Midsummer Murder (16 page)

“I’ll go,” she said.

* * *

A few minutes later, she returned to the theater, followed by Jeremy, Stu, and Ellis. Robert, looking marginally better than he had that morning, joined them a minute later.

“Sandiman rang the bungalow,” he explained.

Madame Flick began the next rehearsal. The others went to the lobby where they could discuss what to do without being overheard by the students.

“I think we should call the police,” said Ellis before anyone else had the opportunity to speak.

“Ellis,” said Stu. “Let’s not jump the gun. Grappel would love another excuse to harass us. Let’s try looking for him ourselves, first.”

“But . . .”

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“If we don’t find him in a few hours, we’ll call the authorities.”

“Is it possible that he called his parents?” asked Lindy. “He might just want to go home,” she added hopefully.

“They would have to check him out,” said Stu. “And he hasn’t been checked out. I looked at the roster first thing when you told us he was missing.” His eyes were troubled. “And we can’t call the parents and ask if they took him away without notifying us. If they didn’t . . .” Stu looked apologetic. “There’s no reason to worry them unnecessarily.”

“But where would he go?” asked Ellis, his voice rising.

They all looked at each other waiting for an idea.

“Someplace quiet to think,” said Jeremy at last.

“We’ll organize a search,” said Robert.

“You can’t send students out looking for him. They might get hurt,”

said Ellis.

“Then what do you suggest?” Jeremy asked the question with a pointed stare.

Ellis lowered his eyes. Then he looked at Stu.

“We’ll have them search in teams,” said Robert.

“Put one of our company members in charge of each team,”

suggested Lindy. “They can keep anyone from wandering off on their own.”

“Excellent.” Stu smiled at her. His voice was assured, but his eyes were restive.

“I’ll round them up.” She took off at a jog.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the dancers had been divided into twelve groups and were assigned areas in which to search. Two dancers of the Ash company led each group. Rose and Peter took another. Lindy and Robert, Stu and Victor, and Jeremy and Ellis were to go with the remaining three groups.

The rest of the teachers would stay to coordinate the groups’ activities.

It was arranged very efficiently. With that many choreographers and rehearsal experts, it was easy. And for once, artistic temperaments didn’t get in the way.

“I don’t think Stu should go,” said Ellis.

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“Ellis, dear friend,” returned Stu. “I’m not going spelunking. I’ll stick close to camp.” He twirled his cane like a baton. “You don’t have to worry about me. But—” He pointed his cane at the young dancers congregated around the leaders. They took a step backward. “No one is to veer from the paths. Absolutely no one is to go into the restricted areas.”

The archaeologists, thought Lindy. “Does Dr. Van Zandt have a cell phone?” she asked Stu. She didn’t know why he was the one to ask, but he seemed to have taken over leadership of the search.

“Good thinking, Lindy.” Stu called Victor over. “In the Rolodex in the library is Dr. Van Zandt’s cell phone number. Call him and ask if he’s seen anybody where they shouldn’t be.”

Victor nodded.

“On second thought, Van Zandt thinks everybody is where they shouldn’t be. Just tell him that . . .” Stu drummed his fingers on the head of his cane.

It was the first time Lindy had seen him at a loss for words.

“Just ask him if any of the boys have gotten too close to his site.”

Victor nodded again, waited a second to see if there would be another change in his instructions, then took off toward the house.

Stu lifted his cane in the air. “All right, troops. Move out.”

* * *

By six o’clock, all the search groups had returned, hot, dirty, tired, and discouraged. None of them had found a sign of Connie Phillips.

“Now, we call the police.” The side of Stu’s trousers and one shoulder of his polo shirt were covered in umber dust.

“I told you you shouldn’t go traipsing around the woods,” said Ellis. He started brushing at Stu’s pants leg.

“Just slipped on a patch of loose dirt.” Patiently, Stu waited for Ellis to finish brushing him off. “We really have no choice but to call in Grappel.”

* * *

“Just what you’d expect,” the sheriff grumbled. “You’ve lost another one.” He shook his head. “And you’ve mucked up any clues that might have given us a lead—and it’s getting dark.”

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He looked over the group that was sitting on the front steps of the house. They hadn’t wanted to go inside and dirty up the drawing room.

“You here, Stokes?” His lip turned up in a sneer. It was almost comic. Almost. “Shoulda never let you out of jail. No telling what’s happened to that kid.”

Robert looked totally nonplused. It was Jeremy that had to be restrained by Peter and Rose.

Grappel shot him a quick, deadpan look, and turned away.

They watched him walk toward the several police cars parked in the driveway; stood silent as he conferred with the other policemen; then waited until they had spread out toward the woods.

“I think we should leave them to it,” said Stu. “Perhaps we could reconvene in the drawing room in, say, an hour?”

* * *

Biddy was waiting at the door to their room when Lindy reached the top of the stairs, tired, depressed, and growing increasingly frightened.

“No news?”

Lindy shook her head. “The police are here.”

“I saw from the drawing room window.”

Lindy turned on the shower.

Biddy followed her in and sat on the lid of the toilet. “I spent the afternoon with Marguerite.”

Lindy stuck her head out of the shower curtain.

“I was trying to distract her. I didn’t want her to find out about Connie being missing.” Biddy shrugged. “I think she knew, but she played along. She reminisced about the good old days.”

Lindy turned off the water and stepped out.

Biddy handed her a towel. “She loves this place so much. I don’t know what she would do if she lost it.”

“Do you really think she could lose such a huge enterprise, just because one person died? It doesn’t seem possible. They must have insurance out the wazoo. Not to mention lawyers. You always have to sign waivers before you send your kid to camp. And most of these

‘kids’ are adults.”

“Yeah, she seems to be well covered. They keep the underage campers in a separate dorm. They’re strictly overseen. Those over 105

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eighteen live in the cabins and are allowed more freedom. But even then, the retreat brooks no infractions of the rules and they are numerous.

I saw the list.”

“So why is everyone so worried about losing the camp? It’s a trust, for crying out loud.”

“I guess that’s what her lawyers are saying. They don’t seem to be too worried about it. But Stu told her if they could prove extreme negligence, it would cost.”

“I can’t imagine that whatever the payout, it would even make a dent in the family’s money.”

“It isn’t the money that is an issue with Marguerite. It’s the loss of trust.”

Lindy nodded. Years of dedication and love destroyed because of one accident. It wouldn’t matter what the outside world thought or did, Marguerite would never forgive herself. She was like Jeremy in a magnified way. That over-responsibility. Having met Marguerite, she understood him better. She had been a great influence on his life; what affected her, would affect him. And if she were destroyed?

Lindy shuddered.

“Someone walk over your grave?”

“Something like. Come downstairs with me.”

* * *

Ellis’s face was flushed. Jeremy stood facing the window. Biddy hesitated at the door of the drawing room. Lindy nudged her forward.

“Ah, there you are.” Ellis came forward. His relief was obvious.

“What would you ladies like to drink?”

“I’ll do the honors.” Stu stepped into the room behind them and walked toward the drinks table. His gait was a bit stiff and Lindy wondered if he had injured his hip that afternoon. He handed drinks to Lindy and Biddy and then poured one for himself. He looked more at home than either Jeremy or Ellis.

They were soon joined by Robert. “Chi-Chi’s swamped with arriving guests, but she’ll make sure they save some dinner for us.”

“Nothing from Grappel?” Stu asked the question of Jeremy.

“They’ve called off the search until light.”

Stu nodded. “Well, in the meantime, we had better decide on a line of battle.” He gestured toward the couch. Biddy and Lindy sat 106

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down. Stu sat in one of the wing chairs that faced the couch and Ellis took the other. Robert pulled up another chair and sat down.

Stu eyed Jeremy.

He walked slowly toward the couch like a recalcitrant child and sat next to Biddy. Lindy felt her move closer. She moved over to make more room.

“What do we do?” asked Ellis. His eyes looked expectantly to Stu.

“First we have to do something to stop the adverse publicity. Your statement was good, Ellis. Very genuine. But perhaps we should show a little more good will toward the community.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Give them something.”

“Like what?” repeated Ellis. “They already have a lease on two of the club houses at the lake. They have swimming and boating rights and a section for camping. There used to be rock climbing, but they couldn’t afford to keep up the insurance.” Ellis stood up. A look from Stu and he sat back down.

“I’m sure if we put our heads together, we can come up with something.”

“They won’t be satisfied until they can put up condos.” Ellis sighed heavily. “Maybe things have come to that.”

“Never.” Marguerite stood in the doorway, supporting herself on the doorframe.

“Marguerite, should you be out of bed?” Ellis’s alarm sounded in his voice.

“You give in too easily, Ellis. I won’t lose this. Even if I have to fight them alone.”

“Now, my dear, I didn’t mean . . .”

“Shut up, Ellis, you’ve done enough harm already.” Jeremy was already crossing to the door. He took her hand in his. “You are not going to face anything alone.”

Lindy felt her stomach knotting. She tried to give Ellis a reassuring smile. He was staring at his hands.

“Ellis was only expressing his frustration,” said Stu. “He wouldn’t dream of letting them get their hands on your property.”

“Don’t patronize me, Stuart. It doesn’t become you.”

Stu looked befittingly chastised. “But you make everyone want to protect you. You bring out the
galant
in us mere mortals.”

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He was flirting with her. There was no other word for it. Jeremy’s expression could have withered a sequoia. Stu was totally unaffected by it. “Take my chair.” He disengaged Marguerite from Jeremy and sat her down. “Can I get you a drink?” but Jeremy had already started for the bar.

Lindy and Biddy exchanged glances. Biddy rolled her eyes just enough for Lindy to see. It said: Male power struggle in progress.

Lindy was about to lose her patience. One boy was dead, another missing. Robert was suspected of molesting a minor, and two ridiculous males were circling Marguerite like hyenas over their prey. “So does anybody have any ideas?” she asked.

Marguerite gave a hint of a smile. Barely a movement of the lips, but it spoke loud and clear.

“Larinda Gibson called this afternoon. She wanted to know if I was still going to open the fireworks on Sunday.”

“Marguerite . . .”

She stopped Ellis with a lift of her hand. “I told her of course I would. I’ve opened the display for the last twenty years. This year will be no different. I will tell them exactly what is going on and what we are doing about it. I have friends in this town. Not everyone on the mountain is as eager to throw us to the dogs as you imagine.”

* * *

Lindy and Biddy left a few minutes later and went to the restaurant to meet Rose and Mieko for dinner. They passed through the double doors that led to the annex and entered a wide hall. To their right, the reception area was bustling with arriving guests. On their left the hall was filled with alcoves and picture windows that looked out over the valley. Chairs and sofas were placed for contemplation and quiet conversation.

The restaurant was immense and yet set up to give the effect of intimacy. Plants hanging from pedestals and trees planted in huge ceramic urns separated groups of tables. Antique statues were placed throughout the room, and the combination of sculpture and greenery gave it the appearance of a secluded garden.

Chi-Chi greeted them at the door. She was dressed in a light yellow linen suit, her hair swept back and clasped in a cascade of soft waves.

She led them to a table where Rose and Mieko were sitting with Peter.

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“Hi, girls. We’ve brought along an escort,” said Rose.

“Finally finished at the theater,” said Peter. “I had to go back and fix a few things, since the rehearsal was cut short. I didn’t think I should leave it until tomorrow.”

“Glad you could make it,” said Lindy.
And that you seem to be enjoying
yourself,
she added to herself. It had been a long process, but Peter was pulling himself out of his self-inflicted exile from the rest of the world.

He had gained weight during the last year, though he was still a bit too thin. There was no longer the line of anger etched permanently on his face, and the scars of teenage acne only leant a rugged appearance to his handsome face. And he seemed more relaxed, if that could be a word to describe him. He was still more comfortable with his lighting equipment than he was with people.

Andrea had been partially responsible for his reemergence into the world. But that had ended amicably on New Year’s Eve, and Andrea had immediately taken up with Paul. Peter seemed perfectly at ease with the situation. But Juan’s words came back to Lindy as she looked over the menu, and she wondered for a moment how Peter really felt about Andrea’s affair with Paul.