The Mystery of the Missing Heiress

lives in the Bronx. She used to live in Holland, in The Hague.”
    A frown crossed Janie’s face and quickly disappeared. “How good to know one’s own name and where one lives,” she said to Juliana. “I don't, you know.”
    “The doctor promises that you will remember, Janie, so don’t worry about it. Relax.” Trixie put the roses in water and held the vase so Janie could see it. “Aren’t they beautiful? They’re from the Wheelers’ garden.”
    “Juliana was the one who thought about bringing them to you,” Honey said generously.
    “That was kind of you,” Janie said gratefully.
    “One thing I do remember... I love flowers.”
    “Have you had any report at all from the inquiries that are being made about you?” Juliana asked, seating herself on a wicker seat near Janie. “It seems so strange....”
    “Yes, doesn’t it?” Janie’s eyes saddened. “There hasn’t been a word from the Missing Persons Bureau. I guess nobody has lost a girl like me,” she added wistfully.
    “Losers weepers, finders keepers,” Trixie chanted and put her arm around Janie’s shoulder. “We’ve found something, haven’t we, Honey? A friend.” Janie smiled. Color rushed to her cheeks. She put her hand up to clasp Trixie’s.
    “I hope I may be your friend, too,” Juliana said. “Is it true, Janie, that you don’t remember one thing that happened at the time of your accident?” Janie shook her head. Sadness had returned to her lovely blue eyes.
    Honey, sitting at Juliana’s side on the wicker seat, whispered low, “The doctor thinks it is better not to talk too much about the accident.”
    Juliana must not have heard Honey’s whisper, for she went on probing. “Were you walking along the road and struck by an automobile?”
    “I don’t... just don’t... remember,” Janie answered.
    “Do you try to remember? It was an automobile that struck you, wasn’t it? It almost had to be.”
    Janie put her hand to her head and winced. “It hurts to try to remember, but I have to do it.”
    “You don’t have to try at all, Janie,” Trixie said calmly. “The doctor says it will all come rushing back to you at once, and trying hard is the worst thing you can do. So you see, Juliana, we’d better not ask questions. I think we’d better be going now.”
    Juliana didn’t have anything more to say until they were out of the hospital and Jim was driving them back home.
    Then she said reprovingly, “You should have told me the doctor said not to question her, Trixie. Then you wouldn’t have had to scold me in front of Janie.”
    Trixie was immediately repentant. “I didn’t mean it to sound that way. I was feeling so sorry for Janie that I just didn’t stop to think what it might sound like to anyone else.”
    “I did whisper to you not to question Janie,” Honey reminded Juliana. “I guess you didn’t hear me.”
    “What’s all the discussion about?” Jim asked. “Has the girl remembered who she is?”
    “No, she hasn’t,” Juliana said, “and I guess I committed a major crime...
    Embarrassed, Trixie reassured her. “It was only natural for you to try to help her remember, Juliana; It was our fault for not telling you what the doctor said. We should have made sure you heard Honey.”
    “Forget the whole thing!” Juliana said. “Its a case of misunderstanding. I’m so full of my own problems that I’m nervous and edgy. I’m sorry. Let’s forget it.”
    Trixie forgot it—or tried to. She knew how Jim hated any kind of controversy, so she changed the subject.
    “Just drop me off at Crabapple Farm, please, Jim,” she said. “Di is bringing her twin brothers to our house to play with Bobby. That surely means I’ll have to help Moms keep an eye on them.”
    “Will you mind if I stop off with you, too?” Juliana asked. “I like boys... little ones especially. I have to do something to pass the time. I can at least read to the boys.”

Janie Might Be Dangerous! • 8

    THAT EVENING Trixie looked up as she was putting the cloth on the table. “Moms?”
    “Yes, what is it, Trixie?”
    “I don’t know what’s the matter with me sometimes.”
    “What's troubling you now?”
    “I get crazy ideas about people. Maybe being a detective makes me sort of suspicious of everyone. This morning, for instance, when Juliana went to the hospital with Honey and me....”
    “Yes?”
    “Oh, it’s hard to explain, but she seemed to be trying to make Janie more nervous and confused instead of