Party Summer

  “We’ve got to call the police,” Eric said. “Willow Island is only ten minutes away. If only …” His voice trailed off.

  “All the phones are back at the hotel,” Cari said, slapping a mosquito on her knee.

  “So we’ll go back there,” Eric said.

  “You’re not serious,” Craig exclaimed.

  “Yes, I am. We’ll sneak back to the hotel and call the police.”

  “But what if Edward or Martin—” Craig started.

  “That’s the last place they’ll look for us—right?” Eric asked.

  “I’m not so sure,” Cari said, rubbing the fresh mosquito bite that swelled on her knee. “We don’t know where Martin is, do we?”

  “They’re probably both coming after us,” Craig said, his voice trembling. “Hunting us down.”

  “So we’ll double back, sneak into the hotel, and call the police,” Eric said. “Then we just have to hide out until the police get here.”

  “Hide where?” Craig asked doubtfully.

  “I don’t know. In the hotel maybe,” Eric said impatiently.

  “I think it’s safer hiding in the woods,” Craig said.

  “Safe for how long?” Eric asked.

  “Eric is right,” Cari said. “We can’t just hide forever. We’ve got to do something to save ourselves, to get us away from this dreadful place, and to save Jan. At least if we get into the hotel we have a chance of phoning someone, of getting help.”

  After a few more seconds of whispered discussion, they all agreed to the plan. “We should stay off the path on the way back,” Cari said as they started walking quickly in the direction of the hotel.

  A burst of wind brought another shower of water down on them.

  And then they heard the rifle shot.

  And saw Edward just ahead, between two low trees; his rifle was aimed at them, poised to explode in another shot.

  Chapter 23

  A GHOST APPEARS

  The second rifle shot echoed off the trees.

  It seemed to come at them from all directions at once.

  She wanted to scream, but managed somehow to stifle it. She ducked, her knees hitting the ground hard, and crawled with her friends into the overgrowth.

  Then, without exchanging a word, the three of them were on their feet again and running, running at full speed, slapping the branches away with both hands.

  Another rifle shot.

  From close behind them.

  It was followed by loud, harsh laughter.

  Or did Cari imagine that?

  In her terror, suddenly nothing was real. Not the bushes that blocked her path. Not the slippery, marshy ground. Not the shimmering, silvery leaves on trees that circled her, that seemed to move with her. Not the rifle shot so near, so loud, nor its ricocheting echoes.

  Not the mad laughter.

  Edward’s horrifying hunting cry …

  “Hey—look where we are!” Cari cried, not recognizing her high, tight, breathless voice.

  They had run through the woods to the ocean. Tall waves, outlined gold by the moonlight, crashed violently against the shadowy blue sand.

  They stopped and stared at the water. The beach was flat and narrow here. There were no dunes to hide behind.

  “We can’t stay here,” Cari said.

  “You’re right. It’s too exposed,” Eric quickly agreed.

  They stood and caught their breath, listening for Edward, for another crack of the rifle.

  “What now?” Craig asked, perspiration running down his forehead. Some wet leaves had become tangled in his hair. He hadn’t bothered to pull them off.

  “Let’s keep to the plan and go back to the hotel,” Cari said.

  “Cari’s right,” Eric agreed. His T-shirt was soaked through. “We’re sitting ducks out here.”

  “What was that sound?” Craig cried.

  They froze, listening hard.

  The waves crashed loudly against the shore, a continuous roar. Nothing else.

  No rifle fire. No ricocheting echoes.

  No mad laughter beyond the trees.

  “Let’s go,” Eric said. There was no more discussion.

  They made their way back into the woods, careful not to retrace their steps, careful not to follow any path, moving as silently as possible as they crept through the misty, hot night.

  Like frightened animals, Cari thought.

  Like wary, frightened animals, running from a hunter, running for our lives.

  We’re going to die, she thought suddenly.

  We’re going to be hunted down. And we’re going to be murdered.

  She hadn’t even realized that she’d stopped moving, that the others had continued on ahead. Her legs suddenly felt so weak.

  I’m going to die. We’re all going to die.

  Her legs just wouldn’t cooperate. She felt shaky all over.

  I can’t move.

  I can’t move another inch.

  Edward is going to find me here, like a frightened rabbit, paralyzed by fear. He’s going to find me here and shoot me.

  And then he’s going to laugh.

  She shifted her eyes and saw that she was alone.

  Where were the others?

  They’ve left me here to die.

  No. That couldn’t be. That was impossible. They wouldn’t—Eric wouldn’t—

  And then she saw Eric coming back for her, his eyes narrowed with concern. And then he had his arm around her. “Cari, are you okay? What’s the matter?”

  “Nothing. I—” She couldn’t talk.

  She didn’t want to cry. She grabbed Eric’s arm and squeezed it hard, squeezed it until she had fought back the tears, the urge to cry.

  “Let’s get to the hotel,” she told Eric, letting go of his arm. “I’m okay now.”

  And her legs started cooperating again. She followed him through the high weeds to Craig and the three made their way quickly to the back of the hotel.

  Moving silently along the wide stretch of beach, they looked up at the old hotel, hovering on the hill above them.

  Has Edward returned to the hotel too? Cari wondered. Is he waiting up there for us, waiting with his rifle loaded? Is that why all the lights have been turned off?

  And what about Martin? Has he joined the hunting party too?

  Is Edward stalking us in the woods while Martin waits to trap us in the hotel?

  “Spread out,” Cari whispered. They were huddled so closely together, she realized, a couple of bullets could get them all!

  Reluctantly, they moved away from one another and, crouching low, a relentless wind on their backs, climbed the hill that led to the back terrace.

  The pool-house door had been left open, Cari saw. But the lights were off now.

  All lights everyplace had been turned out.

  Edward obviously liked to conduct his hunting parties in the dark.

  A loud crash nearby made her cry out. Her chest felt as if it might explode. Everything went white for a moment, and she struggled to breathe.

  Just a deck chair, she realized. Just a deck chair blown over by the wind.

  All three of them froze in place just beyond the swimming pool and listened. Would the sound of the falling chair draw the attention of Edward or Martin?

  They waited. And listened.

  Another deck chair, victim of the gusting winds, toppled over.

  No movement from the hotel. No sign of their hunters.

  “Let’s go.” Eric motioned for them to follow him. Cari took a deep breath and moved silently across the terrace to the dining-room door.

  A few seconds later they were inside the dark dining room. For some reason the air felt cooler inside. Moving silently, they walked past the scaffolding, past their unfinished work, work they would never finish now, toward the double doors to the lobby.

  “No one’s around,” Craig whispered, right behind Cari.

  “They must both be out in the woods,” Eric whispered.

  “Let’s hope,
” Cari said, realizing she had her fingers crossed.

  Flattening themselves against the wall, they made their way into the lobby. “We can use the phone at the front desk,” Craig whispered.

  Eric had already lifted the receiver to his ear. He listened for a few seconds. “No dial tone,” he whispered, handing the receiver to Cari, as if he needed a witness to the truth.

  “No phone? I don’t believe it!” Craig cried, forgetting to whisper.

  Cari held the phone to her ear. It clicked a few times. Then she breathed a sigh of relief as she heard the steady hum of the dial tone. “It just clicked in,” she told Eric.

  “Quick—” Eric said, his hand on her shoulder. “Get the Willow Island police.” His eyes darted nervously around the darkened lobby.

  “Operator,” a man’s nasal voice said in Cari’s ear.

  “Willow Island police,” Cari said, her voice wavering.

  “Is this an emergency?” the nasal voice asked, sounding almost suspicious.

  “Yes,” Cari told him. “Please—hurry.”

  “One moment please.”

  There was a long silence, then rhythmic ringing.

  Cari stared at the front entranceway as she waited. If the door opens and Edward walks in, I’ll duck under the front desk, she thought. Would she be safe there?

  Not for long …

  “Police.” The voice was surprisingly deep, startling Cari out of her frightening thoughts.

  “Uh … hello. We need help. Right away.”

  “Calm down, miss. How can I help you?”

  “You’ve got to send some men here. We’re being hunted. We’re trapped here and—”

  Cari realized she wasn’t making any sense. Her fear was making it hard to think straight, to speak clearly.

  “Where are you?” the deep voice asked with practiced calmness.

  “The … uh … Howling Wolf Inn … on Piney Island. Please—you’ve got to come right away. We’re really in danger. He’s going to kill us!”

  “The Howling Wolf?” He sounded as if he were writing it down. Slowly.

  “Please hurry!” Cari repeated in a shrill, frightened voice.

  “Try to stay calm. We’ll be there in twenty minutes. Maybe less.”

  He clicked off. The phone went dead.

  “They’re coming,” Cari told the boys.

  “When? How long will it take?” Craig asked eagerly.

  “Twenty minutes,” Cari replied. “Maybe less.”

  “We just have to hide from Edward and Martin for twenty minutes,” Eric said, sounding really relieved. “Then we’ll be safe. Then we’ll be out of this weird place.”

  “Where should we hide?” Craig asked.

  Before anyone could answer, the lobby lights came on.

  The office door at the end of the long front desk opened, and a smiling figure stepped out.

  “No!” Cari shrieked. The others gasped.

  It’s got to be a ghost, Cari thought.

  Standing at the far end of the desk was Simon Fear.

  Chapter 24

  TOGETHERNESS

  Simon, in his white suit with a red bandanna draped casually around his neck, blinked against the sudden bright lights. He seemed to be confused.

  He’s as startled to see us as we are to see him! Cari thought.

  No one said a thing for a few seconds.

  “Simon! You’re alive!” Cari cried, breaking the silence.

  “What?” He gripped the side of the desk, appearing even more bewildered. “Alive?”

  Cari and the others rushed toward him eagerly. “We’re so glad to see you!” she exclaimed.

  He was their only friend at the hotel. The only one who had been nice to them, who had welcomed them, who had not tried to frighten them or drive them away. And now here he was—alive.

  Back from the dead.

  Or was he?

  “I … I didn’t expect to see you here,” Simon said, pulling nervously at his white mustache.

  “Well, we didn’t expect to see you either!” Cari cried.

  The others laughed. Nervous laughter.

  “Are you okay?” Craig asked, his voice filled with concern.

  “I’m fine.” The question surprised him. “Why wouldn’t I be fine? What’s going on here, anyway?”

  “Well—” Craig started.

  But Simon interrupted her with more questions. “What are you kids doing up this late? Why aren’t you in your rooms? Look at you. You’re all drenched! What on earth have you been doing?”

  “You’ve got to help us,” Cari blurted out, unable to hide her terror. “We’ve called the police, but—”

  Simon eyed her warily. “The police?”

  “It’s Edward. Edward and Martin,” Cari said.

  “What? Where are they?” Simon asked. “What is that brother of mine up to?”

  “Jan is missing,” Eric broke in. “We can’t find her anywhere. And Martin and Edward are hunting us. Edward chased us through the woods. He was shooting at us.”

  The confused expression softened on Simon’s face. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, staring hard at Cari. “Is it another hunting party?” he asked.

  “Yes. That’s what he called it,” Cari said. “Can you help us?”

  “You’ve got to help us!” Craig cried. “You’ve got to stop them.”

  “Stop them?” A strange smile crossed Simon’s face. He took a step back, studying them. “Stop them?”

  “Yes. They’ll kill us. They really mean to kill us!” Cari cried. “But maybe you—”

  She stopped when she saw the change that was coming over Simon.

  Why was he grinning?

  What did that strange grin mean? It distorted his face, made him look not like himself.

  Why was he grinning at them like that, so … coldly?

  “Simon, are you sure you’re feeling okay?” Cari asked.

  “Stop them?” The grin faded and he became menacing.

  “Maybe you should sit down,” Cari said to him, glancing at her friends, trying to see if they too noticed that something was wrong with Simon. “It-it’s been such a strange night….”

  “Stop them?” Simon asked. “Why would I stop them?”

  He reached up suddenly and tousled his white hair with both hands until it ruffled out at the sides. Then he tore off the red scarf and tossed it to the floor.

  Cari and her friends watched in silent horror as Simon unbuttoned the top button of his shirt.

  “Hey—what’s the matter? What are you doing?” Craig cried.

  “Please—” Cari started.

  Ignoring them, Simon pulled off the white suit jacket and tossed it over the front desk.

  They watched in horror and confusion as his posture changed. He was stooped now, leaning against the counter.

  “Simon, please—tell us. What’s the matter?” Cari urged.

  What is that he’s pulling from his pants pocket? she wondered.

  It didn’t take long to see that it was a black eye patch. He slipped it over his eye, his hands trembling with excitement as he fastened the band around his disheveled hair.

  “Yes! Yes! A hunting party!” he cried in Edward’s voice. “There’s no way I can stop a hunting party!”

  Cari gasped, frozen in horror. No one moved. They all stood staring at the grinning figure in front of them.

  All three of them had watched the amazingly fast transformation. All three of them realized now that Simon and Edward were the same person!

  Chapter 25

  IT’S ONLY SPORTING

  “Stop the hunting party?” It was now Edward who was facing them. All traces of the friendly, sophisticated Simon Fear had disappeared. Edward took a step toward them, threw back his head, and laughed. “You’re asking me to stop the hunting party?”

  “Simon—I mean, Edward—please!” Cari pleaded.

  Edward turned and walked quickly over to a lounge chair across from the desk. He reached down to get his huntin
g rifle, which had been leaning against its side.

  He’s got us now, Cari thought.

  It’s over.

  Edward raised the rifle in one hand. Then he held it in front of him as if studying it, wiping the dark wooden stock with his other hand.

  Cari frantically searched the room for an escape route.

  She and her friends had their backs to the front desk. The doors to the dining room were open, but they’d have to run past Edward to get to them. The main entrance to the hotel was across the lobby even farther away—and it was probably locked.

  We’re trapped, she thought.

  We’re dead.

  The hunting party is over.

  She thought of the four heads mounted on the wall. In a short while three more would join them.

  She shook her head hard, trying to force the hideous picture from her mind.

  Edward raised the rifle.

  Where are the police? Cari thought. Can’t they hurry? Shouldn’t they be here by now?

  Maybe we can stall him. Keep him talking until the police burst in and save us.

  Edward checked the cylinder. “Loaded,” he said to himself.

  “You’ll never get away with this!” Cari screamed.

  It sounded so stupid. Like something from a bad movie. But the words just tumbled out. She was shaking all over now, her eyes darting from Edward and his hunting rifle to the front doors across the lobby.

  “Can’t we talk about this?” Craig asked in a voice so meek it barely carried across the desk.

  Cari glanced at Eric and Craig, who were watching the front door too, no doubt hoping as she was that the police would come barging in. Craig, pale and terrified, had a glistening line of sweat above his top lip. Eric was grim faced and swallowing hard, his hands shoved into his pockets.

  “Talk?” The idea seemed to amuse Edward.

  “You’re not just going to—going to shoot us …” Cari started.

  He lowered the rifle. “Oh. Is that what you’re worried about?”

  He muttered something under his breath, then tore open his shirt a few more buttons. He scratched his chest with his free hand, leaning on the rifle with his other, glaring at them the whole while with his one good eye.