The Midnight Tour

“You’re in a state of denial,” Dana said.

Grinning, Tuck asked, “Egypt?”

She steered diagonally across the lot and parked at the far corner. As she plucked out the ignition key, Dana took hold of of her wrist and said, “There’s something else. It might be nothing, but you know how Eve told us to keep our eyes open for repeaters?”

“Yeah. We get a lot of them, though.”

“Two days in a row?” she asked, and released Tuck’s wrist.

“It happens, but not very often. Unless you count people coming back for the Midnight Tour. They’ll sometimes take the regular tour Saturday, then come back that night.”

“But this guy was here yesterday and he’s back today. I just saw him out in front of the ticket booth.”

“Are you sure it’s the same guy?”

“Positive. He was giving me the eye yesterday. In a furtive sort of way. And I was out front by the time he left. I took his tape player...”

“So he’s not our vanishing mystery guest...”

“He might be our other mystery guest. That’s what I’m getting at.”

“Just because he gave you the eye?”

“He wasn’t alone yesterday. He had a gal with him. A girlfriend, maybe. The thing is, I don’t think they were getting along very well. She was really pretty, in a way. But she had this horrible smirky look. Anyway, she doesn’t seem to be with him this morning. It looks like maybe he came back without her.”

“That does seem slightly odd.”

“It just makes me wonder, you know? Maybe he’s got a thing about me. Or about you. Maybe he got rid of the gal and followed us home after we left here yesterday.”

“I don’t know. Sounds like you’re making a lot out of not very much. All he did was look at you.”

“He seemed pretty intense. And now he’s back without the girl. And I caught him staring at me.”

“Guys will stare. We don’t want to go jumping to a lot of wild conclusions.”

“I’m not. I’m just saying he might be...a possible suspect.”

“He’s over by the ticket booth?”

“He was. When we drove in. He’s probably still there.”

Tuck swung open her door. “Let’s go,” she said, and climbed out.

Dana met her behind the Jeep. Side by side, they started walking toward the open gate. A couple of other cars were already coming in.

“Take a look at him as we go by,” Dana said. “He’ll be the skinny guy with the weird hair. He’s in a Madras shirt.”

“I’ll check him out. And why don’t you stop and have a friendly little chat with him^?”

“You’re kidding.”

“Am not. Maybe you can find out what he’s up to. I’ll go ahead inside and start to open things up.”

“Alone?”

Tuck smiled and shook her head. “Me?”

“Yes, you.”

“I do it all the time.”

“But there’s been so much weird stuff,” Dana said. “I’d better go in with you. I can talk to this guy later.”

“Nothing’s going to happen.”

“But if it does, I’ll be with you.”

Tuck, grinning, shook her head. “My pal,” she said.

chapter Twenty-five

SANDY’S STORYJuly 1992

When Sandy came out of the cabin, she found Eric waiting in the passenger seat of her pickup truck Like a kid eager for the trip to begin, he grinned at her and bounced up and down.

Sandy felt a pang of regret.

Opening the driver’s door, she said, “I wish I could take you with me, honey.”

He tilted his head, gave her a sad look, and made a dog-like whimper. As if begging, Please?

Sandy climbed aboard. Leaning over, she put an arm around her son’s shoulders, pulled him toward her and kissed his cheek.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “Tell you what, we can make a night trip sometime soon. Maybe later this week. How does that sound?”

Chuffing. he nodded.

Ever since her son’s infancy, Sandy had taken him on night trips into town once in a while as a special treat He seemed to just love the adventure of it. But she had never taken him during the day. And never would. Risky enough, driving him into town in the middle of the night. She would have to be nuts to do it in daylight.

“Hop on out, now,” she told him.

He whined.

“Go on,” she said, gently easing him away.

He reached for the door handle, then looked back at Sandy.

The ridges above his eyes lifted. They would’ve raised his eyebrows if he’d had any. But he had no brows, no hair anywhere on his body. Even puberty, which he’d apparently attained recently, hadn’t resulted in any hair. He was bald all over, the same as his father and the others.

“Go on, now,” Sandy told him again. “I’ll be back in a few hours.”

He nodded, then swung open the door and jumped to the ground. He turned around and stared at Sandy.

“Could you shut the door for me?” she asked.

He reached out and whipped it shut. It slammed. Sandy cringed.

He didn’t slam it that hard on purpose, she told herself. -

He’s just too strong. And hasn’t learned to control it yet.

Smiling, she said, “Next time, take it easy on the door, okay?”

He shrugged.

“Jerk,” she said.

He grinned.

Sandy started the engine, then called out the window, “Try to stay out of trouble while I’m gone, okay? And don’t talk to any strangers.”

An old joke between them.

Grinning, Eric bobbed his head.

Sandy backed up the truck, turned it around, then slowly drove away. In the side mirror, she saw Eric standing in front of the cabin.

He looked so damn lonely and forlom.

Sandy felt her throat tighten up.

Poor kid, she thought.

It’s not like we have any choice. We’re doing the best we can.

Hell, we’re doing pretty damn good, considering. At least we’re alive and free and together. That’s all that really counts.

She drove around a curve. No longer able to see Eric, she felt an ache of loss.

She hated leaving him alone for these drives into town.

Nothing’s going to happen, she told herself. When I am home, he’s off all day roaming around in the woods.