Page 87 of Lady and the Camp
“The feds are all fine and good, but we’ll need reinforcements,” Bianca said with a straight face. “We have our own plans.”
Vera popped up behind the girls sitting closest to me. She held a lined, spiral notebook. Diagrams and sketches covered the page.
Did I dare ask? “Um, what is that?”
“It’s our master plan.”
Oh, boy.
This entire discussion brought sharpened awareness to a thought I could no longer ignore. I needed to talk to Lucas about exiting camp. Even if the threat seemed unlikely, my presence put the campers at risk. Regardless of reality, online obsessives who believed wild theories they could enact justicewerea threat. The girls proved enough pieces existed online that an obsessive focused on their version of justice could potentially piece them together.
I couldn’t let that happen.
I left the bunkhouse after radioing for Jasmine to assist Bianca with after dinner activities. Bianca herself needed supervision or the girls would continue their makeshift Machiavellian strategies.
I marched to the main office hoping to find Lucas. The office was locked. I radioed Lucas, but he didn’t respond.
My heartbeat kicked up a notch. Where was he? Was he in trouble? In danger?
“Hudson.”
I yelped and nearly jumped out of my skin. I swatted Lucas. “You scared me.”
“Sorry. You were standing there staring into space.”
I threw my arms around him. “Why didn’t you respond to the radio?”
“I just got back from town. Maggie was on point for any emergencies. Is everything okay?”
How to sum up okay? “The girls are curious,” I started. No, too vague. “Don’t be mad, but—” I watched his face harden as the words left my mouth. This approach never worked when I tried with my parents either. Why would it with Lucas as my boss? They always got mad at the request to not get mad. “There’s chatter online from some weirdo who claims I have something of Kristoff’s. Bianca’s girls are all worked up about it. It’s my fault. I shared too much with them the other day. I assumed it would put an end to their questions for good, but it’s like a whole barrel of worms cracked open.” I made a face.
“A barrel holds a lot of worms.”
“I know—don’t remind me.” Hello, missing the point? “I don’t want the kids reporting their online sleuthing skills to their parents. It will unravel all the work you’ve done to keep this camp focused on crafts and nature.” I sighed. “Maybe it’s a lost cause. Maybe we’re all doomed to doomscroll.”
“Hey.” Lucas laid a hand on my arm. His body heat was scorching against my skin. Did he run hot? “Don’t get upset, okay? We’re doing everything we can.”
“But is it enough? If I wasn’t here at camp, they wouldn’t have to worry about this at all.”
“But youarehere. We’re not going to let anyone find you.”
“That’s out of your control. It’s out ofmycontrol.” I swallowed. “Lucas, I should leave.”
“Into town? Do you need something? I could take you. We could—”
“No. I mean, leave camp.”
He returned a look that stuttered my heart. Hurt. We both knew what it meant if I left early. Not only would he lose his new hire, but we’d both lose on this new thing between us. We’d barely gotten started and now I was running off. But hiding here had been a selfish move. I should have known not to involve so many people in my situation, especially kids.
“Did you tell the girls to back off on the theories?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Good. Then you’ve done your job. I hired a buddy who’s off work to walk the grounds tomorrow while we’re at the Trail Blazers’ camp. You know, for the games.”
Right, they were rescheduled for tomorrow. “Good idea.”
“The campers will be with us all day at the other camp. Our two camps can pool resources. I…talked to Brycen again.”
