Chapter Four
Trixie was staring out the window, toying with her necklace. She had thought she could handle being in close proximity to Jim after all these years. Evidently not, because every time he looked at her she felt weak. To know that he was only a few feet away, sleeping alone in his big bed was maddening. A tiny part of her wanted to race across the hall and tear his clothes off, but the rest of her kept her in check. She wasn’t here to get laid, but the very thought of Jim’s body against hers again left her breathless. She needed fresh air, and opening the door would alert everyone to someone moving around. Instead, she opened the window and crawled out. Conveniently enough was the big tree, and she shimmied down it. Breathing in deep, she started off on her walk. *** Jim sat up and rubbed his red hair. It was no use. He couldn’t sleep any more. All he saw was Trixie, and it was driving him mad. He had to settle this. Walking across the hall he knocked on her door softly, but there was no answer. It wasn’t locked, he realized, opening the door. The light was on but the room was empty. The window was open and the room freezing from the cold air blowing in. “No, Trixie,” he whispered. She was out wandering around, alone, in the dark, in unfamiliar snow covered land. Racing back to his room he dressed and bundled up quickly, then went after her, down the tree and into the night, armed with his rifle and lantern. *** Trixie squinted against the flurrying snow. She had walked for a while, then decided to turn back, but none of this looked like the way she had just come. Stumbling she reached for a tree to hold her steady. Now the snow was blowing so steadily she could barely see. In the distance she could see the school, the outline looming in the pale moonlight. Had she really walked that far? She’d rest a minute, she thought, leaning against the tree. No, she thought. She couldn’t rest, couldn’t fall asleep. The lake house was suddenly in front of her, a few feet away. Stumbling towards it, she opened the door, staggered in, and dropped to her feet. *** “Trixie!” Jim shouted into the wind. Her tracks had led into the forest but then he lost them. Even he couldn’t track in the snow. “Trixie!” He was starting to lose feeling in his feet, and quickly made for the lake house, it was closer than the school. The door was open, he realized, dashing in and then he saw why. He recognized the pale green jacket and white hat. Shutting the door, he locked it behind himself. “Trix,” he rolled her over onto her back. Her face was covered in melting snow and red from the wind. Lifting her, he carried her to the sofa. She was breathing. Quickly he set about starting a fire and soon the blaze was going merrily. He unzipped her jacket and pulled off her hat, scarf and
gloves, all of which were wet. “Come on, wake up,” he rubbed her hands together vigorously in his, putting them on her face. Her eyes suddenly opened. “Jim?” she sat up as he sat back on his heels. “What are you doing here?” “Saving you from hypothermia,” he replied. “I could have undressed you and laid against you but I figured you might kill me,” he smiled. She smiled weakly. “The snow is coming down pretty hard, we should probably stay here until it stops.” Trixie nodded. She knew it was stocked with food and supplies. “How about I make some hot chocolate?” he asked, standing up. She nodded again. He returned a few minutes later and handed her a mug as he joined her on the sofa. He had removed his outer layers of clothes and they sat in silence, sipping hot chocolate and staring at the fire. Trixie was all too aware of his male presence, the way the fire made his red hair glow, the muscles she could see through the shirt. Her thoughts wandered to the last time she has seen that chest up close, raking her nails over as she had had him pinned to the bed. “You all right?” he asked softly. Trixie realized her face was burning and she nodded. “Fine.” “If we’re going to sit here in silence, I’ll take a nap,” he said wearily. She just nodded. Jim stretched on the floor, using his jacket for a pillow. She studied his lean build, the way his jeans hugged him just right, loose enough for movement, snug enough to reveal his very nice backside. A loud crash outside made her jump, and Jim sat up. “Stay here,” he said sharply, going to the door. Peering through the window, he sighed. “Tree came down.” “One of the big ones?” she asked, joining him. “Nah. Small guy,” he got a whiff of her hair, something tropical and fruity, and found himself staring at her from behind, the curvy figure in jeans and a sweater. Would she really hit him if he touched her? He was willing to tempt Fate, and started to reach for her when she walked away from the window. That was probably his sign, he thought. The snow raged on and Trixie and Jim sat on the couch in silence. She dozed off at one point, curled up at the end, and he resisted temptation to touch her. If the snow kept up at this pace, the roads would be blocked and none of their families would be able to make it. Trixie ran through the woods. The wind howled in her ears and it bore down on her. Her legs were giving out and she stumbled. Falling to the ground she felt the darkness swoop over her and it began to eat at her brain… “Trixie!” she was being shaken awake. Jim’s green eyes were looking at her. “Jim?” “You were having some nightmare,” he brushed her bangs back, an unnecessary movement but one he wanted to do. “Yeah, it happens sometimes,” she murmured, heart racing, realizing how close he was to her. She could see the faint scar on the left side of his chin, from a fight he had been in years before, rescuing Trixie. Without thinking she reached up to touch the scar,
and he went still. Her fingertips grazed his skin and he moved in to kiss her. Expecting a slap, he was stunned when she sat up to meet the kiss, her fingers hesitantly touching his thick red hair. Kissing her gently, he eased into it, pulling her closer. The smoldering flame between them ignited and she pulled him in closer. Easing her back onto the sofa pillows, their kiss became desperate and fiery as each reveled desire. “Trix,” he whispered. “Shhh,” was her answer as he began to kiss his way to her throat. She unbuttoned his flannel shirt and was tugging at his t-shirt when another loud crash startled them. “That sounded close,” he murmured. Trixie pushed him back. “Go look.” “You’re more important,” he whispered, moving to kiss her but she pulled away and shoved him back, her expression peculiar. “Jim, go look.” Aware the mood was broken he got up silently and went to the window. Trixie stood up and straightened her sweater, smoothed her hair and tried to regain her composure. What the hell was she thinking! Getting hot and bothered by her former lover simply because they were trapped in a cabin by the snow. “Another tree,” he said grimly, turning to her. He didn’t like the look on her face. “But the snow has stopped.” “We should get back,” she was already zipping up her jacket. “Trixie-“ She slipped past him, opening the door. The snow was several inches up but she started plowing through it. “Trixie wait!” he dressed quickly. “You need snow shoes!” He found two pairs in the closet of equipment and strapped them on, heading into the snow. Trixie hadn’t gotten far. Even with her height, she was struggling against the soft snow. “Will you wait a minute,” he said irately. “You know better than to go running into fresh snow.” “I just want to get back,” she said stubbornly. He blocked her way and held out the shoes. Sighing, she put them on but he still didn’t move. “You’re running away from what just happened,” he said. She shook her head. “It’s morning. They’ll have realized we’re missing.” “What’s missing Trix, is us being truthful about the way we feel.” “I’m cold, Jim. That’s how I feel.” She tried to move around him but he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into a long kiss that she didn’t struggle against but finally ripped away from. “No fair,” she murmured, and then she hurried away. Jim wasn’t sure whether to yell in frustration or whoop for joy. She still wanted him. *** Mart looked startled when Trixie burst into the kitchen. “You’re up early, ye of not believing in alarms,” he commented. “Yeah well, early start and all,” she murmured, dashing past him. Moments later Jim stormed through. “Might you be in pursuit of a fair haired damsel related to me?” Mart asked. Jim laughed. “Oh yes. And I’m determined to get her too.” Mart raised one eyebrow so Jim told him about being trapped in the cabin through most of the night. Mart just chuckled. “Go get her tiger.” *** After a long shower, Trixie dried her hair and dressed in fresh clothes. She was dead tired but made it for breakfast. Jim tried to sit near her but she expertly dodged him and plunked herself down between Honey and Mart. She ignored him through most of the meal, chatting too brightly with her brother. After breakfast she slipped away before Jim could catch her. Honey met her in her room, where she confessed all. Honey burst out laughing. “No wonder you were acting so dodgy! I knew something was up!” “Yeah my stress level and blood pressure,” Trixie muttered. “Ok, normally I don’t pry when it comes to something sexual with my brother, but you gotta tell me. Was it like before? Kissing him I mean?” Honey demanded. Trixie turned red as she nodded, then buried her face in her hands as Honey burst out laughing. “Trix, if the chemistry is still there… why not think about it? Even if it’s just for the few days we have left.” Trixie stared at Honey, aghast. “Are you encouraging me to participate in the casual sex affairs you and my brother enjoy?” she demanded. Honey laughed. “I wouldn’t say a fifteen year affair is casual.” “True,” she admitted. “But. . .Honey if I get involved with Jim again, it would just hurt more when we left. You know nothing can come of it. That dream died a long time ago.” “I think it just got stuck in a closet,” Honey replied. “Get some sleep, you need it. I’ll work on the case for a bit.” *** Honey hung up the phone with Dan and sighed. Keith Miller, the perfect suspect, was dead. Had been for several years. Which meant he was a dead end for the culprit. Honey walked into the game room as Scott White and Justin Barrett burst in. Scott stood looking while bored while Justin spoke in a rush. “Slow down, what about the stables?” Jim asked. “Gone sir,” Justin took a deep breath. “The equipment. All the bridles, tack, reins, saddles, everything. Gone.” Jim turned white, then red, and turned to his sister. Honey was already reaching for
her jacket. “I’m on my way,” she said quietly. There were no clues. Whoever had taken it left no fingerprints, no footprints and no evidence. Honey stood up and sighed, stretching her back. “Nothing,” she said sadly. Jim turned and kicked the wall in anger. Brian shook his head. “What’s going on? Find anything?” Trixie had arrived; blonde curls tousled from sleep but she looked wide-awake. “Nada,” Honey answered and Trixie frowned. “Gone without a trace.” The sleuths spent the better part of the next hour, crawling all over the stable. Trixie ordered everyone out. “Did you think of anything?” Trixie asked Honey in a low voice. Honey shook her head. “Until this, I was thinking Peg Nickson was the most likely candidate. And simply to get back at Jim is pretty weak motivation.” “Why did this change it?” she asked. “Trixie, you know as well as I do that slip of a girl couldn’t lift some of this heavy equipment. Some of those big saddles even strain you.” “Not really,” Trixie snickered. “It was just more fun to make the boys do it.” Honey laughed. “Well, I suggest a searching of all the rooms. Teachers included. And any vehicles.” Although they were mildly offended, everyone grudgingly admitted that they understood the need for the search. The effort was fruitless, however, as nothing suspicious or unusual turned up. Trixie and Honey stood puzzling. “That stuff didn’t just disappear. The only road is past the school and a car would have been seen. Which means, the equipment is still on site,” Honey mused. “Well, there’s the lake house but Jim and I were there last night.” “Unless someone was watching you,” Honey wiggled her eyebrows at Trixie, who shuddered. “Nice. A voyeur in the middle of nowhere.” “Trix, isn’t there a storage room, like a garage, at the lake house?” “Yeah,” Trixie frowned. “I guess someone could have taken it, stashed it there, and wasn’t able to remove it because Jim and I were there. Let’s go!” Sure enough they found missing tack and saddles and combs and brushes shoved into the storage unit haphazardly. I think you’re right Trix. It looks like it got stashed here with the intent of coming back. You and Jim must have foiled their plans.” Trixie shuddered again at the thought of someone watching her and Jim in their brief make out session. “Honey,” Trixie said slowly, “think there are two?” Honey paused. “No. Two makes less sense than one. There’s absolutely nothing to indicate there was second person involved. But this is an awful lot of stuff for one person to haul.” Honey filled her in on Keith Miller’s death. “There’s absolutely nothing to indicate who the first one was,” Trixie grumbled. No closer to solving the mystery than before, the girls dejectedly headed back up to the school. *** “What next?” Jim sighed. Honey frowned at him. “You know better than to say that.” “I’m not superstitious, Honey,” he growled. “Yeah and remember all the adventures we’ve had. Never, never say what next?” she snapped back. Jim and the Belden brothers had all crowded into Trixie’s room for an update. “We have nothing,” Trixie said shortly. “Too bad that Keith kid is dead, he’d be the perfect suspect.” “What if he isn’t really dead?” Mart asked. Trixie snorted. “Ask Dan when he gets here.” “He’s how I knew,” Honey said dully. “He said he was on duty that night, and the kid is definitely dead.” Trixie stared out the window, tapping her finger against her chin. She knew it was staring her in the face. “Everyone go about your business,” she said tiredly. “I’ll keep working on this.” Everyone but Jim trailed out. He hovered around the door until she turned to him and asked a very cool, “Yes?” “Can we talk?” Jim asked. Trixie hesitated. “Jim, I am still attracted to you physically. But we could never work out, and you made that very, very clear. So while I’ve let you kiss me a couple of times, it means nothing, and it never will. Now, please, go. I’m sure the boys need you.” But I need you, he thought, retreating. He knew how stubborn she was…once her mind was made up almost nothing changed it. *** Trixie came downstairs later to find Mart ready to tear his blond hair out. “What’s wrong?” she demanded. “The cars! Every last one of them, sabotaged!” “What?” she demanded. “I went to run into town for a couple of things, mine wouldn’t turn over. Nor would Jim's, Brian's or yours.” Trixie’s mouth fell open. Brian and Jim came in then, furious. “The alternator’s been tampered with. Someone doesn’t want us leaving.” “I didn’t set the alarm,” Honey sighed. “I figured, why bother?” “Dan will be here tomorrow. I’ll try to reach him, see if he can bring parts.” *** Trixie knelt down to search through the jars of preserved jelly. Diana had asked her to grab a jar of apricot when she got a minute. A noise startled her and she stood up. “Hello?” she called. Brushing off the bad feeling she
turned back to the jars and then there was a sharp pain to her head and everything went back. *** Wesley shut the door behind him. God he was sick of these do-gooders. He just wanted to be left alone. He liked hiding down here in the stock cellar. No one except Miss Diana came down here, and not too often. A light near the back caught his eye. Was someone down here? There was a shuffling noise then the door opened and shut. “What the hell,” he muttered. The youth looked back at the door, then towards the faint light. Getting closer his jaw dropped when he saw the crumpled body next to the flashlight. And there was only one person with curly blonde hair. “Miss Trixie,” he whispered, dropping to his knees and crawling over to her. “Miss Trixie?” He would be blamed for this. Mart didn’t like him and was always watching him. Somehow, the younger brother would pin this on him. “Oh God, Miss Trixie, please open your eyes,” he whispered. Trying not to panic he looked around. There was no sign of a struggle, nothing to indicate a fallen jar. With a sinking feeling he rushed up to the door. It was locked from the outside. They were trapped. Someone had deliberately either put her here or snuck up and hit her from the back, leaving her here. He had happened to come along, and the door he heard was the attacker escaping. Old Frayne would have a heart attack over this. If the rumors were true, this was the love of his life and just about the most important person in the world to him. Ok, don’t panic, tend to Miss Trixie, he thought. She looked like she had just dropped to the floor, so it was unlikely there were broken bones. One of the first things Brian taught was basic first aid. But that was for cuts, scrapes, and burns, not concussions. Gently he straightened Trixie’s body out. Fingers on her neck revealed a pulse, and she was breathing. That was good. If she had been dead, Wesley didn’t know what he would have done. She was a pretty woman, and always nice to him. Shrugging off his over jacket he bunched it up and slipped it under her neck. A feel to her head revealed a large bump on the back. No blood, that was good. Unless of course her brain had swollen or there was internal bleeding. Taking a deep breath, Wesley leaned back against the wall to wait. He had come in here right after noon. It would be a few hours before they were thought to be missing.
Author’s Notes
-yet another bow to Dana, my lovely editor!
-word count, 3267
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