The Marsh Madness

I left her sitting there staring. Of course, I’d been weird, but, as long as the plan worked.

As I headed through the door, Miranda was already back at her desk, hand on the phone. Looking good.

I hurried out of the building and over to the vehicle. At the sign, Kev burst from car and went racing toward Cherie and the search party with the happy news that little Starlight had been found and was ready to be picked up. I could see him gesture in the direction of Starlight’s unseen rescuers.

All was right with the world.





CHAPTER TWENTY





SUMMERLEA WAS DARK.

Not only dark, but quite dangerous. I knew how perilous it was going to be and gave a shiver as I thought of Chadwick Kauffman’s tragic end at the top of the wide mahogany stairs. Never mind, I told myself. We’re here because we set this up. There was definitely more than one way to manage a bit of theater. We entered the stage from the back door, and only after we’d hoofed it through the wooded ravine on the far side of the property. The center stage was intended to be empty for the most important player. In this case, one who thought he was in a one-man show. And the one who was probably keeping an eye on the front entrance, in case it was a trap.

I knew our cast was larger. One person had gone ahead, and two more would be creeping after me. We had to assume that we might be observed if we arrived from the front or used flashlights in our approach from the back. I imagined muffled curses as they stumbled over some unexpected rocks and picked their way up the steep, wooded bank. I always worry when Kev’s involved. After the rain, last night’s sky had been bright and clear with sparkling constellations and a crisp moon. Even though the moon was full tonight, the sky was murky and overcast. The few breaks in the cloud cover were welcome, though, and possibly kept some of us from plunging into the ravine. We’d wanted that overcast sky as we ran, one at a time, bending low so we wouldn’t be spotted, even though our clothes were dark and we wore balaclavas.

I wished I’d thought ahead about how to manage the squeak of some of the old doors in Summerlea as I tiptoed into the back of the building. Already, after a few days, you could feel the property decline. The dark and the chill air combined with Chadwick’s death all played a part in the desolate mood. I left the door slightly ajar so that the others could enter. When the alarm didn’t sound, I knew that Cherie had been successful in the first of her tasks. The alarm system would be rearmed as soon as we were in.

As long as they could keep it quiet. When he arrived it was essential for our star player to believe he was alone and unobserved. He needed to be convinced that he had a job to do and that time was not on his side.

If the scene at the Country Club and Spa had played out properly, he would indeed believe that. If it hadn’t, I was going to be in more trouble than I’d ever been in before.

“Ouch.” Someone didn’t catch themselves in time, and the sound escaped. Behind me I heard a sharp gasp. Not Kev, though. I’d suspected it would be a mistake to bring Kev along and therefore he had a task of his own. Outside and alone, but essential.

I figured I knew who the gasper was, but this wasn’t the time to lay blame on one’s relatives. No one wore scent. We wore soft soles that wouldn’t squish. Any light bits on the soles had been blackened with marker. It had been essential to do this right. No one had a device that would beep, emit light or otherwise give us away. With Kev, there would have always been that risk.