The Mystery of the Velvet Gown

emerged from the drama club office.
    Trixie whispered to Mart, “That’s the new drama teacher, Miss Darcy.” Mart nodded but didn’t turn his head. Why, he’s as excited as I am, Trixie thought.
    “Boys and girls,” Miss Darcy was saying, “I know you are all very anxious to hear the results of the tryouts, so instead of posting them and having you all fight for a view, I shall read the list.” She glanced down at the paper in her hand. “Tybalt will be played by Paul Victors,
    Mercutio by John Munter, Romeo by Jamie Kenworthy, and Juliet by Diana Lynch. All other parts, including the chorus and attendants, will be posted. The play will open on Valentine’s Day, February fourteenth, so we have lots of work to do in the next six weeks. Drama class and rehearsals begin tomorrow. Congratulations, everyone.”
    The hush that had descended over the group while Miss Darcy was speaking was broken as a wave of cheers and shouts swept through the crowd. Trixie, Honey, and Mart spotted Di, looking somewhat dazed as other classmates offered her their congratulations.
    “I knew you’d get the part, Di. I just knew it!” Trixie cried, giving Di a quick hug.
    “You’ll be wonderful,” Honey added warmly. “Imagine—a Shakespearean heroine in our midst. Congratulations, fair Juliet!” Mart exclaimed, falling to one knee.
    Di giggled nervously. “I still can’t believe it—” she began, but the sudden jangling of a bell interrupted her.
    “Jeepers!” cried Trixie. “I don’t have my math book, and I’ve got algebra this hour, and now I’m late for class, and—oh, Mr. Sanborn is sure to have my head this time!”
    “Frankly, Beatrix,” Mart snickered, “I don’t know what he’d do with such a totally useless container.”
    “Oooh, Mart Belden, I’ll....” Trixie shouted over her shoulder as she ran down the hallway. She could hear Mart laughing behind her, but she didn’t have time for revenge now; she’d get back at him later. In addition, she hated to be called Beatrix!
    Trixie managed to slide into her seat just as Mr. Sanborn arrived. She was called on to do the first problem, but fortunately, Brian had helped her with all those x and xy equations the night before, and she had the answer. After that, though, her thoughts quickly drifted away from the classroom. Algebra was certainly mysterious, but it was not the kind of mystery that Trixie most liked to tackle.
    Trixie seldom questioned her seemingly uncanny ability to attract mysteries wherever she went. She and Honey had solved a number of baffling cases together, and they were determined that one day they would have their own detective agency.
    Trixie began to relive some of their past adventures. I wonder how Uncle Andrew is doing , she thought, recalling the time that she and her friends had visited the Iowa sheep farm that belonged to her father’s brother. She shuddered slightly as she remembered how she, Honey, and Jim had been stranded on top of an old barn while floodwaters rushed and swirled ominously below them. They had climbed higher and higher as the threatening waters rose, until finally, Mart had come to their rescue. Of course , Trixie thought to herself, we did solve the mystery of Uncle Andrew’s missing sheep , which made it all worthwhile.
    That memory triggered another and then still more as Trixie slipped deeper into her daydreaming. She had just begun doodling BELDEN-WHEELER DETECTIVE AGENCY on her notebook, when the sound of Mr. Sanborn’s voice snapped her back to the reality of the classroom.
    “Trixie?” he questioned sternly. “Are you with us, or are you contemplating the achievements of Euclid?”
    “I—I—” Trixie began, but miraculously the bell rang. “Saved again,” she mumbled under her breath, and not daring even to glance at Mr. Sanborn, she gathered up her books and quickly left the classroom. She then went to study hall, since drama class was not meeting that day.
    Tonight I’m really going to study , she thought as she headed for her locker following study hall. How am I going to be a great detective and solve mysteries if I can’t even solve these awful algebra problems?
    Trixie opened her locker and was met with an avalanche of books and papers. “Oh, no!” she groaned, bending down to pick up the mess. If Moms saw this , Trixie thought guiltily, she’d never forgive me. I guess I need to get a little more organized—but not now. She grabbed her lunch, threw everything else