Shadow of Second Chances: Shadow Series~ Book 6 (The Shadow Series)

by Barbara Goss

  The campers were interrupted from their organizing by Gavin’s ringing the bell that called everyone to the opening day service. As Peggy walked toward the shelter with her group, she saw a man who was most likely the visiting minister for the day, and Ethan. Gavin introduced her to Ethan, and she was pleased that Ethan had actually taken her hand and patted it.

  “I’m glad to meet you, Peggy,” he said. “I won’t forget your name; my sister’s name is also Peggy.”

  Peggy didn’t know what to say, so she just said, “Thank you.”

  Each chaperone sat with her group during the outstanding service, which was given on a child’s level.

  Afterwards, they went to their next scheduled activity. Gavin had a list of activities scheduled in different areas of the camp so that the boys and girls were never in the same place at the same time. All of the leaders were given copies of the schedule.

  Dora and Michael cooked the meals on the large, brick fire pit, and the shelter was used as a dining area, as well as the craft area. A man from Gavin’s church in Salina brought in fresh perishables each morning.

  In case of rain, Gavin had indoor activities planned in the shelter. Gavin was thorough—the camp ran like a well-oiled carriage wheel.

  At night, after the children were asleep, some of the chaperones sat by the small campfire near the shelter, and told stories, and chatted, but always within view of the children’s tents. Peggy decided to join them each night in the hope of getting to know Ethan better.

  She’d hoped to sit beside him, but Rachel and Charlotte had beat her to it, so she sat with Carl on one side, and Gavin on the other.

  “How is your group coming along, Peggy?” Gavin asked.

  “Very well. You certainly have this well organized.”

  “Thank you. I love doing it.”

  “So who is this Ethan?”

  “Stay away from him, Peggy,” Gavin said in almost a whisper.

  “Why?” Peggy whispered back.

  “I can’t vouch for him because I don’t know him well. When I heard Miles wasn’t returning this year, I had to quickly find someone to take his place. He teaches with me, so he offered, and I had no choice but to accept. He isn’t a Christian, and I don’t know him well, but Carl told me he made an inappropriate remark about Rachel and Charlotte when they walked in today.”

  “Oh, no.” Peggy’s eyes darted toward Ethan who was, at that very minute, flirting with the young girls.

  “I’m keeping my eye on him. I’m worried, now, and I don’t like what I see here, tonight, either,” he said. “I had hoped when I agreed to sign him on that he might be touched by one of the services and make a commitment.”

  “Do you want me to talk to the girls?” Peggy asked.

  “I don’t know. Maybe…if it continues. Good idea, Peggy. I’ll speak with Ethan as well. Keep your eyes open and tell me if you see anything that doesn’t look right to you.

  “Enough for tonight. I’m putting the fire out. It’s time for us all to turn in. Those kids are up early in the morning.”

  “I know… too early.” Peggy said.

  Peggy went back to her tent, slipped on a light, cotton dress to sleep in, and slipped into her bedroll. Everyone brought light comfortable clothes to sleep in. She lay listening to the night sounds, and thought about what Gavin had said about Ethan. Good looking or not, she’d keep her distance.

  It rained on the second day of camp. While it cooled things down a bit, it made for a lot of mud and the children all appeared so disheartened.

  Gavin rang the bell on the shelter. They made several trips between the tents and the shelter with umbrellas until all the children were in the shelter where Gavin played Bible Bingo with one group, and Carl did crafts with another. She noticed Ethan always found himself near the young chaperones, mostly Rachel. She thought Rachel looked like she was enjoying Ethan’s flirting. Charlotte helped her children with the crafts and ignored them both.

  Again that evening Peggy sat by the fire with Carl and Gavin, while Ethan sat with Rachel. Charlotte didn’t come to the campfire, and neither did Dora and Michael.

  All Gavin said to her was, “Keep your eye on those two.”

  The next day the sunshine returned, and Jonas came to the camp, much to Zoe’s delight. He brought several ponies with him, and all the smaller children were given pony rides.

  Zoe ran to him yelling, “Papa!”

  Peggy watched with amusement as Jonas picked her up and swung her around. “Are you having fun, cupcake?”

  “Yes. I won at Bible Bingo yesterday.”

  “I miss you so much, cupcake, and so does Mama. We want you to have fun with the kids, though. So we’ll just have to miss you for a few more days,” Jonas said.

  “Is Alfie enjoying camp?”

  Zoe frowned. “I don’t get to see him much, Papa. The boys and girls don’t do activities together, except for yesterday because it rained. I even got to sit next to him.”

  “Well, I told Mr. McKenzie that if it rains again, I’ll come and play some music with my guitar.”

  “Oh,” Zoe exclaimed. “I hope it does rain again, then.”

  Rachel walked up and said to Zoe, “It’s time for crafts in the shelter.”

  “Okay,” Zoe said, and she looked up at Jonas. “Can I have a kiss, Papa? I have to go now.”

  “Sure thing!” He picked her up, swung her around, and kissed her. “I love you, cupcake.”

  “I love you too, and tell Mama, Joanna, and baby Jonah I love them, too,” she said as she ran off to the shelter.

  Peggy waved to Zoe and led her children over to Jonas for their pony rides.

  That night, as Peggy lay on her bedroll trying to find a comfortable spot, she heard a child crying. She checked all of her girls and they were all asleep. She left the tent and followed the sound to find it was coming from the tent nearest hers. She peeked inside and peered into the darkness. The moon gave her enough light to spot the crying child. She ran over and woke the child who had been having a bad dream. The child sat up. It was Zoe! Peggy hugged her.

  “It’s okay, Zoe. It was just a dream, honey.”

  “I’m scared. A bear was chasing me and he grabbed my foot and was about to eat me up.”

  Peggy looked around the tent. Where was Rachel? Her bedroll was empty. She wrapped Zoe up. “Come on, you’re going to sleep with me tonight.” Peggy took Zoe to her tent to sleep. She wondered what Rachel would think when she discovered the missing child, and how she would explain it to Gavin.

  She woke up shortly afterward to a ruckus outside of the tents. She heard Gavin’s voice raised in anger, and Rachel crying. She smiled, and wondered how long she’d let them think Zoe was missing. Finally, she got up and left the tent.

  “Peggy, we need to pull all of the chaperones out to look for a missing child. I need you to stay here and watch the other tents to be sure another child doesn’t wander away,” Gavin said. He sounded panicky to Peggy.

  “I have the missing child in my tent,” she said.

  “What? Why?” he asked sharply. “Have you any idea how upsetting this is? Why is she with you, and why didn’t you tell someone?”

  “Calm down, Gavin,” Peggy said, becoming angry herself. “Zoe was having a bad dream and was crying. I went to Rachel’s tent and woke her. Rachel wasn’t in the tent, so I took her to sleep with me. She was frightened. I thought about waking you, but in order to do that I would have had to leave my children alone, and I would never do that.”

  “Rachel wasn’t there?” he asked, emphasizing each syllable.

  “No.”

  Gavin shook his head and sighed. “You did the right thing. I’m sorry I was cross with you, Peggy. I was just so petrified that something had happened to one of our children.”

  “Zoe’s my best friend’s daughter. She loves and trusts me and felt safe with me. I’d like to request that she stay in my tent.”

  “But—“

  “No. She stays in my tent, or J
onas and Ivy will hear about this. I promised Ivy and Jonas I’d look after her. She stays with me in my group,” Peggy stated firmly.

  “All right,” he said. “Calm down. I need to call back all the chaperones. I’ll be right back. Please watch things.”

  Peggy stood outside the tents while he was gone. She knew Zoe would be happier with her, too.

  When the chaperones had all returned to their respective tents, Rachel gave Peggy an angry look. Peggy was not afraid to give a glare right back at her. She wasn’t about to take any guff from a young woman who had no respect for the rules or a care about her charges. The girl had no business leaving those children alone.

  Gavin approached her. “Can I have a word with you, Peggy?”

  “Sure, let me check my girls, first,” she said. She peered into the tent and saw that all was well, then stepped outside the tent.

  “Come over by the fire pit,” he said. “We can keep an eye on our tents and talk at the same time.”

  Peggy moved to the fire pit.

  “I don’t know how to handle this. Carl just told me that when he went to round up the chaperones, Ethan was just returning to his tent, and when Rachel summoned me that she had a child missing, she was still in her camp clothes. We think he and Rachel were together. I can’t have this. I need to fire them both, but what will be do for chaperones?”

  “Maybe Dora knows someone.”

  “We need a female and a male,” he said.

  “Why can’t you just confront them both and give them a warning?” Peggy said.

  “I really want them gone, but I may have to settle for a stern warning. In the meantime, I’ll ask Dora and Michael. Thank you, Peggy.”

  “Good night, Gavin,” she said.

  “Sleep well, Peggy.”

  Chapter 3

  The next morning after devotions, Gavin called Peggy aside and asked her to take over Rachel’s group. He also asked Michael to take over Ethan’s group. He then sat with Rachel and Ethan in the shelter. Peggy suspected it was to give them a stern warning.

  Peggy’s group was scheduled for swimming, so she took both groups down to the river, where a large area had been cleared so the children could swim. It had been roped off so they could only go in up to their waists. Peggy sat and watched the girls splashing and paddling around. How she wished she could jump in, as the day was another hot one.

  After about a half hour, Rachel came back to claim her girls, She gave Peggy another look of venom, which Peggy returned. Rachel then left with her own charges.

  Peggy continued to watch her girls and her timepiece so she’d know when it was time for crafts.

  Later that day, Peggy’s face, neck, and arms started burning. She asked Dora, who was busy cooking, if she might have sunburn.

  “Yikes, Peggy, you’re as red as a tomato! See me after dinner because I have some salve for that.”

  “Thanks, Dora.” Peggy moved through her duties, but soon began to feel seriously ill. While the children ate, she slipped away to the outhouse to throw up. When she came out, Gavin was standing outside of the outhouses waiting for her.

  “Are you all right? I saw you dash for—oh, my good gracious. You are burned to a crisp, Peggy.”

  Peggy simply nodded.

  “Go to your tent and lie down. I’ll cover for you.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Just go.”

  Peggy went to her bedroll and laid down, but she couldn’t find a spot to lie without pain. She felt like she was on fire.

  Moments later, Gavin called from outside her tent. “Dora gave me some salve, Peggy. Is it all right for me to enter?”

  “Yes, please!” she cried.

  Gavin came in and handed her the salve. “Oh, dear, Peggy, your arms are too sore to apply it yourself. May I?”

  She nodded, and handed the salve back to him. She had no choice; the burn ran from her face and neck, around behind her upper back, down her arms and her upper chest to just below her chin, where her dress line had ended.

  As he gently rubbed the salve on her, she thought about his attack on Violet last year, but she was in so much pain, she could do nothing except trust him. Surprisingly, he was so tender, it was hard to believe this was the same man.

  “There,” he said, putting the top on the jar of salve. “If Dora isn’t available to put the salve on later, I’ll do it. Your girls didn’t mind doing crafts twice today. In fact, they loved it, so don’t worry. Zoe is happy to be with her friend Alfie, too. Just concentrate on feeling better. Call me if you need anything,” he said and left the tent.

  That night was campfire night, and all the children, boys and girls, were allowed to sit around the fire and sing songs, and Carl told them stories. All Peggy could do was listen, and be thankful she was excused. From where she lay she could see the campfire, and so she watched. Sitting by a hot fire didn’t appeal to her at all.

  “May I come in, Peggy?” Gavin called.

  “Yes,” she said.

  Gavin came in and set down a bowl of fruit. “I know you aren’t feeling up to eating much, but you need something to sustain you. Try to eat some of the fruit. Dora said she’d do the salve for you. She’s just cleaning up from supper. How do you feel?”

  “Better. I no longer feel ill, but the burning is coming back. The salve helped, but I’m burning up again.”

  “Shall I apply it again, then?”

  “Yes, please.”

  Gavin knelt down and applied the salve to her arms, neck, face, back and upper chest. He went about it in a very gentle, but business-like way. She was starting to really like Gavin. How could she fear someone who’d been so kind and gentle with her?

  “What happened in your meeting with Rachel and Ethan?” she asked.

  “They denied being together, and both claimed they were using the outhouse. I reminded them about outhouse procedures. You have to tell another chaperone if you leave your kids alone while you use the outhouse.”

  “Do you believe them?”

  “No. I warned them both—one more incident and they’d both be fired. After I dismissed Rachel, I warned Ethan about his behavior. He promised me it wouldn’t happen again.”

  “Does Dora know anyone who can take their places?”

  “She suggested the restaurant dishwasher and a serving woman, but we only have one more day, so I told her to hold off until we see how Ethan and Rachel behave,” he said.

  Peggy nodded. She felt tired.

  “I’ll take care of your girls tonight. Don’t worry about a thing.”

  Peggy watched as Gavin tucked her girls in and bid them all goodnight. The girls all giggled at having the head of the camp tuck them in. “Thank you, Gavin.”

  “I hope you feel better tomorrow,” Gavin said. “Good night.”

  Gavin sat by the fire pit with Carl and Ethan. When Rachel joined them, she sat beside Gavin, rather than Ethan. Ethan then got up, and said goodnight, and went to his tent. Soon after, Carl left, and Gavin had begun to put out the fire, when Rachel touched his shoulder from behind him.

  Gavin swung around.

  “Gavin, I want to apologize.”

  “You’ve already apologized, and I accepted it. There’s nothing more to be said, Rachel.”

  “You have to believe that there is nothing between Ethan and me. I have my reputation to protect. If this gets back to my parents—”

  “I won’t say a word as long as it doesn’t happen again. I don’t care if there’s anything between you and Ethan—just don’t let it affect the camp and the children. You are never to leave them alone.”

  “I had a rush call—“

  “I accepted your apology because it’s the Christian thing to do, but I don’t believe your story for a moment. I’ve been watching you two for the past few days, and it’s obvious there is something going on. He sighed. "One way or the other I don’t care, just keep it out of my camp,” Gavin said sternly.

  “Really.” Rachel said. “That’s interesting, since
my friend, Betty was here last year, and claims you had a bit of a thing with a chaperone that almost disrupted the whole camp,” she said. She rubbed Gavin’s arm seductively. “Could it be the pot is calling the kettle black?”

  “Please remove your hand from my arm.”

  Rachel moved her hand over to his neck and continued to seductively massage him. “I hear you have a thing about being touched. I don’t think you’re as perfect as you claim to be.”

  “You’re fired.” Gavin said. He took a step back to remove himself from her reach.

  “What? You can’t fire me. Who will take my place on such short notice?” she asked.

  “I have someone all lined up. Go get your things together. I want you off the premises, immediately. You’re not the type of person I want around the children, and I hope you pray for forgiveness.”

  “Yeah, I’ll do that,” she snapped, as she stormed off toward her tent.

  Gavin put out the fire. They had only tomorrow and Saturday morning left of their camp week. He needed someone now. Where would he find another person at almost ten at night?

  Peggy came out of her tent and sat beside Gavin as he spread the logs from the campfire to help keep the fire from reigniting.

  “How are you feeling, Peggy?” he asked.

  “I saw that whole thing,” she said. “If you get someone to watch my tent, I’ll get someone to take her place. You did the right thing. What a little hussy!”

  “You didn’t answer my question,” he said as he stared at the fading embers. “How are you feeling?”

  “Better, but still sore.”

  “Who do you have in mind?”

  “Miles.”

  “I could have Carl take over for me, and I’ll see if Miles will come,” he said.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Peggy said. “Even though I saw how well you handled Rachel, I don’t think you should go to their home because of Violet.”