Murder in the Devil's Cauldron (54 page)

There was no wind yet, but Charlie had seen
big storms up here before and knew it was just a matter of time
before it started whipping the trees around as if they were
toothpicks. If it got really bad, they could end up with
straight-line winds. It didn't happen along the lakeshore very
often, but if it really got going, the wind could do a lot of
damage.

The river running by her cove didn't look as
if it had risen yet, but if it started raining really hard, Charlie
knew that would change.

She knew there wasn't much point in yelling,
but she did anyway, just in case someone had decided to take an
early hike.

"Help!"

She shouted several times, but no one
came.

Then, for good measure, she let out a couple
of piercing screams, but that didn't bring anyone either. She made
a face as she stared up at the bridge and wiped the rain off her
face. Then realizing how damp she was getting, she sat back so she
was protected by the overhang, but far enough out so she could see
if anyone came onto the bridge. She figured she'd yell every once
in awhile just in case. Maybe she'd get lucky and be back at the
Lodge before anyone knew she was gone.

Starr was showered and ready to go ages
before Charlie was due and she kept shooting glances at the clock,
willing the hands to turn faster so they could get going. They
resisted all her efforts, though and continued ticking away at a
turtle's pace. Deciding to wait in the living room, Starr carried
the Harry Potter book she was reading and put it on the couch.
Everything else was in her suitcase, but she had kept the book out
so she'd have something to read on the long ride to the Cities. She
was just about to get some juice from the frig when she heard
someone pounding on the door.

Starr looked at the clock, but it was still
early. She hurried to the door, glancing over her shoulder to look
down the hall, hoping the noise didn't bring her mother, but the
bedroom door was already opening.

Starr grabbed her jacket as she opened the
door, stopping in surprise when she saw Charlie's dad standing on
the front porch.

"Hi, Mr. Running Bear," Starr said, trying to
look around him to see if Charlie was with him.

"Is Charlie here?" he asked.

She stared at him in surprise. "Not yet. I
was just waiting for her."

Starr's mother joined them at the door. "Good
morning, Zach. What brings you here this morning?"

"I'm looking for Charlie," he said. "When was
the last time you saw her?"

"Not since last night. Must've been about
nine," Karen said. "Starr?"

"She went home with the deputy," Starr
said.

"So you didn't walk her home?" he asked.

"I was going to," Karen said. "But she wanted
the deputy to take her home. She said maybe he'd like to use the
bathroom and get a snack. She didn't come by here this morning as
far as I know. Has she Starr?"

Starr shook her head. "I haven't seen her
yet." All Starr could think of was that Charlie had left early to
go to Fae's, but she certainly wasn't about to give her friend
away. If that's what had happened, she was surprised Charlie hadn't
left a note for her dad so he wouldn't be worried.

"Did she say anything to you last night?"
Karen asked.

Zach shook his head. "I didn't talk to her
last night. The Holstrom reception went late last night and by the
time I got home the house was dark and I didn't want to wake her
up."

"We could check with the deputy to see what
time he left your place," Starr suggested. "Maybe she told him
something."

"Would you mind?" Zach asked Starr's
mother.

"No problem. Come on in." She stepped back
and let him into the cabin, pointing at the phone next to the
couch.

Starr watched nervously as he dialed. What if
something
had
happened last night? But why would anything
happen to Charlie? It's not as if she had seen Fowler do anything.
And the killer couldn't possibly know where Charlie lived. Could
he?

Starr frowned as she realized that the killer
had figured out where she lived and had broken in. It wouldn't have
been hard for him to figure out where Charlie lived. But why?

Zach hung up. "The deputy is off duty. They
have to track him down, but said they'd call me as soon as they
do." He stuffed his hands in his pockets as if he didn't quite know
what to do next.

"I'll give them a call when I get to the
Lodge," Karen said. "You're going to have your hands full with the
brunch this morning, especially with the Norcrofts coming. I'll
have them contact me as soon as they have news. Then I can let you
know what they say. I'm sure it's fine. She's probably already up
there. You know how these girls are."

He nodded absently. "I'd sure appreciate it,
Karen. It's just not like her to take off without letting me know.
But, like you say, maybe I missed her note and she told the deputy
something."

"I should have insisted on walking her home
myself. But don't worry," Karen said. "I'll stay on top of it. As
soon as they get back to me, I'll come find you."

"Appreciate that." He looked at Starr as if
he wanted to say something else, then looked back at Karen. "I'll
be up at the Lodge, then," he said awkwardly and let himself out of
the cabin.

Her mother waited until the door shut and
Zach Running Bear passed the far window of the living room. Then
she grabbed Starr's arm and swung her around. "All right missy.
Where is she?" she demanded.

"I don't know," Starr said, trying to squirm
away. "Honest. I thought it was her at the door."

"Just like your father. A liar and a
sneak."

Starr bit her lip to keep from making the
situation even worse. She still hoped to figure out some way to
stay, but if she said the wrong thing now, there'd be little chance
of that.

"Mr. Running Bear is a hard worker and a nice
man. He doesn't deserve to worry like this. I know something is
going on and I know damn well you've been up to some sort of
shenanigans. So whatever the two of you are up to, I want it
stopped right now. I'm going to call the sheriff when I get to the
Lodge, so if you know anything, you better tell me before I make
that call. Is that understood?"

Starr nodded.

"Good." Her eyes went to Starr's suitcase
which was sitting next to the door. "Since Charlie isn't here this
morning, you'll go to breakfast with me. We'll get your suitcase
after breakfast."

"Can't I at least say goodbye to Charlie?"
Starr asked, as she pulled her jacket on. Then, remembering the
forecast, she grabbed her poncho.

"If you haven't already, then I guess not,"
her mother said. She picked up an umbrella and then locked the door
as they stepped out onto the porch.

Starr looked down the path towards Charlie's,
hoping to see something, but no one was there.

"Come on. We'll be late."

Starr followed her mother, looking back over
her shoulder every once in awhile, just in case.

Fae checked her watch and then dialed the
camera shop.

"Hello?" Marc's voice sounded as if he had
just dragged himself out of bed and was still waiting for his
coffee to brew.

"Marc? It's Fae. Just checking on that
film."

"Oh, hi. It's coming out right now."

"Great. I'll be there in about ten minutes.
And thanks again. Really appreciate it."

"Glad to help. See you then."

Fae hung up, double checked to make sure she
had everything for the meeting with Bailey, as well as her
umbrella. She paused on the steps to look at the sky. The umbrella
probably wouldn't be much use. It looked like it was going to be
quite a storm.

A few minutes later, Fae pulled out onto the
highway and headed to Grand Marais. She hoped that whatever Starr
had captured the film gave them something to work with. Especially
with Bailey coming all the way up from the Cities.

When they got to the buffet line, Starr's
stomach rebelled at the sight of all the food that had been set
out. Normally she piled her plate with all kinds of goodies, but
this morning nothing looked good. Finally, she selected a lemon
poppy seed muffin and some orange juice. She knew needed to eat
something, but even once she got to the table, she could barely
force herself to take more than a few bites.

Trying to be as inconspicuous as possible,
she glanced at the entrance to the dining room every so often,
hoping Charlie would appear. But by the time her mother finished
her breakfast, Starr had given up the pretense of eating.

"I have to call the sheriff and see if
they've reached the deputy yet. Are you sure there's nothing you
want to tell me?"

"What if something happened to her?" Starr
couldn't keep her concern in any longer. "It's not like her to just
disappear. Especially without telling me or her dad."

Karen stared at her, then her lip curled into
a tiny, humorless smile. "I'll have to nominate you for an Oscar."
She stood up and checked her watch. "I'm going to call the sheriff
and see what they have to say. While I'm doing that, I want you to
go back to the cabin and get your suitcase. Make sure you have
everything because I don't want to get a barrage of phone calls
asking for yet another thing you forgot to pack. I'll meet you
there at 9:30. I'll expect you to be ready to go the second I get
there. And I don't mean 9:35. I don't want to have to track you
down. I don't have time to drive you all the way down the shore if
we miss the bus."

Starr didn't say anything, but for a moment
considered hiding out for a few hours. There was only one bus a
day. Unfortunately, Starr knew that it would only put things off
for a day. Worse, it would seal her fate. If she did that, she'd
never have the chance to come back to Storm Point.

She glanced towards the kitchen, wondering if
she could sneak in and at least say goodbye to Mr. Running
Bear.

"Whatever you're thinking, missy, give it
up," her mother ordered. "Now get going and remember, I'm watching
you."

Starr looked at her and walked out of the
dining room.

When she got outside, Starr pushed the
Lodge's huge carved wooden door closed behind her and stood on the
wide front porch. Humidity hung in the air like a heavy wet
blanket.

It had started drizzling while she was eating
breakfast and she untied her poncho and pulled it on over her head.
The plastic stuck to her arms unpleasantly because of the
humidity.

So far it wasn't much of a storm. Maybe it
had moved off across the lake or down towards Duluth. She looked up
and knew immediately that the storm hadn't gone anywhere. The
thunderclouds hovered above her like pile of dark mashed potatoes.
It didn't take a North Shore native to see a big storm was about to
break.

Starr realized something was different and
she tried to figure out what it was. Finally she realized it was
the silence. Everything had gone quiet, as if all the creatures had
gone into hiding and the trees were all holding their breath.

Even the lake was unusually quiet. She looked
to see what the lake was doing now. It was going to be the last
time she saw it and she wanted to memorize it. This morning, the
surface looked like a giant silver blanket, as if a giant was
sleeping underneath and turning over slowly, pulling it back over
him as it tried to slip away. Way off in the distance, the water
dissolved into the sky and she could no longer see the horizon.

Resolutely, she turned away and descended the
wide steps and walked for the last time under the canopy of trees
towards the cabin. At the bend in the trail, she stopped to gaze at
the blue dreamcatcher hanging on the front porch. She was going to
miss that the most.

Starr was struggling so hard not to blubber
all the way back that she didn't notice someone lurking in the
trees just past the cabin. It wasn't until she had one foot on the
stairs, that she saw movement out of the corner of her eye.

Alarmed, she started to turn and then her arm
was caught by what felt like eagle talons. She looked at the person
who had grabbed her. It was the blonde woman from the motel.

Starr yelped and tried to pull away, but the
woman was strong and her nails dug into Starr's arm, breaking the
surface.

"Shut up, you stupid girl," Viv hissed. "Or
you'll never see your little friend again."

Starr froze. "Did you hurt Charlie?"

"I don't know and I don't care," the woman
said. "But he has her and if you don't want anything to happen to
her, you'll do exactly what he says."

"What does he want? Charlie doesn't know
anything." Starr tried to pull away again, but the woman's nails
dug even deeper into her skin. Starr opened her mouth to yell.

"Shut up."

Starr closed her mouth with a snap.

"He wants the film. Meet him at the little
bridge above the Devil's Cauldron in twenty minutes. If you give
him the film, he'll let you have your friend back safe and sound.
Oh, and don't even think about getting cute. There's a storm coming
in and only he knows where she is." The woman brought her face
close to Starr's. "You don't know this guy the way I do," she
added. "He means what he says. If you don't do exactly what he
says, or if you're even one minute late, you'll never see her again
because she'll get swept right into the Devil's Cauldron. Got
it?"

She nodded, remembering all the times she had
had to run full out because her mother would punish her for being
just a minute late.