“We’ll see you tomorrow,” Trixie said.
Outside, Trixie and Honey buttoned their jackets and went down the walk headed for town. They walked briskly, enjoying the feel of the sharp October air on their faces.
“I’m kind of glad Di couldn’t come,” Trixie admitted. “This gives us time to do some serious thinking about Hoppy.”
“We always do think best when the two of us are together,” Honey agreed.
“That’s why the Belden-Wheeler Detective Agency will be successful,” Trixie said seriously. “We’re a good team, Honey. But we goofed with Hoppy,” she went on. “When we didn’t see him on the ground that morning after the storm, we should have known right away that someone had taken him.”
“But what could we do?” Honey asked.
Trixie shrugged. “I still wish I could figure out if there was a way to steal the weather vane from the top of the cupola,” she said.
Honey frowned. “Me, too. Someone would have to be able to fly in order to—”
“Honey! That’s it!” Trixie exclaimed. “A helicopter! That’s what they used to steal Hoppy. It would be easy for a helicopter to hover over the roof and hook the weather vane with a rope.”
“I don’t know...” Honey began hesitantly.
“And what’s more,” Trixie rushed on, “we saw the helicopter! Remember the night we were showing Hoppy to Miss Lawler and that helicopter came down so low?”
“But Hoppy wasn’t stolen that night,” Honey objected.
“Of course not,” Trixie said. “They couldn’t steal Hoppy while we were there watching them. They were casing Town Hall!”
“They were what?” Honey asked.
“Casing the job—looking it over and making plans.” Trixie was flushed with excitement. “Then, when the lights were out on the night of the storm, they came back and stole the weather vane.”
Trixie started to run ahead. “We’ve got to get to the police station and tell Sergeant Molinson about this,” she called.
Honey was not as anxious to visit the burly police officer. He didn’t appreciate Trixie and Honey becoming involved in police matters and did not hesitate to tell them so. “Maybe we should wait,” Honey said. “We don’t really know—” But Trixie was already too far ahead to hear. Honey sighed and ran to catch up.
When they reached the police station, Trixie hurried inside and headed for the sergeant’s desk. “We have important information for you, Sergeant Molinson,” she said breathlessly. “We know how the weather vane was stolen!”
Sergeant Molinson scowled. “Let me guess. A giant gorilla climbed up the side of Town Hall and—”
“I’m serious,” Trixie interrupted. “I should have realized it sooner, but Honey and I actually saw the thieves.”
Sergeant Molinson s jaw dropped. “You saw someone steal the weather vane?” he demanded.
“No,” Trixie corrected. “We saw them casing the job—from a helicopter!” Trixie went on to tell the sergeant how she and the other Bob-Whites had seen the helicopter hovering over Town Hall.
The sergeant looked skeptical, but he listened carefully.
“It was the Saturday before last,” Trixie concluded, “between nine and ten o’clock, right after the first show at the theater let out.”
Sergeant Molinson wrote down the information. He fidgeted with his pencil for a moment, thinking, and then asked, “What was the weather like that night?”
“It was beautiful,” Honey said. “The sky was clear, and there was a big moon, and—”
“And how about the weather on the night the weather vane was stolen?” the sergeant interrupted curtly.
“That was the night of the big storm,” Trixie said. “The wind was blowing so hard that—that....” She paused. “Gleeps. Could a helicopter fly in all that wind?”
Sergeant Molinson rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I’ll check into it.” As Trixie and Honey tinned to leave, Sergeant Molinson grumbled, “Thanks for the information, anyway. It’s more than I’ve had to go on so far.”
Miss Lawler and the Stranger ● 13
AFTER LEAVING the police station, Trixie and Honey went to a popular gift shop nearby to shop for Mrs. Wheeler’s birthday gift.
Honey had no trouble choosing presents—a beautiful scarf and a delicate china figurine. “Mother loves figurines,” Honey declared, “and this one is absolutely perfect”
While the presents were being wrapped, Honey called for a cab. It was waiting for them when they came out of the shop a few minutes later with the packages in their arms.
Honey gave directions when they were seated. “Crabapple Farm on Glen Road, please, and then up to Manor House.”
The cab started with a jerk, knocking Honey sideways against Trixie.
“Good driver,” Trixie whispered.
“Good and fast,” Honey replied.
The cab lurched to a halt at the stoplight in front of the school building. “I can hardly wait to take driver training,” Trixie said. “No more depending on someone else to drive me around.”
Honey nodded. “Then we can take turns driving the Bob-White station wagon. That will be lots of fun.”
Glancing out at the school building, Trixie was surprised to see someone coming out the front door. “I didn’t think anyone would still be in the building this late,” she said.
“Probably just the janitor,” Honey guessed without much interest.
“No, it’s Miss Lawler,” Trixie declared. “And there’s a man walking up the path to meet her, but it isn’t Sammy.”
“Really?” Honey leaned over to watch.
On the walk in front of the school building, Miss Lawler shook hands with a tall man and then walked with him to his car parked by the curb. As the man held the car door open for the teacher’s aide, Trixie recognized him with a start.
“Jeepers!” she gasped. “That’s the man who was in the belfry at Town Hall! And—and that’s the same car that I saw following you that night outside Wimpy’s.”
“Are you sure?” Honey asked nervously.
Trixie nodded. “I’m sine. Honey, there is something strange about that man. And there’s some kind of connection between him and Miss Lawler. It’s obvious that she knows him.”
“It could be he’s a friend of Sammy’s,” Honey suggested as the light changed and the cab pulled ahead.
“I didn’t know Sammy had any other friends in Sleepyside,” Trixie said uncertainly. “I think something is going on... and I wish I could figure out what it is.”
“Ah, here’s the dilatory detective now,” Mart said to Trixie when she came into the kitchen a few minutes later. “Get hung up on the way home?” he inquired.
Trixie took off her jacket and tossed it to Mart. “Thanks for offering to hang up my jacket,” she said. “I’m going to go change into my jeans, Moms, and then I’ll be right down to help.”
Mrs. Belden was taking a casserole from the oven. “Everything’s just about ready, Trixie,” she said. “Call Dad and the boys when you come back downstairs.”
While they ate, Trixie told about visiting the police station. “I told Sergeant Molinson about that helicopter we saw. He said he’d get to work and investigate it immediately.”
“I can’t imagine why you didn’t think of it before this,” Mrs. Belden said. “It certainly does sound suspicious.”
“Well see if they mention it on the news after dinner,” Mr. Belden said.
Trixie and her brothers hurried to clean up the dishes after dinner and entered the living room just in time to hear the end of the local weather forecast on WSTH.
“And now for more news,” the announcer said. “Today, for the first time since the theft of the weather vane from Sleepyside’s Town Hall, the police department received what sounded like a promising new lead. Young people reported seeing a helicopter hovering over the Town Hall the week before the weather vane was stolen.”
Trixie held her breath and list
ened intently to the newscast.
“However,” the newscaster continued, “the helicopter seen that night was found to belong to the National Guard Training Camp. Student pilots were being trained in night flying. There are still no clues to the whereabouts of Sleepyside’s missing weather vane.”
Mr. Belden snapped off the radio, and Trixie sagged with disappointment.
“So much for that idea,” Brian said. “Too bad, Trix. I thought your idea about the helicopter sounded pretty good.”
“Don’t worry, Trixie,” Bobby tried to comfort her. “You and Honey are real good ’tectives. You’ll find Hoppy.”
Trixie shook her head. “Maybe. If we’re lucky,” she said in a dismal voice.
“Here, Trixie,” Bobby said. “You can have this.” He handed her a rusty metal button. “It’s a new good-luck piece I found today.”
Trixie smiled. “Thanks, Bobby,” she said. Tucking the button into her pocket, she headed upstairs to do her homework.
As she tried to work a math problem, Trixie’s mind buzzed with questions. If they didn’t use a helicopter, how did they get Hoppy off that roof? she wondered. Maybe they did use a giant gorilla!
A Shocking Discovery • 14
WHEN THE BOB-WHITES entered Sleepyside Junior-Senior High the next morning, they saw a commotion in the hallway outside the social studies classroom. Students and teachers were crowded around the doorway, which was blocked by a burly policeman.
“Jeepers! What’s going on?” Trixie wondered aloud.
“I hope no one is sick or hurt,” Honey said.
“Let’s go find out,” Trixie urged, heading for Miss Craven’s classroom. The others were right behind her.
The police officer held them back at the doorway. “No one is allowed in this room at the moment,” he said.
“There’s Trixie,” Miss Lawler said from inside the room. “She and Honey drew the pictures I told you about.”
Sergeant Molinson called to the officer at the door. “Let Trixie and her friends come in.”
The policeman stepped aside.
As soon as the Bob-Whites stepped into the room, they saw Mr. Quinn’s display case tipped over on the floor. The glass had been smashed, and the case was empty.
“The coin collection is gone!” Trixie gasped.
Miss Lawler, chalk-white and trembling, sat at her desk. Miss Craven, distraught-looking and dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief, nodded to Trixie.
“It’s a terrible, terrible thing,” Miss Craven said sadly. “I never thought anything like this could happen in our school. I saw a light in this room last night as I drove past, and I’ll never forgive myself for not stopping to investigate.”
Trixie’s eyes met Honey’s. Both knew they were sharing the same thought.
Sergeant Molinson opened his notebook. “What time did you drive past the school and see the light, Miss Craven?”
Trixie stiffened, dreading the answer.
“I’m not sure, exactly,” Miss Craven said. “I didn’t look at my watch. But I believe it was around four, or perhaps a little after four.”
Honey gasped.
“Oh, no,” Trixie murmured.
“What’s the matter?” Di asked softly.
Trixie cupped a hand around her mouth and whispered, “I’ll tell you later.”
“Did you see anyone around the building, Miss Craven?” the sergeant asked, making notes in his book.
“No, I didn’t,” Miss Craven said. “Just the light in the classroom.”
Sergeant Molinson nodded and turned to Miss Lawler. “Now, how about you, Miss Lawler?” he asked the teacher’s aide. “Can you tell us anything at all?”
“No,” Miss Lawler answered without looking up. “I—I stayed for a short while after the class had finished, but—”
“Why did you stay?” Sergeant Molinson asked quickly.
“Well, I had some papers to gather up,” Miss Lawler said.
Trixie frowned. She doesn’t want to get Sammy involved in this, she thought. I wonder if he showed up after Honey and I left.
“I didn’t see anyone in the building as I left,” Miss Lawler concluded.
“What time was that?” the sergeant asked.
“Just at four o’clock,” Miss Lawler answered in a firm voice. “I’m certain of the time, because I—I had an appointment at four.”
Sergeant Molinson closed his notebook and turned to Trixie and Honey. “Miss Lawler is going to lend your reports to us so we can make copies of the coins you drew. Mr. Quinn is out of town, but those papers will give us something to go on. I hope your drawings were accurate.”
Trixie and Honey nodded.
“That’s all, then,” the sergeant said. “I’ll be in touch,” he told Miss Craven.
For the rest of the morning, Trixie found it impossible to concentrate on her classes. She was uptight and bewildered by the mysterious theft of the valuable coins.
When Trixie and Honey entered the social studies classroom that afternoon, Miss Cravens eyes were still red and swollen.
“Miss Lawler will not talk about the coins this afternoon,” Miss Craven said softly. “By now you are all aware that the coin collection was stolen last night. Instead, well begin immediately with today’s lesson.” At the end of the period, Trixie and Honey waited while the other students left the room. They carried their books up the aisle to Miss Lawler’s desk, and Trixie said, “Miss Lawler, were—”
Before they reached her desk, Miss Lawler picked up her papers and stood. “I don’t have time to talk,” she said. She tinned abruptly and hurried from the room.
Honey looked hurt.
“She’s avoiding us,” Trixie said softly.
As the Bob-Whites rode home from school, Trixie suggested a special meeting for the following afternoon, when she knew all of them would be able to come. “We’ve got two mysteries on our hands now,” she said. “And Honey and I have a few things we think you all should know about.”
After school on Friday, all seven members gathered at the clubhouse. After Jim called the meeting to order, Trixie took over.
“Honey and I saw something the night before last on the way home from town,” she said. She went on to tell about seeing Miss Lawler and the stranger from the belfry shaking hands in front of the school building.
“It was around four o’clock,” Honey added. “About the time Miss Craven said she saw the lights on in the social studies room. And we know that Miss Lawler planned to stay late—she told us she was going to wait for Sammy.”
Trixie nodded slowly. “But I guess she was really waiting for that stranger. It looks like she helped him steal the coins,” she said sadly. “They must be partners in crime.”
“Oh, no!” Di protested. “I don’t believe it! Miss Lawler wouldn’t steal the coins!”
“Why didn’t you tell this to Sergeant Molinson yesterday?” Jim asked.
“Because he didn’t ask me,” Trixie said, flushing. “I wanted to talk about it with the rest of you Bob-Whites first.”
“Maybe that man is Miss Lawler’s boyfriend,” Dan suggested.
Trixie shook her head. “They didn’t greet each other like friends. It seemed more like a—a business meeting,” she said.
Mart pointed a quick finger at Trixie. “Was Miss Lawler carrying a package or anything?” he asked sharply.
Trixie stopped to think. “No,” she answered. “But she was carrying that big tote bag she always carries.” Jim groaned. “I’ve seen that bag,” he said. “She could carry ten coin collections in it.”
Unhappy and frustrated, Trixie pushed her hair back from her hot forehead. “It sure looks like Miss Lawler and that stranger are working together. We all know that Miss Lawler is a new-newmis—”
“A numismatist,” Mart put in.
“Right,” Trixie continued. “She would know if the coins were valuable. She’d know where to sell them, too.”
“I’m afraid you may be right,” Jim said.
/> “Are you going to tell Sergeant Molinson?” Di asked.
Trixie sighed. “We’ll have to tell him what we saw,” she said. “We don’t have any real proof that Miss Lawler was involved, thank goodness. I guess Honey and I will have to stop at the station on Monday after school.”
When the meeting was over, everyone was gloomy and quiet. There was none of the chatter and laughter that usually followed their get-togethers.
“It doesn’t look very good for Miss Lawler,” Brian said as he locked the clubhouse door.
“Well,” Trixie said as the Bob-Whites started home, “at least Moms will be happy today—I’ll be home in time to help with dinner.” She brightened and tinned to the others. “Why don’t all of you come and have dinner with us? It’ll cheer us up. Moms is baking beans and brown bread, and our bean pot is huge. There’ll be plenty for everybody.”
Mart’s gloom lifted a little. “Yeah—and we can add spheroids of spicy chopped meat encased in delicate skin—”
Trixie giggled. “He means cut-up hot dogs,” she explained. “Mart has trouble with little words like that.”
“It sounds good anyway,” Jim said. “Your mother makes the best baked beans this side of heaven, Trixie. How about it Honey, shall we accept this dinner invitation?”
“Let’s,” Honey answered quickly. “Mother and Dad are in New York, and I’m sure Miss Trask won’t mind. I’ll call her from Trixie’s.”
“How about you, Di? Dan?” Brian asked.
“Sorry. I’m out,” Dan said. “I’m still cutting firewood. Mr. Maypenny can’t handle that anymore.” Di looked disappointed. “I promised Mother I’d
help with the twins,” she said. “But thanks anyway.”
“Maybe next time,” Trixie said.
“Don’t worry,” Brian added. “Mart’ll eat extra helpings in your names!”
Surprising News • 15
IN THE BACKYARD at Crabapple Farm, Bobby was playing with Reddy, the Beldens’ big Irish setter. Trixie and the others had cut through the orchard, and Brian signaled them to a halt in the shadows where they could watch without being seen.
The Mystery of the Phantom Grashopper Page 8