by Peggy Dulle
“Leave me alone,” Julie screamed and ran out of the room.
“That’s my control!” Jason bellowed and grabbed it away from another child.
“Why isn’t anyone listening to me?” Matt cried.
I walked over to the videogames and pulled the plug.
“Hey, why’d you do that?” several of the kids barked.
“You’re either going to get along or not play. Which is it? Personally, I don’t care either way.”
Jason handed the controller back to the child he’d taken it from. I plugged it back in and they continued their game.
Then I took Matt’s hand. “You know, sometimes I have the same problems with the kids in my class. They just don’t listen, do they?”
“No.”
“What do you want them to do?”
“They need to get ready for dinner. Dan says it’s time to put on our clown costumes. But they won’t listen to me.”
“Sometimes you need to offer the right incentive. Do you know what that means?”
He grinned. “It’s like a bribe, right?”
“Yeah.”
“What can we use?”
“I think we’re having ice cream sundaes for dessert tonight.”
His eyes lit up. “They’ll like that.”
“Go tell them. I bet they’ll get ready.”
Matt skipped away and I went over to Dan. “Make sure we have ice cream sundaes for dessert tonight, okay?”
“Sure, that’s an easy request.”
Dan left and I watched as Matt went to each child. As soon as he spoke to them, they jumped up and went to change.
I went in search of Julie. She was sitting on her bench crying. “Can I join you?”
She looked up. “Sure.”
“What’s going on?”
“Those stupid girls. They said that I’m not old enough to go on the trapeze.”
“How old are you?”
“Twelve.”
“That seems old enough to me.”
She smiled. “Do you think so?”
“Yes and I’m the Boss around here, right?”
“Yeah.” She nodded her head and wiped the tears from her eyes.
“Why don’t you get dressed for dinner and I’ll make sure we have a session on the trapeze tomorrow.”
She hugged me. “Thanks.”
I went to Henry. “I’m going to go shower and change. I’ll be back in about thirty minutes.”
“Okay. It will take us that long to get all these kids ready to go.”
“Do you want me to stay and help?”
“No, I can handle it.” He glanced around and then looked back at me. “I think.”
I went back to my room. Tina was already dressed and dancing around the room. “Hey Liza.”
“You look like you feel better.”
“Yeah, tonight will be the bomb!”
“They’re all the same to me.”
“Oh, no. Tonight will be different.”
I sat down on my bed. “How is tonight different?”
“It’s just more intense and more free. It’s the best night at camp.” She nodded and smiled, looking like that bobble-head doll that Todd had seen on the dashboard of the kidnapper’s van.
Great, that’s just what I need. A wilder night meant more drugs. The kids didn’t need to be exposed to them; they’re zombies by the end of the night. I nodded at Tina, got in the shower and quickly changed into my clown suit. Maybe the kids could eat in the dorm tonight. Fifteen minutes later, I was dressed and ready to go. I didn’t even bother to talk to Tina, just waved and rushed back to the kids. The dorm was empty. Where were they?
I found them in the dining hall already eating. Dan and Henry were serving them.
“Why are the kids here already?”
“I’m sorry, I forgot to tell you. Actually, I totally forgot myself until I got a call from Carl. The kids eat early on the third night. We bring videos and lots of popcorn and snacks into the dorm and the kids spend the night there. We get to party tonight.”
“Who watches the kids?”
“They have a couple of older teenagers who come in and take care of them. One of them is the McGowan’s daughter, Lori. She’s great with the kids.”
Perfect. The kids avoid the drugs and I get to talk with Lori. This night was turning out to be perfect. I sat with the kids and had a cheeseburger. Dan was true to his word. We had ice cream sundaes for dessert. The kids finished quickly. I think it was the promise of the latest videos that drove them back to the dorms.
I lined the kids up and started them back to the dorm. Carl stopped me at the door. “We’ll take it from here, Liza.”
“I don’t mind walking them back.”
“No, this night is for the adults.” He grinned and winked at me. “That’s why we take the kids back early and get babysitters.”
“A few of them are still having adjustment issues. It would be better if I go with them.”
“No. We’ll take them back. If we need you, we’ll come back and get you. Now go and enjoy yourself.”
Carl left with the kids and I wandered back into the auditorium. The rest of the participants were starting to arrive. I got a couple of waters and drank them. I’d already eaten with the kids, so I wasn’t hungry. I wandered around while the others ate. Everyone seemed fine, talking and enjoying the food and company.
After dinner, the lights dimmed. I put on my mask. Carl made his usual spectacular entrance down the rope. The music pounded and the clowns took off their masks and danced with the participants.
I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Henry. “Hey, Boss.”
“Hi Henry.”
He pulled my mask off. “Hey, we don’t wear these tonight.”
I felt the difference in the air immediately. “Hey!” I tried to put it on again.
He giggled. I’d never heard him do that before. Then he ran off with my mask. So much for avoiding the drugs in the gas. I went over and drank another water. I felt another tap. It was Beverly.
“Hi, Liza. Are you having a good time?”
“Of course. As always.”
She handed me a shot glass full of a purple liquid.
“What’s this?”
“Clown juice.”
I tried to hand it back to her. “No thanks. I’m doing fine.”
She pushed it back toward me. “It’s just a vitamin mixture to replenish any you might have lost by all the activities this week. It’s harmless.”
“Vitamins and my stomach don’t agree with each other. I’ll just end up throwing it up.”
She pushed it toward me again. “Drink it anyway.”
I immediately put the glass to my lips. It was a command not a request. And I’d inhaled enough drugged air to respond without thinking. I downed the liquid and Beverly left. “I’ll be back with more, later.”
My mind was swimming but I knew enough to get the crap I’d just swallowed out of my system. I went to bathroom, put my finger down my throat and heaved! Throwing up wasn’t something I did well. In fact, even when I was sick I’d fight it. I’d never make a good bulimic. It took a few times but eventually my cheeseburger and some of the purple liquid came back up. Not enough to make me feel sober but hopefully enough to keep me from doing something I’d regret later.
Back in the auditorium, it was chaos. The dancing was more suggestive and there were several couples kissing and groping each other on the mats. The swirling colors of the clown costumes were moving. How is that possible? I knew it was the drugs, but couldn’t get them to stop. Watching the orgy that surrounded me made me think of Tom. I wonder what he was doing. He looked so good in his police uniform, better than these stupid clown suits. Maybe I’d give him a call.
I slipped out of the auditorium and retrieved my cell phone from my room. Two seconds later I was on the roof and dialing his number.
“Hello?” he said, sounding groggy.
“Hello, love.” I replied and then giggled. I
never giggled, but I couldn’t stop myself.
“Liza?”
“It’s me!”
“What’s the matter with you?”
“Nothing. I just miss you.”
“I miss you too but you don’t sound right.”
“What are you wearing?”
“Now I know something’s wrong.”
“Do you have on your cute policeman’s uniform?”
“It’s after midnight, Liza. I’m in bed.”
“Oh. Taking it off would be so much fun. I love a man – in and out – of a uniform. And you have those cool handcuffs, too. There are so many things we could do with them, love.” I giggled again.
“Okay, that’s enough!”
“Don’t yell at me. I don’t like people yelling at me.”
“Are you listening to me, Liza?”
“No, I’m not.” I put my fingers in my ear. “La, la, la, la.”
“Liza.”
“Yes, love.”
“Repeat after me.”
“Repeat after me.” I chuckled.
“Go to your room.”
“I’d love to go to your room, love, but you’re too far away.”
“Liza.” His tone was stern and loud.
“I should go to my room.”
“Make a full pot of coffee.”
“I hate coffee.” I grimaced.
“Liza.”
“I will make a pot of coffee.”
“After I drink the entire pot I will call Tom back.”
“I’ll drink the damn coffee and call you back.”
“Repeat it all.”
“I will go to my room. Make a pot of coffee and drink it. Then I will call you back.”
“Repeat it again.”
I said it again. He made me say it three more times, each time I sounded more monotone. Then I walked to my room, made a pot of hot coffee and drank it. It wasn’t a very big pot; it only made two cups of coffee. At the end of the first pot, my head slowed down. I made another pot. After the third pot, I needed to use the bathroom and my head was finally clear. I was supposed to do something when my head was clear. What was it?
The commands went around and around in my head. I needed to call Tom back. I changed out of the clown suit, took a cold shower and put on a black sweat suit. Then I went back to the roof.
“Tom Owens.” He sounded awake and alert.
“Hi, Tom.”
“Are you okay?”
“I think so,” I said with a shrug.
“Are you sure?” He insisted.
“Yes. I’m fine.”
“You scared me,” he said softly.
“I’m sorry.”
“Although I did like the thought of you taking off my police uniform.”
“Oh my.” My face felt flush.
“Don’t remember saying it?”
I hesitated and then answered truthfully. “No.”
“Not the handcuff comment either?” he teased.
“No, I don’t remember anything past walking to my room and getting my phone. I vaguely recall wanting to call you and that’s it.”
“How was the coffee?”
“It wasn’t bad. After the third pot, it grows on you.”
“You sound like your old self again.”
“It sounds like I was more fun when I called before.”
“No, that wasn’t you. I like the ‘real’ you, not the drug induced you. How the hell did they slip you the drugs?”
“They just handed them to me.”
“And you took them?”
“I didn’t have a choice. They said drink and I drank. It’s that mind-controlling thing.”
“I noticed that, too. By the time I had you repeat what I wanted you to do, you sounded strange, kind of like a zombie.”
“You used mind-controlling techniques on me?” I snapped.
“Now, don’t get mad. It worked, didn’t it?”
“Yeah, I guess so. Just don’t ever do it again.”
“You stay away from the mind-controlling drugs and I’ll stay away from the mind-controlling commands.”
“You’ve got a deal, Tom.”
“I liked it when you called me ‘love’, better.”
“You may have to wait a little while to hear that again.”
“I’m good at waiting.”
“Goodnight, Tom.”
“Goodnight, honey.”
I closed my phone. It was too late to go to the dorms and talk to Lori. Maybe I’d go over to the main building and see if I could get into their computer system. Tom said he needed more physical evidence. At least all of the clowns should be drugged up and partying, I hoped.
Chapter 19
I stopped at my room and retrieved my blue badge. It might come in handy if there was anyone on duty. The place seemed eerily quiet. The auditorium was dark. The only noise I heard was laughter coming from the small cabins. I’m sure the video cameras were operational and running at full speed.
The door to the building was unlocked. They were a trusting lot, weren’t they? Good for me, bad for them. The only office I knew the location for was Carl’s, so that’s where I went. His computer system looked almost as old as the ones we have at the school. You’d think the pornography business would have better technology.
I pushed the button and the system came on immediately. It all looked foreign to me. I didn’t know which programs to go into. Carl’s phone wouldn’t be bugged, would it? I decided to chance it. I dialed Justin’s number.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Justin.”
“Teach, do you know what time it is?”
“Yeah, I know. I need some computer help.”
“How’s clown camp?”
“It’s a very interesting place.”
“I can’t wait to hear all about it when you get home.”
“How’s my dog?”
“Shelby’s fine. What’s up?”
“I’m sitting in front of a computer and I don’t know what to do.”
He chuckled. “Is it on?”
“Yes. I can do that much without your help.”
“Okay. What do you want to do?”
“Can I copy the files?”
“Does it have a CD burner?”
“A what?”
“Never mind. Do you have a disk?”
“No.”
“Okay, let’s try this. Does it have a little ‘e’ for the Internet?”
“Yes, I can see that.”
“Good. Go into the Internet and then into your personal email system. You know, the way you do it at work.”
“I know how to do that, Justin.”
“That’s because I taught you how, Teach. Did you ever change your password like I told you?”
“No.”
“Teach, having a password that’s the word, ‘password’, is not very smart. Anyone can hijack your system and send emails through your account.”
“Let’s not talk about that now. Okay, I’m into my email system.”
“Just send an email to yourself. Attach the files like I showed you when you were doing that math project for the district.”
“Oh, I can do that. Thanks Justin.”
“You’re welcome.”
I hung up the phone and started sending every file I could find on his desktop. Tom could sort them out later. Their system was slower than the one at school or the files were huge. I had no clue but I just kept waiting.
Twenty minutes later, I was still watching the files download. I got up and looked at the pictures of Lori. There weren’t any of her before the age of five or six — The same age that Jessie was when she was kidnapped. That was too much of a coincidence. First thing in the morning, I’d go over and talk to Lori. She must have some recollection of her life before being adopted. I wondered what she remembers.
I heard the footsteps and rushed over to the computer. It was still trying to attach all of the files. I should have done them one at a time, but what did I know a
bout computers?
Whoever it was, was getting closer. There was no place to hide. If I got under the desk and the person sat down, they’d see me. The rest of the furniture was solid, no place underneath or behind.
The footsteps stopped. The door handle turned and the door opened a few inches. Then another set of steps.
“I can’t find her.” It sounded like Carl.
“I thought I could trust her.” That was definitely Beverly.
“And you don’t trust easy, my dear. Usually you’re right.”
“But maybe not this time.”
“I checked her room and all of the cabins. She’s not anywhere in the camp.”
“Then she’s probably up to no good.”
“Yeah, like that episode with the water guns.”
“The kids did enjoy it.”
“Sure but it’s going to cost me over fifty thousand dollars get all the cameras fixed. And they can’t do it until the camp is closed. That means we lose another day of pictures. That’s going to cost us even more.”
“I know, Carl.”
“When I find her, do you want me to take care of her?”
“Maybe.”
“I’ll do it and you cover it up. Just like always. We make a good team.”
“We always have, dear.”
Then silence. It sounded like they were kissing. The door closed and they were gone. There was no doubt who they were talking about. Where could I say I went that they’d believe?
I returned to the computer. It was finally finished attaching the files. After sending the email, I shut down the computer and left. As I was walking back to my room, I kept hearing footsteps, looking over my shoulder and expecting Carl in a clown suit, with a knife. When I got to the kid’s dorm I went in. I might as well check on them one more time before they throw me out of clown camp or worse. The whole place was quiet, except for the faint sound of a television set. I walked toward the sound.
I heard laughter, and then muffled sound, like someone had put their hand over their mouth. Trying to keep it quiet? It must be Lori and her friends.
I was wrong. It was just one girl. She had long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. She didn’t look like the pictures I’d seen of Lori. “Hello?”
She looked up and smiled. “Hi.”
“Are you one of the babysitters?”
“Yeah, my name is Terri.”
I stuck out my hand. “Mine’s Liza.”