Blindsided

by Fern Michaels

  It was pure, unadulterated chaos at the boot camp, with wall-to-wall kids. There were a dozen big yellow buses spread out along the road to the camp. The kids were yelling and screaming and running all over the place despite the counselors and teachers blowing their shrill whistles for order. And the weather was not cooperating. It was cold, gray, and foggy. A light drizzle was starting to fall. Wet leaves swirled and twirled in wild gusts of wind. The scent from the forest of evergreens vied with the cooking smoke from all the campfires. “It smells like Christmas,” Ted said through quivering lips. “Damn, I hope it warms up soon. We’re all going to get pneumonia.”

  “That’s not going to happen,” Maggie said as she stomped her booted feet, trying to keep her circulation working. “Would you look at those two judges in their designer suits and high heels! Look lively, boys. Here comes the governor and his people. Espinosa, do your thing. Dennis, mingle with the kids and spread the word. Discreetly, Dennis. Do you hear me? Don’t tip our hand. If you screw this up, I will personally rip your skin off.”

  “She means it, kid,” Ted said.

  Dennis shivered. “Gotcha,” he said, moving off in his quest to find the older boys Espinosa had alerted the last time they were at the camps. He looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was paying attention to him. No one was. Ted, Maggie, and Espinosa were clustered around the governor and the twin judges. Even though he knew the judges were freezing, they still managed to look chipper. Chipper? The governor looked grim, but at least he was dressed warmly. His aides were busy talking to the four commandants and some of the supervisors. He couldn’t help but wonder if any of them had a clue as to what was about to happen. There was stupid, and then there was stoopid.

  Celeste wondered what the temperature was there in the forest. She couldn’t remember ever being so cold. She decided to take the initiative. “Governor, would you mind if we went indoors? I’m sure we could all use some hot coffee.”

  “Nonsense! You’re here to see that these kids have a good time today. After all, you put these youngsters here. I’m just sorry I can’t stay myself. I was a Boy Scout back in the day, you know. There’s a governor’s conference today that the president is hosting at the White House, and we certainly can’t be late. I promised these reporters a photo op, and that’s what they’re going to get. I expect both of you to stay until the jamboree is over at four. Now, let’s all smile pretty for the cameras. I’d like to get some shots with some of the kids. And, of course, hear what they have to say about their respective camps. Smile, Your Honor!”

  Celeste knew in that moment that she was capable of killing. She plastered a sickly smile onto her face, as did Eunice, when a gaggle of boys was brought forward. Maggie jumped right in and started asking questions as Espinosa clicked his camera. Dennis was in the gaggle and appeared to be whispering to some of the boys. Ted shouted questions at the judges, who ignored him.

  Suddenly, it all went quiet when Maggie asked a tall, thin boy how he liked boot camp and how much longer he had to go. The boy, who said his name was Jeff, said he was thirteen and he hated the boot camp. He said he had six more months to go before he could go home. “What did you do to be sent here?” Maggie asked.

  “I beat up a boy who was bullying me on the playground at school. My dad said I could only hit him if he hit me first. He hit me, and I hit him back. Everyone started to fight, and they said I was the ringleader and I got expelled and had to go to court. That lady said I had to come here.” He pointed to Eunice, who glared at him with hate-filled eyes.

  “What happened to the rest of the kids? Are they here?”

  “Some of them. Those same boys beat me up here, too, and I had to go to the Hut. We aren’t allowed to talk about the Hut.”

  At the mention of the Hut, pandemonium broke loose, a ruckus that the counselors couldn’t contain. The youngsters, most of them with tears running down their cheeks, surged forward. The twin judges ran for their lives as Espinosa moved like lightning, snapping pictures that would cover the front page of the Post’s next edition.

  “Governor, a comment, please?” Ted demanded.

  The governor threw his hands in the air. “I’m sorry I can’t stay to sort this out, but the state will not be renewing the contracts on this facility or the other three camps. I was going to serve notice on the judges, but as you can see, they skedaddled. Call my office if you need further comment. I’m late now and, as much as I hate to leave, I must. The president is expecting me, and one does not ever keep the president waiting.”

  The reporters gaped at the governor as he and his entourage climbed into their caravan of SUVs. They continued gaping until the SUVs were out of sight. There was no sign of Celeste or Eunice Ciprani.

  The reporters looked at one another, then at the kids, who were shrieking and hollering at the top of their lungs. Ted lunged toward one of the counselors and ripped the whistle that was around his neck. He blew it until his face turned red, but finally, the kids quieted down just as Avery Snowden’s men showed up. Horns blasted as men barreled out of the long, dark vans. Avery himself marched forward and held up his hand until even the sobs and murmurings turned silent. A contingent of his men rounded up the commandants, counselors, and teachers and told them to stand down.

  “Okay, kids, you’re going home today! You’ll all be transported back to Baywater, where your parents will be waiting for you. Some very good, kind people have been on the phones all night long calling your parents. The camps are going to be shut down. So, for those of you who have been staying at this camp, get your things together. I’m sorry that the rest of you won’t be able to take your personal belongings, but we’ll make up to you for what you leave behind. You all know which buses you came on, so get aboard now, and as soon as everyone is checked off on our roster, you’ll be on your way home.”

  Shouts of pure happiness rang in the air as the kids made a mad scramble to do as ordered.

  “Who the hell are you people? What gives you the right to do this?” shouted one of the commandants.

  “Do you really want to know, big mouth? No! I thought so. Consider yourself lucky that you aren’t going to jail. I’m giving you ten minutes to get your gear and clear out. This camp is being shut down as of now. If any of you are expecting a paycheck or bonus, get that thought out of your mind right now. Ten minutes! Go! And leave the firearms behind,” Avery shouted.

  Espinosa’s last shot was of the commandants and counselors running like rabbits to gather their belongings.

  “You guys can leave,” Avery said to the reporters. “We have orders to shut this place down, turn off everything, and lock it up tight for the new owner, who I have been told was someone named Peter Ciprani.”

  “Were you able to reach all the parents?” Maggie asked.

  “Believe it or not, we were. Baywater will never be the same again once they all descend on the town. We did a good thing here. A real good thing.”

  Dennis West was beside himself as he helped usher the kids onto their respective buses. Maggie felt her eyes tear up when she saw some of the younger boys hug him and cling to him. He took his time with each one, grinning from ear to ear.

  Maggie tapped Ted on the shoulder. “You do know this is his story, right? Without Dennis, these kids wouldn’t be going home.”

  “I know, Maggie. He’s got what it takes. We’ll nurse him along for a little while until he’s ready to spread his wings. I don’t have one bit of trouble giving him the byline.”

  “Me either,” Espinosa said.

  “Then it’s unanimous,” Maggie said. “I think our job here is done.” She dusted her hands dramatically to prove her point.

  “I want to stay until the last bus rolls out of here. I need to get it all on film,” Espinosa said. “I want the readers to see it all. Then I want to get back to Baywater before the buses so I can capture the arrival with all the parents.”

  And that’s what they did; they stood huddled together as one bus after another rolled down
the road, horns blaring, kids shouting and waving.

  Dennis swiped at his eyes when the last bus started toward Baywater.

  “You did good, kid. We took a vote, and the story is yours. You get the byline.”

  Dennis West fainted, a smile on his face.

  Four hours later, the streets of Baywater were lined with anxious parents as they waited for the buses bringing their children home. The excitement stopped just short of being a carnival atmosphere. The four reporters from the Post moved through the crowd, explaining that before the month was over, the families would all be compensated financially. There were no smiles, no delirious exclamations of approval, or, as one mother put it, “Like money is going to make this right. It is not going to give my son and my family the time that was stolen from us.”

  A sound so loud, so thunderous, shook the air as the long line of buses rumbled down the main street, blocking traffic. A group of Avery Snowden’s men climbed out of the first bus with clipboards in hand. They called out name after name as the kids ran to their parents. Espinosa captured it all: the tears, the smothering hugs, the grateful look of the parents as they looked around, wanting to thank someone before they hurried off to their homes, where they could all be a family again.

  Two hours later, the buses were gone, as were the families, and only the four reporters were left standing in the rain. It was hard to tell if the beads of moisture on their faces were tears or raindrops.

  Soaking wet, chilled to the bone, they walked off, arms linked, to go back to the Harbor Inn, knowing they’d successfully completed a very small miracle for the families of Baywater and the surrounding area.

  Chapter 26

  Myra woke, unsure what it was that awakened her. She lay quietly, listening to a strange sound she couldn’t quite identify. She looked over at her small travel clock with the bright red numbers. It was two o’clock. She blinked. Whatever the sound was, it was coming from the sitting room off the little compact kitchen in the suite of rooms. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, tiptoed to the door, and peered out into the sitting room. She was stunned to see Marti curled up on the sofa crying into a wad of tissues. She rushed to her and took the ex-president in her arms. “What is it, dear? What’s wrong? Tell me so I can help.”

  Marti swiped at her eyes and squeezed Myra’s arm. “It’s Peter. We were downstairs in the bar. He collapsed, and Avery called 911. He’s at the local hospital. Actually, it’s more like a fully staffed clinic, is what Avery told me. They only have ten rooms, and it’s more for emergencies than anything else. They wouldn’t let me go with them. For my own good, they said. How can that be for my own good, Myra? The minute I met Peter, something happened to me. He said he felt the same way. It’s like we were . . . meant to meet, to begin new lives with each other. I . . . as you know, I haven’t exactly made wise choices when it came to the men in my life but this . . . this was so different, I instinctively knew it was right.”

  “Give me a few minutes to get dressed, and I will drive you to the hospital. Who cares what they said about it’s being for your own good or not.”

  “Myra, it’s the middle of the night!”

  “What difference does that make? You’re the president! The waters will part if you show up at the hospital. I personally guarantee no one will turn you away.”

  “Ex-president, Myra.”

  Myra waved off her words with a wave of her hand. “Five minutes!”

  Back in her room, Annie was sitting on the side of the bed grumbling about the time and asked what was going on. Myra briefed her as she pulled on her clothes.

  “And you were going without me? I-don’t-think-so.” She hustled out of bed and was dressed before Myra.

  “Well, hurry up then,” Myra said as she bent over to tie the laces of her sneakers.

  When both women appeared in the sitting room, Marti broke out in fresh tears. Arm in arm, the three women walked out of the suite and took the stairs to the ground level, where they climbed into Myra’s car. They made the short trip to the local hospital within minutes.

  Other than coping with the stunned surprise of the guard at the door, the women had no problem taking the elevator to the second floor, where Peter was in a private room. The night nurse blinked, did a double take, and did everything but curtsy when the president walked up to the desk to ask about Peter and whether it was possible to see him.

  “He’s resting, and we hydrated him when he was first brought in. He bounced back within an hour, but the doctor on call wanted him to stay overnight. He was in touch with Mr. Ciprani’s doctors at Georgetown. The bottom line is he overdid it yesterday and admitted it. You can go in, Madam President. You other ladies will have to wait in the lounge. Will that work for you?”

  “Can I stay?” Marti asked.

  “Yes. I see no reason why you can’t. Anything that will help the patient is what we’re about.”

  Marti whirled around. “Do you mind?”

  “Of course not, dear. Call us when you’re ready to come back to the Inn. Someone will come to pick you and Peter up if they discharge him in the morning.”

  If Marti heard, she gave no indication, as she was already running down the hall to Peter’s room.

  Annie looked at Myra. Myra looked at Annie.

  “This is just a wild thought, Annie, but I think we just lost one of our members.”

  Annie smiled. “I think you’re right, Myra. We’ll manage.”

  “I hope it all works out for the two of them. From what I observed, I think Marti and Peter are meant for each other.”

  “I’m hungry. There’s an all-night diner down at the end of Main Street. What say we go get some greasy bacon and eggs, cold toast, and bad coffee?”

  “Why not? We certainly aren’t going to go back to bed.”

  Both women were incredulous when their early-morning breakfast arrived. The bacon was crisp, just the way Charles made it. The eggs were fluffy and tasty, the toast was piping hot, and the coffee was fresh roast and delicious. They wolfed it down and grinned at one another. Annie shrugged. “Who knew?” she quipped.

  “Be sure to tip well, Annie.”

  “You’re kidding, right? I didn’t bring my handbag. I don’t have any money on me.”

  “Oh, good Lord. I didn’t bring mine either. I didn’t even bring my cell phone. Did you bring yours?”

  “Nope. What are we going to do, Myra?” Annie asked anxiously.

  “Guess we have to ask to use the phone and call Maggie to come and pay our bill. Unless you have a better idea.”

  Annie sighed with relief. “That works. Do it, Myra. Ask for a refill on the coffee while you’re at it.”

  “Why do I always get the ratty detail, Annie?”

  “Because you’re the one that woke me up.”

  “Oh.”

  As Maggie Spitzer’s credit card was being processed at the diner, Eunice and Celeste Ciprani were standing in their state-of-the-art kitchen, having decided not to drive to the nation’s capital after the debacle at the work camp.

  “I don’t know if I’m going to miss this place or not,” Eunice said. “Probably not. I wonder what will happen to it since we paid it off two years ago. Will Peter claim it, do you think?”

  “That really is a stupid question, Nessie. Of course he’ll claim it. We bought it with his money, so he’ll feel justified in claiming it. Now, one last time, do a walk-through to make sure you have everything you want or need.”

  “I did that three times already, Cee.”

  “Well, do it one more time. Then we are out of here. Two hours to Waterton, we pick up the truck, and we’ll be in New York by noon if the truck doesn’t break down. Move, Nessie!”

  Huffing and puffing, Nessie marched to her bathroom, checked out the medicine cabinet for the fourth time, and looked under the vanity. There was nothing she wanted or needed. In her bedroom, she looked inside her walk-in closet. Her eyes immediately went to the two shelves that held her pricey Chanel handbags. Sh
e wanted to cry since she was leaving them behind. Twenty-three in total at over three to five grand a pop, so she was leaving behind a small fortune. She loved those bags, she really did. Her gaze dropped to her shoe racks. Another small fortune left behind. Damn, she’d just bought those Louboutin shoes, too. Her Jimmy Choo shoes glared at her, all thirteen pairs of them in every color of the rainbow. She squeezed her eyes shut so she wouldn’t cry.

  “Are you having a wake in there or what?” Celeste shouted. “It’s time to go, Nessie! It’s going to be light out soon. I told you I want to drive in the dark. Are you listening to me, Nessie?”

  “The whole complex can hear you, for God’s sake. I’m ready, and no, I did not forget anything. Don’t set the alarm.”

  “I didn’t plan on setting it. I’m ready if you are. All the lights are off. There’s nothing in the fridge but wine, bottled water, and a few bottles of diet soda, but I left all the appliances turned on. In case anyone decides to come here to check on things.”

  The air in the garage was cold, and Nessie shivered. “I feel sad, Cee. Say something nice so I don’t feel so bad,” she said, dumping her two bags into the trunk of her sister’s car.

  “We’re taking the first step into our new lives, Nessie. By this time tomorrow, the sun will be shining, and we’ll be in some Tiki bar having colored drinks with little umbrellas and toasting each other. Is that good enough for you? If it is, get your ass in the car so we can get out of here.”

  “Sometimes, I actually hate you, Cee. This is one of those times.”

  Celeste ignored her twin as she turned on the engine and backed her car out of the parking space.