TRIXIE SILENTLY PRAYED that someone would still be in one of the classrooms, or the janitor would be working, or that Miss Darcy would suddenly return—anything to stop them before they left the building.
I don't dare run or scream, she thought desperately. I don't even know if I could muster the strength to whimper right now!
She felt as if she were in a bad dream, and that if only she could concentrate hard enough, she would wake up and it would all be over. She glanced back at Peter Ashbury.
“I meant what I said,” he whispered hoarsely. “Not one sound.”
Trixie nodded. Poor Jane and Honey, she commiserated silently. If I'm petrified, I can’t imagine what they feel like!
They left the school building by the rear entrance, and Ashbury herded the three girls across the parking lot to a jeeplike vehicle.
“You two get in the back,” he growled, waving the gun at Honey and Jane. “And you, Sherlock—in front with me.”
Trixie looked at the other two girls. Their faces were white with fear. I’ve got to do something! she thought frantically as she climbed into the front seat. Maybe I can jump from the car if he isn't going too fast—but then where would I be? And that would mean leaving Honey and Jane alone. Maybe I could get the gun from him. But she quickly dismissed that idea, knowing she’d never be able to fire it, even if she could get it.
Ashbury headed out of town, taking Glen Road toward the Wheeler estate.
“So you know where Manor House is,” Trixie said, as calmly as she could. “Have you been there before?”
Ashbury laughed. “Yes. I did some exploring yesterday. Nice little setup Matthew Wheeler has there. I would have hung around to say hello to you, but I was in a hurry.”
“So that was you in the woods yesterday,” Trixie cried. “I thought—”
“You’d be wise to keep your thoughts to yourself, Little Miss Detective. All I want is the jewels that have already been removed from the costume, and then I’ll disappear—just like magic—never to be seen again.”
“But—” Trixie began.
“And no more questions from you,” he snapped. “I don’t intend to be interrogated by a high school kid.”
As they rounded a curve in the road, Trixie glanced in the rearview mirror attached to the outside of her door. She smiled faintly and gave a secret sigh of relief, for close behind was the Bob-White station wagon. They must have come back to school to pick us up, she thought, her heart beginning to beat faster. They must have seen us-, they had to! Trixie glanced at Peter Ashbury. The gun lay in his lap and he had one hand covering it protectively. Don’t let him notice that they’re following us! she prayed silently.
Ashbury turned into the long drive, dousing his headlights as they approached the Wheeler mansion. Miss Darcy’s car was parked near the back entrance
“Okay, kids, out!” he ordered. “You go in first.” He shoved Honey toward the front door.
“Is that you, Honey?” Miss Trask called from the living room as Ashbury came in behind the girls and closed the door.
“Y-Yes,” Honey answered shakily.
“Let’s all go in and join their little discussion,” Ashbury whispered. The three girls obediently headed toward the parlor.
Eileen Darcy gave a startled cry as Ashbury walked into the room, the black gun gleaming ominously in his hand.
“What’s going on?” Miss Trask demanded coldly.
“It isn’t a cocktail party,” Ashbury snarled. “I hadn’t counted on a mess like this, but all kinds of little surprises creep up, even in the best of plans. Or should I say that little creeps can be a big surprise?” He glared evilly at Trixie.
“Peter!” Miss Darcy cried. “Please don’t hurt them. I was the one—”
“You certainly were,” he snarled. “Now, where are the jewels you’ve already taken off the costume?”
“They’re still in the safe-deposit box. I— How is my father? Is he all right? Is he—”
“Alive?” Ashbury supplied for her. “Oh, he’s alive—for now. All I want are those gems. Your little friends graciously supplied me with the gown, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t have a matched set if T didn’t get the rest of the jewels.”
“Peter,” Eileen Darcy said bitterly, “I don’t understand this elaborate plan. Why didn’t you just have your ‘friends’ in England—whoever they are—send the gems directly to you?”
“One newspaper article will answer that question,” Trixie said.
Ashbury laughed dryly. “So you read the newspaper, too.”
Eileen Darcy looked from Trixie to Miss Trask. The older woman nodded sadly.
Trixie eyed Ashbury thoughtfully. “Apparently,” she mused, “there’s more than just the New York jewel theft involved here. He must have pulled the same thing in England, and maybe the police started getting too close over there. But he couldn’t have his cohorts send the loot directly to him because, by that time, things were getting pretty hot over here, too....”
“That’s enough!” Ashbury shouted. He turned on Miss Darcy. “All you had to do was remove the stones and put them in the bank. An easy enough job in exchange for your father’s life, don’t you think? But then this kid had to go and see the catalog, and that other one had to take those pictures—”
“So you did take the film from Bill Morgan’s camera,” Trixie said, but Ashbury ignored her.
“All this chitchat is wasting valuable time. Come on, Eileen.” Ashbury grabbed her roughly by the arm. “We’ve got a little bank business to do in town, and we’d better hurry. The bank is open only for another half hour.” He backed out of the room, using Miss Darcy as a shield. “If any of you should decide to call the police anytime within the next two hours, I’m afraid Mr. Darcy won’t be found in very good health. I’ll okay his release when I’m safely out of the country, but not a second before.”
“Wait!” Trixie cried, stalling for time, hoping that her brothers and Jim would arrive soon with the police. “Why don’t you take me along, too? Who’s going to be your hostage while Miss Darcy’s in the bank?”
“No, Trixie!” Eileen Darcy cried.
“Not a bad idea, kid,” Ashbury said. “A little extra insurance never hurt. Come on, then. Let’s go. Remember,” he called back to Honey, Jane, and Miss Trask. “Two hours.”
Trixie felt a strange calmness settle over her as she walked through the kitchen with Miss Darcy beside her and Peter Ashbury behind her. I wonder why Fm not frightened? she thought curiously.
As she stepped out the back door into the frosty winter dusk, Trixie caught the flicker of a shadow at the corner of the house. “Run!” she hissed to Miss Darcy, and they took off through the snow. Immediately Brian, Mart, Jim, and Regan closed in on Ashbury. They quickly overpowered him, and Regan knocked the gun from Ashbury’s hand.
“Okay, boys, hold him tight until the nice policemen get here.” Regan smirked as he picked up the revolver.
Just then they heard the welcome wail of a siren.
“Right on cue,” Mart said.
Trixie felt as if her whole body had been reduced to a jellied mass. “I have never been so happy to see all of you in my life!” she cried.
Miss Trask, Honey, and Jane appeared at the back door. “Thank goodness you’re all safe!” Miss Trask sighed.
Peter Ashbury stood silent, glowering at all of them as two police cars pulled up into the driveway.
Sergeant Molinson stepped out of the lead car. “I should have known.” He shook his head. “Another Belden case.”
“But, Sergeant Molinson—” Trixie began. Accustomed to his scolding about her sleuthing adventures, she was always quick to defend herself and her methods.
“First, the prisoner,” Molinson interrupted, stopping her with a don’t-push-me-too-far look. Trixie nodded as the sergeant snapped a pair of handcuffs on Ashbury and informed him of his rights.
“Now,” the policeman continued, turning to Miss Darcy, “I presume you are Eileen Darcy.” T
he young drama teacher nodded. “You’ll be happy to know that your father is alive and well. About half an hour ago, we received a call from the British Embassy. Apparently, Scotland Yard has been working on a case involving a ring of jewel smugglers. They finally broke the ring this afternoon and arrested two suspects—friends of Ashbury’s, here. Finding your father was a bonus. Ashbury’s partners obligingly informed the detectives of Mr. Darcy’s whereabouts. We were asked to contact you. Your father is in a London hospital for a few days’ rest. We have information about where you may reach him.”
“Thank God,” Miss Darcy sobbed. Miss Trask stepped forward quietly and put her arms around the young woman.
“Now, Trixie.” Molinson turned a stern eye on her. “With all this international espionage, how did you get involved? I’m not quite sure I want to know, but some kind of morbid curiosity compels me to ask.”
“It’s a little chilly out here,” Miss Trask broke in smoothly. “Why don’t we all go inside and have a cup of coffee? I still feel a little weak-kneed from this whole experience.. We can listen to Trixie’s story inside.”
“Good idea,” Molinson said. “You go in. There are some officers coming up from New York City, and they should be here soon. We contacted them, and they offered to come right out and pick up Ashbury. They’re very interested in what he has to say.”
The rest of the group filed into the Wheelers’ living room. Miss Darcy sat down and sighed deeply. “I don’t even know where to begin!” she said softly. “I’m so happy that my father is safe, and Trixie, I don’t know how to begin to thank you.”
“Well, I know where Trixie can begin,” Sergeant Molinson said as he entered the room and took a seat. “She can begin her story at the beginning.”
Trixie told them the whole story, with additions from Honey and Jane about the evening’s encounter with Ashbury.
“Trixie was wonderful!” Jane said with admiration. “She had the whole thing figured out, and—”
Trixie blushed. “Everything was in the letter, Jane,” she said, embarrassed. “I didn’t really—“
“Hey, how about a little praise and adulation for the last-minute rescuers?” Mart asked.
“You three and Regan were terrific,” Trixie said quickly. “Really! When we started to run, I was absolutely petrified, even though I knew you were there, around the corner.”
“It must have been that sixth sense of yours,” Jim chuckled.
“Well, no,” Trixie admitted. “First I saw you in the rearview mirror of Ashbury’s car, following us in the station wagon.”
“You did?” Honey cried. “No wonder you were so calm—or acted like it, anyway. Jane and I were so scared.” She shuddered. “I thought I would faint dead away with fear.”
“I figured they must have come back to school to pick us up,” Trixie explained, “and saw us get into Ashbury’s car.”
“Exactly,” Brian agreed. “We thought something was fishy, so we decided to follow you. We parked at the end of the drive and walked the rest of the way. Then Jim did a quick spying job through the living room windows, and when he saw Ashbury with the gun, we went to Regan’s apartment over the garage and telephoned the police—-and the rest is history!” Sergeant Molinson began grumbling about their methods and reminding them that a phone call to him sooner would have made things a lot easier on everyone.
“But a lot less exciting,” Trixie murmured.
“That kind of excitement,” Miss Trask said decisively, “we can live without!” Everyone laughed.
Jane Morgan humbly apologized to Miss Darcy for taking the costume. “I’ll tell Di how sorry I am, too,” she added. “And I want to tell all of you that I think you’re terrific. I used to think-well, that doesn’t really matter anymore, because I can see how wrong I was. You really are a great detective, Trixie. Even though I was scared to death tonight, detective work is exciting. I wonder if—”
“Oh, no!” Sergeant Molinson groaned and threw up his hands. “One Trixie Belden around here is enough!”
“Hear! Hear!” Mart cried enthusiastically.
“Yes, but—” Jane continued. “How do you find a mystery?”
“I don’t think you quite understand yet, Jane,” Brian explained, chuckling. “Mysteries seem to find Trixie!” Everyone joined in the laughter.
“That’s true,” Trixie said, her blue eyes sparkling, “and I hope there’s another one looking for me right now!”
The Stage Is Set ● 1
The Accident ● 2
To the Rescue ● 3
First Rehearsal ● 4
The Costumes From England ● 5
Strange Happenings • 6
Curious Costumes and Catalogs ● 7
New York City Adventure ● 8
More Pieces of the Puzzle ● 9
Jewels and Jealousy ● 10
The Final Curtain ● 11
Table of Contents
The Stage Is Set ● 1
The Accident ● 2
To the Rescue ● 3
First Rehearsal ● 4
The Costumes From England ● 5
Strange Happenings • 6
Curious Costumes and Catalogs ● 7
New York City Adventure ● 8
More Pieces of the Puzzle ● 9
Jewels and Jealousy ● 10
The Final Curtain ● 11
The Mystery of the Velvet Gown Page 12
