Camp Club Girls Get a Clue!

by Renae Brumbaugh

  “Well, I think we should eat,” said Kate. “It’s time for breakfast, and if we don’t hurry, they’ll start without us. That would be a waste of a perfectly good front-of-the-line pass.”

  “You’re right,” said Bailey. “Is the room ready for inspection? I’d love to win again today.”

  “Yep,” said Sydney. We delivered Biscuit to the golf course and made sure everything was perfect before we started the Internet search.”

  “Hello! Starving girl here, remember?” called Kate. “You all stay here and gab all morning if you want. I’m leaving!”

  The other girls laughed, and then they followed their tiny, hungry roommate to the dining hall.

  During breakfast, Alex brought up the mystery again. “Nancy Drew always says, ‘Drastic times call for drastic measures.’ I think we need to snoop around Mr. Gerhardt’s office.”

  Elizabeth held her fork in midair, deep in thought. “When did Nancy Drew say that?” she asked.

  Alex giggled. “Well, come to think of it, I’m not sure she did say it. But somebody said it, and I agree.”

  “Okay, Miss Hollywood. What do you think we should do? Just waltz into Mr. Gerhardt’s office and snoop through file cabinets and desk drawers?” asked Bailey.

  Alex smiled. “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m suggesting. And I think I may have the perfect plan….”

  The girls leaned together and began making plans, when suddenly Amberlie fell in front of their table, sending scrambled eggs, orange juice, and dishes in every direction. The girl began crying in a loud, dramatic voice, “They tripped me! Those mean girls tripped me!” She pointed at the Camp Club Girls.

  The girls were caught off guard, and when a counselor rushed over to help Amberlie, she looked at the six roommates with a disappointed expression. “Is this true?” she asked.

  “Yes, it’s true. I saw it,” said one of Amberlie’s sidekicks.

  “I saw it, too,” testified another of Amberlie’s friends.

  “I’m not sure which girl it was, but I definitely saw a leg stick out just as Amberlie walked by,” said one of the girls.

  “Yes, and just before that, they were all whispering together, like they were planning something,” said the other girl.

  “I saw that, too,” said the counselor. She turned to the six roommates and asked, “Which one of you tripped Amberlie?”

  The girls just looked at her in stunned silence.

  “Okay then, if none of you will tell the truth, I’ll have to punish all of you.” Then, zoning in on Elizabeth, she said, “I’m disappointed in you. You know we don’t put up with that kind of behavior here.”

  Elizabeth found her voice. “But we didn’t trip her! We were talking about something totally different!”

  The counselor looked at her. “Then tell me what you were talking about.”

  The six girls looked at each other. They certainly couldn’t tell her they were planning to sneak into Mr. Gerhardt’s office and snoop.

  Their silence sent the wrong message. “That’s what I thought,” said the counselor. “All six of you will be on clean-up duty for two days. You can start right now.”

  The girls began gathering their trays as Amberlie and her two buddies stood looking innocent. As the counselor walked away, Amberlie gave the group a smug grin.

  Sleuthing would have to wait. It looked as if the girls would spend every free moment of their next two days in the dining hall.

  After lunch on the second day of their punishment, Elizabeth scrubbed burned goo from the bottom of a pot with furious determination. Her roommates worked around her, talking, laughing, and flicking soapsuds on each other. But Elizabeth worked in silence.

  She was too angry to speak.

  I don’t understand, Lord, she prayed silently. We didn’t do anything, and Amberlie is so awful. Didn’t You say You would not let the guilty go unpunished? So why are we scrubbing pots and mopping floors, when the guilty one is probably out riding horses and having fun right now? It’s not fair. We should be enjoying our camp experience. Instead, we are stuck here.

  Bailey interrupted her thoughts. “Elizabeth? Did you hear me?”

  Elizabeth jerked to attention. “I’m sorry. Were you talking to me?” she asked.

  The other girls laughed. “That pot doesn’t have a chance against you,” McKenzie said. “You’re attacking it like it is your worst enemy.”

  Elizabeth smiled, but inside she still felt mad. She knew she had to forgive Amberlie. But she wasn’t quite ready to do that.

  “They want to hear our song, Beth. I was asking if you’d play for me. C’mon. We need the practice, and it’ll be fun. We are allowed to take breaks, you know.” Bailey spoke with a pleading voice. “Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeaase?” she begged.

  Elizabeth nodded, set down the pot, and wiped her hands on a dish towel. She walked to the piano and sat down.

  Bailey scrambled to get the sheet music out of her backpack then placed it on the music stand. She described her crazy costume to the girls then nodded at Elizabeth to begin.

  Before the song was halfway through, each member of the four-person audience was on the floor in fits of giggles. “That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever seen!” laughed Alex. “I think you two should go to Hollywood for an audition!”

  Sydney held her side; she was laughing so hard she couldn’t speak. Tears streamed down Kate’s cheeks, and McKenzie let out a giggling sound that sounded partially like a monkey and partially like a chicken. The silliness of it all, paired with the girls’ tiredness, made everything funnier. Before long, Elizabeth and Bailey had joined the laughter.

  This was how Miss Rebecca found them. She silently stood in the doorway, and one by one, the Camp Club Girls noticed her. Slowly the laughter died as the girls waited to see what their counselor had to say.

  An amused smile spread across the young woman’s face. “Carry on,” she told them then turned and walked away.

  After a few moments of stunned silence, the silliness continued. After all, Miss Rebecca had told them to carry on. Who were they to disobey a camp counselor?

  After dinner that night, the girls moved slowly, mopping, sweeping, and scrubbing dishes. Bailey stifled a yawn and brushed a wisp of hair out of her eyes. “I am going to sleep well tonight,” she said.

  “I still can’t believe we’ve been stuck working here for two days,” said McKenzie. Then she chuckled. “It has been kind of fun, though.”

  “Yeah, sort of like in those Facts of Life reruns, when Jo, Blaire, Tootie, and Natalie had to paint the dorms,” said Alex. “Or when they had to work in the cafeteria serving line.”

  “Oh, I remember seeing that show. Yeah, I guess we are kind of like those girls,” said Sydney.

  Once again, Elizabeth remained quiet. Yes, she’d enjoyed some fun moments during the two days of clean-up duty. But she was still angry at Amberlie. She would need a little more time to get over this injustice.

  The room fell into a comfortable silence as the tired girls finished their final duties. Suddenly they heard voices from the office next to the dining hall. They didn’t think much of it—counselors came and went from the office all the time. They had a special area there where they could relax away from the campers.

  Then the name Gerhardt caught their attention. They looked at each other then strained to hear the words.

  “Such a shame, really. It has taken over his entire life,” said a high-pitched voice.

  “How much longer until he gets out of prison?” asked a lower female voice.

  “I don’t know. He must be getting close to the end of his time. But Dan is still obsessed with finding new evidence.”

  “Do you think his dad is really innocent?” asked the lower voice.

  “Who knows. But it’s sad. Dan talks to his father every chance he gets. And Tiffany said he gets a letter almost every week postmarked from the prison. She delivers them to his office, and he keeps them all in a desk drawer, tied with brown string.”

/>   “What if his dad is guilty, and Dan’s trying to…”

  “Don’t even say it. I’ve said too much as it is.”

  With that, the distant conversation turned to which flavors of ice cream were stored in the lounge freezer.

  Back at the cabin, the girls practically fell into bed. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this tired!” groaned Bailey.

  “Me neither. But now I won’t be able to sleep. We’ve got to get our hands on those letters!” said Alex.

  “I’m starving.” Kate sighed. “All that work has really built my appetite.”

  Elizabeth reached under her bed. “Well, I have just the cure. I’ve saved these for an emergency. After all we’ve been through, I’d say we’ve earned them.” She pulled out three boxes of Ding Dongs, and the girls suddenly found new energy as they pounced on her bed.

  “You’ve been holding out on us!” chided Kate. “I’m surprised Biscuit didn’t find these.”

  Elizabeth laughed and passed out the treats. “I had them zipped inside two plastic baggies then locked inside my suitcase.”

  Kate sat up suddenly. “Biscuit! We were so tired we forgot him! We can’t leave him there all night!”

  “Kate, don’t you think he’ll be okay? I love the little guy, but I’m sooooo tired!” said Bailey.

  Kate reached for her flashlight and stood. “It’s okay. I’ll get him.”

  “Oh no you don’t,” said Elizabeth and Alex together.

  “You can’t go out there alone at night. I’ll go with you,” said Elizabeth.

  “And this is the perfect time to snoop around Gerhardt’s office. I’m coming, too,” said Alex. “Kate, grab that reader-pen-thingie of yours, the one you showed us on the first day of camp.”

  The other girls looked at Alex as if she’d lost her mind. “Are you kidding?” asked Sydney.

  “No, I’m not. We’re going down there anyway, so why not make the most of it? It’s dark, so no one will see us,” Alex persuaded. “If Gerhardt shows up, well…we’ll just cross that bridge when we come to it.”

  The other girls stared at her. Finally, Kate dug through her backpack. “She’s right. We might as well kill two birds with one stone,” Kate told them.

  Elizabeth spoke up. “We don’t all need to go. That will just increase our chances of getting caught. Sydney, McKenzie, and Bai—” Stopping, she looked at Bailey’s bed. “Look. She’s out like a light.”

  Elizabeth continued. “Sydney and McKenzie, you stay here. My cell phone is in my suitcase, and we’ll take Kate’s cell phone. If we get into trouble, we’ll call.”

  The girls looked at each other with fear and excitement. Finally McKenzie spoke. “Be careful.”

  With a wave, the three girls stepped through the door and into the darkness.

  The howling got louder the closer they got to the golf course. “Well, at least we know he’s okay,” said Alex.

  “Poor little guy. We’ve really neglected him the last couple of days,” said Kate around a mouthful of Ding Dong. “Remind me to bring him an extra sausage in the morning.”

  The little dog pounced on them as they entered the gate. Kate scooped him into her arms. “We’re so sorry, boy. We’ll make it up to you, we promise.”

  Suddenly Biscuit jumped out of her arms and bounded into the darkness. He returned a moment later carrying a golf club in his mouth, and the girls laughed.

  “He likes to play fetch more than any dog I’ve ever known,” said Elizabeth.

  “Well, we’d better get down to business and get out of here. Let’s see if Mr. Gerhardt’s office is unlocked,” said Alex, drawing them back into detective mode.

  Kate shined the light of her cell phone, and the girls tiptoed to the small building that housed the golf clubs, balls, and a small office for the groundskeeper. Rattling the door, they discovered it was locked.

  “Let’s try the window,” Alex suggested. They moved to the side of the building. Biscuit stayed close to their feet, sniffing the area protectively.

  The window was small and high off the ground. Elizabeth, the tallest, pushed on the window pane, and it easily opened.

  “You’re the smallest,” Alex told Kate. “We’ll push you through, and you can look around.”

  “Okay, but you guys are gonna owe me big-time for this,” Kate said. Then, looking straight at Elizabeth, she said, “I’ll take my payment in Ding Dongs.”

  The two taller girls hefted Kate through the window. She landed on the floor with a loud thud. “I’m okay,” she reassured.

  “What do you see?” asked Alex.

  “Nothing,” Kate replied. “You still have my light.”

  “Oh, sorry,” called Elizabeth, standing on her tiptoes. “Here, I’ll drop it down.” She held the phone through the window and released it.

  “Owwww!” came Kate’s voice. “Right on my head!”

  “Sorry!” Elizabeth called out.

  They heard Kate moving inside. “Okay, here is the desk. Now, I just have to—”

  Her voice was cut off by the sound of a truck’s motor. Elizabeth and Alex ducked behind a bush just before two headlights flashed onto the building. The motor died. A door opened and closed. The girls heard footsteps and then keys jangling. They heard a click, a door opening, and then the window lit up as the person inside switched on the light.

  “Prince”

  Kate had just removed the stack of letters from the desk drawer when she heard the truck’s motor then saw a flash of headlights through the window. Thinking quickly, she noticed a small closet in the corner of the room. Clutching the letters, she moved around a couple of large storage boxes, slipped into the closet, and shut the door. Her cell phone light revealed a large pair of men’s boots with a long overcoat hanging above them. A couple of dirty shovels rested in the opposite corner. She stepped into the boots and slid her body into the middle of the coat, hoping to disguise herself in case someone opened the closet door.

  She tried to quiet her breathing and wished she could soften the pounding of her heart. She heard the click of the office door opening then saw light beneath the crack in the closet door. Heavy footsteps were accompanied by whistling… was that a praise song?

  The footsteps came toward the closet, and the door creaked open. Kate held her breath and prayed like she had never prayed before. Please, Jesus, don’t let me die. I’m too young to die.

  Large hands reached into the closet, grabbed the shovels, and then shut the door. She then heard rustling outside the door and assumed the person was searching through the boxes. She heard a scooting sound, and the light from the crack in the door was covered. After more rustling, the footsteps retreated. The light clicked off and she heard the outer door close. Slowly, quietly, she let herself breathe.

  Thank You, God; thank You, God; thank You, God, she prayed. Then she reached for the door handle and pushed. The door wouldn’t budge. Apparently, one of the boxes had been moved in front of the closet door. She was stuck!

  Kate took a deep breath and told herself not to panic. She slid to the floor and pulled out the letters. If she was going to be stuck in a dark closet, she might as well make the most of it.

  Elizabeth reached for Alex’s hand in the dark. Biscuit nuzzled between the two girls, and Alex scooped him up. Neither girl made a sound as they peered through the small shrub. They watched the truck park. The headlights died. They heard the truck door open, then footsteps, accompanied by whistling. Elizabeth recognized the tune—the campers had sung it that afternoon at the worship service.

  The girls heard a door opening. Suddenly light flooded out of the window above them and Alex gasped. Elizabeth held a finger to her lips. The girls remained still as opossums, staring at each other and squeezing hands.

  After what seemed an eternity, the light disappeared, the office door opened and closed again, and the footsteps retreated. The two girls sat, afraid to move. Finally Alex whispered, “What do you think happened to Kate?”

  “I don’t know.
I guess she found a place to hide,” Elizabeth spoke softly. Then she stood to her toes and strained toward the window. “Kate!” she whispered urgently.

  No answer.

  “Kate! Answer me!” Elizabeth urged.

  Still no answer.

  The clouds shifted, casting moonlight on the area. Elizabeth looked at Alex and said, “I’m going in. Help me up.”

  “What? You can’t leave me out here alone!” whispered Alex.

  “I have to. We have to find out if Kate is okay!” Elizabeth answered.

  “Well, let’s both go,” Alex whispered back.

  “We can’t both get in. Besides, one of us needs to stay here in case something happens,” Elizabeth said firmly. “Now help me up. Please.”

  “Okay,” said Alex. “But this is not going like I thought it would.” She clasped her hands and held them down so Elizabeth could use them as a step.

  Struggling, Elizabeth wiggled through the window, landing with a thud on the other side. She stood, rubbed her sore backside, and groped through the dark.

  “Kate!” she called desperately.

  “Elizabeth! Is that you?” Kate’s muffled voice came through the darkness.

  Elizabeth stumbled around the room, feeling the wall, trying to find her friend. “Kate, where are you?” she called.

  “I’m in the closet. Something is in front of the door!” she called out.

  Elizabeth felt around until she located the boxes and the door. It took all of her strength to push aside the large box, but soon the closet door was free. Kate stepped out, and the light of her cell phone cast a soft glow around the room. The girls peeked in the box to see hammers, wrenches, and a pile of oddly shaped metal tools. The girls breathed deep sighs of relief.

  “What ha—”

  “I was so sca—”

  Both girls started whispering at once, and this started them in a series of nervous giggles.

  “I can’t believe this is happening. Did you get the letters?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Yes, but we need to put them back and get out of here. I used my reader pen and recorded about a dozen pages, but it was dark, and I had a hard time seeing the lines. We may end up with a bunch of gibberish, but hopefully we’ll have something we can use,” Kate told her.