Trixie Belden could hardly contain herself. She had finished her last final of her first semester at college, her bags were packed for her month plus long break from college, and her dad had just texted her that he would be at her dorm in ten minutes. She had survived her first semester at SUNY New Paltz. It had been an exciting, but challenging first semester. Instead of joining her high school friends Honey Wheeler and Diana Lynch at Columbia College in New York City like they had planned throughout most of their senior year at Sleepyside High School, she had decided at the last minute to switch schools.

The semester had been challenging. Classes were tougher than she thought, and she had to spend a lot of her free time studying. She had decided on a major in psychology and a minor in sociology. She still held on to her dream of being a detective of some sort and thought that understanding the mind and how people interact would be a huge help.

Just then she got another text from her dad saying he would be at the front door of her dorm in two minutes. He couldn’t leave his car unattended so Trixie began hauling her suitcase, pillow and laptop down to the lobby. Christmas break was about to begin.

She got to the lobby just as her dad drove up. She wanted to literally drop everything and run into her dad’s arms but that would have meant blocking the way of all the other people waiting in the lobby for their rides.

Peter Belden quickly found a parking space and then spotted her struggling with her luggage. He turned on his hazard lights as the sign above the spot instructed him to do and then quickly rushed in to help his daughter.

“Hi, sweetheart,” he said as he bent down and kissed her on the cheek while he grabbed her backpack, pillow, and laptop before they ended up on the floor.

“Hi, Dad,” she replied. She was about to rush into a long account of her day when she was stopped.

“Let’s get you loaded up and out of here,” he said as he turned and walked toward the waiting car. “There are a lot of people waiting for that parking spot and you have the entire ride home to tell me about your latest adventures.”

They quickly loaded all of Trixie’s belongings into the trunk of the car. She started toward the passenger door when her dad stopped her.

“I think they can wait another minute,” he said as he pulled her in a fatherly hug and kissed her on the head.

Trixie hugged him back and laid her head on his chest for a few seconds. In the distance, someone honked a horn and the two quickly parted and headed to the car.

The ride home went quickly as Trixie spent the entire time talking about all that had happened since she had been home for Thanksgiving. Her Dad hardly got a word in as she chattered on about classes, friends and new experiences. Almost before she knew what was happening, they turned into Glen Road and her heart began to beat faster.

As each familiar landmark passed her window, Trixie’s smile grew wider. They turned into the drive and she grinned as she caught a glimpse of her brother Brian’s car. She hardly waited for the car to fully stop before she tumbled out, disregarding her luggage, and set off towards the house.

“Forgetting something?”

Trixie turned, a sheepish smile on her face. “Maybe.”

She retraced her steps and grabbed the backpack and pillow her father held out to her. He smiled to let her know that he would take care of the rest.

Moments later, she threw open the kitchen door, took a deep breath of the wonderful aroma of baking cookies, and called, “I’m home!”

In her hurry to find and greet her family, she almost barreled into a stranger, who stood leaning negligently against the kitchen counter, coffee cup in hand. Trixie judged the young woman to be only a couple of years older than herself, tall and slim, with glossy dark brown hair, immaculate make-up and fashionable, well-fitting clothes.

“Who are you?” Trixie blurted, startled into tactlessness.

“Oh, Trixie. It’s so good to see you,” her mother greeted as she crossed the room. She folded her daughter into a tight hug. “This is Brian’s friend, Caprice. She’s had some car trouble and is waiting here for someone to come and get her. Caprice, this is my daughter, Trixie. Oh, and here is my husband, Peter.”

The other woman nodded to acknowledge the introductions and took a sip of her coffee. Trixie felt an almost instant dislike of her, but had no time to dwell on it as Brian entered the room. Their father walked through, grabbing Trixie’s pillow and backpack as he went.

“I thought I heard a noise,” Brian teased, pulling her into a hug. “I see you two have met.”

As Brian let his sister go, Caprice reached over and gently touched his arm, blinking what must certainly be false eyelashes.

“It’s going to be hours before my father arrives. How about if you show me around town?”

“Maybe a little later,” he answered, with only the slightest of frowns. “I’d like to catch up with my sister first.”

A slight noise caused Trixie to turn. There, lounging in the doorway and trying to look older than his ten years, was her youngest brother. She grinned and reached out to hug him, but he dodged free.

“Can’t I get a hug?” she asked, chasing him around the kitchen table.

“Not if you can’t catch me,” he answered.

Caprice let out a squeal as he bumped her and coffee sloshed out of her mug, splattering her blouse and splashing onto the floor. A thunderous expression settled on her face and she began to complain, loud and long. Neither Bobby nor Trixie particularly noticed, intent as they were on their pursuit. They completed another lap of the table, with Trixie gaining all the time.

Just as she thought she would catch him, the timer began to beep and their mother waved them all out of the room. “Not in here, please!”

She opened the oven door as Bobby ducked through the doorway and out of Trixie’s reach.

“Come back here, you little scamp,” Trixie ordered, laughing.

“Little? I’ll be taller than you, soon, sis,” he taunted, forgetting to keep running away as he did.

“Gotcha!” She wrapped her arms around him, smiling into his hair as he reluctantly returned the hug.

After indulging his sister for about thirty seconds, he wrenched away making gagging noises and wiping his face with both hands. “Yuck,” he moaned. Then he started to take off out the kitchen door. “I’m heading over to Larry and Terry’s. We’re going to try out our snowshoes.”

“Just a minute, young man,” his mother sternly said. “There’s a matter of a mess you and your sister need to clean up.” She glanced at her watch. “Now, I just need to make a quick run to the store. I want everything in order when I come back.”

Trixie didn’t complain but went over to the counter and grabbed two clean rags. She tossed one to Bobby saying, “You wipe up the floor.” Then she soaked the other one with cold water and rung it out. She walked over to Caprice and said, “Let’s blot that stain before it sets.”

Caprice grabbed the towel and began dabbing at her shirt, “I can’t believe it,” she complained. “I just paid one hundred dollars for this shirt and now it’s ruined.”

“One hundred dollars?” Bobby exclaimed. “I think you got ripped off. I saw one just like it in Crimper’s the other day for twenty.”

Caprice started to say something and then decided that it wasn’t worth it. She continued to dab at the stains on her shirt. “It’s ruined,” she whined. Then she turned scanning the room. “Brian,” she called out when she couldn’t see him. “Where are you?”

Brian meandered back into the kitchen. “What’s the matter?”

“Do something, Honey,” Caprice whined again. “My shirt is ruined.”

He looked around blankly. “Is Honey here?” he asked excitedly.

She looked even more annoyed. “You’re Honey,” she pointed out. “Remember?”

Suddenly the light bulb seemed to come on and Brian looked startled. Trying not to make a scene he said, “I’m not anybody’s Honey.”

As if he hadn’t said anything at all, Caprice continued whining, “You have to do something about this shirt. It is ruined because your brother and sister insisted on playing roughhouse.”

“Whoa,” Brian said. “They might have been a little rambunctious but that’s the way things are around here. I’m sorry if coffee got spilled on your shirt but it’s only a shirt.”

She abruptly turned and left the room mumbling something again about it being a one-hundred-dollar shirt.

Trixie and Bobby had continued to clean up the mess while Brian had been talking to Caprice. They looked at each other and they rolled their eyes conspiratorially. They were just finishing up their work when there was a knock on the door and then it opened.

“Yoohoo,” came a familiar voice followed by laughter.

“Honey!” Brian exclaimed.

“What?” came an annoyed voice from the living room.

Honey Wheeler walked into the kitchen, her cheeks red from walking through the snow from the Manor House.

“Not you, Caprice,” Brian said testily.

He went over and gave Honey a brotherly hug before Trixie or Bobby could get to her. Caprice walked back into the kitchen just as Brian broke away from Honey.

“Who is this?” she demanded.

“Caprice, this is Honey Wheeler. I’ve told you about her. She’s Jim’s sister, remember,” Brian explained. “Honey, this is Caprice Stewart.”

Honey offered her hand to Caprice. After looking at it in disdain, she finally took it, barely shaking it.

“Caprice had car trouble and her dad is coming to pick her up,” Bobby offered.

Caprice looked annoyed. “I thought you were going over to your friend’s house,” she said testily.

Honey and Trixie exchanged looks.

“That’s right,” Bobby said. He hurried out of the kitchen, quickly put on his winter clothes and headed out the door.

He bent down and picked something up and placed it behind the laundry soap on the counter as he walked out the door.

Honey and Trixie started to head up to Trixie’s bedroom when Honey remembered her manners. “Caprice, would you like to come with us?” she asked.

Caprice literally stuck up her nose and said, “No thanks, I’ll just sit down here and wait.”

Honey and Trixie looked at each other and decided to join Caprice. Common courtesy would not allow them to leave Caprice alone.

They all were settling into the living room when the kitchen door opened again. There were heavy footsteps and some manly grunts as someone made their way into the kitchen.

“Moms,” a familiar male voice called out. “I’m home.”

Trixie jumped up, happy to have an excuse to leave the uncomfortable living room. “Mart,” she exclaimed and ran into the kitchen and launched herself into a hug even before he was set down his bags. He almost lost his balance.

“This is quite the surprise,” he said as he dropped his bags with a loud thud.

Meanwhile, Caprice and Honey had come into the kitchen as well.

“Apparently Trixie doesn’t know how to make a dignified entrance,” Caprice said under her breath.

Honey heard her and glared at her. Calling on all of the manners Miss Lefferts had instilled in her, she replied, “It’s called family love. In this house, when family members come home they don’t worry about what other people think. They adore each other and aren’t afraid to show it.”

Caprice didn’t say anything and just seemed to pout.

When Mart had disentangled himself from Trixie, he went over and gave Honey a hug as well. Finally, he noticed a new person in the room and introduced himself.

“I’m Mart and you are?” he said just as Brian re-entered the room.

“Mart, this is my friend, Caprice Stewart,” Brian replied. “Her car broke down outside of town and so she called me to help her out. Her dad is on his way to pick her up.”

Caprice sidled up to Brian and tried to put an arm around him. She batted her eyes and said, “Yes, it was so nice of Brian to invite me to stay here. I don’t know what I would have done if he hadn’t.”

Mart looked from Trixie to Honey and back trying to figure out who this person was. She acted like Brian was her possession, but Brian had not mentioned anyone by the name Caprice, in fact, except for a girl that had become his Chemistry lab partner, he rarely talked about girls and never in any romantic sort of way. He was too focused on his academics and getting into medical school.

Brian gently removed Caprice’s arm from around him and stepped over to greet Mart. As they were finishing up, the door opened again. Dan and Jim walked in, their faces red from the weather. They were dressed for riding.

Without even glancing around, Dan started to talk, “We were just down at the Manor House stables talking to Regan. He wants to know when everyone is going to be ready to go riding. The horses are getting restless.”

“Let’s go right now,” Trixie suggested, eager to get away from the unwelcome guest.

Honey turned to Caprice, asking, “Do you ride?”

The other girl grimaced and held out a hand. “Wearing this? Are you kidding? This bracelet alone –“ She stopped short, mouth open in horror.

“I don’t see any bracelet,” Trixie commented.

“You!” Caprice shrieked at her. “You stole it. While you were making that ham-fisted pretense of cleaning up this spill. I know I had it when I started drinking the coffee and now it’s gone. Brian, make her give it back right this instant.”

From his expression, Brian clearly thought his friend had gone insane.

“Why would Trixie take your bracelet?” Jim asked. “It’s probably just fallen off somewhere. How about if we all help you look for it?”

Caprice made a noise like an angry dog. “Quality bracelets don’t just fall off. Someone must have taken it and that someone was her.”

Several Bob-Whites stifled laughter.

“The spill happened right before I got here, right?” Honey asked. “Has Trixie been out of your sight since then?”

“Well, no, but that doesn’t mean anything,” Caprice answered.

“It means that if she took it, she must either still have it, or have left it somewhere nearby,” Honey pointed out.

Trixie lifted both arms out to the sides. “You can search me, if you want. I don’t have anything to hide.”

Eyes narrowing, Caprice stepped up to her and roughly rummaged through Trixie’s pockets. She pushed up her sleeves to look at her arms and the legs of her pants, revealing a garish pair of fuzzy socks, bright blue and patterned with slices of watermelon.

“How old are you? Three?”

Trixie grinned. “They’re nice and warm.”

Dan sniggered. “You forgot to leave out socks when you packed, didn’t you?”

His friend shrugged. “Maybe, but I don’t care how it looks.”

“Obviously,” Caprice sneered. She turned away. “Stay where you are, all of you. I’m going to search the living room.”

Before she could move, however, the door opened once more.

“Oh. I’m last, am I?” Diana asked, as she entered the room.

Another round of greetings commenced, during which Caprice’s story was explained once more. She barely acknowledged Diana and flounced out of the room.

“Where did you pick her up?” Mart demanded of his older brother, in a low voice. “She’s a nightmare!”

“I couldn’t exactly leave her on the side of the road,” Brian answered.

“You could,” Trixie contradicted, with a laugh. “It’s not too late. We could take her back.”

“Trixie!” Honey chided, though her expression showed her amusement.

“What are we going to do about her?” Di wondered.

“Obviously, Trixie has to investigate,” Mart announced.

Diana stared at him. “Investigate? Investigate what? Her lack of manners?”

He shook his head. “No. The Mystery of the Missing Manacle.”

Brian frowned. “I’m pretty sure I’d have noticed if she was wearing a manacle when we got here.”

“It was the best I could come up with on the spur of the moment,” Mart answered. “The Adventure of the Absent Adornment? The Enigma of the Elusive Embellishment? The Paradox of the Purloined Pearls?”

“Except I didn’t steal it and I really doubt it was pearls,” Trixie answered.

“This is a lot harder than it looks, I’ll have you know!” he retorted.

Honey smiled. “Well, whatever you want to call it, and I personally think the enigma one was the best, do we agree that the best thing to do, under the circumstances, which of course you don’t know yet, Di, but I’ll explain that in a minute… where was I? Oh, yes. Under the circumstances, I think we should investigate it, just like any other case, which of course it actually is, no matter which name it ends up getting.”

Brian took pity on Di, who looked more than perplexed, and explained, “Caprice lost her bracelet and thinks Trixie stole it.”

“Of course she does, because that totally makes sense,” Di answered, brow creased. She shook her head. “So, where do we start?”

“I volunteer to search the Preserve on horseback,” Trixie offered. “Who wants to come with me?”

“I don’t think that’s all that helpful,” Brian answered.

Jim glanced at Trixie and smiled. “I think it’s a good idea. It would sure make me feel better.”

“Indubitably,” Mart commented, “but first, perhaps, we should make an examination of the vicinity of the disappearance.”

“Where was she standing?” Honey asked.

Brian and Trixie both pointed. Mart got down on hands and knees and patted over that section of the floor.

“Nothing?” Di asked, as he got back to his feet.

He shook his head.

Between the rest of them, they checked the kitchen counters and the table. Diana once or twice swatted Mart’s hand away from the cooling cookies, but otherwise nothing of interest turned up.

“What are you all doing?” Caprice asked, as she sauntered back into the room as the search ended.

Trixie rolled her eyes. “Well, you told us you were missing a bracelet. We kind of thought it would be a good idea to look for it.”

“So that you can conveniently find where you stashed it?” she asked, her voice sweet, but her expression disdainful. She turned to Brian. “Bad news. My father’s been delayed. I hope it’s okay if I stay a little longer?”

“Of course,” he answered. “I take it you had no luck in the living room?”

She shook her head. “I’m sure it isn’t there.”

“Let me help you look,” he offered. “I know a place or two where items sometimes hide.”

“She’s going to be here longer?” Trixie whispered, once they were out of the room. “I thought she was going to be here hours as it was!”

Dan smirked. “Maybe she’ll still be here for the Bob-White Secret Santa. We might have to get her a gift.”

“We could get one of those gifts where you buy a poor family a goat,” Mart suggested. “She sure gets my goat.”

“But the Secret Santa isn’t until Christmas Eve,” Honey objected. “She can’t stay that long.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised to find that was her plan,” Jim commented, with a grimace. “But we’ll have to cross that bridge if we come to it.”

“Maybe we could buy her a real goat,” Mart mused. “We could say that it was supposed to be for the poor family, but got delivered here by mistake.”

“If it comes to that, why don’t we just drive her home ourselves?” Jim replied.

Mart shrugged. “My idea is more fun.”

“It might be more fun but I don’t think that your mom would appreciate a goat in her house,” Honey said diplomatically.

Diana walked over to the window and looked out. “You guys might be right that Caprice might be here until Christmas Eve. Look at the snow.” Snow had begun to fall. It was the kind that lasted for several hours and quickly accumulated.

“It’s a ‘lizzard. It’s a ‘lizzard,” Trixie shouted jumping up and down.

Brian rushed into the kitchen, quickly followed by Caprice. “What’s all the excitement?” he asked.

“Did you find my bracelet?” Caprice asked making air quotes around find.

“Trixie was noticing the snow,” Diana explained. “Ever since Bobby was little, whenever it snows she yells about it being a ‘lizard.”

Caprice rolled her eyes and smirked. “How juvenile,” she commented.

Brian’s patience was wearing thin. “It’s not juvenile, just a family tradition. Don’t you have any family traditions?”

“Nothing like that. Our traditions are professional family Christmas photos, and summer vacations at the beach,” Caprice replied. She looked around the room with disdain. “No one has found my bracelet yet?”

“Are you sure you had it with you today?” Trixie asked. “We have looked everywhere and haven’t found anything.” She bent down and looked under the table to give it one more look.

“Yeah,” Mart said. “We did however find one of Bobby’s firemen, a dog bone, a postcard from Aunt Alicia, this amusing photograph of a very grumpy Dan dressed as a reindeer and Dad’s pipe.” He held up the treasures for all to see.

“Don’t let Moms see that pipe,” Brian said, as Dan made an unsuccessful snatch for the photo. “I think she might have purposely hidden that. You know how much she dislikes it.”

Caprice stomped her feet and said, “Quit goofing around. I have to find that bracelet. I know I had it on me when I left school. I never go anywhere without it.”

Jim looked over at Trixie and said with a wink, “Maybe we should call in the Schoolgirl Shamuses. I’m sure they will be able to find it.”

“Yeah,” Dan chimed in. “You know their motto: If the FBI can’t find it, they can.”

Caprice’s eyes lit up. “If they are good. Let’s call them. Are they in the phone book?”

The Bob-Whites all started to laugh. Caprice looked confused.

Mart chuckled. “Not in the phone book. In this room. My illustrious sister, Trixie and her best friend Honey are affectionately known as the Schoolgirl Shamuses.”

Caprice’s face fell and she scowled at Trixie. “So much for finding my missing bracelet. I still think you stole it.”

Brian and Jim both looked like they were ready to explode. Dan and Mart looked like they wanted to throw Caprice in a snow bank.

Ever the diplomat, Diana chimed in, “First of all, Trixie wouldn’t steal a French fry off Mart’s plate.”

“That’s because she knows she’d get her fingers bit off,” Dan interrupted. The Bob-Whites all laughed because they knew it was true. Caprice just continued to scowl.

“And you might not believe it, but Trixie and Honey have solved some pretty serious mysteries. They uncovered an arms smuggling ring, unmasked several impostors, helped put several gang members in jail and most importantly found Jim,” Diana continued.

Trixie and Honey blushed at the praise their friend had given them as the four guys added to the accolades.

“Well, if you’re so great, why haven’t you found my bracelet? It shouldn’t be that hard,” Caprice pouted.

Trixie had just about had enough of Caprice’s petulance. She walked right up to her and started to say something but before she could, Dan started singing at the top of his voice. “Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plain.” Diana quickly joined in as they started to give the kitchen another look.

Jim pulled Trixie to him and whispered in her ear. “Don’t let her get to you. She’s just jealous of you and the rest of the girls. Let’s see if we can’t find that bracelet.” He pulled her into the living room to check there again.

After another fifteen minutes of searching they still hadn’t found the bracelet, though the list of found items now included $3.97 in change, a pair of plastic hand-cuffs, a golf tee and a novelty paperclip in the shape of a dog. Caprice was about to go on another tirade when Brian finally lost his cool and said, “Look, Caprice, none of us took your bracelet. In fact, we don’t even know what we’re actually looking for. We’ve spent the last hour combing the house when we could have been decorating Christmas cookies, exercising the horses…”

“Eating enchiladas,” Mart added.

“Or tacos,” Dan chimed in.

“Making wreaths out of heirloom ornaments,” Diana contributed.

“Heirloom ornaments?” Mart asked.

“Sure,” Diana said. “I saw it on Pinterest.”

“Of course,” Dan teased. “I can’t wait to help with those.”

Caprice continued to glare at all of them as the banter continued for a few more minutes. Then she turned without a word and stomped out of the kitchen into the living room.

The Bob-Whites sobered up a bit. “Do you think we were too harsh?” Honey asked.

Brian, who usually would have agreed, said, “I don’t feel too sorry for her. She has been insinuating that I am her boyfriend for about a month. I ignored it because I knew I hadn’t done anything to encourage her. She was in my Spanish class and we had to do a team project on Hispanic Holidays. We were teamed and assigned Dia de Los Muertos. I ended up doing most of the work and she tried to take most of the credit. Somehow she found out where I was from and the next thing I knew she was talking about driving through Sleepyside on her way home. I didn’t think anything of it until this afternoon when she called to say she was stranded. I couldn’t just let her wait in town.”

“Yes, you could,” Mart said.

Diana swatted him. “You know you would have done the same thing.”

“We really shouldn’t leave her in the living room by herself,” Honey said. “Your mom would not be very happy.”

Trixie groaned. “Why isn’t Moms back yet? She’d be able to find the bracelet and get that bloodsucker out of here. And where is Dad anyway? It’s like he disappeared the minute he saw her.”

“Smart man,” Mart commented. “Wish I could do the same.”

“Well, you can’t,” snapped his sister. “You have to help us look for her stupid bracelet so we can get her out that door.”

“If we pool our resources, we could buy her a new one,” he answered. “I already found nearly four dollars down the back of the sofa.”

Brian shook his head. “A minute ago, she was saying it cost five hundred dollars.”

Honey and Diana shared a look.

“You don’t believe her?” he asked.

In unison, they shook their heads.

“Nothing she’s wearing is all that expensive,” Honey explained. “And if it really was in that price range, it couldn’t possibly just fall off, or be so easily stolen.”

Trixie’s face creased in distress. “You mean, it’s all just a big fake. She’s pretending she’s got lots of money and a boyfriend and really she’s got nothing at all. I feel kind of sorry for her. And I kind of wonder whether her father is really coming for her at all. Maybe that’s fake, too.”

Brian straightened his shoulders. “Well, let’s find that bracelet and then we’ll find a way to get her home. Maybe we can fix the car. Or one of us can drive her.”

“But not you,” Jim added. “She doesn’t need any encouragement.”

Dan shuddered. “She needs a shrink.” His expression turned thoughtful. “Or a fright. You all stay here and keep searching. I’ll go and have a talk with her.”

Trixie sank onto one of the kitchen chairs. “We’ve searched everywhere already. There’s no point in searching any more. And now I can’t help but wonder what she’s avoiding, if she’d rather be here with us when she obviously doesn’t like any of us – other than Brian, of course – at all.”

“It’s true that we have the height of gastronomic delights here,” Mart commented, his fingers edging towards the cookies again, then retreating as Diana threatened to smack them. “Not to mention the warm and welcoming atmosphere. Perhaps Caprice’s family serve less salubrious fare than Moms’ famous Christmas cookies.”

His sister nodded. “Maybe she’s thinking about jellied cranberries served straight out of the can, and powdery instant mashed potatoes to go with her turkey.”

“Ham,” Mart corrected. “They’d definitely have ham, not turkey.”

“Pre-sliced?” Trixie asked, brow creased.

“No, turkey. But not a whole turkey. Only a portion,” Diana contributed.

“Chicken?” Honey suggested.

Trixie laughed. “Nuggets. I can see it now.”

Di put on an expression of disdain. “Goose, darling. We always have goose for Christmas. It’s the only kind of family tradition worth having. Turkey and ham are just so juvenile.”

“That’s what she’d say, but only because she doesn’t want us to know the truth,” Trixie answered.

“I’m quite sure she’s not expecting chicken nuggets for Christmas dinner,” Brian scolded, as his friends dissolved into laughter.

“Of course not,” Mart put in. “Ham is the way to go, when you’re short of cash. Why, in fact, even ham sandwiches can be the height of gastronomic pleasure, when paired with the condiment of your choice, buttered on the outside and then pan-fried until golden-brown. I wonder if we have any sliced ham? I’d like one right now.”

Diana crossed to the window and looked out into the yard. “Well, whatever it is they eat at her place, we’d better hurry up and get her on her way, otherwise we’re going to be stuck with her. Just look at that snow!”

Trixie joined her and shivered. “Well, I was dreaming of a white Christmas, only I didn’t have any complaining hangers-on in mind when I was dreaming it. If she does get stuck here, we’ll have to lure her outside and pelt her with snowballs, only not until after we’ve built a fort to hide behind.”

Instead of laughing, Jim’s face creased into a worried frown. “I’m going to give Tom a call. If he comes with us, maybe we can get the car going for her.”

At that moment, Caprice rushed into the room.

“I need to go,” she blurted. “Brian, honey, can you drive me back to my car, please?”

Dan sauntered into the kitchen, an evil smirk on his face. He gave Caprice a look and she shuddered elaborately.

“But why?” Brian asked. “Just look at the snow. You can’t stay in a broken-down car in this weather.”

She cast Dan a frightened look. “I lied, okay? Just take me back to my car and I’ll never bother you again.”

“I’ll take you,” Dan offered, still looking sinister.

Mutely, she shook her head.

Jim stepped forward. “I’ll take you. And one of the girls can come for the ride. So you feel safe.”

“We’ll send your bracelet on to you when we find it, if you’ll just leave us the address,” Honey offered, as the door opened and Bobby entered the room.

“Forget it,” Caprice answered. “Please. Let me go. Right now.”

“What bracelet?” Bobby asked.

She snarled at him. “I said, forget it.”

The ten-year-old frowned and crossed to the sink. “Is this it?”

“Yes!” she squeaked, while around her the Bob-Whites groaned at their failure to see the obvious. “So it was you who stole it.”

“Caprice,” Brian warned.

“I’d like to leave right now,” she repeated.

Jim jingled his car keys. “Who’s coming?”

The other three young women shared a glance.

“Me,” Honey answered.

“We’ll be back soon,” Jim promised.

The door closed behind them and the remaining Bob-Whites turned upon Dan.

“What did you do to her?” Trixie demanded.

He smiled, but for a long time did not answer.

“Well?” she prompted.

His posture shifted and his eyes went cold. Diana shivered. A moment later, he returned to normal.

“She’s not the only one who can pretend to be something she’s not,” he admitted, with a shrug.

“That wouldn’t scare me,” Trixie objected, though she didn’t sound too sure.

“You’re a lot tougher than her – and me,” Diana replied, with another shudder. “And if he said anything even a little bit threatening… even if it was just an implied threat…”

“Well, all’s well that ends well,” Mart commented, turning back to the cookies. “Why don’t you girls go into the living room and relax while we wait for Jim and Honey to get back?”

Diana shook her head, hands on hips. “Why don’t you step away from the baked goods? Don’t you have any last-minute gifts to put together or something?”

Mart sighed and trudged away.

Later, once Jim and Honey returned from their errand, the Bob-Whites settled down to some serious catching up with each other. In true Bob-White fashion, they also found ways to be helpful around the house as they did so. After an hour, it was almost like they’d never been apart.

The kitchen door opened to admit Helen Belden, arms laden with groceries and the last few snowflakes melting in her hair from her mad dash across the yard.

“Sorry, Moms!” Trixie cried. “We didn’t hear you arriving or we’d have come and helped.”

Her mother shook her head. “It doesn’t matter at all. I had no idea it would take that long. I was just going to Lytell’s, but he didn’t have any of the things I wanted. I think I’ve been to every store in Sleepyside.”

She dropped her packages on one of the few clear stretches of counter, then turned to watch as Diana piped the finishing touch to the cookie in front of her.

Trixie grinned. “You can tell which ones I did, can’t you? And the ones that Dan did – we had to send him out for making the angels look evil. He was doing it on purpose. Oh, and the ones that Jim did in just plain white – we sent him out for being boring. We sent Brian out for taking too long; he only did one and it took him twenty-three minutes. Mart we sent out for trying to eat them instead of decorate them.”

“They all look lovely,” Helen answered, diplomatically. She glanced at the three young women, then in the direction of the living room and the sound of male voices and laughter. “Has Caprice’s father arrived yet?”

“No, but she had to go,” Trixie replied. “Jim drove her back to her car.”

Helen’s face showed her horror. “You let her go back to a broken-down car? In this weather?”

Honey shook her head. “Her car was fine, Mrs. Belden. I went along with Jim and we made sure she got away okay.”

A flash of understanding crossed Helen’s face. She took one of the packages from Honey and absently placed it in the pantry.

“It’s just so good to be home for Christmas,” Trixie mused, while dreamily spreading blue icing on a cookie shaped like a candy cane. “I wouldn’t trade this for all the fancy stuff in the entire state of New York. This is exactly where I want to be.”

The End