice to make it sound firm and commanding. “It’s time to cross the creek!” With that she gave a sharp tug on the reins. Prancer did not budge, but suddenly Lisa’s feet slid out from under her on the slick rocks in the creek. With a huge splash, she plopped down flat in the cold water.

  “Yeeeoooowwww!” she cried. “This is freezing!” She scrambled to her feet, still holding Prancer’s reins. She was dripping wet from the waist down.

  “Lisa, are you okay?” called Carole.

  “I think so,” said Lisa as she clambered back to Prancer. “I’m just cold. No wonder Prancer doesn’t want to cross that creek. The water is like ice!”

  Stevie and Carole recrossed the creek and pulled up beside Lisa and Prancer. Lisa’s face was bright red. Her pants and boots were soaked.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Stevie frowned at Lisa’s soggy breeches.

  “Just slightly humiliated,” Lisa replied. “Not only can I not get my horse to cross the creek, but apparently I can’t even get myself across the creek.” She looked at Prancer and began to laugh. “We’re going to make a fine team at the Fairfax trail ride, Prancer. They’ll have to build special little barges and ferry us across the streams!”

  Carole and Stevie joined in Lisa’s laughter. Though they were relieved that she wasn’t hurt, they were equally relieved that she was laughing. They knew what a perfectionist she could be, and sometimes her determination to succeed could take over her life.

  “Well, what now?” asked Lisa, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.

  “We’d better get you back to the stable,” said Stevie. “You might get hypothermia.”

  “Stevie, we’re only ten minutes away from the stable.” Lisa eyed the creek again. “If I don’t get Prancer crossing creeks again soon, I’m going to have to forget about Fairfax. This may be my last chance to work with her before all my relatives come over from Scotland. They’ll be here in just a couple of days, and my mother hasn’t baked half of what she’s got planned!”

  “Well, I’m going to have to go help my dad pretty soon, and since you’re soaking wet, maybe we ought to go back to Pine Hollow,” said Carole. “I don’t think there’s much we can do about Prancer this afternoon.”

  “Okay,” Lisa agreed reluctantly. “I guess you’re right.” She climbed back up on Prancer, creek water dripping from her breeches. “Ugh.” She shivered. “This feels wet and cold and really gross. A nice warm stable is sounding better and better.”

  Prancer turned around and began trotting briskly after Stevie and Belle. Carole and Starlight fell in behind. Carole laughed as she listened to the squishing sound Lisa made every time she posted. Though Lisa was soaking wet and Stevie was raging mad, suddenly Carole was very happy. She had just figured out exactly what her Secret Santa gift was going to be!

  IT WAS ALMOST dusk by the time the girls got back to Pine Hollow. Deborah and Mrs. Reg were gone, but Max was still giving adult dressage lessons.

  “Gosh, it’s still busy here,” Lisa said as they walked their horses toward their stalls. Just as they turned the corner, a familiar voice rang out.

  “Hi, girls. How’s it going?”

  They turned. Colonel Hanson stood by Starlight’s stall.

  “Hi, Colonel Hanson,” Stevie and Lisa said together.

  “Hi, Dad.” Carole handed Lisa Starlight’s reins and ran to give her father a hug. “How come you’re here?”

  “I knocked off early at work and came by to see if you were here.” He grinned. “The moment I saw Starlight’s empty stall I knew I was right.”

  “We took a trail ride along the creek,” Carole explained as her father held open Starlight’s door.

  “Looks like somebody took a trail ride in the creek.” Colonel Hanson eyed Lisa’s drenched breeches.

  “Actually, I didn’t fall in,” explained Lisa, her cheeks growing pink. “I was trying to get Prancer to cross the creek and I slipped on some rocks and—”

  “Say no more,” Colonel Hanson said with a smile. “I understand completely. All in the line of duty.”

  “Hey, Colonel Hanson,” Stevie called as she removed Belle’s saddle. “I’ve got a Christmas joke for you.”

  “I was hoping you might, Stevie.” Colonel Hanson and Stevie shared a love of old jokes—the cornier the better.

  Stevie leaned over the stall door and grinned. “If athletes get athlete’s foot, what do astronauts get?”

  Colonel Hanson frowned a moment. “I don’t know. What?”

  “Missile toe!”

  “Oh, no,” Carole and Lisa groaned while Colonel Hanson and Stevie laughed.

  “That’s pretty good, Stevie,” Colonel Hanson said, chuckling. “I’ll have to come up with one for you next time.” He watched as the girls put their horses into their stalls. “I actually came here for a reason. I was going to take Carole over to do our shift at the toy warehouse and I wondered if you two would like to come along. We can grab some burgers and fries on the way, and I’ll have you home by nine.”

  “Thanks, Colonel Hanson, but I’d better not.” Lisa sighed. “We’ve got company coming for Christmas and I’ve got to help my mom get ready.”

  “I can’t, either,” said Stevie. “I’d love to, but I’ve got a big algebra test tomorrow, and if I don’t study hard tonight I’m sure I’ll get an F.”

  “I understand,” said Colonel Hanson. “Duty comes first. We’ll have some fun distributing the toys later.”

  “Right.” Stevie grinned. “We’re really looking forward to that!”

  A little while later, as the horses were munching their evening hay, Colonel Hanson gave Lisa and Stevie a ride home. Then he and Carole turned toward the toy warehouse.

  “Okay,” Colonel Hanson said. “Last time it was a Hanson special. How about a Nick’s double burger combo tonight?”

  “Sounds great,” replied Carole. “I’m starved.”

  They drove to Nick’s Drive In and ordered double burgers, fries, and two chocolate shakes. Then they headed across town. Colonel Hanson tuned the radio to his favorite oldies station, and they ate as they drove through the cold December night. One of the things Carole loved the most about her dad was that he liked doing things most parents didn’t like to do—like eating burgers in the car while listening to fifties rock and roll.

  Colonel Hanson took the downtown route to get to the warehouse. They passed lots of stores and businesses that were brightly decorated with twinkling Christmas lights.

  “Christmas is so pretty.” Carole sipped her milk shake as she gazed out the window. “If only it would snow.”

  “Well, there’s still time,” her father said, smiling. “You never know what kind of weather system might blow down from Canada in the next week.”

  They drove through the business district and on into the warehouse area. Down here no decorations adorned the buildings, and few had lights of any kind.

  “I like the warehouse, Dad, but this section of town gives me the creeps.” Carole shivered in spite of her warm parka.

  “I know what you mean.” Colonel Hanson again locked the car doors. “It is pretty seedy.”

  After twisting through several streets, they finally reached the warehouse. It looked darker and more rundown than ever, sitting in the middle of the deserted parking lot.

  “It’s funny how so many bright, happy things are inside this gloomy-looking building, isn’t it?” Carole said as they got out of the car.

  “I know.” Her father fumbled for the warehou
se keys. “It’s like going from night to day.”

  He found the right key, and they walked to the door. In the darkness it was hard to see. Colonel Hanson leaned down over the heavy chain that held the door shut and looked for the lock.

  “Hmmm,” he muttered when he found it. “Captain Barnard didn’t secure this lock completely last night. That’s not what I call running a tight ship.”

  He pulled the lock and chain aside, then pushed the door open. Inside, the warehouse was dark and cold. “Now, where is that light switch?” he said as Carole followed close behind him.

  “I think it’s over to the right,” she said.

  “Okay.” He felt along the wall for a moment, then found it. A loud click echoed as he turned the switch on. Carole blinked, expecting the bright colors of a thousand piled-up toys to explode before her eyes, but instead, there was nothing. All she saw was space. The warehouse was empty!

  “What happened?” she gasped as she looked at the vacant grayness. “Where are all the toys? Did somebody move them?”

  “Nobody in my command did,” said Colonel Hanson, his voice tight. Slowly he turned around, as if he couldn’t believe his eyes. There wasn’t a single toy left in the building.

  “Quick, honey!” He put his arm around Carole. “Let’s get out of here!”

  They hurried back to their car. Colonel Hanson locked the doors and punched in 911 on his car phone.

  “This is Colonel Mitch Hanson, United States Marine Corps,” he said when the police dispatcher answered. “I’m calling to report a robbery at eighty-seven Wharf Avenue. It’s the Marine Corps toy drive warehouse. We’ve been cleaned out.”

  Colonel Hanson answered a few more questions, then put the phone down.

  “Are the police coming?” Carole asked, her heart thudding in her chest. She’d never been involved in a crime before.

  “They’re on their way. The dispatcher said if we weren’t in any danger to remain on the scene. They’d like to get a statement from us.”

  “Dad?” asked Carole in a small voice. “Are we in any danger?”

  “I don’t think so, honey.” Her dad shook his head. “I think whoever stole these toys is long gone.”

  They stayed in their car, thinking about all the toys that were gone. In a few minutes two police cars came roaring up, their lights flashing and sirens yowling. Colonel Hanson got out of the car and led the officers to the building. A few moments later a red station wagon pulled into the parking lot. Carole caught her breath in astonishment as Deborah, Max’s wife, got out of the front seat, a pencil and pad in her hand.

  “Deborah!” Carole rolled down her window. “What are you doing here?”

  Deborah blinked with surprise when she saw Carole. “I’m covering the police beat for another reporter who’s having a baby. We heard about this on our scanner. What are you doing here?”

  “My dad’s in charge of the toy drive this year,” explained Carole. “We had just come down here to work when we found everything gone.”

  “Well, of course. I should have remembered your dad was a Marine.” Deborah gave Carole a quick smile, then turned toward the warehouse. “Right now, though, I need to go find out what’s going on!”

  A photographer got out of the station wagon and followed Deborah. Colonel Hanson and the police were just going inside the building. “Wait for me,” Carole said as she scrambled out of her car and hurried to join everyone else.

  Inside, the police officers had begun to investigate the warehouse. One was examining the lock, which Colonel Hanson had removed from the chain; two others were shining flashlights along the floor, looking for footprints; the fourth was talking to Carole’s dad. Deborah was making notes on her pad while the photographer shot pictures of the police examining the huge empty space. Carole walked over and stood close beside her father.

  “You say everything was in order here last night?” the police officer asked.

  “Yes, Sergeant Lewandowski. Everything was fine last night when Captain Barnard finished his detail here and locked up.”

  “And what time was that?” Sergeant Lewandowski scribbled on a pad much like Deborah’s.

  “I believe he left here last night about eleven.”

  “Okay.” The sergeant looked at what he had written. “Let me go check and see what the others have come up with.”

  Carole watched as the officers huddled in the center of the empty warehouse. Deborah stepped forward and spoke to her father.

  “Hi, Mitch,” Deborah said.

  “Hi, Deborah. What are you doing here?” Carole’s father said, smiling a little.

  “I’m covering this story tonight for a friend. Can you tell me a little more about what happened?”

  Colonel Hanson began to tell Deborah about how hard the Marines had worked all year, and how they had hoped that this year every needy child in Willow Creek and the rest of the county would get a toy. Deborah scribbled on her pad as he spoke and had just begun to ask him another question when Sergeant Lewandowski interrupted.

  “I hate to have to tell you this, Colonel, but it looks like there’s not going to be a lot we can do. Whoever did this has done it before. There’s nothing we can get a clue off of—all the fingerprints have been wiped clean, there are no footprints, and there aren’t any marks on the lock to indicate that a special tool was used to open it. There might be tire tracks, but the ground is frozen, so we won’t find much there.”

  Sergeant Lewandowski pushed his police cap back on his head. “I’m awfully sorry. I wish I could guarantee that we could go out and catch these thieves, but it looks like a lot of little kids are going to be disappointed this Christmas.”

  “Are you sure there’s nothing you can do?” Colonel Hanson asked with a frown.

  “We’ll do everything we can, sir,” Sergeant Lewandowski replied. “We’ll enter it in the crime computer and keep you posted should we get any leads. Unfortunately, a lot of expert thieves run loose at Christmastime.”

  “Well, thank you for coming.” The two men shook hands while the other three police officers walked back to the patrol cars. Colonel Hanson looked around the empty warehouse and gave a big sigh.

  “All that work,” he said, smiling at Carole sadly.

  “What are the Marines going to do now, Mitch?” Deborah asked. “Forget about this Christmas and concentrate on next year?”

  Colonel Hanson looked at Deborah for a moment, then straightened his shoulders. “No, we’re not going to forget about this year. The United States Marine Corps will deliver toys as planned. We’re just going to have to work harder and faster to do it. From here on out, we’ll be playing catch-up ball.”

  “May I quote you on that?” Deborah asked as she wrote frantically in her notebook.

  “Yes, you may. The Marines will accomplish this mission, whatever it takes.”

  A twinkle suddenly came into Deborah’s eyes. “Well, Mitch, maybe the paper can help you out some. Hey, John,” she called to her photographer. “Come get a shot of Colonel Hanson and Carole. I bet the city editor will put this on the front page for human interest.”

  “Really?” said Carole. She couldn’t imagine having her picture on the front page of the paper.

  “I bet he will,” said Deborah with a grin. “And I know somebody else who might be able to help you out, too. Just a minute.”

  She stepped to one side while the photographer was taking their picture and punched in a number on her cell phone. She spoke softly into the phone for a moment, then snapped it shut.

  “Okay,” she said, returning to Carole and her dad. “Do you guys know who Tress Montgomery is?”

  “Sure,” replied Carole, thinking of the glamorous TV reporter who was on the news every night. “Everybody knows who Tress Montgomery is.”

  “Well, she’s on her way over here right now. I told her what a jam you guys were in and she wants to do a report for the eleven o’clock news. They were just wrapping up a story from the mayor’s office, so they sh
ould be here in about five minutes.”

  Carole’s jaw dropped. Not only were they going to be in the paper, they were going to be on TV as well! This was the most unbelievable night she’d ever spent. First a robbery, then a newspaper reporter, now a TV crew!

  “That’s awfully nice of you, Deborah.” Colonel Hanson smiled. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

  “I figure helping you out with a little publicity is the least I can do.” Deborah smiled at Carole. “I’d hate to think of some little child not getting anything for Christmas. Even little Maxi gets excited when she sees packages wrapped up, and she’s just a baby.”

  A few minutes later they heard a loud knock on the warehouse door.

  “Hello?” a familiar voice called. “Anybody here?”

  “Hi, Tress,” Deborah answered. “Come on in. Everybody’s in here.”

  Carole couldn’t believe her eyes. Into the empty warehouse walked Tress Montgomery with a video cameraman behind her. She looked just as glamorous as she did on television—beautiful clothes, curly black hair, big brown eyes, and a gorgeous smile. “Hi, Deborah,” she said in her famous husky voice. “How are you?”

  “I’m fine, Tress,” Deborah replied. “But we’ve got a Marine colonel and his daughter here who could use a little assistance.”

  Tress Montgomery walked over to them. “Tress, this is Colonel Mitch Hanson and his daughter, Carole,” Deborah said.

  “Hi.” Tress smiled warmly at both Carole and her dad. “Deborah tells me you’ve had some trouble here.”

  “We have,” Colonel Hanson began. He told Tress the whole story. She, like Deborah, took notes on a pad. Then she turned to her cameraman.

  “Scooter, get some exterior footage on the building, then come inside and I’ll interview Colonel Hanson and Carole.”

  The cameraman lifted the heavy camera to his shoulder and walked outside to shoot the building. “Okay,” said Tress. “When he comes back inside, I’ll ask you two some questions. You just look in the camera as you answer, and everything will be fine. Okay?”