The Mystery of the Vanishing Victim

minutes later and reported, “Honey and Jim and Dan are on their way to the clubhouse now. Di wasn’t home. I guess we’ll have to fill her in later.”
    The three Beldens told their mother where they were going and set off for the clubhouse. The Bob-Whites’ clubhouse was actually the old gatehouse for the Wheeler estate. The seven club members had shared many happy times there. But, Trixie reflected, looking at her two brothers, who walked with their heads down and their hands jammed in their pockets, this morning’s meeting would not be a happy one.
    Honey and Jim were waiting at the clubhouse when Trixie and her brothers arrived. Dan hurried in a minute later. — Although Trixie and Jim were copresidents of the club, it was Brian Belden who took charge of this meeting. “What did Trixie tell you on the phone?” he asked.
    “Nothing,” Honey said, her hazel eyes wide. “She just asked us to come here right away. Oh, Brian, what’s the matter?”
    Briefly, Brian told the other three Bob-Whites about the damage to the Model A and their conversation with Sergeant Molinson.
    When he told them the sergeant’s theory that Glenwood Avenue was a key piece of the puzzle, Honey turned an inquiring gaze on her best friend. Trixie moved her head slightly from left to right, signaling Honey to remain silent. Then she looked down at the table as she realized that Jim had noticed the silent communication between the two girls.
    “At any rate,” Brian continued, “Mr. Meiser isn’t our problem. The Model A is. I wanted to have this meeting so that we could decide, together, what to do about the damage.”
    “We sure don’t have enough money in the treasury to get the car fixed,” Dan Mangan grumbled.
    “The pecuniary paucity of the treasury is surely legend by now,” Mart agreed glumly.
    “There’s never enough money in the treasury for anything,” Trixie said. “I don’t understand how it happens, because we all contribute every cent we earn. I put in the money I get for baby-sitting with Bobby, and Honey puts in the money she gets for Moms’s mending, and—”
    “We all know where the money comes from,” Brian said impatiently. “We all know where it goes, too. We had about forty dollars built up in the treasury before we decided to have the rummage sale. Then we bought posters and had fliers printed up and put a couple of ads in the Sun. I think we have about fifteen dollars left. But forty or fifteen, it wouldn’t begin to cover the cost of four new tires and two new headlights.”
    “How much will they cost?” Jim asked.
    Brian shook his head. “That’s the biggest problem we have,” he said. “I don’t know how much replacement parts are for an antique car. I don’t know where to find them, either.”
    “We’re going to have to tell Mr. Burnside what happened,” Jim said.
    “Oh, woe!” Trixie said. “Do we have to?”
    “The Model A is our responsibility, but until it’s sold, it’s still his car. We have to face the consequences,” Jim said firmly.
    “But there are so many consequences,” Trixie said. “He could take back the car. He could refuse to let us use his lumberyard to store the donations. He could even call off the whole antique car show. And then almost everyone who comes to the sale will be disappointed.”
    “I think you’re getting carried away,” Jim said. “He could do all of those things, but I don’t think he will. At most, he might take the car back. I couldn’t blame him for that.”
    “Neither could I,” Brian agreed. “But I think the best way to keep the other things from happening is to have a plan in mind for paying for the damages when we tell him about them. Could we get back to that subject, please?”
    “Couldn’t we borrow the money from our parents, just this once?” Honey pleaded.
    Jim shook his head. “You know that goes against what this club stands for, Honey. We decided right at the beginning that this was our club and we’d take care of ourselves.”
    Trixie wrinkled her nose. “Sometimes I wish you weren’t so honorable, Jim Frayne,” she said.
    “I don’t think you really mean that,” Jim said mildly.
    Trixie sighed. “You’re right. I don’t. I think it’s wonderful that you’ve set aside the whole fortune you inherited from your uncle to establish a school for homeless boys once you’ve finished college. I think it’s wonderful that you’re teaching Honey to rely on her own abilities instead of her