The Midnight Tour

'You’re the boss.”

As John headed for the corner of the house, Owen returned to Station One. Standing at the foot of the stairs, he put on his headphones. He pressed the Play button. Then he gazed up at the lynched body of Gus as Janice Crogan began to tell the story.

Later, after listening about Ethel, Owen left the parlor and climbed the stairway. He looked up and down the corridor but didn’t see Dana.

Never mind, he told himself. She’s probably up here someplace.

He listened at Station Three, then shut off the player, stepped out of Lilly Thorn’s bedroom and walked up the hallway toward Station Four. Yesterday, he’d first seen Dana near the attic door.

Today, some tourists stood there, listening to their tapes and gazing up the stairway.

No Dana, though.

Where is she?

Up ahead, some people near the left side of the corridor wandered out of the way.

Owen saw her.

His heart seemed to lurch.

She was standing like a casual guard just outside the doorway of the boys’ bedroom, nodding and smiling at the tourists who went by.

The bedroom, Station Four, was supposed to be Owen’s next destination.

I’ll have to walk right past her!

He had an urge to turn away.

Don’t be such a damn chicken, he told himself. Just keep going, act natural. She doesn’t know I have any feelings for her. I’m just another tourist.

He moved slowly, stepping around several people, trying not to look at her.

But as he neared the doorway, their eyes met.

“Morning,” Dana said.

'Hi.”

“Back again, huh?”

She remembers me!

Blushing fiercely, he nodded.

“Where’s your friend?” she asked.

Owen pulled off his headphones. “My friend?”

She must’ve seen me with John! Now what’ll...

“The young lady who was with you yesterday,” Dana explained.

“Oh, her.”

I don’t want to lie. Not to Dana.

“She didn’t like this place,” he said. “She kind of...kept complaining and ruining it. So today I came back without her.”

“Ditched her, huh?”

“Sort of.”

Dana glanced at her wristwatch. “It’s about time for my break. You want to come outside with me?”

“Outside? With you?”

“Yeah.”

“Right now?”

“If you’d rather not...”

“No. No. I’ll come with you. Sure.”

Dana took a walkie-talkie from her belt. Holding it in front of her mouth, she thumbed a button and said, “Lynn, it’s Dana. I’m going for a break now. Okay? Over.”

A voice came back, “Knock yourself out, hon.”

Dana smiled at Owen and said, “Let’s go.”

He followed her along the corridor and down the stairway.

In the foyer, she said to the male guide, “I’m taking off for a break, Clyde.”

Clyde cast a quick, distasteful glance at Owen, then nodded to Dana.

Owen hurried ahead to open the front door. Stepping out, Dana thanked him. He followed her to the bottom of the porch stairs.

“Let’s go over here,” she said.

As he walked beside her, the grass was silent and soft under his shoes. His heart pounded hard. Sweat dribbled down his sides. His mouth was dry. The morning sun seemed to press a hot weight against the top of his head and shoulders. But a fine, cool breeze blew against him. It fluttered his shirt against his chest and belly. It smelled as if it had come from a long way off, traveling low over the ocean waves. He took a deep breath and sighed.

We’re walking together. This is so incredible.

But what does she want?

Just past the corner of the house, Dana stopped and turned to him.

In the distance, people were strolling along the walkway between the ticket office and the front porch. Others, on their way to the eating area or gift shop or restrooms, were walking toward the far corner of the house.

Dana and Owen had this section of lawn to themselves.

“Nice out here, isn’t it?” Dana asked.

“Fantastic.”

He stared at her.

I can’t believe we’re standing out here.

I can’t believe how incredible she looks.

Instead of revealing flaws, the bright sunlight seemed to highlight her beauty. Her hair glinted yellow and russet and gold. She had fine, pale down on her cheeks. Her eyes seemed a perfect match for the light blue color of the sky.

“What’s her name?” Dana asked.

'who?”

She frowned slightly. “The girl from yesterday.”

“Oh. That was Monica.”

“Where is she today?”

He made a face. “I left her at the hotel.”

'Here in town?”

'At Fisherman’s Wharf.”

“You left her in San Francisco?”

“I know, I know. But she hated this place. She wouldn’t let me enjoy the tour. I’d been looking forward to Beast House for years. And she spoiled it for me. She had snotty cracks about everything.”

“Including me, I suppose.”

Owen gaped at her. He nodded. “How did you know?”

She grinned mysteriously. “I know many things.”

“Did you overhear her, or...?”

“I couldn’t help but notice the way you were looking at me yesterday.”

He felt as if his face might burst into flame.

Cringing, he said, 'Sorry.”

“Oh, that’s all right. Fine with me. But it wasn’t exactly fine with Monica, was it?”

'Not exactly.”

'I think she was really steamed. In the house. And then when I was taking your players at the front gate. She