He stopped and turned toward her.
“You wouldn’t want to stick around for a few minutes, would you? I might have to look through the house. We’ve got some no-shows.”
He stared at her, frowning slightly.
“Three players didn’t get returned,” she explained.
“You’re kidding.”
“I wish.”
He lifted an arm and checked his wristwatch. “It’s only ten after. They’ll probably turn up. Some people don’t pay much attention to what time it is.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“Lynn’s still here, isn’t she?”
“She’d better be. She’s my ride.”
“Anyone else?”
“I guess Rhonda’s still around. Clyde took off at five, and Sharon left a few minutes ago.”
Nodding, Warren scowled toward the house. “I guess I can wait a while...at least till...oh, here comes Lynn.”
Dana looked over her shoulder and saw Tuck trotting down the front porch stairs.
“So,” Warren said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Dana swung her head around in time to see him smile, wave, and turn away. Trying not to let her surprise and disappointment show, she smiled back at him. “Okay,” she called. “See you tomorrow. Bye.”
“Bye.”
She watched him walk to the edge of Front Street. His head swung from side to side as he checked for traffic. Nothing seemed to be coming. He ran across the street, then turned to the right and walked quickly along the dirt shoulder. With each stride, pale puffs of dust drifted up behind his shoes.
“You met Warren,” Tuck said.
Dana turned around. “Yeah.”
She felt herself tighten inside.
“We’ve still got three tape players out,” she said.
“Three?” Tuck wrinkled her nose, pivoted and stepped closer to the shelves. Standing in front of them, she planted her hands on her hips. The breeze fluttered her shorts and blouse, and swept her long hair sideways. Streamers of hair blew across her face, but she made no attempt to brush them away.
What’s taking her so long? Dana wondered.
The edges of the shelves were marked with red numbers spaced six or seven inches apart. Above each number, there was room for one cassette player and headphone set.
Returning the used ones, Dana had been careful to fill each place in order.
There were spaces for 150 of the listening machines.
All the shelves except one were completely loaded. But that final shelf was empty above 148, 149 and 150.
It shouldn’t take a major study to figure out that three players were still out.
“Tuck?”
She turned around, frowning at Dana through her blowing blond hair. “Looks like we’ve got a problem,” she said.
“You look worried,” Dana told her.
“I was just inside. I thought everybody’d cleared out. If three people are still in there, they must be hiding.”
“Doesn’t this sort of thing happen all the time?”
“Not exactly
For a moment, Dana didn’t know what Tuck meant. Then she remembered how they’d found the Ethel that morning—the gown ripped where it wasn’t supposed to be ripped, the mannequin’s breasts and vagina exposed.
“You think there might be a connection?” she asked.
“Hope not.” She frowned. “I suppose Clyde’s long gone.”
“He took off at five.”
“Yeah, he does that. Times like this, I sort of wish we had a whole staff full of tough guys.”
“I shouldn’t have let Warren leave.”
“That’s okay. He wouldn’t have been much help, anyway. Who is still here?”
“Just us and Rhonda, I guess. Maybe the girl who works with Warren at the snack counter...”
“Windy? She would’ve left by now. Same with Betty.”
“Who’s Betty?”
“Runs the gift shop. You haven’t met her yet?”
Dana shook her head.
“Sweet little white-haired gal.”
“Oh, her. I think I might’ve seen her leaving. She went through the side gate.”
“Probably with Windy. They ride together.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Guess it’s just the three of us,” Tuck said. She pulled the walkie-talkie off her belt, raised it to her face and thumbed the talk button. “Rhonda? Do you read me?” She released the button.
For a few seconds, her speaker buzzed and crackled. Then Rhonda’s voice came out. “I’m here.”
“What’s your location?”
After a long pause, she said, “The restroom.”
“Are you going to be long?”
“Well...Son of. What’s going on?”
“We’ve got three no-shows.”
“Yeah. Anyone there in the John with you?”
“Of course not! Cripes!”
“I didn’t mean
“I do not!”
Tuck laughed. Then her grin faded and she said, “When you’re done, take a look around for our stragglers. Check both restrooms, the eating area, the gift shop. I’ll come around and lock up later, but we need to find our missing customers. Okay?”
“I can’t go into the men’s restroom,” Rhonda said.
“Sure you can. Just knock first. Nobody’s supposed to be in there, anyway. Dana and I will be going on into the house.”
“Do you want to wait for me?”
“Negative on that. Tell you what. When you get done there, come on out to the front of the house but don’t go in. Just keep your eyes and ears open and get ready to call for help.”
Rhonda didn’t respond.
“Did you get that?” Tuck asked.
“Maybe you oughta not go in,” Rhonda said. Even through the static, Dana could hear the tension in her voice.
“We’ll be fine. Just do what I asked, okay?”
“Okay. Well, be very careful.”
“That’s a big ten-four, darlin’.” Smiling, she gave Dana a nervous glance and returned the walkie-talkie to her belt. “Probably nothing to worry about,” she said.
“If there’s nothing to worry about, how come you’re so damn worried?”
“Me? Ha ha! I
