The Hudson River Mystery

Child’s Garden of Verses and Alice in Wonderland , ” Trixie went on dreamily. ” ’Twinkle, twinkle, little bat! How I wonder what you’re at!’ Gleeps, Honey, I have a feeling that once we get to talking, Thea will be overwhelmed by how much we know about the Hudson—”
    ”Trixie, don’t get carried away. Although, now that you mention it, maybe she’ll refer to us in a footnote or two.”
    ”Footnote? One of those things at the bottom of a page that’s in that teeny print you can hardly read? Oh, no, I can see us more in the front of the book, right after the title: ’Respectfully dedicated to two fine Hudson River detectives, Trixie and Honey....’ Both girls burst out laughing.
    The two girls were still in the middle of their giggle attack when Brian came back with the part. Wordlessly he started the car and drove it to Wentworth Avenue, a nearby street lined with apartment houses.
    For some reason, Trixie didn’t feel like sharing their jokes with Brian. He doesn’t seem to have much of a sense of humor these days, she thought.
    The woman who opened the door of the old apartment building was nothing at all like Trixie’s or Honey’s fantasies. Thea Van Loon was in her early thirties, Trixie guessed. Her faded jeans and nondescript top were not exactly high fashion. She was barely taller than Trixie and on the plain side. Still, the smile of recognition that crossed her face made her seem pleasant and open.
    ”Hello, Brian,” she said. ”I must have told you a hundred times not to bother coming over here, but somehow I knew you’d be the type to come anyway.”
    Brian started apologizing for the accident all over again.
    ”The car’s right out in front,” Thea interrupted him. ”I hope the repair doesn’t take you more than a minute.” She looked inquiringly at the two girls.
    ”Er, this is my sister, Trixie, and our friend Honey Wheeler,” Brian said. ”They were wondering—” He stopped, obviously at a loss for words.
    Trixie, too, was tongue-tied, but Honey stepped forward and said with composure, ”We pestered Brian so much, Ms. Van Loon, that he agreed to let us come with him. We’ve never met a children’s book author before, and we just couldn’t let the opportunity pass by.”
    ”We’ve been dying to meet you,” Trixie added breathlessly.
    Thea looked flattered. ”Why don’t you girls wait inside?” she asked. ”Brian, let us know when you re through.” Leading the way down the hall, she added, ”And call me Thea.”
    The girls followed her and sat in the chairs Thea pointed out.
    ”My goodness, Brian is certainly a conscientious young man,” Thea commented.
    ”That’ s one of many reasons why he’s going to make such a good doctor,” Trixie said proudly.
    ”A doctor, hmm?” Thea stretched out on a couch. ”I’m sorry I can’t offer you girls a snack, but this isn’t my apartment, and I don’t know where anything is.”
    ”Oh, we didn’t come for food,” Trixie blurted. ”What Trixie means,” said Honey, ”is that we were hoping you might tell us something about your job. What’s it like to write books for kids?” Thea snorted inelegantly. ”Not as glamorous as you might think,” she said. ”For one thing, the pay is terrible.”
    ”It is?” asked Honey, shaking her head in stunned disbelief.
    Trixie eyed Thea’s worn sneakers and said, ”Jeepers, it’s a shame that people responsible for encouraging kids to read aren’t millionaires.”
    ”I couldn’t agree more!” laughed Thea. ”But, of course, if I were interested in making a million, I wouldn’t be writing children’s books, would I? No, you’ve put your finger on the real reason for doing what I do, Trixie—to introduce the pleasures of reading into every child’s life.”
    ”What a beautiful idea,” Honey said softly. ”It’s a noble ambition,” agreed Thea, getting off the couch to pace about the room. ”And the children are the best of all possible people. As a writer named Isaac Bashevis Singer once said, children still believe in things like ’angels, devils, witches, goblins, logic, clarity, punctuation, and other such obsolete stuff.’ That’s what makes them such a joy to write for, because those are the same things I believe in.” Thea looked down at the girls and gave another dry laugh. ”I guess I should get off my high horse now, eh?”
    ”No, that was really moving, Thea,” said Honey.
    ”Tell us about your new book,” Trixie begged.