The Midnight Tour

“Refill?” Tuck asked.

“Maybe later,” she said. Then she stood up.

“You aren’t leaving yet, are you?”

“Just need some fresh air.” She stepped onto the tile seat, then turned around and sat on the edge of the spa, her legs dangling into the hot water. The chill night air wrapped her wet body. It felt good after so much heat. Drops of water and sweat turned cold as they dribbled down her skin. She took a deep breath. “That’s better,” she said.

Tuck twisted sideways to look up at her. Then she spoke in a loud voice to be heard over the burbling and hissing sounds of the spa. “If you really want to be a glutton for punishment, hop into the pool.”

From up here, Dana had a fine view of the swimming pool.

Unlike the spa, it didn’t steam. The sparkling water trembled under the mild breeze and looked frigid.

“This is fine,” Dana said. “For now. So, tell me about Warren.”

“Ah. Okay.” Tuck climbed up and sat beside her. “What do you want to know?”

“What should I know?”

“Well...” Tuck drank the last of the wine from her glass. “I don’t know about you,” she said, “but I’m having a refill.”

“What is it, a long story?”

Tuck shrugged. “We’ve got to polish off the bottle. Red’s no good the next day.”

“If you say so.”

Their glasses full again, they each took a few sips. Then Tuck lowered her glass. Resting it on her thigh, she gazed out across the pool. “Well,” she said. “For starters, Warren...”

Her voice stopped.

“What?”

She whispered, “Shit.”

“What?” Dana asked.

Smiling at her, Tuck said, “Just act natural. Pretend nothing’s going on.”

“What is going on?”

“Someone’s over there.”

“Hub?”

“Across the pool. In the bushes.”

Chapter Twenty

THE LURKER

Trying not to show her alarm, Dana smiled and nodded. She kept her eyes on Tuck. “Where exactly?” she asked.

Tuck took a drink of wine. Then she lifted her eyes, slid them to the right, and looked.

And looked.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t see him now.”

Turning her head, Dana studied the area along the far side of the pool. All she saw was a broken wall of trees and bushes. The foliage crowding the edge of the concrete was brushed with light, but there were gaps here and there along the whole length of the pool. Deep, empty spaces filled with darkness.

Dana didn’t see anyone.

But she suddenly realized how alone they were.

All by themselves in the spa. Tuck’s house deserted. Wooded hills all around them.

Nowhere to run for help.

Nobody to hear them scream.

“I don’t see him,” Dana said.

“Me neither. Not anymore.

“Maybe he left.”

“I don’t know. He could be anywhere.”

“Well...not anywhere.”

“Damn near,” Tuck said.

“Where was he?”

“Okay. Look straight across at the corner of the pool, then go to the right about fifteen feet.”

Dana followed the instructions.

“See what looks like a Christmas tree?”

“Yeah.”

“He was in that dark place just to the right of it.”

Dana found the dark place. She nodded. “Guess he isn’t there now.”

“Why don’t you go over and take a good look around?” Tuck suggested.

“Very funny. Maybe we’d better go inside.”

“Shit. Yeah. We’d better.”

“Let’s just put down our glasses and leave everything right here.”

They both set down their glasses.

“Now what?” Tuck asked.

“Run like hell for the back door.”

“Think so? Maybe we should just act like nothing’s wrong.”

“Why kid around?” Dana asked. “My second now, he might come after us. He might be sneaking closer even while we’re discussing this.”

Tuck grimaced slightly. Her eyes flicked toward Dana.

Dana saw fear in them.

It hurt to find fear in Tuck’s eyes, which usually showed wry humor and mischief and moxie. It made her want to hurt the person who had put it there.

“Don’t worry,” she said, and gave Tuck’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I’ll be right beside you. Nothing’s going to happen.”

“Okay,” Tuck said. She nodded briskly. She still had the fear in her eyes.

“Ready?” Dana asked.

“You bet.”

“Let’s hit it.”

They scurried to their feet, whirled around and ran, water flying off their legs, their bare feet smacking the concrete. Dana dashed around one side of the table, Tuck around the other. They converged beyond it and raced for the sliding door.

Realizing they might both reach it at the same moment, Dana slowed down. Tuck rushed ahead of her, jerked open the door and lunged out of the way to let Dana enter first.

Dana ran in.

Tuck lurched in behind her, pulling the door. It rolled shut with a heavy thud that seemed to shake the house. Tuck snapped down the locking lever.

Side by side, gasping for breath, they both stared out.

Except for the steam and the shifting, rippling surface of the pool, nothing moved.

“Well,” Tuck said. “Guess he’s not coming.”

“Doesn’t look like it. Are you okay?”

“Sure. Fine.”

“Did you see who it was?”

“Nah.”

“What’d he look like?”

“Just...I don’t know. I’m not sure what I saw. Part of an arm, maybe. I just caught a glimpse of it.”