Blood Games (15 page)

    Cora smiled at Abilene, waved the shorts and jockstrap in front of her, and said, ‘Souvenirs. We’ll take them home with us.’

    ‘Don’t leave me. Please. Please!’

    They left him.

    

    

    ‘Do you think he’ll be all right?’ Abilene asked as they walked home.

    ‘Sure,’ Cora said. ‘I bet he won’t be there an hour before somebody finds him.’

    ‘Foul play is suspected in the disappearance of Belmore University senior, Andrew Wilde, a varsity wrestler who vanished Friday morning. A neighbor observed the young man leaving his Oak Street apartment at approximately seven o’clock.

    ‘Uh-oh,’ Finley said.

    The announcer was Candi Delmar, anchorwoman of the six o’clock news.

    It was Sunday evening.

    ‘Holy shit,’ Cora said.

    They went ahead and ate dinner. Then they trooped to a pay phone three blocks away. Cora tapped in 911. In a rough, husky voice, she said, ‘Andrew Wilde? You’ll find him under the Shady Lane Bridge.’

    According to Candi Delmar on the eleven o’clock news, ‘Andrew Wilde, the Belmore University student missing since Friday, was found earlier this evening when an anonymous tip led the police to the Shady Lane Bridge in Benedict Park. Though suffering from dehydration, exposure and various superficial injuries, the young man was listed in satisfactory condition upon admittance to Queen of Angels hospital.’

    ‘Oh my God, they hospitalized him,’ Abilene said.

    ‘Ain’t that a shame?’ said Finley.

    ‘According to police officials, Wilde was abducted early Friday morning while jogging in the park. His assailants were said to be five males, possibly teens, who knocked him unconscious and stole his wallet before leaving him handcuffed beneath the bridge.’

    

    

    It was after dark when they returned to the Wagoneer with the boxes, ice chest and stove.

    ‘We might as well take out whatever we’ll need for the night,’ Cora said.

    ‘What’re we planning to do?’ Abilene asked.

    ‘That’s Helen’s department,’ Cora said.

    ‘So what’s on the schedule?’ Finley asked.

    ‘I suppose pigging out on nacho chips isn’t in the cards?’

    Abilene was glad to hear Helen joking about her deprivation.

    it’ll be easier on you,’ Cora said, ‘if you don’t talk about food.’

    ‘Okay if I think about it?’

    ‘Try not to.’

    ‘Why don’t we go down to the hot spring?’ Abilene suggested, handing the ice chest to Cora, who slid it into the rear of the car. it’s cooler now. The pool’ll feel good.’

    ‘Sounds fine to me,’ Helen said.

    ‘This time,’ Vivian said, ‘we can take our suits and towels.’

    ‘Does that mean you want your suitcase?’ Cora asked from inside the car.

    ‘Yes.’

    ‘Let’s take all the suitcases,’ Cora said. ‘And the sleeping bags. This running back and forth to the car is gonna get old real quick.’

    The others agreed, so she unloaded the luggage and bedrolls. ‘Is that everything?’ she asked.

    ‘Aren’t we taking any food at all?’ Helen asked.

    ‘We’ll eat in the morning,’ Cora said.

    ‘Great,’ Helen muttered. ‘Anyway, what about the water? Or is that forbidden, too?’

    Cora crawled backward, dragging a two-gallon plastic bottle out of the car. She slammed the tail gate shut. ‘I wonder if the spring water’s okay to drink?’

    ‘You’d think so,’ Abilene said. ‘But I wouldn’t want to drink it.’

    ‘It’s hot,’ Helen pointed out.

    ‘It’s had our butts in it,’ Finley warned.

    ‘I’m not gonna drink that stuff,’ Vivian said.

    They picked up their things and began trudging up the steep driveway.

    ‘There’s supposed to be a lake not far from here,’ Helen said.

    ‘I’m not about to drink lake water, either,’ Vivian told her.

    ‘We’ve got this,’ Cora said, and shook the bottle. ‘Plus two more in the car.’

    ‘That should be plenty.’

    ‘We only agreed on one night, people.’

    ‘I’m sure there must be a stream, too,’ Helen said.

    ‘We’ll have to do some exploring tomorrow,’ Cora said. ‘I’d like to see that lake.’

    ‘Maybe it’s got a Boy Scout camp,’ Finley said.

    ‘You’ve reformed, remember?’

    ‘Maybe that kid was a scout,’ Abilene said as she climbed the front porch stairs.

    Vivian groaned. ‘Did you have to mention him?’

    ‘Probably with the Beaver Patrol,’ Finley said.

    Helen giggled.

    ‘All right!’ Finley blurted. ‘Starving hasn’t dimmed your sense of humor.’

    Nudging open the front door, Abilene was greeted by the glare of the Coleman lantern atop the registration desk. She squinted against its brightness, then turned away and watched the others come in.

    ‘Where’ll we want to sleep?’ she asked.

    ‘How about a Holiday Inn?’ Vivian suggested.

    ‘We can worry about that later,’ Cora said, letting her sleeping bag drop out from under her right arm. She set down her suitcase and the water bottle.

    ‘Just leave our things here?’ Abilene asked.

    ‘Might as well. I don’t think we’ll be sacking out downstairs, do you?’

    i’m certainly not going to sleep down there,’ Vivian said.

    ‘Too hot and damp,’ Abilene said.

    There in the lobby, they opened their suitcases. Abilene took out her towel. She didn’t much want to wear her swimsuit in the pool, but she saw that Vivian and Helen had theirs, so she found her bikini before shutting the suitcase.

    ‘Should we change here?’ Helen asked.

    i’m not going anywhere without my duds,’ Vivian said, rolling her suit inside her towel.

    ‘Wary of visitors,’ Finley said.

    ‘You’re dam right.’

    Cora lifted the lantern down from the registration desk. The others turned on their flashlights. They followed her to the doorway behind the staircase, and down the narrow flight of stairs to the pool area.

    At the bottom, Finley shone her light on the door marked GENTS. ‘Anybody in…’ She paused as her voice resounded through the darkness. Speaking softly, she said, ‘Anybody in the mood for a john inspection?’

    ‘Feel free,’ Cora told her. i’m going in the water.’

    ‘Hickok? There’re probably lockers. Maybe we’ll find something interesting.’

    ‘Not me. Maybe tomorrow.’

    ‘I’m sure not going in there at night,’ Helen said.

    Probably afraid there might be a shower room, Abilene thought. Probably remembering that phantom hand from when she was a freshman.

    Vivian had kept on walking.

    ‘Some other time,’ Finley said.

    They continued forward to the edge of the pool. There, Cora set down the lantern. In spite of its bright glow, it left both ends of the pool in darkness and failed to illuminate the far side. The beams of their flashlights searched those areas, sliding along the water’s surface, sweeping across the archway that led outside, shining on the empty expanse of floor beyond the right end of the pool, the stools and bar, probing every dark corner.

    ‘Nobody here but us chickens,’ Finley said.

    ‘Unless behind the bar,’ Abilene muttered.

    Cora already had her T-shirt off. Balancing on one foot, she tugged off a shoe. ‘If it worries you, go look.’

    ‘Me?’

    ‘Maybe somebody should,’ Helen said, shining her light on the distant bar.

    ‘I’m not going over there alone.’

    ‘Gobble-gobble-gobble. ’

    ‘You check it out, Finley. You’re such a fearless explorer.’

    ‘Ah, Hickok, what a pussy.’ Laughing softly, shaking her head, she strode quickly alongside the pool. She left the lantern’s brightness behind. Abilene and Helen kept their flashlights on her back.

    In unison, they flinched at the noise of a heavy splash.

    Abilene whirled around. She saw Cora, long and pale, gliding beneath the water.

    Vivian stood motionless beside the pool, gazing toward Finley.

    Abilene turned again, and picked up Finley with her flashlight just as the girl stepped behind the bar.

    ‘Hey. What the…?’ Finley crouched, disappeared.

    ‘What are you doing?’ Abilene called.

    No answer.

    ‘She’s just screwing around,’ Vivian said.

    ‘I know. But I wish…’

    A sudden harsh clamor made Abilene jump, Helen yelp, Vivian gasp ‘Damn! ’

    Abilene, shaken, yelled, ‘You bitch!’

    Finley stood up behind the bar. ‘That was just me kicking the bucket.’

    ‘You’re a riot.’

    ‘I know, I know.’ She made a little bow, then stepped around the bar and walked toward them. She tossed her flashlight into the air. It tumbled high, its beam somersaulting. She caught it and switched it off.

    ‘One of these days,’ Helen said, ‘you’re gonna be sorry.’

    ‘Hope I didn’t upset anyone.’ Joining them, she started to unbutton her safari shirt.

    ‘Where’s Cora?’ Vivian asked.

    They turned to the pool. Abilene saw no one swimming. She heard no sounds except a soft lapping of the water. She saw nothing gliding beneath the surface.

    ‘Don’t tell me she’s starting to play games.’

    ‘Oh, man,’ Helen murmured.

    The beams of four flashlights began criss-crossing the water. ‘Hey, Cora!’ Finley yelled. ‘You’re making the babes nervous!’

    Something pale moved in the archway.

    All the lights hit Cora at once. Wincing, she squinted and ducked her head. ‘Gimme a break.’

    They lowered their lights.

    ‘It’s really neat outside. Come on.’ She started to turn around. ‘Just wait for us,’ Vivian said. She sounded upset. ‘You shouldn’t have gone out there alone.’

    ‘I’m a big girl.’

    ‘Just wait for us,’ Vivian repeated.

    ‘Okay, okay.’

    The idea of venturing to the outside pool changed Abilene’s mind about wearing a suit.

    Finley finished undressing, entered the pool, swam to its far side and waited near Cora while the others put on their swimsuits.

    ‘I’m taking my flashlight,’ Helen said.

    ‘Me, too,’ Abilene told her.

    ‘What about the lantern?’ Helen asked.

    Vivian grimaced. ‘No. Leave it here.’

    ‘It’d ruin the view,’ Cora said from the archway.

    ‘It’d light us up like

    ‘Sitting ducks?’ Finley suggested.

    ‘That’s right,’ Vivian said.

    Finley, laughing, waded after Cora. The two of them vanished through the archway as Abilene, Vivian and Helen jumped into the pool.

    The hot water felt wonderful sliding against Abilene. She made her way to the center of the pool, found the barred opening, and stepped on top of it. She lingered there, savoring the soft rub of the currents that rolled up from below. Raising the flashlight overhead, she squatted so the water covered her to the neck.

    Then she realized that Vivian and Helen were already outside. She was alone. As she looked around at the bright lantern and the darkness beyond its glow, she felt a crawly sensation on the back of her neck.

    She waded quickly to the archway and hurried through it.

    The others were all in the smaller pool, sitting on the submerged ledges along two of its sides. Helen and Finley sat at the south end. Facing them across the water were Vivian and Cora.

    ‘Isn’t it terrific out here?’ Cora asked.

    ‘Nice,’ Abilene said. She waded over to the north end, put her flashlight on the edge, then sank down and sat beside Cora.

    ‘Fresh air.’

    The air was warm, but cooler than inside. Its sulphur odor was not so strong, and Abilene could smell the sweet aromas of the forest.

    Directly overhead was the porch. From its edge all the way to the treetops at the far end of the lodge’s grounds, the night sky was sprinkled with stars. There were no clouds that Abilene could see.

    The high, full moon cast its brightness down on the woods, the field, the ruin of the swimming pool, the brick barbecue and the old picnic table. It lit the area under the porch, as well.

    It glinted silver on the rippled surface of the hot pool.

    It shone on the girls, gleaming on their hair, painting their skin with its milky glow, leaving black shadows where it couldn’t reach.

    Nobody looks quite right, Abilene thought.

    Faces pale on one side, dark on the other. Faces that seemed to have holes instead of eyes. She supposed she must look just as strange.

    ‘Look at all those stars,’ Cora said.

    ‘I know I’m thrilled,’ Finley said.

    ‘Bet you don’t see stars like this in L.A.’

    ‘Maybe we should go back inside,’ Vivian suggested.

    ‘It’s much nicer out here.’

    ‘We’re so exposed.’

    ‘With moonlight like this,’ Abilene said, ‘I could probably read a book by it.’

    ‘Anybody could be out there. Watching us.’

    ‘Still worried about that kid,’ Cora said.

    ‘Maybe he’ll come over and join us,’ Finley said, if he does, I call firsties.’

    Abilene realized that they all had their heads turned, were gazing out at the moonlit grounds as if expecting someone to creep out of the forest.

    ‘What if someone does come along?’ Helen asked, her voice hushed.

    ‘Stop it,’ Vivian said.