Camping Caper

by Madison Johns

  “Did Craig tell you why we wanted to talk to you?” I asked.

  “Stuart mentioned it. I just wanted to get this over with. You kinda remind me of my grandmother, and I was always in trouble with her.” He scratched his head. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to change the subject.”

  I laughed. “That’s fine. We’re finished with our questions unless Eleanor has anything to add.”

  “Nope,” Eleanor said. “I think you covered everything.”

  Avery was poised to move back up the stairs when he said, “You might not know this, but Peggy’s death has affected all of us, even those of us who didn’t know her.”

  “Thank you for your time,” I said.

  Eleanor, Moraine and I huddled. “I don’t see the sense in questioning Dustin,” I said. “I have the feeling that we’ll hear the same answers,” I said.

  “I don’t think so,” Eleanor said. “I’d sure like to hear what Dustin has to say about Joe Smith’s absence.”

  We didn’t wait around to speak to Dustin. The sound of girls screaming launched us racing to the front of the lodge.

  Chapter 14

  Eleanor and I muscled our way through a pack of scouts into the lodge. Two scouts were hiding behind a table. “Make her stop. I hate snakes!”

  I followed Moraine, who took a snake out of Nadia’s hands.

  “That will be enough fun for one day,” Moraine scolded the girl. “I told you, girls don’t play with snakes.”

  “I wasn’t playing with it, I was just showing the other girls the snake when Bridget over there started screaming.”

  “You were not! You chased me with it!”

  “Let’s all calm down,” I insisted. “Moraine will put it back outside.”

  “But it’s Henry’s snake. He only let me borrow it.”

  “And where is Henry now?” Eleanor asked.

  “Outside.”

  I sighed as we followed Nadia outside, where two boys were rolling on the ground laughing. “Didn’t you hear the girls screaming?” one boy said to the other.

  “What sissies,” came the reply.

  “Get up, boys, and go back upstairs,” Moraine scolded, “or I’ll tell all your friends you’re afraid of bears.”

  The boys quickly disappeared, and I asked Moraine, “Shouldn’t boys be afraid of bears?”

  “Yes, but it sounded better than saying I’d tell their friends they were playing with dolls.”

  “You’re right, I suppose.” I yawned. “I can’t imagine we’ll be getting much sleep tonight with all the scouts in such a small space.”

  “Probably not, but I have a plan for that.”

  The girls were running around when we walked inside. I clapped my hands. “Now, girls, we can’t be running indoors. You have a relay tomorrow to rest up for.”

  “We’ll win the relay this year,” Kenna insisted.

  “What a joke,” Bridget said. “You’ll be eating our dust.”

  I recognized Bridget as one of the scouts who easily passed me and Eleanor today in their canoe. I wasn’t about to allow our troop to come in last.

  “Can I see you and Eleanor alone?” Mrs. Tuttle asked from the door.

  Eleanor and I walked outside, where Tuttle was pacing the deck. “It seems you were right. The bear has been spotted foraging for food in one of the camps. The DNR plans to track it and hopefully dart it before the day is over.”

  “So they’ll relocate the bear?” Eleanor asked.

  “That’s what darting means,” Tuttle said.

  “I was hoping that wouldn’t be the case, but it’s apparent now that it doesn’t have any intention of leaving the area any time soon,” I said. “It didn’t harm anyone though.”

  “Not yet, anyway. I know we don’t exactly get along here, but I appreciate your efforts to find out what really happened to Peggy. I should have been more concerned about her disappearance. I still can’t believe she had such a tragic accident. She was one of our best leaders. It will be hard to replace her.”

  I swallowed hard. Tuttle had a heart after all. “I hate to say this, Mrs. Tuttle, but I’m really surprised with your turnabout. I didn’t think you much cared for us from the way you ordered us out of your cabin earlier.”

  “Wouldn’t you if I was grilling you about the death of someone important to all of us?”

  “Peggy?” Eleanor asked, stunned.

  “Let’s take a walk,” Tuttle said. “Please call me Vera.”

  “I’m not sure Martha and Moraine can handle our girls,” I suggested.

  “I promise you will want to hear what I have to say. I just don’t want anyone else to hear it.”

  Eleanor and I followed Vera into a garage. She turned on a power switch, the light revealing a building full of ATVs.

  “So you do check out ATVs?” Eleanor asked.

  “Yes, but I never loaned one to Peggy. I have no idea how she came to be using one of them.”

  “Did the one used in the accident come from here?” I asked.

  “Yes, and the checkout sheet was missing when I checked it. Whoever took that ATV found a way to remove it from the garage without anyone knowing.”

  “Who has a key to the garage?”

  “Actually I’m the only one. I had them in my pocket at one point, but when I looked later they were gone. I asked all of the staff if anyone saw them, thinking that I dropped them somewhere.”

  “But you never found them,” Eleanor finished for her.

  “No, but they reappeared the next morning on the handrail of my deck. I’m almost positive I didn’t lay them down there.”

  “Perhaps you didn’t,” I suggested. “But is there anyone who would want an ATV enough to take it without permission?”

  “Nobody that I can think of. I’m certain that Peggy wouldn’t take one. She’s never had a reason to use one before.”

  “So there was only one missing?”

  “Yes, and two other ones checked out.”

  “Who checked them out?” Eleanor asked.

  Vera picked up a clipboard. “Joe Smith checked one out, but he had to because the other leaders who came to the dinner left without him. Moraine also checked one out.”

  “So Joe used it to get back to his side of the lake?” I asked.

  “I imagine so.” Vera sighed. “I feel guilty about Peggy. I should have insisted she hand over that ATV.”

  “Didn’t you though?” I asked. “You told us yourself that you had an argument with her.”

  “Yes, but I wanted to remind her that if she got herself killed. Her death is detrimental for all of us.”

  “How?” Eleanor asked.

  “Peggy was about to inherit Camp Bonfire.”

  My mouth fell open. “What do you mean?”

  “I have no idea what will happen now. I believe she’s the only relative left, but of course we won’t know that until the camp closes.”

  “Do you think that will actually happen?” I asked.

  “I have no idea, but I certainly hope not.”

  “Since you’re being so forthcoming here, can you tell us who you were talking to the first day at camp?” I pleaded.

  “Of course. Oliver.”

  “But why would he want the camp closed. He’s a scout leader, too.”

  “I know he is, but his grandfather is a geologist and wanted to do some testing on the camp for research, or so he claimed. I made the mistake of telling him he could, but I realized too late that I mixed up the dates.”

  “Shouldn’t Oliver have known that?” Eleanor asked.

  “He should have, but I can’t help but wonder if he was being pressured by someone. I just don’t know who.”

  I nodded. “Thank you for telling us, Vera. It seems we’ve overlooked Oliver. He had an alibi for the night of the dinner, but now I wonder. We’ll have to question him again.”

  “Just not tonight, Agnes,” Eleanor said. “We can hardly do that when we have scouts to look after.”

  “I know you girls
will be able to figure out who killed Peggy. I only hope it wasn’t Oliver.”

  “It wouldn’t make any sense if it was Oliver,” I mused. “He saved her life when he pulled her out of the street in Tawas.”

  “She was nearly mowed down by a car,” Eleanor said. “I wonder if that was an attempt on Peggy’s life.”

  “Oliver even watched over Peggy at the hospital, though,” I countered.

  “That doesn’t sound like he’d want to harm her,” Vera said. “He was very upset with me, though.”

  “We have some digging to do,” I said. “We need to find out who Oliver’s grandfather is and whether he had anything to do with Peggy’s death.”

  “Think, Agnes. What would a geologist want here?” Eleanor asked.

  “And why would it have anything to do with Peggy? Did Oliver know who might inherit that camp if she died?”

  “I can’t see how,” Vera said.

  “Well, we won’t find out until we get the chance to speak with him and verify his alibi,” I said.

  “I’m no investigator, but how could anyone know for certain if Oliver was in camp the entire night?”

  “Good point, Vera,” I said. “Didn’t you see Peggy alone at the dinner though?”

  “That’s right, but something might have happened between here and the accident site.”

  “One of the scouts told us she was seen with a man in a leather jacket, though,” Eleanor pointed out.

  “I know, but I think we need to explore that one more time, too,” I said.

  We thanked Vera again and shuffled back to the lodge, where we found two DNR officers sitting on stumps.

  “Aren’t you supposed to be looking for the bear?” I asked the men.

  “We darted the bear about ten minutes ago. We’re just waiting for transport to pick him up. It’s a good thing nobody was hurt with a bear that large lurking around.”

  I stepped forward. “Where did you say you left the bear?”

  “Over there,” one of the officers pointed.

  I walked to where they pointed out and searched the area. “I don’t see any bear here,” I shouted.

  The officers raced over. “He was right here, I swear,” the taller one said.

  “Perhaps next time you should stay with the bear instead of slacking off. I hardly think a darted bear would be a calm bear.”

  “Nope,” Eleanor added. “We have ourselves a rogue bear.”

  The DNR officers looked at one another. “I told you that wasn’t a good idea, Vern.”

  “Why you always blaming me, Colton?”

  “Well,” I interjected, “it seems to me that you better search for that bear again.”

  “If you can keep your keisters off of those stumps,” Eleanor said with a notable frown. “Are you certain you’re Department of Natural Resources officers, because I’ve never known a DNR officer to slack off on the job.”

  “We darted the bear, didn’t we?”

  “I can’t say,” I countered. “We didn’t see the bear, darted or otherwise.”

  “See, we’re leaving,” Vern said. “Are you happy now?”

  I frowned. “We’ll be happy when you find the bear.”

  When Eleanor and I entered the lodge Moraine rushed over to us. “What did Mrs. Tuttle want?”

  “She certainly made an about face. She was actually sharing information. I need to speak with Oliver, and soon.”

  “I don’t see that happening now,” Moraine said. “From all the noise the scouts are making upstairs, I think all the leaders have their hands full at the moment.”

  “I see. Well, I suppose Eleanor and I should take a sightseeing trip tonight then, but you’ll have to give Martha an excuse for why we’re not here.”

  “Sightseeing, huh? I hardly think with a bear on the loose that you should go anywhere.”

  “It will be fine. The DNR officers are hot on his trail.”

  Moraine shook her head. “I’m not sure about that. I’d hate to have to explain to Stuart how his mother and her friend were killed by a bear.”

  “I doubt a black bear would be that interested in us, not when he’s probably looking for a garbage can.”

  Moraine glanced behind her. “We better get going now. Martha is looking this way.”

  “You’re not going anywhere, Moraine,” I insisted. “If you leave, Stuart might find out, and then he’ll be looking for us.”

  “We won’t be able to find anything with Stuart in our way,” Eleanor added.

  “Have it your way, then, but you don’t even have a cell phone.”

  “You could loan me yours,” I suggested.

  “Who would you call when nobody else has their phones on them?”

  “You called Stuart.”

  Moraine fished out her phone and slipped it to me. “Fine, but don’t you dare lose it. We don’t have any other means of communication.”

  Chapter 15

  Eleanor and I slipped out the door and ducked down, crawling under the windows so nobody would notice us. At least we tried to crawl, but unfortunately my knees had other plans and I grabbed the edging of the window to steady myself. I stared straight into Martha’s peepers before I hurried off with Eleanor.

  “Martha certainly didn’t look happy,” Eleanor said. “She must be so disappointed with us for slipping away.”

  “I know, Eleanor, but what else can we do?”

  “So where are we going?” Eleanor asked as we walked past the main cabin.

  “I have no idea, but I thought we could poke around and see what we can find.”

  The kitchen door was open and I slowly crept up to it to find Joe Smith and Irene drinking from a flask while Quinn paced.

  “We should go to the lodge,” Quinn said. “Mrs. Tuttle will be looking for us.”

  “Let her find us here,” Joe said. “We’re not doing anything wrong … except enjoying the spirits.” He chuckled. “Run along now, Quinn.”

  I froze when Quinn came out the door and shot us a look, motioning us into the woods. “What are you two doing here? I hope you know there is a bear lurking around camp.”

  “I know that, but we wanted to take a look around. How well do you know Oliver Kane?”

  “The Bonfire Boys leader?”

  “Yup,” Eleanor replied.

  “I can’t say I know him personally why?”

  “I just wondered if he was here having dinner that first night.”

  “If he was I didn’t notice him that night.”

  “So you’re sticking with the story that you didn’t see anyone, including Peggy, that night?”

  “She could have been with a man, I suppose, but I already told you I didn’t see her that night.”

  “Have you ever met Oliver’s grandfather?” I asked.

  “Oliver’s grandfather?” Quinn asked with widened eyes. “Why would Oliver bring his grandfather to camp?”

  “He wouldn’t, I suppose. I just heard he was an interesting man. I hoped to meet him.”

  “Shouldn’t we ask Quinn—”

  I shot Eleanor a look. “Absolutely not.” I paused for a moment and said, “I heard this camp might be in trouble.” That was essentially the truth because we’re not certain who will inherit the camp after Peggy’s death.

  “I wouldn’t worry about that,” Quinn assured us. “Mrs. Tuttle has insisted this camp would close for years, but the scouts always managed to raise the money to keep it open.”

  “I can’t help but wonder what would happen if that wasn’t the case. Do you know who owns the camp?”

  “Sorry, I don’t. We should walk back to the lodge before we run into that bear,” Quinn suggested.

  “Shouldn’t Irene come to the lodge, too?” I asked.

  “She’s decided to stay here tonight. She has to get up early to cook breakfast.”

  “It hardly looks like a place she’ll get much sleep.”

  “There’s a room upstairs that she uses.”

  “So why are you leaving
then?” I asked.

  “I’d feel better being at the lodge tonight with the bear at large. Besides, I’d rather not be around Irene when she’s drinking.”

  I sighed. Quinn was ruining our chances to check out the camp, but I couldn’t see anyway out of it so we walked together back to the lodge.

  When we walked inside with Quinn, Martha rushed over. “Well, that certainly was a quick trip.”

  “Why yes it was.” I forced a smile.

  “See, Martha? I told you they’d be back soon,” Moraine said joining the group.

  “At least they didn’t get lost in the woods.”

  “We didn’t go into the woods,” I said, “although the DNR officers were sitting down on the job. Apparently they tranquilized the bear or thought they did.”

  “But when we checked the bear was long gone. It will be a long night for the officers,” Eleanor said.

  “That’s not what I wanted to hear. If the relay is put off another day the girls will be so disappointed,” Martha sighed.

  “I can’t imagine Mrs. Tuttle would do that,” Quinn said. “She likes to keep a tight schedule. I should go to the kitchen to see if I can rustle up any snacks. Mrs. Tuttle always keeps the place well stocked in case of situations like this.”

  “That’s good. I’d hate see what would happen if the scouts didn’t have snacks tonight,” I said.

  Eleanor and I watched as the scouts built a fire in the stone fireplace and Quinn brought out hotdogs and campfire forks. I was fidgety, and I hated the times I felt like this. I had the feeling something was about to happen. I just hoped it wasn’t bear-related.

  I walked outside and strolled along the deck, the lights from the lodge lighting my way. I slowly rounded the corner, where a young man with tousled dark hair stood, putting a cigarette to his lips.

  “Hello there,” I greeted him. “I don’t think you should light up with the scouts so near.”

  “Well I’m certainly not going into the woods,” he said as he lighted the cigarette.

  “I’m Agnes,” I said. “Stuart is my son.”

  “Oh?” He smiled now. “I’m so glad he came along this year. It’s been way more interesting. I’m Dustin.”

  “Oh, the assistant scout leader?”