Page 73 of Lady and the Camp
As much as I regretted taking the director role, I’d signed on. That meant doing my job to keep the campers safe.
I turned a harsh stare at Hudson. “I know you’re using the camp to hide.” Murmurs coursed through the group. I kept my focus. “I know about your ex and how you needed a place to escape. And how not many people know where you are. For yoursafety.”
She flashed a look to Marcy. “What did you tell him?”
“As little as possible.” Marcy sighed and cast me a hopeful look. “Hudson shouldn’t be in any real danger. The staying off the internet stuff is a precaution, right?” She caught Hudson’s eye again.
“A precaution for what?” Robby blurted. “You think that Krom clown is going to come find you at this summer camp? And what, beg your forgiveness for acting like a loser?”
“Krom who?” Pocket Pete scanned the group. “Not that billionaire bro Kristoff—”
“Yeah, Hudson dated him!” Robby burst out. “You’re too good for him, Hudson. Don’t take his ratty butt back.”
The group chatter grew louder. I only knew fragments of Hudson’s obviously much larger story. My unease grew deeper, darker. I did not like where my mind wandered on this topic. “If this camp is under threat of danger, I needed answers. Now.”
Hudson’s face twisted. She avoided my gaze. It seemed a real struggle for her to gather her words.
I clapped once. “Okay. Let’s break for the day. We need time to figure this out.”
Pocket Pete crossed his arms. “I’m not leaving. A threat to the camp is a threat to me. And I want to hear about this Kristoff guy. How is he connected?”
Robby let out an exasperated sigh. “I just told you, man. He’s Hudson’s ex.”
“He already moved on to some new bimbo,” Noah offered. “Not that he only dates bimbos,” she said quickly. “Or maybe his new girlfriend isn’t a bimbo at all because that’s a pretty rotten thing to call a woman. I’ll stop talking now.”
My head pounded. We were getting nowhere. “Look. I run this camp, and if we have a threat, I need to take this seriously. I’m going to call the sheriff—”
“No!”
The Nos came instantly and from every direction. I looked at Matteo and Robby.
“Cops, man.” Robby shook his head.
“What, are you running from the law?” Robby ran his mouth about cops, but usually for no real reason other than to act like a tough guy.
He tugged at the bottom hem of his jersey. “No, but I’d prefer not to call attention to myself.”
Figured.
“Hear me out.” Matteo rubbed his hands together. “We set up a perimeter—”
“Stop.” I put my hand over his mouth, something I knew he hated. Yeah, I was pulling out old tactics from childhood. I used my most intimidating tone. “Do I need to repeat thatIrun this camp? It’s my responsibility to report any threats.” I looked across the faces of my friends. My own family stirring up the worst of the drama. “We’ve got campers coming in tomorrow.Children.” I looked at Hudson. “Is there a reason there might be someone on camp grounds looking for you?” I measured my tone. “Please, Hudson. I have to know.”
She swallowed and looked past me to some distant point. “I…I need to make a call. To my agent.”
I didn’t even attempt to hide an eye roll. “Really? Your talent agent? Now?”
Her brow furrowed with obvious confusion. “No. My agent contact. At the FBI.”
Chapter 24
Hudson
AgentMulderdidnotsound happy. And he highly disliked that I called him Agent Mulder.
Ihaddone the responsible thing by calling him. I should have gotten points for that.
Worry crept into every paranoid thought. I’d been careful. No one should have known my location other than my friends and the camp staff, so contacting the agent was only a precaution. Just checking in to make sure he knew this threat of danger that was more than likely only a Trail Blazer spying on us ahead of the camp games.
