Trixie heard the men leave and wondered what exactly she had overheard. She had a feeling the two were up to something and wished she knew what it was. Knowing she had to get out of the fun house, Trixie tried several doors before finding the one that led to an exit. She pulled it open and made her way through the rest of the building.

Stepping outside into the crowd, she wondered if it had been her imagination playing tricks on her.

“Hey,” a voice said as a hand touched her shoulder.

Whipping around quickly, she saw Jim standing here. She watched as his eyes searched her face.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

In a second, she knew she couldn’t tell Jim what she heard. She said, “I just got turned around inside.”

“Did something happen?” he asked softly.

Trixie shook her head. “No. I just couldn’t find my way out.”

“All right. Why don’t you sit down while I get us some drinks?”

“Okay.”

Trixie moved to an empty picnic table and sat down. She had to think about what she heard.

I overheard two men talking about something, she thought. I could be interpreting the conversation wrong, but my gut instinct is telling me that something bad is going to happen. But what could that be? I don’t know what they’re planning, or what building they were talking about. I don’t even know who those two people were, even if they do know me. At least I do know they will be around tomorrow night at the parade. Maybe I can get positioned near the bank since that’s where they are meeting. The Chief may think it’s the wrong place for me, but I’ll have to give it a try. But even if I’m positioned there, I wouldn’t recognize them if I saw them in a crowd. I’d have to hear their voices.

From the way they were talking, they will be using the fireworks on Independence Day to cover up whatever they have planned. I need to find out what it is. I wish Honey were here. She is the one person I could talk to about this who wouldn’t judge me. However, since she’s on her honeymoon. I’ll just have to deal with this myself.

“Trixie?”

She blinked her eyes and saw Jim sitting in front of her. She didn’t recall him returning.

“Trix, are you all right? You looked like you were in another world.”

“I was daydreaming.”

Jim slid a cup across the table toward her. “It must have been some dream.”

Trixie took a sip, feeling she couldn’t tell Jim her thoughts. She smiled. “It was nice.”

“So, what do you want to do now?” Jim asked, fingering his cup. “More rides? Some games?”

“Why don’t we head to the stage for the concert?” Trixie suggested. “I heard the band performing is supposed to be really good.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Trixie and Jim made their way through the crowds holding hands. He squeezed her hand and she knew he wasn’t going to push her to find out what she was thinking. She knew, if she had to, she could talk to Jim.

*****

The next night, Trixie was stationed near the Sleepyside Bank. She didn‘t have a chance to talk to the Chief before he announced the assignments. She was surprised at first, but felt it was an omen for her to figure out what was going on.

Now, she was standing in the street in front of the crowds as the parade made its way along the main street in Sleepyside. She knew her job was to make sure there were no problems with the crowd, but she was also trying to spot the two men she had overheard. Unfortunately, the music from the bands and chatter of the crowd combined together made it difficult to identify, let alone recognize the two voices.

Once the parade was over, the crowd started to disperse. Some headed to the area where the activities were set up while others went home. Trixie knew it would be a little while before she got away. She needed to help direct traffic until most of the parade-goers had left the area.

All of a sudden, Trixie heard an alarm sounding from the bank. She left her post and hurried toward the bank. Several other officers followed her. She leaned against the front door of the building and pulled her gun out of its holder. She glanced around the archway and saw the door was slightly open.

She saw three officers were positioned the same way on the other side of the door. She could sense a couple officers behind her as they bumped into her back. One side of the bank’s double door was slightly open. She could not see any movement from her position.

Trixie put three fingers up and saw the officers nod their heads. She slowly nodded her head once as she tightened her grip on the gun. She nodded again. She took a deep and nodded her head for a third time. She stepped forward and pulled the door open. The officers moved into the building with their guns drawn. They spread out, looking for whatever or whoever set the alarm off.

Trixie covered the door, waiting to hear one of the officers call out that they had found something. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see two police cruisers pull up. She knew back up was there if they needed it.

“All clear!” one of the officers yelled from inside the bank.

Trixie lowered her gun, wondering what made the alarm go off.

“Belden! What’s going on?” Chief Molinson’s voice crackled over the hand-held two-way radio.

“Chief, an alarm went off at the bank. The building is secure.”

“The bank president is on his way. Meet him. I’ll be there shortly.”

Trixie put her radio away and tried to figure out what was going on. Looking around, she saw all the windows seemed secure. None of the panes of glass were broken.

All of a sudden, the door behind her flew open. She pulled her gun out pointing it at the person.

“Don’t shoot!”

Continue to Chapter 4