A Witch of a Time Read online

  “Where are Lila and Rosemary?”

  Twila straightened and scanned the crowd, jerking her head every which way. She looked like a constipated chicken. “I have no idea.”

  “Sonova … .”

  “What now?” Marnie asked, appearing at my side. “I can tell by the look on your face that something has happened.”

  “Lila and Rosemary are gone,” I said. “That can only mean one thing.”

  “They’re plotting revenge,” Marnie said. “Great. What should we do?”

  “We’re sending the boys across the lake and the rest of them to bed,” I said. “I’m so tired of this. I don’t remember camp being this exhausting when we were here.”

  “That’s because we were kids and everyone else was doing the worrying,” Marnie said. “Now we know how it feels when the shoe is on the other foot.”

  “Yeah, it doesn’t fit and it hurts,” I said. “Okay, gather the girls. I’m officially declaring the last night of camp over.”

  “This should go over well,” Marnie muttered.

  I clapped my hands together. “Okay, girls, it’s time for bed.”

  “It’s not even ten yet,” Thistle complained.

  “You’ll live. Let’s go.”

  Terry raised his eyebrows but didn’t argue. “Let’s go, boys. I’m tired, and we still have to get across the lake. You can start a bonfire over there if you want.”

  “That’s good,” the dark-haired boy said. “This place is freaky. They’ve got girls running around here who look like their faces are about to explode they’re so bumpy.”

  “Thank you, son,” Terry said.

  “Speaking of, where did those ugly girls go?”

  Terry shifted, and I could see his mind working as he looked over the grumbling girls. He glanced up at me. “Is that why you’re sending them to bed?”

  “Yup.”

  “Do you want me to help look for them?”

  “I … .” I broke off, biting my lip. Did I?

  Terry sighed. “Stay here, boys. I’ll just be a minute. We have to find the poxed twosome before we can go.”

  “Oh, great,” the boy complained.

  “It won’t take long,” Terry said. “Girls, stay around the fire for a minute. I need to … what the hell?”

  I couldn’t see what happened, but the change in Terry’s tone told me whatever it was couldn’t be good. I scampered in his direction, my mind busy with horrible thoughts.

  “I’m so sorry, Mr. Davenport.” I recognized Lila’s voice. “We didn’t think you would be the one coming through here.”

  When I got close to Terry, I realized he was covered in something. Under the dim light, I couldn’t tell what it was. He ran his fingers over his face, wiping the red liquid from his eyes and scowling. “What is this?”

  “It’s just water,” Lila said, wringing her hands. Her face was even worse now than it had been an hour ago. I wanted to shove a mirror in her hand and force her to look, but I didn’t think now was the time. “There was some food coloring in it and, well, we might have put some poop in it, too.”

  “I see,” Terry growled. “And who was this little concoction meant for?”

  “Bay,” Lila admitted. “She deserves it after what she did to us. We didn’t mean to do it to you. We heard someone coming and we thought it was her.”

  “Well, great,” Terry said. “This is just great!”

  Uh-oh. The man who always kept his temper in check was about to go nuclear.

  “I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed this weekend,” Terry said. “I’ve really loved all the sniping and backbiting and gossiping that accompanies teenage girls. Boys don’t have this problem. They just tackle each other and swear at each other and get it out of their systems.

  “Not girls, though. No. Girls have to plot and poke and screech like little banshees,” he said. “Well, you’ve officially pushed me too far. I want every single one of you in your cabins right now!”

  None of the girls moved, fear rooting them to their spots.

  “Now!” Terry roared.

  The girls started moving, giving Terry a wide berth as they raced toward their cabins. They didn’t say a word, the only sounds coming from their shuffling feet.

  Bay moved to Terry’s side, her face conflicted.

  “I’m really sorry,” Lila said. “You should know this wasn’t my fault. This is all Bay’s fault.”

  “Go to bed, Lila,” Terry snapped. He shifted his attention to me. “You were right. They’re monsters. Every single one of them is a monster.”

  Terry moved back toward the fire, not bothering to cast even a small look in Bay’s direction. I could see her lower lip quivering, but she didn’t call after him. She didn’t say a word.

  “Boys! Get in those canoes and get moving. I can’t stand to be here one more second. Let’s get away from the monsters. Everyone run for their lives.”

  Nine

  “Did any of them get up last night?” Marnie asked early the next morning, running in place and swinging her arms to get her circulation going. Her face was unnaturally pale, the shadows under her eyes pronounced. She looked as tired as I felt.

  “I didn’t hear a peep from them,” I said, rubbing my lower back. Despite Terry’s tirade, I opted to sleep in the hammock after all. I told myself I was doing it to make sure the unthinkable didn’t become a reality. Part of me wanted to be close in case Bay needed me, though. Her face after Terry’s outburst was enough to break my heart. He’d never ignored her before. She didn’t come to me, though, and that made for a restless night. Because I was up with the sun, I made sure my sisters shared the privilege. They’d been less than thrilled when I shook them awake.

  “Well, that’s something at least,” Marnie said. “Two more meals and we’re out of here.”

  “I can’t wait,” I said. “Next time I volunteer us for something like this, hit me over the head and lock me in a closet until I regain my senses. This was one of my worst ideas ever.”

  Marnie smirked. “Do you think Terry is going to bring the boys over for lunch? He was supposed to, but after last night … .”

  “I wouldn’t count on it,” I said.

  “I’ve never seen him that way before,” Twila said. “He never gets angry.”

  “He never gets filthy poop water thrown on him.”

  “Yeah, that was something,” Twila said. “Do you think Lila learned her lesson?”

  “I don’t think Lila is ever going to learn her lesson,” I said. “It’s not in her nature. She’s one of those people who will keep pushing people until she meets someone willing to push her back.”

  “The girls did push back,” Marnie said. “Instead of knocking her down a peg or two, though, all it did was make her go to a really … gross … place.”

  “Yeah, who thinks of something like that?” Twila asked, wrinkling her nose.

  “Rosemary.”

  Marnie and Twila turned to me, twin expressions of confusion etched on their faces. “Why do you think Rosemary thought of it?”

  “I don’t know,” I said. “It’s just a feeling. I think Lila would have been more … generic … with her revenge choices.”

  “Well, Aunt Willa should be coming for her this afternoon,” Marnie said. “We’ll be free of her.”

  “It will be the highlight of our day,” I said. “Well, other than seeing Aunt Willa, that is. Maybe we can hide when we see her car. Why don’t you guys go wake the girls. I’ll finish getting breakfast ready.”

  “Are you sure you want to poke the sleeping beasts?”

  “Don’t you mean the monsters?”

  Marnie sighed. “He didn’t mean that about our monsters,” she said. “He was just … angry.”

  “I know he didn’t mean it,” I said. “Bay doesn’t know that he didn’t mean it, though. Did you see her face?”

  “Once Terry has time to cool down they’ll make up,” Marnie said. “I’m sure he has no idea how much he upset her. He�
��s going to feel awful when he realizes he hurt her feelings. He would never purposely do that.”

  “I’m sure he’s already sorry.” I shook my head, dislodging the morning melancholy. “Go get the girls up. The sooner we start this day the sooner we can end it.”

  “So mote it be,” Marnie said.

  “WHAT’S for breakfast this morning?”

  I jumped when I heard Lila’s voice, shifting so I could study her out of the corner of my eye before fixing my full attention on her. Her face was the same as before, red bumps everywhere, and she’d clearly been scratching at the infected areas, which was only making things worse. “Pancakes.”

  “I don’t like pancakes.”

  “Then don’t eat,” I said.

  Lila narrowed her eyes. “You don’t like me, do you?”

  Well, this was a sticky situation. I’m not big on lying, but should I really tell the truth to a vindictive child? “No, Lila,” I said. “I don’t like you.”

  “Is it because you wish Bay was more like me? That’s what my mother thinks.”

  “Your mother is an idiot,” I said. “I would much rather have ten of Bay than one of you.”

  “You know there’s something wrong with her, don’t you?”

  I forced myself to ignore her.

  “Of course you know there’s something wrong with her,” Lila said. “There’s something wrong with you, too. There’s something wrong with your entire family. I know all about it. Rosemary told me.”

  Things shifted into place. That’s why Rosemary was here. It wasn’t just to spy, although that was surely part of it. It was to spread Aunt Willa’s agenda. She did the same thing through Nettie when we were teenagers. I should have realized what she had planned.

  “I’m sure Rosemary told you a lot of things,” I said. “The problem is, Rosemary doesn’t know any more truth than you do, Lila. You make things up in your head to explain what you don’t understand. You purposely go after anyone who is different from you.

  “The thing is, you think that makes you special,” I continued. “But you’re not special, Lila. You’re never going to be special. You try to stomp out other people who are special. That’s not greatness, Lila. It’s jealousy. You’ll learn that someday.”

  Lila shook her head, haughty. “I am not jealous.”

  “You don’t even know what you are, Lila,” I said. “Maybe you should go look in a mirror. Then you could see what you really are.”

  “Whatever,” Lila said. “I don’t want pancakes.”

  “Then don’t eat.”

  “Winnie!”

  I turned, dread washing over me when I saw Marnie and Twila racing toward me. Clove and Thistle were close on their heels, but there was no blonde head following them.

  “Where’s Bay?”

  “She disappeared during the night,” Marnie said, struggling to catch her breath. “We don’t know when.”

  “Where did she go, Thistle?”

  “I don’t know,” Thistle said, tears leaking from the corner of her eyes. “I didn’t know she left. Honest. I would have gone with her if she told me. I wouldn’t have let her go alone.”

  “Where would she go?” Twila asked.

  I knew exactly where she was. “Feed the girls,” I said.

  “Where are you going?”

  “After her.”

  TWO HOURS later, I was still wandering through the woods yelling Bay’s name, although I was nowhere closer to finding her. I’d expected to come across her quickly. That’s why I’d left Marnie and Twila behind. I didn’t think magic would be necessary, but now I was starting to doubt that decision.

  Either Bay couldn’t hear me or she refused to acknowledge me. I didn’t know which option scared me more.

  The sound of heavy footsteps on the trail behind me caused me to whirl around, hope welling in my chest. It wasn’t Bay’s face that jumped into view, though. It was Terry’s.

  “Did you find her?” he asked, panting.

  “Do you see her here?”

  Terry took an involuntary step back, my anger surprising him. “I know you’re upset,” he said. “Just … calm down.”

  “You know I’m upset? Really? Did you need your crack detective abilities to figure that out?” In my head I knew this wasn’t his fault, but I kept picturing Bay’s face when he ignored her the night before. I kept seeing the look in her eyes when he called them all monsters.

  I was angry. I was angry with Lila. I was angry with Rosemary. Heck, I was even angry with myself. There was no one to take that anger out on but Terry, though, so that’s what I did.

  “We’ll find her,” Terry said. “She can’t have gone far. These woods aren’t that big. Even if she got lost, she wouldn’t be able to wander very far without coming across a road … or a house … or a person.”

  “Or a ghost,” I finished. “She’s out here looking for the ghost.”

  “I figured that much out myself,” Terry said. “I took the boys to the camp for breakfast – mostly because I didn’t feel like cooking. Twila and Marnie told me what happened. I left the boys with them to look for the two of you. She’ll probably go back to the camp when she’s done doing … whatever it is she’s doing out here.”

  “I’m not leaving these woods without her.”

  “Neither am I,” Terry said. “Now … come on. Let’s look for Bay.”

  I fell into step beside him, my heart pounding and my mind revving. “She’s upset.”

  “Because of what Lila was planning to do to her last night?”

  “Because of you,” I said, immediately regretting my words when Terry snapped his head in my direction.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You were furious last night,” I explained. “We all understand why. I should have just let you go. That wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t … hesitated. It’s my fault. You should have taken it out on me.”

  “I shouldn’t have taken it out on anyone,” Terry said. “Well, I should have taken it out on Lila and Rosemary, but they’re the only ones. I didn’t mean to yell and scare all the girls.”

  “It wasn’t the yelling that upset Bay,” I said. “She lives in a house with my family. She’s used to yelling.”

  “Then what upset her?”

  “She went to you … after,” I said. “I don’t know what she was going to say to you, but you brushed right past her and ignored her. Then you called them all monsters and stormed off. That’s what she’s upset about.”

  “I didn’t mean that she was a monster,” Terry said. “I meant … crap!”

  “It’s not your fault,” I said. “This whole weekend was a bad idea. When Bay pitched that fit before we left, I should have listened to her. I thought she was being dramatic. She must have known how this was all going to go. This is all on me.”

  “Let’s put blame where it’s due, shall we? This is Lila’s fault. We can’t focus on that now, though. We have to find Bay.”

  “I don’t know how,” I said.

  “You do,” Terry countered. “She’s your daughter. You know where she is. Just listen to your heart.”

  “I … .” I closed my eyes, sucking in a breath and focusing on the beating of my heart. Was he right? Did I know where she was? Could I feel her? Could I find her in a sea of trees?

  I snapped my eyes open and pointed. “She’s there.” I don’t know how I knew, only that I knew.

  “Then that’s where we’re going.”

  I HEARD Bay before I saw her. Her voice was small and plaintive, but I almost cried out in relief when I heard her talking.

  Terry pressed a finger to his lips to quiet me. His message was clear: Listen.

  “I’m sorry this happened to you,” Bay said. She kneeled on the ground. I couldn’t see who she talked to or what she looked at. “It’s a terrible thing. You can’t stay here, though. You’re not meant to stay here.”

  She cocked her head to the side, as though listening.

  “I’ll make sure yo
u’re taken back to Hemlock Cove,” Bay said. “They’ll have a nice funeral for you. Your sisters won’t be left wondering what happened to you. I’ll make sure they understand that you didn’t run away. It’s going to be okay.”

  More silence. I shifted my attention to Terry’s face, although whatever he was thinking was beyond my comprehension.

  “I know you don’t want to go,” Bay said. “This isn’t where you belong now, though. There’s another place. I don’t know where it is, and I don’t know what happens there, but I do know you’re supposed be there. You’re not supposed to be here.”

  Terry cleared his throat and Bay jumped.

  “I … .”

  “We know what you’re doing, Bay,” Terry said. “We know why you came out here.”

  “It’s Mrs. Wilder,” Bay said. “She’s dead.”

  I moved around Terry so I could see what Bay kneeled next to. The body, ravaged by days in the woods, was the stuff of horror movies. I instinctively moved to pull Bay away, but Terry stilled me with a hand on my arm.

  “Tell me what happened, Bay.”

  “She came out to the camp to set up,” Bay said. “This was going to be her last season running the camp, so she wanted to spend some time out here alone. She loved the camp, and it made her sad to think this was the last time she would see it.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “There was something wrong with her heart,” Bay said. “The doctors told her she shouldn’t be running the camp this year, but she wasn’t ready to say goodbye. She walked out here, even though she knew it was dangerous. Her heart started beating really fast and she fell down. That’s the last thing she remembers. She shouldn’t have come out here alone.”

  “She wanted to see it one last time,” Terry said. “I get that. It’s a beautiful place. It’s a place that’s given a lot of kids great memories throughout the years. Donna always loved this camp, and she loved being a counselor.”

  “That’s why she doesn’t want to leave.”

  “You can’t be responsible for her decisions,” Terry said. “You found her. We’re going to make sure her body gets back to her sisters. We’re going to put her to rest.”