Anytime You Need a Friend

Anytime you need a friend, I will be here.
You'll never be alone again, So don't you fear.
Even if your miles away, I’m by your side. ~ Mariah Carey

 

“Hi, Honey,” Trixie spoke into the phone.  “How many crooks did you send up the river this week?”

“Trixie!”  Honey exclaimed with a frantic glance at her watch.  “Oh, Trix!  I have to be in court in, like, eight minutes.  You couldn’t have caught me at a worse time,” she moaned.  “And I could’ve used a Trixie fix today.”

“You can call me back tonight,” Trixie replied easily, a certain relief at hearing Honey’s voice washed over her.

“You’re on,” Honey answered immediately.  “I don’t have any plans this weekend.  We can stay up late and gab.  I’ve still got unlimited minutes and data.”

“Later then.”  Upon hearing Honey's farewell, Trixie disconnected with a dissatisfied sigh.  She looked at her watch and then the clock on the wall.  “This is stupid,” she muttered as she grabbed the smallest of her new designer suitcases.

“Going somewhere?” Helen Belden asked from the door to Trixie’s room.

“Yes.” Trixie answered brusquely.  “I’m going to Boston.  I need to talk to Honey before I go back to Chicago.”  She stuffed a sweater into the suitcase before turning to hurriedly grab some more clothing.

“Do the phone lines not work between here and Boston anymore?” Moms asked, coming into the room.  Picking up a soft lemon-colored sweater Trixie had jammed into her bag, she folded it neatly.  Helen caressed the fluid material, wondering for a moment when Trixie had purchased the sweater. 

“Moms,” she groaned.  “Is this the right thing to do?”

“Trixie,” Helen chided gently, “you know I can’t answer that question.” She continued to take the clothes from Trixie and fold them neatly before placing them in the designer luggage.

“Instead of waiting for Honey to call back,” Trixie finally admitted, “I’m going to Boston and talk to her.  I can be there when she gets off work if I catch the afternoon express.” Trixie pulled two pairs of shoes out of her closet and handed them to her mother.

“Both pairs?” Helen asked in surprise.

“Yes, one for each day.” Trixie said absently.  The pairing of shoes with outfits had already been drilled into her brain.  It was automatic now to pick the right pair of shoes. 

“I think you own more shoes now that you’ve ever owned in your entire life,” Helen remarked innocently.

“Moms!” Trixie wailed.  “Not you, too!  You always complained about me being a tomboy before.  Now that I’m not dressing like Brian and Mart, you act surprised.”

“Not surprised,” her mother admitted.  “Just curious what motivated the change.”

Trixie shrugged.  “Don’t you think it’s time?”

“Time for what exactly?  Time for you to go after Jim with a fully-loaded arsenal of new clothes?” Helen asked bluntly.

Trixie flushed.  She hadn’t minded her parents knowing she cared for Jim, but she certainly didn’t want anyone thinking she was trying to attract him.  “No.” She looked her mother in the eye.  “That’s not my style.  Jim needs to win me over; I’m not going to chase after him.”

Helen nodded, a bit reassured her daughter hadn’t changed that much. “Good, because I can assure you that your clothes don’t matter in the least to Jim.  He’s much too genuine to fall for the lure of glamour.  You are as well, so what’s up?”

“Don’t you think that maybe I’ve finally realized clothes can be fun?” Trixie asked quietly, glancing at her watch. 

Helen studied her only daughter carefully, wondering if it could be that simple.  “Okay, if that’s what you want.  I’ll drive you to the station.  When do you plan to come back home?”

“I’m not sure,” she admitted.  “Depending on how things go, I might just head back to Chicago and give my notice.”

“You’ll let us know.”

“Yes.  And Moms?” she added, putting her hand on her mother’s arm.  “Don’t worry about me and the clothes.  I promise, just because I’m enjoying a short walk on the wild side, I’m still me.  I haven’t changed.  I know what’s important about people and life.  It’s not about the clothes or the manicures or anything like that.”

“I never thought that for a minute,” Helen smiled. “Come on, you’ve got a train to catch.”

 

 

“Good grief!  This is as bad as a monsoon!” Trixie muttered looking upward at the downpour, her overnight bag slung over her shoulder.  She had finally gotten used to the shoes and didn’t even realize she was no longer teetering on the three inch heels she was wearing as she strode over to the executive connections booth at the train station.

After passing across her new American Express Black Card, she was quickly escorted to a waiting limousine.  She gave the driver Honey’s address and gratefully accepted a Starbucks latte from the concierge, never realizing her sincere thank you was one of only a few he received in a given week. 

As the limo driver pulled into Honey’s apartment complex, Trixie scanned the parking lot for Honey’s car, noting her friend wasn’t home yet.  She asked the driver if it was a problem to wait.

“No, miss.  I’m on until eight and I can stay later if needed.”

“It shouldn’t be that long,” she assured him.  “I’m sorry; I didn’t catch your name.”

The driver turned to give her a closer look.  His passengers never asked his name.  “Folks just call me Lincoln, miss.”

“Lincoln, if we’re still waiting at eight, then you can just drop me off and I’ll wait in the foyer.”

“That won’t be necessary, miss,” he assured her with a toothy smile.  “A little overtime will make my wife happy.”

“Okay, but I don’t want to mess up any of your plans for the evening.”

Trixie leaned back and wondered if she could break into Honey’s apartment.  It had been a while since she had used any of the burglary skills she had learned from one of her informants in Chicago.  She briefly considered trying, but decided to wait.  She grinned when she saw the silver Mercedes CLK pull into Honey’s parking spot.  Her friend was finally home!

Trixie watched a moment longer as Honey walked quickly to the door, swinging a briefcase and looking as elegant as only Honey Wheeler could look in her long camel coat and matching hat.  The weather was a huge motivator in people moving quickly from automobiles to buildings.

“Lincoln, it’s been a pleasure.” Trixie handed him a folded bill.  “My friend just arrived.”

“Thank you, miss,” he answered, quickly exiting the limo to open her door. “Can I help you in with your bag, miss?”

“No, thank you,” Trixie replied with a sincere smile.

Lincoln returned her smile with a wide, toothy grin of his own and tipped his hat.  “Miss, if you’re ever in Boston again, I’d appreciate if you would ask for me.”

“I’ll do that, Lincoln,” she promised.  “You have a great weekend.”

 

 

Trixie could hear Honey’s squeal through the door.  The door flung open and the two friends embraced.  “Trixie what on earth… how did you… what’s the…  How long are you…?”  Honey didn’t complete a single sentence, but, then again, she didn’t need to.    Trixie understood her perfectly.

Trixie laughed and hugged her friend.  “Oh, Honey, so much is going on with me, I just couldn’t tell it all on the phone, so here I am.”

“Oh, Trixie! I’m so glad you are,” Honey replied with enthusiasm.  “How long are you staying?  Are you here on business?”

“It just depends on what you tell me--” Trixie stopped abruptly.  “Honey Wheeler!  You’ve cut your hair!”

Honey grinned. “See what happens when you’re not around to influence me!” Her hand automatically went to her chin length bob.  “Do you like it?”

Trixie studied her for a moment; she wasn’t used to seeing her friend with short hair.  “Yes, it suits you.  It’s very flattering.  But then, you always look so elegant!”

“Thanks.  And hey, look at you!  You’ve got highlights.  I can’t believe someone actually talked you into it.  Trixie you look fantastic.  Let me get us some wine and you can tell me everything.  You can start with where you got those fabulous boots and when you started wearing heels.”

“I got the boots in Europe when I was over there for a short assignment right after the first of the year.” Trixie answered, attempting to sound nonchalant.  “All the women in Europe wear heels.  Honey, your mother was so right about the shopping in Europe.”

Honey turned quickly, studying her friend suspiciously.  “You went shopping?  For clothes?  In Europe?”

Trixie grinned. “Yep!  Can you believe it?”

“Who blackmailed you into that?” Honey replied in disbelief.

“Funny, Honey.  Very, very funny,” Trixie replied sarcastically.  “Since when can I not enjoy a few nice clothes?”

“Okay, who are you and what have you done with my friend?” Honey demanded her eyes narrowing slightly as she stared at Trixie.  “You might look like my friend, but now I have some serious doubts.”

Trixie snorted, but was saved a response at the last minute by the opening of a door and the sound of a familiar voice.  Trixie jumped; she was not expecting to hear Brian’s voice.

“Honey, are you here?  I’m home.”

Trixie waggled her eyebrows at her friend, and mouthed the word “home,” grinning wickedly.

Honey jumped to her feet and moved towards the front door with a single-minded purpose as she collided with Brian, who was walking in the kitchen.  “Hi, Honey girl!  What’s for dinner?”  Brian asked not noticing Trixie.

“Brian, you’re uh, here early tonight, uh, for our date.”  Honey made a final attempt to salvage the situation.

Trixie howled with laughter at Honey’s attempt to pretend the two of them weren’t cohabitating.

“Trixie!”  Brian exclaimed.  “You’re a sight for sore eyes.  Just look at you!  What’re you doing in Boston?”   He fired off questions quickly, enveloping her in a bear like hug as he shot a guilty look over her head at Honey.

“I’m here to visit my best friend.  Guess I’m going to be stuck visiting with you too, now.  So, aren’t you going to kiss Honey?”  she asked, smirking at her oldest brother.

Brian grinned sheepishly and did just that.  Keeping his arm around Honey’s shoulder, he inquired about dinner plans.  “I take it we’re going out now?  Would you like me to get us a reservation?”

“That would be perfectly perfect,” Honey answered.

Brian excused himself to make the call.  He would also have to shower and change, but at least that would give Honey time to explain the situation to Trixie.         

“So, Miss Wheeler, how long have you had a roommate?” Trixie demanded with mock seriousness.

“Since we got engaged,” Honey replied with a wide grin.  “Some detective you are, you didn’t even notice my ring.”  She held her hand out, waving a huge topaz solitaire under Trixie’s nose.

“Gleeps, get a load of that golden goose egg!” Trixie said, staring at the gorgeous ring.  “It looks like you.”

“He surprised me with it,” she admitted. “Oh, Trixie!  Brian is just perfectly perfect.”

“He’s okay, for an overbearing and sometimes obnoxious older brother,” Trixie admitted, unable to hide a grin. 

“Are you okay?  You know, with this, with us?” Honey asked, shooting a worried look at her friend.  “I wanted to tell you so much, but I couldn’t tell you, Trixie.  Not over the phone.  Not without seeing you.”

“Let’s see, my best friend is marrying my oldest brother.  Other than the fact we’ll never be able to talk about sex, I don’t see how I can lose.”

Honey giggled; she understood Trixie perfectly.  “We both went home for Christmas with plans to announce our engagement to everyone, but then when we found out that you wouldn’t be home at all… well, we just couldn’t do it.  It wouldn’t have been the same.  So we came back to Boston with the big secret between us.  Brian’s been living with me since then.”

“Well that explains the address change mystery,” Trixie grinned at her best friend.  “Not to mention the addition of voice mail to his cell phone number.  But please say he’s not still paying rent to that worthless roommate!”

“He’s not,” Honey smiled at her friend’s humor.  “Oh, Trixie!  It’s been so hard not telling you, but we wanted to tell everyone together, the Bob-Whites I mean.  And I was worried about how you would react to me being engaged to your brother.  It won’t interfere in our friendship, will it?”

Trixie stared, realizing the real reason Honey needed to tell her in person was to see her reaction.  “Honey, you were my best friend before you and Brian got together.  I can’t lose with this.  It’s like handpicking my sisters-in-law!  Why don’t you and Brian come home and surprise everyone with your announcement?” Trixie asked.

“Oh.”  Honey thought for a moment, mentally reviewing her schedule.  “Maybe, we could do it.  It’d have to be a quick trip, though.  Both of us are having a hard enough time fitting Jim’s fundraiser into our schedule.”

“When’s the wedding going to be?”

“We were thinking late fall, maybe October would be a good time.  But it’s only going to happen then if we get to move to Sleepyside by the end of the summer.  Otherwise, I guess it’ll be Christmas.”

“You’re not giving your mother much time,” Trixie remarked. 

“If my mother can’t plan a wedding in eight months, then she’s lost her touch.”  Honey grinned.

“Well she’s the only one that might be upset you didn’t let her know Christmas,” Trixie responded.

“You know, Trixie,” Honey said slowly, a knowing look in her eye, “sometimes it’s better if we don’t give my mother too much time to plan a wedding, if you know what I mean.”

“Honey, I know exactly what you mean,” Trixie answered emphatically.  “She’s got me on the planning committee for Jim’s big fundraiser in April, and the woman is a stickler for details.  How she keeps things so organized is amazing; Jim’s very lucky to have her running the thing.”

“Oh, that’s right!  If she’s working Jim’s fundraiser, then she won’t have time to worry about wedding plans until May, and she can’t make things too crazy for us in six months.”  Honey suddenly paused and looked at Trixie in surprise.  “Hey!  Wait just a minute.  What do you mean you’re on her planning committee?  They’re always having a meeting -- how can you do that from Chicago?”

Trixie sighed. “That’s what I’m doing here, Honey.  Either I’m going to be moving to Wichita or turning in my notice of resignation at work.”

“Trixie Belden!  Do you mean to say that you’ve quit your job with the government?”  Honey asked in amazement.

“Well, no… not yet.  Besides, I don’t think ‘quit’ is the right word to use.”  Trixie paused as she prepared to deliver her much rehearsed speech.  “I’m trying to negotiate my future.” 

“Your future career or your future life?”

“What do you mean?”

“Did you tell Jim about the possibility of moving to Wichita?” Honey’s question was delivered with a pointed look.

“Yes, actually, I did.  He was the first person I told.”  Trixie nodded and then took a deep breath.  “Honey, he looks better than ever and when he picked me up at the airport, it was like it always was with him.  I got all… tingly inside.”

“Hmm, tingly…” Honey mused. “Now that’s a highly scientific term I haven’t heard used in a while.  Tingly like static electrical shock or tingly like a take-your-breath away kiss?”

“Both!” Trixie grinned.  “He looks so good, and he was so much fun at the committee meeting.  He kept making obscure comments about the different society ladies.  I mean, he doesn’t take any of them too seriously, but he still appreciates their work on his behalf.  He’s the most wonderful--” Trixie stopped abruptly when she noticed the evil grin on Honey’s face.

 Honey finished for her.  “He’s the most wonderful boy in the world,” she recited in a sing-song voice.

Trixie blushed profusely.  “Yeah, just tell me the truth.  Am I making a fool of myself or do we have a chance to make something together?”

Honey reached out and grabbed her friend’s hand.  “I’m just his sister, so I don’t speak for him.  But trust me when I say, you are the only person I can see him with.  You make him relax and not take things too seriously.  Back at Christmas when we were home, he didn’t laugh about the fundraiser at all.  You would’ve thought it was the be-all to end-all as far as he was concerned.  And his house, oh my, Trixie!  He was so bent about that house being perfect, he didn’t even let us see the second floor!  He said everyone needed to be there to see it.  We all know he meant he didn’t want us to see certain parts of it before you did.  Although to be fair, it was still missing quite a few walls and the stairs were just the temporary kind.”

Trixie chewed her bottom lip as she listened to Honey’s explanation.  Further talk was halted though by the return of Brian to the kitchen.  He had obviously showered, shaved, and changed clothes.  Trixie thought he looked handsome, considering he was her oldest brother.

“So, I see she didn’t get mad and storm out.” Brian’s arm encircled Honey in a protective gesture.

Trixie sniffed, “As if!  Since when is your personal business my business anyway?”

Brian laughed. “Oh, probably since the day you were born.  Seriously, Trixie, you’re okay with things like this?”  He pushed a hand through his hair anxiously.  “I mean, I know what Moms and Dad would say and Jim will probably kill me, but it just seemed like the best thing for us.  Our schedules are so crazy; we just didn’t get to see each other enough.”

“Brian, please.  You act like you need my approval.  What you and Honey decide is right for both of you is fine with me.”

Brian looked at Honey with a smile.  “Did you tell her we were thinking about October?”

Honey nodded. “Yes, she said she’d save the date.  Did you make a reservation?”

“Yes, there are plenty of tables.  The rain must be keeping people home.  Walter said we can come on down when we’re ready and he’ll make sure he saves a table even if they fill up.”

Neither Honey nor Trixie changed clothes for dinner.  Brian looked Trixie up and down once before remarking that she was looking well.  “Are you still working out, Trix?”

“Yep, every day,” she replied cheerfully as they left the apartment.  She grinned; Honey and Brian were so distracted with her discovery of their cohabitation that she had little reason to be concerned about convincing them.  In fact, she felt as if she could tell them she was moving to Romania and they wouldn’t blink an eye.  Finally something is going my way!

Trixie enjoyed her dinner with her best friend and oldest brother.  She deliberately kept the talk focused on Honey and Brian’s wedding instead of her plans to leave the government.  She grinned more than once when she realized neither of them was paying much attention to her news.  Between flashes of embarrassment from being caught living together, to their wedding plans, Trixie’s news was readily accepted and filed away.

“Will you be moving back to Sleepyside this fall?” Trixie asked Brian.

“That’s the plan.  Jim’s school won’t be ready by then of course, but Dr. Ferris has assured me there are plenty of opportunities to keep me busy until he’s ready.  Honey and I, we both miss Sleepyside.”  Brian looked at Honey yet again, glowing with pride at his beautiful fiancée. 

“I’ll be leaving the district attorney’s office then as well,” Honey told Trixie.  “I’ll be ready to start the business as soon as I get back from my honeymoon.”

“I can’t believe it!” Trixie crowed.  “By this time next year we’ll have our names on the door and be open for business!”

Her enthusiasm was infectious and it was a happy trio that left the seafood restaurant that evening.  The three of them walked arm-in-arm along the docks for a while since the rain had stopped, Brian between the two girls.  He received more than one envious look as they walked.  No one had any idea the petite blonde was his sister!

 When they returned to Honey’s apartment, Trixie and Honey decided to make a sleep-over of it while Brian reluctantly turned in for the evening.

“You probably won’t see me again before you leave, Sis.” Brian told Trixie.  “I’ll have to be at the hospital by five in the morning and I won’t be off until five on Sunday morning.  Then I’ll just collapse in my bed until I have to be back again on Monday.”

Trixie shook her head; she knew his schedule was tough.  “You know I won’t be telling anyone about your new living arrangements, right, Bri?”

“Don’t worry about it, Trix,” he said with a quick hug.  “It doesn’t matter if people know I’m living with Honey.  We’re just worried about getting away long enough to attend Jim’s fundraiser.  Unfortunately, since I’m finishing up my program, I don’t have much free time.  Honey doesn’t like to take much time either since she knows she’s going to be turning in her notice in less than six months.”

“They know I’ll be leaving them by the end of the year,” Honey affirmed.  “I just hate to leave them with too many open cases.  In a few months, they’ll stop assigning me new work.”

Trixie nodded. “Take care of yourself, Brian.  I’ll give Honey a call and let her know my new address and everything once I get moved in.  I know I’ll have to work at least a two-week notice, maybe longer.”

“You’re not going to live at home?” he asked, surprised.

Trixie bit her lip.  He would start to pay attention now!  “No, I’ve been away too long.  It’s easier to have a place in the city, especially since we don’t have an office--at least not yet!  Most of our clients will be in the city.”

“Okay, just make sure it’s someplace safe,” he told her.

Trixie rolled her eyes.  Now he was reverting to her boring, overly-protective older brother, Brian.

 “Well, just remember when you come home for the fundraiser, I’ll probably have a guest room if you need it.” Trixie’s eyes twinkled.  “I can’t imagine where else you two might be allowed to stay together.”

Brian groaned. “Don’t go there, Trixie.  I doubt we’ll bring up the current living arrangements unless someone asks.”

“Brian, I’m happy for you and Honey,” Trixie told him seriously.

“I know Trixie, and I promise you that I’m thrilled you two are going to realize your dream.”

 

 

Trixie and Honey changed into comfortable pajamas and made a pitcher of margaritas before they settled down in Honey’s comfortable living room to talk about the future Belden-Wheeler Detective Agency.

“Oh, gosh, Honey!” Trixie exclaimed as a thought occurred to her.  “Are you going to want it to be the Belden-Belden Detective Agency?  We’ve said Belden-Wheeler for so long, I just realized by the time we open, you won’t be a Wheeler!”

Honey smiled; she had thought about this already.  “Well, I know what I want but let me ask you something.  Are you going to want it to be the Frayne-Belden Detective Agency?”

Trixie immediately blushed. “That’s not fair!  Jim and I aren’t even dating!” she protested.

“No, not yet,” Honey admitted.  “It’s always been the Belden-Wheeler Detective Agency in my mind.  I don’t particularly want to change the name.  But then both of my names will be part of the name.  What do you want it to be?”

This is easy!  Trixie thought.  “I want it to be the Belden-Wheeler Detective Agency no matter who or what we’re married too!” she declared staunchly.

Honey giggled. “Are you planning on marrying an alien, Trixie?  Gleeps, you’ve been working for the government too long if your considering extra-terrestrials as part of the dating pool.”

Trixie threw a sofa cushion at her.  “Just because you’re officially out of the dating pool, doesn’t mean the rest of us don’t need to keep our options open!”

Honey caught the pillow in a well-practiced moved.  “I have a feeling you won’t be keeping your options open too long.”  She peered into her now half-empty margarita glass.  “I wonder why my very own, full-blooded, adopted single, eligible, handsome brother felt it necessary to start building a house before he started on his school.”

“Hmmph,” Trixie snorted.  “Like I would know!  I haven’t even seen this famous house yet.”

“Trixie, are you as excited as I am?” Honey asked, looking at her friend with wide-eyed anticipation.

“Yes, I can’t wait to get back to New York, start making contacts with businesses and things.  We haven’t talked in a while, but I was hoping we were going to go after corporate accounts.  Employee background checks, employee theft, security plans, maybe some insurance work, that kind of thing.”

“Absolutely!” Honey replied with an emphatic nod.  “I have no interest in following some cheating spouse all over the city.  We should also look to some of the law firms in Manhattan, Trixie.  They might have some work for us as well, doing investigation for their cases.”

“Exactly.  It should be easy for me to start writing our business plan, figure out what equipment, licenses, office space we’ll need.  Oh, and then I could do the security plan for Jim’s school as well, and maybe our firm can do his employee background checks, you know as a reference, and not charge him.”  Trixie’s excitement over the Belden-Wheeler Detective Agency was real.  She was talking fast and her mind was clicking at ninety miles an hour.  It had been some time since she and Honey had brainstormed their future business.

“A family discount!” Honey answered, her hazel eyes glowing with the anticipation of running her own business.   “You can do the security plan for free, but he shouldn’t expect background checks for free.  We’re not going to take any handouts, so Jim shouldn’t expect to get the work for free!”

“Huh?  We’re going to charge Jim for our services?” Trixie asked, failing to realize Honey was kidding.

 The pillow was thrown back at her.  “Trixie, you and Jim are hopeless!”