Vacation

But something more than that worried Jack.

The look in Freddy’s dull eyes.

The anger. Something familiar about it.

The sky remained as blue and crisp as before. A beautiful sky.

But as Jack walked back to the beach, he took no notice of it.

30

4:55 P.M.

Christie was still in the cottage when Jack came out of the shower.

“I thought you were going with the kids to the game room?”

“They’re okay,” she said. “Told them we’d meet them there before dinner.”

Jack had wrapped one towel in classic fashion around his torso. He used another to dry his hair. “So,” he said between drying, “why do I have the feeling that you’re waiting for me?”

“Simon told me about the horns. You weren’t going to mention that?”

Jack looked at her and nodded. “Yes. We heard horns. I was going to tell you. But later.”

“When?”

“When the kids were gone. The whole thing rattled them enough without them seeing us talking about it.”

She hesitated a few moments, as if weighing the validity of what Jack had said. “Okay. Probably a good idea. But Jack”—she stood up—“what the hell? Alarms? On a lake?”

“Apparently.”

Should he tell her what he had seen? Not yet, he thought. Not until he knew more.

“Alarm horns. I don’t get it. Do you? What—”

“Hold that thought—let me get dressed. Then I’ll see if the Blairs have surfaced for dinner.”

“If they’re still here.”

He went into the bedroom.

*   *   *

The door to the Blairs’ cottage was shut.

Most of the cabins only kept their screen doors shut, letting the cool early evening breeze blow in.

He knocked.

No answer.

Why would they have their door shut?

Kids away playing? Some adult quality time, perhaps?

Sharon Blair didn’t look like the most playful of women, though.

He started to turn away when the door opened.

Shana stood there, the mesh of the screen door giving her a shadowy look.

“Yes? Oh, Jack. Hi.”

“I was looking for the Blairs.”

Shana opened the screen door, held it a second and backed away. Jack took hold of the door as she walked back to the interior of the cabin.

Jack followed her through the living room, back to one of the bedrooms.

To see the bed.

Which had been stripped. Shana shook the pillows out of their cases, letting the pillows fall onto the bare mattress.

“Where are the Blairs?”

“They’re not here.”

The sheets lay in a pile by one wall. All the drawers of the dresser were open, empty.

Shana scooped up the pillowcases and threw them onto the floor.

“They’re gone.”

“Really? They said they were staying a few more days.”

Shana kicked the pile of sheets and pillowcases away. Now she gave Jack her full attention.

“As you can see, they’re gone.”

“What happened?”

She smiled.

“Happened? I don’t know, Jack. Not my department. Maybe problems with their credit. Paterville isn’t free.”

Her scent, so strong in the small room.

Jack became acutely aware of where they were. Shana closed the row of open drawers with a bump from her body, facing Jack as she did so.

Did Shana normally clean out guestrooms?

He looked at the sheets, left in a pile.

“Did they leave a message? We were kind of friendly.”

Shana made a look as though thinking over a thorny question.

“I didn’t find any messages. Did you check”—more steps, closer to Jack—“at the lodge?” Another step closer. “The registration desk? I hear—” Mouth open. Full lips.

Time for me to move this conversation outside, thought Jack.

“—that people do sometimes leave messages there.”

Jack nodded. He began to back out of the room.

Then a thought: Shana wasn’t here to clean the room, to get it ready for the next guests.

No. She was here giving it a once-over.

What was the word for a place cops found in this condition?

Tossed. It’s been tossed.

“Maybe last night spooked them, Jack.”

She came closer.

“Certainly didn’t spook you, now did it? We all hope—”

She put a hand on his shoulders.

“—that you’ll consider Ed’s offer. Head of Security.”

“I better go.” He looked around the room. “Wish I could have said good-bye to them.”

And asked him about any stuff they’ve seen. The burnt buildings on the cliff.

“Lot of perks with the job, Jack.”

She emphasized his name. Ja … ck. As if there was something funny about it. Something so amusing about this cat-and-mouse game.

“You could come by my place anytime. Split more wood. Or try some other things.”

He felt dizzy. The perfume. The musty air of the living room.

And then before he knew it, something happened. Shana leaned close and kissed Jack hard. Her other arm had circled him, holding him tight. Her lips moving, opening as she kissed.

“Jack, any sign of—”

He had pulled away as soon as he realized it had happened. But not soon enough that Christie, who had