“Not if you hurry! I’ll make sure Dan saves some food for you. Go!”
“Aww, Kristi!”
“Go! You stink! And make sure you wash up, too!”
“Aww, man! You really know how to hurt a guy!” Skeeter ran off.
The rest of the girls from their cabin were already sitting at the table. Kristi had decided she wasn’t going to say anything about her camera yet, and she had cautioned Robyn and Anna not to say anything, either. Now she sat down next to Tiffany—the only spot left at the table. She sighed. The Lord was surely testing her this week!
Robyn and Anna were already telling the others about their encounter with the skunk. The rest of the girls were laughing hilariously as Robyn hammed it up and embellished the story a bit just for laughs. All except for Tiffany, of course. She turned her head and sniffed. “Phew!” she said quietly, wrinkling her nose in Kristi’s direction.
Kristi wanted to giggle. She knew she didn’t smell, and that Tiffany was just trying to make her mad. Well, she wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. “Biscuit, Tiffany?” she said sweetly as she passed the basket of biscuits to her.
The rest of the evening passed so quickly, and was so filled with fun and activities that Kristi nearly forgot about her camera. It wasn’t until she was lying in her bunk later that night that she remembered she meant to check her duffle bag for it. She was sure it wasn’t there, but before she could say it was stolen she had to be certain she hadn’t just misplaced it. She debated whether or not she should climb down out of her bunk to check, and risk Tiffany’s wrath since she was sleeping just below her. Oh, I’ll just wait until morning, she decided. I can’t do anything about it tonight, anyway.
The next morning was crazy, though, as the girls rushed to get ready for breakfast and the finals of the softball tournament. Kristi never gave her camera a thought.
The ball field was filled with campers as everyone came to watch the last two games of the softball tournament. The girls’ game was first, with Redwood playing against Hemlock Cabin. It was close all the way through until the final inning, when Hemlock suddenly pulled ahead by three runs. Becca was one of the last players on Redwood’s team to go up to bat. They already had two outs, so it was tempting to have Gina or Sherry bat in her place, but the rest of the team patted her on the back and encouraged her to go out there and give it her best shot.
“Just keep your eyes on the ball, Becca, and wait for a good pitch,” Robyn called to her.
“Don’t be nervous, Becca! You can do it!” Kristi yelled.
And she did! To their astonishment, Becca hit the ball a good, sound whack on her first swing and it went flying right over the pitcher’s head out to center field. “Run! Run, Becca, run!” her team started screaming.
Becca ran as fast as her chubby little legs could carry her! She was clumsy and slow, and she galloped and skipped more than she ran, but somehow she made it to first base. It helped that the outfielder who had gone after the ball tripped and fell, and then fumbled the ball before throwing it to the baseman, so Becca actually made it to the base with a second or two to spare.
Redwood Cabin, and then the whole camp erupted into cheers for Becca. She raised her arms above her head in victory and jumped up and down in excitement. “I did it! I did it!” she crowed.
Robyn got another base hit and then Gina was up to bat. The girls were hopeful. Gina was one of their best hitters. Maybe this would be their chance—their last chance—to catch up!
Crack! The bat hit the ball solidly and Gina took off! “Run!” the Redwood girls screamed at Becca, who was still on second base. “Run, Becca!” Becca, who had been brushing off her shoes, suddenly woke up and realized what she was supposed to do. The problem was she forgot which direction she was supposed to go! She ran smack into Robyn, who was on her way to second base. “No, no! The other way!” everyone was screaming. Becca turned around and ran in the right direction this time, but she was so slow that Robyn was right on her heels.
Seconds later Gina was right behind both of them as they all ran toward home, like three little ducks in a row. By this time the whole camp was in stitches. They looked ridiculous as they trotted along. Robyn and Gina weren’t allowed to pass Becca, so they were forced to slow their pace. In the meantime, the team from Hemlock was scrambling for the ball. Nicole finally got her hands on it and threw it toward Barb who was on third base. She overthrew it, though, and Barb was forced to run after it. Becca, Robyn and Gina headed for home.
The girls from Redwood had quit laughing and were holding their breath now. Would they make it? Would they be able to tie the score? “Run, Becca, run!” they screamed.
Becca crossed home base! Score! Robyn crossed home base! Score! Gina crossed home base—but too late! The catcher caught the ball and tagged her just as her foot was about to touch. Out!
The game was over. Hemlock had beat them by one run. Becca had no idea they’d lost. All she knew was that she’d made it all the way around the bases. “I did it! I did it!” she kept cheering as she jumped up and down.
“Yes, you did, Becca! Good job!” Kristi said as she gave the retarded girl a big hug. “Nice try, guys!” she said to Robyn and Gina. They all ran over to congratulate the other team. Everyone on both teams was congratulating Becca—although for different reasons, of course. Becca just beamed.
The boys’ game was next. Lodgepole Pine Cabin was vying for the championship with Black Oak. It turned out to be an easy win for Lodgepole. Skeeter even got up there and batted one-handed in the last inning. “It can’t hurt! We’re so far ahead now that even if I strike out, we’ll still beat them by a landslide,” he had argued with his brother. Surprisingly, he got a base hit and by the end of the game he had scored another run for the team.
“Wow! He’s great, isn’t he?” Autumn had said to Kristi and Robyn with her eyes shining.
“Oh, yeah!” they replied, rolling their eyes. “Just don’t tell him that!”
Pastor Young congratulated the two winning teams at lunchtime and presented each team member with their prize—a tiny two inch plastic trophy. “We’d give you a big one, but then you’d all be fighting over who gets to keep it,” he explained with a laugh. “Now, we’ve got a chance for all the rest of you to redeem yourselves! We’re having a scavenger hunt! I’m passing out lists of twenty-five items. Each cabin has one hour to find as many of these items as possible. First team back with all twenty-five items is the winner and will get a special prize! Everyone have their lists? Okay—you’ve got one hour! Go!”
“Should we split up the list and each of us try to get two or three items on it?” Anna suggested as their cabin met outside the lodge.
“Good idea!” Marlee tore the list into strips and handed them out. “Let’s go!”
Anna, Kristi and Robyn looked at their strips of paper. “We need a popsicle stick, a purple toothbrush, a red leaf, a 1991 coin, a slipper, and a piece of string.” Robyn said. “Becca, let me see your list. What do you need?” Becca handed over her slip of paper and Robyn read, “A straw and a piece of gum. Do you want to come with us, Becca? We can all help each other.”
“Yes, I come with you. I help you, Wobyn. I got a popsicle stick from my cwafts, and if you want, I go get a popsicle from the snack shack and eat it weal fast and then we have two popsicle sticks. I like snacks and I ‘specially like popsicles!”
“No, no, that’s okay, Becca! One popsicle stick is enough! Come on, though. We have to hurry!” Kristi said.
They ran back to their cabin to look for some of their items there. “I have a lavender toothbrush. Do you think that will count for purple?” Robyn asked.
“Sure. And I have a bunch of coins. I’ll look for a 1991,” Anna said. “Becca, I think there’s a bush back behind the cabin that has red leaves on it. Do you want to pick one for us?”
“Okay. I do it.”
Kristi was rummaging through her duffle bag for her slipper when she saw a black string hanging out from under the ma
ttress on the bunk below hers. Great! They needed a piece of string! She pulled on it, but it seemed to be stuck. She pulled again, a little harder this time, and was shocked when she suddenly realized the string was the carrying cord to her camera! The camera popped out from under the mattress. What was it doing under Tiffany’s bed?
Kristi felt sick. She lifted the edge of the mattress. There was her bracelet. Becca’s Hello Kitty wallet was there, too, as well as a necklace she had seen Marlee wearing, and a pair of sunglasses. So Tiffany was the thief. How sad. How very, very sad. Why would Tiffany steal?
Becca was still outside. “Guys,” Kristi called softly to Robyn and Anna. “Look at this.”
“Oh, no!” Anna whispered when she saw the stash under Tiffany’s mattress.
“I knew it! I told you she was the one,” Robyn said. “Now what do we do?”
“Should we tell Allison?” Anna asked. “Maybe we should let her handle it.”
“I don’t know,” Kristi said. “Maybe it would be better if we didn’t draw other people into this. Maybe we should talk to Tiffany first and give her a chance to explain.”
“What is there to explain?” Robyn snorted. “She’s a thief, plain and simple.”
“I know, but—”
“Look! I got a wed leaf!” Becca’s voice came from the doorway.
Kristi grabbed her bracelet and the other stolen items. They dropped the mattress and turned quickly. “Good, Becca!” she said hastily. “Look what we found! Your wallet!”
“My Hello Kitty purse! Goody! Is my money in there?” Becca asked as she grabbed the wallet. She didn’t ask any questions. She pulled several dollars out. “Goody!” she said again. “Thanks, Kwisti!”
“Come on, let’s finish the scavenger hunt and then we’ll look for Tiffany,” Kristi said. They quickly found the rest of the things they knew would be in their cabin and then hurried over to the snack shack to beg for a straw.
“Maybe they’ll have a 1991 coin, too.” Anna said as they ran. “I couldn’t find one.”
A few minutes later they had both the straw and a 1991 dime and they ran back to the lodge. The rest of their team was there waiting for them, but they were too late. The girls from Cedar Cabin had already come in first with all of their items.
“Sorry,” Kristi apologized to the rest of the Redwood girls. “We tried. Has anyone seen Tiffany?”
“No,” Jennifer answered. “Why would you want to see Tiffany?”
“We just need to ask her something.”
“Maybe she’s down by the boathouse. She hangs out there sometimes on that old picnic table,” Sherry suggested.
“Thanks!” Kristi said. “Oh, by the way—we found your necklace, Marlee. It was under a bunk. And does anyone know whose sunglasses these are? We found them, too.”
“They’re mine!” Sarah exclaimed. “I wondered where I’d left them! Thanks!” Kristi, Anna and Robyn hurried off. They didn’t notice that Becca was following them, trying to keep up.
Sure enough. Tiffany was right where Sherry had said she might be. She was sitting on top of the table just staring out at the lake. She turned her head and stared at them as they approached, but then looked back out at the lake again, ignoring them.
“Let me do the talking,” Kristi softly warned Robyn. “Tiffany, we need to speak with you,” she called out.
Tiffany ignored them. Kristi gathered up her courage anyway and said, “Tiffany, I found my bracelet and camera, and the other things, too.”
The sullen girl did not look at them. “So?” she muttered. “What were you doing snooping around my bunk?
“The cord to my camera was hanging out. Why, Tiffany? Why would you take those things?”
“None of your business,” Tiffany snapped. She got down from the picnic table and brushed off the seat of her pants. She started to walk away.
“Wait!” Kristi said. “We need to talk!”
“Well, I don’t need to talk to you! Go ahead and tell Allison and the other big shots around here! I don’t care! Maybe they’ll kick me out then and I can get out of this place!” She stalked off.
They watched her stomp away. Kristi shook her head. “Hmm, I think I get it now,” she said. “She was hoping to get caught, hoping they’d kick her out so she could go home.”
“Why go to all that trouble?” Robyn asked. “Why not just call home and ask her folks to come and get her?”
“I don’t know Robyn, but somehow this all just makes me feel even sorrier for her.”
“Me, too,” Anna said. “Why don’t we pray for her right now?” She bowed her head and began to pray, “Lord, help us to forgive Tiffany and to show her kindness and love even after all she’s done. She needs some friends, Lord, and most of all she needs You. We pray that she will find what she needs somehow before the week is through. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
“Amen,” Becca said right behind them.
Kristi wondered how much the retarded girl had heard and understood. She sighed. “Come on, girls. Let’s go change into our swimsuits and go swimming this afternoon. Or at least sit out on the beach for a while. It looks like it’s going to rain later, so we ought to take advantage of the sun while we can.”
“I do cwafts this afternoon,” Becca said. “I wanna make a basket for Allison.”
“Oh, that’s sweet, Becca. We’ll walk you to the craft shack first then.” Anna said.
By the time they finally got back to the beach the storm clouds were beginning to gather out over the lake. The wind had picked up a bit, too, but the sun was still shining, so they threw their towels down on the sand and started rubbing some sunscreen into their arms and legs.
“We’re not going to have much time out here this afternoon.” Robyn muttered. “Look at those clouds out there! It doesn’t look good! By the time we get this stuff on it’ll be time to go in again,”
“I know! We were supposed to have a barbecue for supper tonight, too. It looks like we’ll be eating inside, after all.” Kristi said.
They chatted sleepily for a while as they basked in the warmth of the sun. Kristi had just closed her eyes when a chill came over her. She looked up.
Dark clouds had reached their side of the lake and were blocking out the sun. Just then huge raindrops began to fall. They were cold on the girls’ bare skin. They leaped to their feet and grabbed their towels. “Hurry!” Robyn said as she started on the run for Redwood Cabin.
“Wait!” Anna called. “Let’s go by the craft shack and get Becca!” They changed directions and headed for the craft shack.
Becca wasn’t there. “Where’s Becca?” Kristi asked one of the girls who was painting at a table.
“I don’t know, Kristi. She didn’t stay long. She kept saying something about a scary storm and then she left. Maybe she went back to your cabin.”
“Thanks!” they called as they ran back out into the rain.
Becca was not at Redwood Cabin, either, however. “She’s been here, though. See—she pulled a bunch of her stuff out of her duffle bag. And look, her backpack is missing.” Anna said.
“Her jacket is gone, too.” Kristi said, beginning to feel a little alarmed. Becca was not one to go wandering around by herself—especially in a storm. She had admitted one night during their cabin devotions that she was afraid of storms. “Why would she have gone out now if she was scared?”
“I don’t know, but look! Tiffany’s jacket and overnight case are gone, too.” Robyn said. They looked in dismay at the empty spot next to Tiffany’s other expensive luggage. “You don’t suppose Becca went with Tiffany, do you?”
“No way! You know Tiffany would never have taken Becca. But maybe Becca went after Tiffany.” The girls looked anxious as they thought about that. “Come on. We’d better go look for her—or them. Tiffany won’t be much of a comfort to Becca if she needs it in the storm,” Kristi said. They grabbed their own jackets and backpacks and headed out into the storm once more.
___________
CH
APTER EIGHT
___________
Real Men Wear Pink
Lightning flashed, and a few moments later thunder rolled overhead just as they stepped out of their door. “Which way should we go?” Anna asked as they huddled under the porch.
“I don’t know,” Kristi confessed, “but if Tiffany was going to leave the campgrounds, it makes sense that she would head for the road leading in, wouldn’t it?”
“Come on! Let’s try that way first then,” Robyn said. They dashed down the path and out onto the lawn in front of the lodge. They were just about to make a run for the driveway when Skeeter, Pete and Dan came out of the lodge.
“Where are you going?” Skeeter yelled at them.
“We’re looking for Becca. We think she may have followed Tiffany,” Kristi called back. “She’s afraid of the storm so we need to find her fast.”
“We’ll help you look,” Dan offered.
“Thanks. We’re going to check the access road to the campground first.” Kristi quickly told them about Tiffany’s missing overnight case and that they thought she might have decided to leave on her own. She didn’t say anything about finding the stolen items under Tiffany’s mattress.
The rain was falling harder now. Thunder and lightning split the sky. The girls pulled their jackets up over their heads and ran with the boys fast on their heels. “Becca!” they called, hoping their voices could be heard over the wind and rain and thunder.
They were halfway to the gate when Robyn suddenly called, “What’s that?” She was pointing at something on the ground near the trees. Skeeter ran over and picked it up. He brought it back and held it out to Robyn.
All three girls gasped. “Becca’s Hello Kitty wallet!” Robyn said.
“There’s a path over there under the trees,” Skeeter said. “It looks like they might have gone that way.”
“I wonder why,” Pete said.
“It doesn’t matter,” Kristi exclaimed. “Come on. We have to follow them. And hurry. I’m sure Becca must be scared out of her wits.”
They plunged beneath the trees. The heavy branches above them shielded them from the worst of the rain, but every now and then a cold drip would fall down their necks or plop on their heads. They worried a bit about lightning striking the trees around them.
Storm Over Hidden Lake (Kristi Cameron Book 6) Page 6