Vacation

“We want them to enjoy this place, right? Some independence … might be good.”

“My,” Christie said with a smile, “what a little bit of vacation does to turn the police officer around. I’m glad.”

“Just catch me in a few days.”

“Should we head down to the bonfire?”

“You go on. I’ll be right there. I need to move the car. It’s parked out front, but they say they want all the cars in the back parking lot. Let me do that, and I’ll see you there.”

Jack grabbed the car keys off a countertop near the kitchen and followed Christie out the door.

*   *   *

Simon froze.

Darker still. And now the air chilled his bare arms and legs. The trees, which had very brown trunks before, had turned gray and dark. The branches overhead didn’t look green at all.

They have to be nearby, Simon thought.

They wouldn’t just leave me here.

Just ditch me.

More steps—so hard to force his feet to move.

He looked past the shadowy tree trunks and saw … something else.

Something shiny.

Maybe part of the camp.

It made him turn in that direction. As he came closer he saw that it was the giant fence, hidden from the camp by the trees. Simon now knew he was very far away from where he was supposed to be.

He started to turn.

Then a voice—deep, rough—said, “Hey, you!”

*   *   *

Jack got up to the Great Lodge and, through a side window, saw all the diners gone, only workers cleaning tables.

Where do they stay? he wondered. Must be another part of the camp where they had staff cabins. Maybe came here for the season, then went back to whatever small towns they came from.

The entry hall glowed invitingly. People sitting on the massive leather couches and chairs, talking, reading.

His car was the only one still parked in the check-in area.

Not much light spilled onto the spaces in front of the lodge entrance.

He dug out his keys.

“Everything okay?”

Someone in the darkness. He hadn’t even noticed … standing there … coming close.

The person took a few steps closer and Jack recognized the smell. That hint of perfume.

Shana.

“Just need to move my car. Y’know, to the parking area.”

Of course she knew, Jack thought. She works here.

“Someone from the lodge would have been more than glad to move it for you, Mr. Murphy.”

That sounded too weird. “Jack.”

“In fact—Jack—I’d be glad to take it over.”

She stuck out a hand. The light backlit Shana so she was all shape, no color.

“That’s okay. Want to check some things. I can do it.”

“Sure you can.”

Odd comment.

A taunt.

“Anything else you need help with tonight … Jack?”

“Nope. All good. Bonfire night, right?”

A pause, as if perhaps Shana too realized the absurdity of Jack going from cop to card player.

“Have fun, then. Good night.”

“You, too.”

The dark shape turned and walked away, not into the entrance hall but down a path to the side.

Jack unlocked the car and got in.

19

Dusk

Christie walked down the path leading to the lakeshore. Twilight, and Kate stood at the water’s edge, looking at the now-dark lake.

But it was her position that was interesting.

Only feet away from the lifeguard stand.

One lifeguard was still on duty with twilight bringing a gray and silvery look to the water, the yellow sand now turning dark as well.

The lifeguard, sixteen, maybe seventeen, bronzed by the summer, looked at his watch and jumped down to the sand.

Christie watched the next few moments with a mix of concern, fear, and fascination. Almost as if she was spying.

The lifeguard in a white polo shirt, collar up. Grabbing his backpack, he looked up and saw Kate.

Christie wanted to whisper, Move on … she’s only thirteen.

But she watched the boy grin, a nod in Kate’s direction, and then start up from the beach.

For a moment, Christie remembered what it was like to be young.

The boy walked past Christie, who hoped she wasn’t radiating an “I’m the mom” vibe.

Her motherly spying over, she continued down to the water.

*   *   *

Jack got out of the Explorer. The lot sat in the dark with only two tall lights at opposite corners of the sea of cars.

Guess they don’t want people going on any joyrides at night.

Standing there, he looked at those two lights, the small milky pools each made.

Near the light to the right, he saw the narrow roadway leading up.

The service road.

Jack wondered what the rest of this operation, this camp, was like.

He looked up.

Any security cameras here?

None that he could see, but it would make sense. Didn’t every public space have security cameras?

Whatever cameras they had here—if they had any at all—were well hidden.

He slammed the door and went to the back of the SUV.