Camping Caper

by Madison Johns

  The woman looked puzzled. “Well I don't know, but I'll go ask.”

  While we waited for the woman to return I looked around. Two women stood in a corner with a clipboard. They were reading something or possibly looking over the duties for the day. I approached them.

  I cleared my throat. “Excuse me ladies, do you work here?”

  “How can we help you?” the petite one of the pair asked.

  “I was just wondering if you happened to see a woman with her right arm in a sling?”

  “I don't recall seeing anyone that fits that description,” the second woman said.

  Mrs. Tuttle came from the rear, motioning us to the opposite side of the room. “Can I help you, Agnes?”

  “I hope so. We seem to be missing the leader of our troop. Peggy Hughes never came back to our campground last night.”

  Tuttle’s face grew dark. “You can't be serious. Leaders just don't disappear at this camp.”

  “I should hope not. Where else would she be?”

  “I’m not certain who Peggy is.”

  “You're not certain who Peggy is? She’s been a leader for quite a few years now.”

  “Unless you haven't been here very long, Tuttle,” Eleanor said. “I’d expect you to take this seriously. After all, if a leader goes missing how safe are the young scouts?”

  “Let's calm down now. Before we create a panic I think it might be good if we conduct a thorough search.”

  “Now we're getting somewhere,” I sighed. “That's all I wanted. I wouldn’t be as worried if she wasn’t injured.”

  “Injured how?”

  “She took a spill in Tawas. A car almost ran her down.”

  “Fortunately, she was pulled out of the way just in the nick of time,” Eleanor added.

  “If you could, please describe her injuries.”

  “She has a bandage on her brow and her right arm is in a sling. Are you certain you don't know Peggy?”

  You know how it is when women get to be our age. We can be quite forgetful at times. It's not as if I visit the troops regularly.”

  “I would think the president of the Bonfire Girls would have at least met with all the leaders.”

  “Well I’m sorry I haven’t. I don't understand why you're grilling me like this.”

  “The girls are quite upset that their leader hasn't shown up. She left on a golf cart last night. I believe she came to the cabin for the meal that was being prepared for the leaders.”

  “I see, but unfortunately I was unable to make it last night. I must've eaten something bad yesterday, because I was sick all night,” Tuttle explained.

  That was convenient, I thought, but said nothing. I didn't want Tuttle to feel any more on the hot seat than she already was. I needed her to cooperate in a search for Peggy. I couldn't forget the conversation I overheard yesterday.

  “Would it be possible to begin a search now?” I asked.

  “Well the scouts have activities today,” Tuttle stalled.

  “What possible harm could there be in visiting each of the camps to ask if anyone has seen Peggy?” Eleanor asked.

  “You can if you like, but I don't have time today. I'm far too busy making sure the kitchen is fully staffed. Feeding one hundred girls seems like an easy task, but it's not.”

  “Certainly you must have some plan of action if someone in the camp goes missing.”

  “Here's what I can do. I'll have all the extra women in the kitchen go to the campsites and see if … what’s her name again?”

  “Peggy Hughes,” Eleanor shouted.

  “Very well. You can be assured that a thorough search will be made. You can go back to your troop and help them organize for their activities today. I'll be sure to touch base with you later.”

  “Thank you.”

  I followed Eleanor as she stomped out the door. “I can't believe the president of the Bonfire Girls isn't concerned that a troop leader has disappeared,” Eleanor huffed.

  “I know. Now I'm wondering if it has anything to do with that man I heard Tuttle talking to last night. Did Peggy somehow get in the way?”

  “So what are our plans now?”

  “I plan to ask Moraine to use her cell phone.”

  “Why don't you just ask Martha to give your phone back?” Eleanor asked.

  “I hate to have Martha go back on one of her rules. She said no electronics.”

  “That hardly makes any sense. What if there is an emergency?”

  “I suppose it better not happen with Tuttle in charge.”

  We arrived back at the campground where Elsie and Marjorie’s eyes widened in shock. I had a chuckle to myself. I knew Marjorie well enough to know that she was quite jealous I was driving the golf cart.

  “If you're driving the golf cart that must mean there's a golf course nearby,” Marjorie gushed. “This is an even better campground than I thought.”

  “I hate to burst your bubble,” Eleanor began, “but there’s no golf course here.”

  “No need to be rude,” Elsie said quietly. “You know how Marjorie is about golfing.”

  “I know, and we didn’t mean to laugh. Besides we have a problem,” I said. “It appears our leader, Peggy, is long gone.”

  “Long gone how?” Rosa Lee asked as she joined us.

  “Disappeared ... missing ... gone in the night ... not here ... don't know where she is,” Eleanor exclaimed.

  Fortunately Eleanor ran out of breath. “We went to the main cabin to look for her,” I said. “But she wasn't there, and the president of the Bonfire Girls wasn't even concerned. She told us she’d sent some of the kitchen girls to look for Peggy, but I have my doubts. She didn’t seem too worried that Peggy never came back to camp last night. Tuttle claimed she wasn’t even sure who Peggy was.”

  “She doesn't know who she is?” Rosa Lee asked. “Now that’s one dumb woman. Why doesn't she know all the leaders? Isn't she supposed to be in charge?”

  “I’m as confused as you, Rosa Lee. I just don't know what else we can do but sit here and wait. Do you know where Martha is?”

  “She took the girls on a hike,” Marjorie said. “We could go in the golf cart to find her.”

  “That sounds like a great idea,” Eleanor said. “Let's go, Agnes.”

  I gave our friends a quick wave before we left. They didn't look all that happy that they couldn’t go along, but Eleanor and I work alone — most of the time anyway — and the golf cart accommodated only two.

  “Are we going the right way?” Eleanor asked as I made my turn.

  “I have no idea, but we saw scouts earlier going in this direction.”

  “Yes, but I’d think Martha would be leading the girls off the beaten path. Otherwise it’s not much of a nature hike. I wonder why Rosa Lee didn’t go. Remember, she’s an expert on plants.” After a brief pause Eleanor continued,

  “I only hope that Peggy turns up safe. Do you think she might have wandered away with Oliver? After all, he did save her life.”

  “Meaning what?”

  “You know how it can be. Boy saves girl, girl falls for boy.”

  “Peggy is hardly a girl, but I get your point. I wish Martha hadn’t left with the girls. We really need our phones back.”

  “Actually that was my idea,” Eleanor reminded me.

  “Point taken. I had hoped to contact Stuart and ask him if Oliver is also missing.”

  “We also don’t know who picked Peggy up last night,” Eleanor said. “I have a hard time believing she left on her own with her arm in a sling.”

  “I know. I had really hoped nothing bad would happen while we were here. I can’t imagine how Tuttle will handle it. She certainly hasn’t been cooperative.”

  “Maybe she’d up her game if something untoward happened to Peggy,” Eleanor suggested.

  “I hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  I braked hard as girls raced toward us screaming. I had to swallow the lump in my throat. This couldn’t be good at all.

&nbs
p; I hopped out and tried to flag down someone … anyone who could tell me what they were running from.

  Eleanor grabbed the arm of an adult and asked, “What are you running from?”

  “Th-there’s been an accident … through the woods there.”

  I nodded and Eleanor hopped back into the cart. We raced to the scene of the accident, praying that it didn’t have anything to do with Peggy. We had to park alongside the trail because the trees grew too closely in this area to allow us to continue in the cart. All I could feel was dread as we crested the hill and saw at its bottom the wreckage of an all-terrain vehicle and the body of a woman.

  I slowly made my way down the hill as Eleanor called out, “We shouldn’t be doing this.”

  “I know, but that woman might need help. Wouldn’t you like to know if it’s Peggy?”

  I didn’t have to walk too close to the body before I recognized that it was indeed Peggy Hughes. I sighed and glanced around. Peggy was missing her sling and bandage. Had she lost both during the plummet?

  Eleanor finally made it down the hill and gasped. “Oh no! I had hoped that Peggy wouldn’t meet an unfortunate end. What will we do now?”

  “I suppose that’s up to Mrs. Tuttle. I can’t help but wonder how she’ll react now.”

  “Mother, are you okay?” Martha shouted from the top of the hill.

  I waved my hand to acknowledge I had heard her. I took a good look at the smashed ATV. “It looks like she hit a tree,” I noted.

  “Yes,” Eleanor said. “I can’t help but wonder who was with Peggy. She couldn’t have driven the ATV with her arm in a sling.”

  “I don’t see the sling now, or the bandage.”

  “Is it possible she was faking?”

  “I doubt that. We visited her at the hospital. See if you can find either here, Eleanor.”

  We searched and came up empty. I didn’t know what I expected to find really, but some evidence would have been great. “We had better join Martha. We don’t want to be down here when the police show up,” I said.

  “When has that stopped you?”

  “It hasn’t, but this isn’t Iosco County. We don’t know the sheriff of this county or how he’ll react if we’re at the scene of that accident — especially when we weren’t witnesses to it.”

  Eleanor and I held hands as we climbed the hill. I didn’t realize how steep it was going down. I was in a hurry to reach the accident. I felt so bad that Peggy had met her end. She was such a wonderful woman and was seldom seen without a smile on her face.

  Chapter 8

  “Where is the troop?” I asked Martha.

  “Moraine took them back to camp when I heard about the accident. I-Is it Peggy?”

  “Yes, I’m afraid. I’m sorry Martha. I know she was a friend of yours.”

  Martha wiped her tears and glanced away for a moment, trying to regain her composure. When she finally looked back at me, she said, “Peggy really was a sweet woman and really loved children. Those scouts mean everything to her. It takes a good person to persuade me to help as her assistant. I was nervous about being in charge of the girls at camp, but I was having fun. What do you think will happen now?”

  “I’m not sure. I think that depends on whether it was an accident or murder.”

  Martha’s mouth gaped. “You don’t really think it could be … murder do you?”

  “Who picked her up in the golf cart?” I asked. “Was it Oliver?”

  “No. Men aren’t allowed on the woman’s side of the lake.”

  “The male leaders were here last night for dinner,” I reminded her. “Are you sure Peggy left in a golf cart?”

  Martha frowned. “I wish I'd paid better attention. I honestly don't remember seeing her leave.”

  “So you’re not certain?”

  “I’m not sure. I was busy with the girls when Peggy told me she was leaving.”

  “So you never saw who she left with?” Eleanor asked.

  “I’d have to say no. I’m a horrible person. How couldn’t I have noticed?”

  “Like you said, you were focused on the girls. Nobody can fault you for being a good leader,” I said.

  “I’m not sure about that. I don’t think the scouts like me.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about that. They looked like they were having fun last night.”

  “Up until I took the tablet away from Yasmine.”

  “The scouts were told the rules and you have to expect the girls to follow them. Camp can be a dangerous place. There are rules for a reason.”

  “Agnes is right. Maybe you should go back to the troop. I don’t think this is a good place for you to be right now,” Eleanor said.

  “I can’t leave. What if the police want to question me?”

  “I’m sure they can find you easily enough,” I said.

  The sound of sirens in the distance alerted us that the police were indeed on their way. I hoped none of the scouts had witnessed the accident or stumbled across the scene. It could traumatize them for years to come.

  “Move, ladies,” the sheriff needs to get through,” Mrs. Tuttle said.

  I barely gave Tuttle more than a brief glance. I was still upset that she hadn’t listened to me earlier.

  The sheriff climbed the hill and she nodded at us. That’s a new one for us, a female sheriff!

  “Did any of you witness the accident?” she asked.

  “No, Sheriff Wesley,” Mrs. Tuttle said.

  “I was asking them,” the sheriff cut her off.

  “No, I’m afraid,” I said. “We had been searching for Peggy all morning. I only wish we had found her alive.”

  “Why were you searching for her?”

  “She left last night to eat in the main cabin and never came back,” I said.

  “Why didn’t you raise the alert when she didn’t return?”

  “I wasn’t sure how things worked here. This is my first year as leader,” Martha said quietly.

  Sheriff Wesley recorded our names and then asked me, “Did you tell anyone that you had a missing leader?”

  “Yes, actually I did. I wanted a search, but Mrs. Tuttle didn’t see it as important.”

  “I had a few women that were planning to ask around to see if anyone knew where Peggy was,” Tuttle quickly said.

  “Oh, so now you know her name?” Eleanor asked. “Funny how you only do that when the sheriff is here.”

  “They never had the chance to look for Peggy. We found out she had an accident with her ATV before we could begin,” Tuttle said.

  “Her ATV?” I asked. “I’m quite certain she didn’t bring one with her.”

  “We have a few for leaders to use on occasion. It helps if they need to come back to the office for any reason. It’s quite a distance from some of the camping sites.”

  “I can attest to that,” I volunteered. “Are the ATVs checked out?” I asked Tuttle.

  “I’m not answering your questions. If the sheriff has any questions I’ll answer them from her.”

  “It’s a valid question,” Wesley said. “Why don’t you want to answer it?”

  “Of course they’re checked out,” Tuttle finally said.

  “Did Peggy check an ATV out?” I asked.

  “Well, I-I’d have to check back at the office.”

  “You do that. I’ll take a look at the scene and meet with all of you at the office later,” Sheriff Wesley said.

  “You want us to stay at the office until you’re through?” Martha asked.

  “Yes; why?”

  “It’s just that I need to get back to my troop before someone tells them their leader is dead.”

  “How are you certain it’s their leader?” Sheriff Wesley asked.

  “It’s her. I already checked,” I said. “She was injured recently and wore a bandage on her brow and an arm sling. I didn’t see either on her body though.”

  “Where are you from?”

  “Tawas, in Iosco County.”

  “Are you Agnes Barton?�
�

  “Yes, why?”

  “I’ve met Sheriff Peterson a few times and he always complained that he had a couple of sleuths in his county. It’s nice to know he wasn’t making it up. I hope you didn’t touch anything down there.”

  “No, you can be certain of that.”

  “I’ll have the medical examiner here soon, so please make sure the girls aren’t here when he arrives.”

  We did as we were told, but parted ways at the fork in the trail with Tuttle, who I presumed would find a way to cover herself. I didn’t want Martha to go back to camp alone.

  “I thought you told us Peggy left camp with a golf cart, Martha?” I asked.

  “I told you I didn’t exactly see her leave.”

  “She could have parked the golf cart somewhere and checked out the ATV,” Eleanor suggested.

  “I suppose,” Martha said.

  Martha hugged the scouts who ran to her as we walked into camp. “I’m so sorry our nature walk was ruined.”

  “It’s not your fault,” Hailey said. “You were right; ATVs are dangerous.”

  “They can be,” Martha said as she pulled away.

  The girls followed her to the picnic table, where they sat. “My mother wondered if anyone saw who picked up Peggy last night.”

  “I-Is our leader dead?” Nadia cried as she huddled among the other scouts.

  “Who told you Peggy was involved in an accident?” I asked.

  “N-nobody told us who it was,” Fern said as she sniffled. “But it had to be her from the way you were wiping your tears when you walked into camp.”

  “I’m sorry, girls,” is all Martha could say as she tried to hold back tears.

  “I-I saw a man pick up Peggy last night,” Yasmine supplied. “He even helped her on the ATV because her arm was in that sling.”

  “So she did leave on an ATV,” I said.

  “Can you describe him?” Eleanor asked.

  “He had dark hair.”

  “Did anyone else see the man?” I asked.

  “They hugged,” Yasmine supplied. “I didn’t even know our leader had a boyfriend.”

  “She didn’t,” Martha said. “Is there anything else you can tell us, Yasmine?”

  “He wore a leather jacket.”

  “That’s odd,” Martha said. “Who would wear a leather jacket in this heat?”