Carolina Key Page 8

I watched Hope pull from the driveway. The bright sun was shining, and the wind blew cool as I stared at the car disappearing around the corner.

  "Time to move," I said. I turned quickly and headed inside. I was formulating a plan and it

  was time to act. I called Ken and was put through right away. He sounded out of breath.

  "Hello, Philip. I was just organizing the search of the tank out at the camp. Have you heard anything?" he asked.

  "Yes, actually I have. We talked to Grace last night. She hitchhiked to my folks up in Memphis. Hope flew out this morning to stay a few days and bring Grace home before school starts. We had a little fuss and were a little embarrassed to tell anyone. I guess it’s just typical teenage stuff. I do want to thank you and your team for all your help and support and to offer you an apology for all the trouble we've caused the department," I said.

  He paused for a moment and I squirmed, hoping he believed me. He cleared his throat.

  "Well... Philip, that's what we're here for. I'm delighted that you've heard from her. We are

  always anxious for a positive outcome. Hitchhiking, though? That doesn't sound like Grace. That kid is solid as a rock, always has been. Is there anything you are not telling me? Anything you'd care to keep off the record?" he asked.

  "No, Ken. Nothing like that." I was quick to reassure him.

  "Well, in that case I will go and cancel the Amber Alert and let the dive team go. I'll be keeping you all in my prayers," Ken said.

  "Thanks a lot. I appreciate it." I hung up then, so relieved this part was over.

  Ken was a great policeman and an even better friend. I was a little scared he would see through my story. I was walking out the back door when the phone rang again.

  "Hello?" I said.

  "Are you listening?" It was Daniel.

  "Yes, I'm listening. Are you? Are you listening good?" I gripped the phone in my fist, suddenly

  allowing some of the anger I felt to reach the surface.

  "I'm going to tell you how this game is going to be played. You are a low life coward who took the life of a woman who tried to help children change their lives. You had better hope that my daughter sleeps well tonight. You better hope that she eats well because if anything happens to her you will never see a single gold coin. You had better bring my daughter home, and I mean right now. The gold is gone, out of reach for you and even for me. When Grace is safely home then, and only then, will I deliver the gold to you. You see, you made a mistake letting us get the gold first. Now you must do it my way. I want to talk to my daughter." I finished then,

  wiping the sweat from my brow. Daniel had remained silent the whole time. I had to wonder if I

  was endangering Grace, given Daniel's instability and violent tendency.

 

  "Daddy?" I bowed my head and closed my eyes, pinching the skin between my eyes to stop the tears from coming. Joy flooded my soul just hearing her sweet voice.

  "It's going to be ok, baby. I'm going to bring you home. Everything is going to be fine," I said as calmly as I could. I desperately wanted to reassure her. I took a breath to ask if she was ok, and did she need anything when the line went dead. I sighed in frustration. I had to figure out where he was holding her. It almost certainly had to be somewhere at or near the camp. I needed information. Who was Daniel and why would he do this? Where did this gold come from? How had Shirley's Dad acquired it? I needed answers and there was only one place to get

  them.

  I headed out on the road to the camp. I wanted to call Hope and tell her about the call but that would have to wait. Lance and Shirley lived on the camp property but had a separate driveway. Their house was a beautiful two story log cabin with four gabled windows. I estimated that it was about 1/2 a mile from there to the dining hall. That would have made it very convenient for Daniel to sneak back and forth without being seen. Even if someone had seen him on the trail, no questions would be asked. Just out for a walk.

  I turned into Lance's driveway and stopped the car. Lance opened the door before I knocked and I wondered if he had been hoping someone would come. I knew that in a matter of hours his house would be filled with members of his family and our church. No one grieves alone.

  We were a tight knit little community and everyone came together when needed. I reached out my hand for a handshake and he took it, then fell against my shoulder, crying. I bit my lip and pounded him on the back, the equivalent of a man-hug. I tried not to cry myself but failed. The man who killed the love of his life had my daughter. I prayed silently for Lance.

  I prayed for Grace and Hope. We walked into the house and into the kitchen. He didn't say a word, just poured me a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. We sat in silence for a while and then I asked, "How are the kids?"

  He shook his head and smiled. "As good as can be expected. I am worried about Janie. She is just out of college. She needs her mother the most right now. Ben and Debra will be here in a few hours. Little B.J. will be with them. I can't wait to see him, get my hands on him. Shirley loved him so. He turned one year old last week. To lose her like this…" His voice trailed off and he pulled out his handkerchief and blew his nose. It suddenly occurred to him and he

  asked about Grace. I told him my made up story and he said he was very relieved that she was ok.

  "She's a good girl, y'all have done a good job raising her. She'll come around soon enough."

  "I appreciate the thought, it's mostly Hope's doing. She's been a great mother," I said. I could tell that in his grief, the information didn't quite soak in. The telephone rang just then, and I decided to take advantage of the situation. I waved to the hallway and he nodded his consent. I walked down the hall and turned the bathroom light on. I turned on the faucet in the sink, then continued down the hall to the back door. It sounded like he was speaking to

  someone from church or the camp. There was a laundry room on the right and a rack of keys was mounted beside the door. I searched through them until I found a set labeled camp. I lifted it off, slipped it into my pocket and hurried back to the bathroom. After a moment I came back to the table.

  Lance was sitting alone, staring out the window. He seemed glad to see me.

  "That was Susan. The counselors and staff have organized a prayer service tonight at 6:00. They want to offer their support and wishes. Will you be able to come? I'd like for you to be there," he said.

  "Sure, Lance. I'll be there. In fact I thought I would head out there right now to get Grace's

  stuff and attend worship. Do you need anything? Is there anything I can do for you before I leave?" I asked. He shook his head. I could tell he didn't have any idea what he should do, at all. At the moment, he was truly a lost soul. We said our goodbyes and I prayed for him as I drove the short distance to the dining hall and parked.

  The worship service was beautiful. I asked to lead the first prayer and took the opportunity to make an announcement that Grace had contacted us and was safely in Memphis with my parents. Her friends shed tears of relief that she was safe. The mood in the service was bittersweet, rejoicing over Grace's safety, yet sorrowful for Shirley's loss and her grieving family. John offered a prayer of thanksgiving for the many who had given the family their support. He left as soon as the service was over to be with Lance.

  Most of the young people had concluded that the murder was the act of an intruder. I was sure the police would not give out more information than they thought necessary. Daniel's absence was noticed. He normally led the service and gave one last sermon to the campers before they got on the bus to go back home to their families. Usually he had them so pumped up they sang all the way home. Where could he be was the question on everyone's mind, especially at a time when the camp needed him t
he most to pray together and get them through Shirley's death.

  When the service was over I found Susan and asked for permission to go to the cabin to pick up Grace's belongings. I was banking on the fact that Daniel hadn't gone far and would have some way of keeping up with what was going on at the camp.

  I went straight to Grace's cabin, and using a trash bag I found in the bathroom, I emptied all of her belongings into it. I walked back to the truck and tossed it in the back seat. I doubted there was anything that would lead me to her in her belongings. I could always go through them later. I tried to eliminate all the buildings that were high traffic areas. I went to the rock house and checked it all over. I had brought a ladder and I put it up against the outer wall. I walked around on the roof. There was no attic. The building was empty. I checked under the building where we found the gold last night. In the light of day, the space was small and cramped and there was nothing out of the ordinary. In the small space I managed to turn myself over, scraping my elbows and knees to check the underside of the building. Aside from the lipstick words reading "Denny loves Latrice" there was nothing of interest.

  I crawled out and dusted myself off. My cell phone rang in my pocket. I looked at the screen

  but I didn't recognize the number. I flipped it open and said hello.

  "Do you have the gold?" Daniel asked.

  "I told you the gold will be yours once I get Grace back, and not before," I replied tersely.

  The line hummed with silence and then went dead. He doesn't know what to do now, I thought.

  It was more important than ever to find Grace immediately. Who knows what he might do?

  Keeping Grace from harm was my first responsibility. He had to be around the camp somewhere. He had to have access to food, phone and information. I wondered if he was close enough to be watching me. I sighed with frustration. I wanted to tear this camp up and everything in it. It was almost empty and this was my best chance to make a thorough search of

  all the buildings. Most of the counselors had gone to Austin to eat lunch and enjoy themselves, going to movies or out to play golf. They would be back tonight for the prayer service. On Monday afternoon they would receive a new batch of campers.

  I spent the next two hours searching the storage buildings under the dining hall. I found nothing. I walked wearily into the main building and after resting for a few moments I decided to try downstairs. I looked through Shirley's office and searched the closets in the costume room. I looked around in the infirmary and saw a door I had not noticed before. I opened it and gasped at what I found. On the floor of the closet was a bundle of duct tape, a crushed can

  of Diet Mountain Dew and a ring of Grace's. Diet Mountain Dew was Grace's favorite drink. She was famous for it. The ring was one I had given her myself. It was a purity ring with the words, "true love waits". On her 14th birthday, I took her out to the Olive Garden and talked with her about the decision she had made to court rather than date. Many of her peers were choosing this option over the temptations of dating. I wanted to make sure that she was

  committed to it before I gave her the ring. Inside I was squirming, I hated talking about this kind of stuff and felt my palms grow sweaty anytime a sensitive subject came up. I had whined to Hope, "Do we have to talk about this stuff? I used to just take her for ice cream and teach her how to catch a decent pop fly." She just smiled and nodded.

  I took the ring and put it on my pinky. It barely fit. I felt myself tear up. Be safe, Grace. I thought. Lord, keep her safe. My phone rang again...