To Catch A Rat or Two?
My break came early Monday morning I was sent to the office, and as usual no one was there before 9, Steve had wanted to see me but he must have stepped out and there were phones, but it was 5:30 who would be up at this hour in the summer?
Topaz would be just getting up and she had a phone in her room, Benny had one too but it was too early for him and if the new desk clerk answered he might not put it through, Topaz was his chance.
Quickly I dialed the number hoping Steve wouldn’t catch me.
A sleepy Topaz answered.
"Skeeter here, not much time . . ."
"Skeeter where are you?" Topaz asked.
"Camp Aglesha, now listen I am in big trouble they think I stole stuff and I want out of here." I said.
"Aglesha Bay? Willie . . ." she started.
"No time I need help I need your detective skills and your brains to get me out of . . ." I started then heard someone coming, "Gotta go."
I hung up and sighed as I saw Steve coming through the office door from the hall that lead to the staff quarters.
Topaz looked at the phone, that was odd, everyone had assumed Skeeter had moved away and some were a little upset he had just left Comet at the clubhouse. No one had known he was at camp, why hadn’t he left them a note?
Then she remembered finding a crumpled piece of paper Comet had chewed on with a few words on it, maybe Comet had destroyed his note. She looked at the dog wishing again she could talk. Then she sprang up and dressed.
Skeeter was in trouble and Willie who had won second prize a week at Camp Aglesha was leaving on a bus in 20 minutes, she just had time to get there if she hurried. Luckily this bus left later then usual because some kids from Aragonne and Pike were coming on another bus and going to transfer on this one..
"Stay here Comet I will be right back!" she called.
Comet whined and looked worried, the last time someone told her that she never saw them again.
She saw a card from Skeeter on her desk and remembered her mom saying she had a card, but she had thought it was just from her aunt Ruby, she grabbed it and speed out her window and down the fire escape and jumped on her bike. No time to tell anyone where she was going.
Panting she looked around no sign of Willie.
"The bus for Camp Aglesha left yet?" she asked breathlessly.
"Right there!" the man said looking impatient, "the bus from Aragonne is late."
She did not like the guy, baldy was a mean looking cuss, she went over and got on the bus and saw Willie looking depressed, he had not wanted to take the prize but his parents said it would be good for him.
"I know where Skeeter is," she blurted out.
"Where?"
"His parents didn’t move away they sent him to Camp Aglesha Bay." Topaz said.
"What?" Willie asked, "Why hasn’t he called to check on his dog or tell us what’s going on?"
"I don’t know, maybe he couldn’t you know that’s not like Skeeter." Topaz sighed.
"I don’t know him as well as you do but he seems okay," Willie said, "Not as friendly as Butch, Sid, and Benny."
"Skeeter is a good guy," Topaz said, "You got to help him . ."
"All aboard." The bus driver said.
"I got to go, listen find some way to help him, I am going to get the gang together and some how we are going to get up there," she promised.
"Okay I will try for Mystery Island," Willie agreed.
Topaz grinned and said, "For Mystery Island."
She turned to go towards the door the bald mean guy was there, "Just where do you think you are going miss?"
"Home," Topaz said glaring at him trying to show he didn’t scare her.
"I will handle this, now Lana just sit down you will love Summer camp, the bus is already late," the councilor who looked like a nimrod as Benny liked to say.
"My name is Topaz Lucas I don’t know who Lana is," Topaz said trying to scoot past the two men.
"You are Lana Simmons," the councilor said firmly, "It’s the only name not checked off."
"She’s not Lana," another girl said standing up.
"Kids," the councilor laughed "G’head start the bus."
"Look this is kidnapping and you are going to be in a lot of trouble," Topaz said panicked, poor Comet was locked in her room and no one knew where she was.
"Where are your parents and your bags?" another girl asked trying to help.
"I came on my bike my mom is at work, call Shady Spot," Topaz pleaded, "Do I look like I am going to camp?"
"She’s not going, her name is Topaz," Willie spoke up.
"Sit down by your friend," the councilor said, it was too late the bus was moving.
"What am I going to do," she said to Willie.
He was amazed she was not in tears, sighed and said, "Hopefully there will be more intelligent adults at this camp."
"I hope so poor Skeeter, he has been accused of stealing and is in a terrible mess," she sighed.
"We will help him," Willie said thinking maybe this trip was not a curse after all.
"I don’t know what I am going to do I don’t even have a clean change of underwear," Topaz whispered.
"Well I am sure some girl there will help you out if it comes to that. But I think as soon as some more reasonable head figures out you are not Lana you will be allowed to call Del or Shady or your mom to come get you," Willie said.
"Del, if I call mama or uncle Shady there will be Hell to pay," she sighed.
"Camp Aglesha here we come," someone started singing.
"Jeeze," Topaz grumbled, "Those kids sound actually happy to go to camp."
"Yeah I guess some like it," Willie sighed, "This is going to be one boring trip."
"No it won’t, Willie I don’t know you that well, I know you have a cool aunt, your dad is a part time fireman who is a super for two buildings. Your mom has a new baby, but she used to teach at head start, and I know you have the coolest Green Bomber bike, but that’s it . . . oh and you like pepperoni and Coca-Cola not Pepsi, but we all love Coke. I also know you are pretty smart but inquiring minds want to know more." She said and grinned.
Willie smiled, he liked her more than any girl he ever knew but he also was intimidated by her, she was so gutsy and free spirited. She always told you where she stood on something and he liked that.
The bus ride turned out to be pleasant, and Topaz had thought Willie was a good kid for the gang, she was glad she was right. Both Skeeter and Benny had held back and she had too a little, but voted him in only because she thought they needed more kids, some of the charities and other works took more kids, and kids got tired, especially Jeremy and Benny who had guitar practice and the twins who had so many chores.
When they arrived they were met by Steve who at once knew Topaz didn’t belong, all the parents had signed a contract saying their children would be wearing the uniforms unless of course in special cases, and he had no special notes back on these kids.
"Sir I don’t belong here," Topaz said.
"She is not Lana," the dark hair girl who had tried to help her earlier said.
"No her name is Topaz Lucas and she is a friend of mind who came to tell me something important but he wouldn’t let her off the bus," Willie said pointing to the bus driver.
"Oh my, Lana’s mother brought her up here yesterday, because she had a family emergency, so she is definitely not Lana, what a muck up." Steve said, then looked at Willie, "Both of you come into my office, Chris you assign the others to their cabins then bring them to the pavilion for the talk."
Topaz liked the blond man at once and felt as if he was the brains and would straighten things out.
"Unfortunately that bus goes to Smithfield then on to Bayview and back to Edmondton, we won’t have another bus going your way until tomorrow morning you are welcome to stay until then I have extra things for you and it is the least we can do," Steve offered.
"That would be perfect, if I can call my mother," Topaz said, thinking it would give her a chance to work out Skeeter’s problem, not much time, but enough maybe to at least help Willie and Skeeter set things up.
"By all means, I feel just dreadful about this Topaz," he said showing her to the phone.
"Distract him," Topaz mouthed.
Willie nodded, it wouldn’t be easy this guy was smart and he really knew kids.
"I have a friend could I bunk with him?" Willie asked.
"Who is this friend? You know we usually try to break up groups so that kids are more social," Steve said turning to Willie as Topaz dialed not her home number but Benny’s praying he would be there, it was only 8:30 and he was.
"Hi mom, this is Topaz," Topaz said.
"Huh?" Benny said sleepily.
"I am at Camp Aglesha, you have to tell Del I went to tell Willie, Skeeter . . ."
"Skeeter that rat?" Benny said angrily.
"Calm down mom let me explain, Skeeter is here, I don’t think he could call us or anything, did you get mail from him? I got a card yesterday, but I thought it was from aunt Ruby so I never looked at it. You got to get a hold of Del tell him they are sending me back on a bus tomorrow it’s the soonest they can. Mom please Skeeter is in trouble you have to get Del to explain it to the big O." Topaz explained.
"The big O? Um Opal your mom?"
"That’s right mom," Topaz said, thinking Benny was pretty quick for half asleep.
"Okay jeeze Camp Aglesha, that’s up by Crystal lake, see if you can call us tonight at eight at Sandovals," Benny said trying to clear the sleep cobwebs from his mind.
"Hold on mom," Topaz said and then looked at Steve, "Mom wants to know if I can call her back at 8 PM."
"Normally we don’t allow phone calls the first week but you are a different story of course you may," Steve said smiling at her, then glancing at Willie, "I think it is a good thing you are here and under the circumstances you may bunk in with Skeeter and Davie. I think a friend is what Skeeter needs he is a very troubled boy, now four of my wicker chairs are missing."
"You don’t think Skeeter took them?" Willie said remembering Skeeter returning a pencil of his he had accidentally taken. Willie hadn’t even noticed but he had been touched by Skeeter’s honesty.
"Well I don’t like to think that but someone is stealing and your friend was caught with a bracelet under his bed, so far none of the other things taken have turned up," Steve said.
"What kind of things?" Topaz asked, she had hung up with Benny after confirming a story she was spending the night with the twins and he would go by and get Comet for the day and night.
"A watch, a couple of bracelets, a kids retainer, some new pennies, three rings, chewing gum, earrings, popcorn, keys, and four wicker chairs," Steve sighed and checked his own watch, "I have to do orientation, I will have Chris take you to your cabin afterwards."
"Can I skip it?" Topaz asked, "I want to look around."
"Sure why don’t you find Skeeter his group went on a short hike they should be back by now." Steve said kindly.
But as soon as he was out of the room Topaz called Benny back, he had called Del and was getting ready to go get Comet. Everything was set, the twins knew what was happening and as soon as their chores were done they were going to beat it for the day. Joey thought they should take the raft to Crystal Lake.
Topaz told him where her maps were and made him promise to take care of them and have someone pick her bike up at the bus station or at least check on it make sure it was locked. She couldn’t remember if she had locked it or not.
Then she was ready to go snooping, she saw a map of the camp her sharp eyes and map reading ability quickly noted which cabin Skeeter was in.
She went to it taking a round about way. Thinking about what Steve had said about what was taken the watch was the only thing of value and it had not been found and they had inspected the cabins. She looked at the cabins the doors were made of some kind of netting to keep out mosquitoes but anyone else could get in not very secure. She looked around the dirt outside on cabin then asked a kid where the wicker chairs were.
"There was six now there is only two over there by the pool. Some low life stole my poor little hamsters food," the boy sighed.
She watched him pet his hamster and said, "Who would do such a mean thing as that."
"Dunno a lot of thievery going on but I don’t think Skeeter done it but you never know, quiet types are hard to judge." He sighed.
Topaz nodded, she knew Skeeter was innocent now only if she could figure out who took the chairs then her theory would be solid. She almost bet the chair theft was a different perpetrator then the other thief.
Willie found her outside Skeeter’s cabin and the two talked about Skeeter and the ID bracelet no one claimed.
"Two things either someone planted it to make him look guilty or it was there from last season, what I need you to do is somehow get in that office and look over their guest books for a LBJ in cabin 13 last year." Topaz told him.
"That shouldn’t be hard security is not a priority around here." Willie said smiling.
Just then Skeeter ran up to them grinning.
"WOW Topaz you came and Willie man am I glad to see the two of you." Skeeter said and hugged them both.
"Do you know anything about those wicker chairs?" Topaz said pointing to the two near the pool.
"Sure, there is this kid Ricky "Card Shark" he took them I was cutting out on the hike to get back here early and I saw them in a little clearing in the woods, playing cards on a table they snitched and those chairs, they got banned from doing it in the cabin they got busted last night . . . I think . . .no I know my roommate is a snitch, but he is not a bad guy just doesn’t get why snitching is bad." Skeeter explained.
"They play cards for money?" Topaz asked.
"Yeah Hearts," Skeeter said.
Topaz grinned and walked over to where the chairs were, she could see light drag marks in the grass.
She turned back to her friends and said, "Skeeter take me to them, Willie I need you to see if you can call Poldarke’s and have Chuck call me about six here."
"Sure but we are not supposed to use the phones," Willie sighed.
"Don’t worry lurk around the game area I will be right back and I will call, you can watch for me, but I want you to keep an eye out for Steve or Chris coming in the direction I go and distract them." Skeeter said.
"Okay I will try," Willie said looking worriedly he was not as good as Topaz was dealing with grups, as the gang called grownups.
They weren’t far in a clearing and Skeeter went in first.
"I have someone who wants to play cards," Skeeter said.
"Not your fink room mate he got us all suspended from pool and games for three days," Ricky sneered.
"Not him," Skeeter said.
"Well he can take my place I am broke," Chum said.
"Come on my friend they will play Hearts with you," Skeeter said trying not to smile.
"A girl, I don’t know about playing no cards with no little girl," Ricky said.
Topaz plunked down four shiny quarters and said, "Why Ricky I would have thought you would not be afraid to play with girls after all I played on the Sharks against your team many times."
"But I thought you were a boy then, with that baseball cap," Ricky said scowling.
"You are a chicken to play a girl?" Topaz asked and watched as he looked at the quarters almost drooling, except for Remmy he had broken almost every player in the camp and had loaned several money to keep the games going.
"All right," Ricky sighed and exchanged the four quarters for three blue chips ten white and three red.
"See you later," Skeeter said wanting to get away before he started grinning and let Ricky know Topaz was better then good at Hearts.
Chuck was at Poldarke’s when they called and Willie and Skeeter talked as they watched out for Steve and Chris. The others Scout, Ernest and Ned were not to be worried about they would believe anything kids told them except they didn’t belong on the bus of course.
Skeeter and Willie crept closer where they could hear and see a bit of Topaz in action.
It wasn’t long until they heard a "FREAKIN A!" bellowed by Ricky, come in the direction of the card players, and they both laughed.
"I sure would like to know what Topaz has planned she is very mysterious," Skeeter whispered.
"She is so different then most girls, she is so cool and not silly at all," Willie agreed.
Topaz returned grinning and holding up a wad of cash, "For Granny’s shelter and things for the club."
Anyone else would have kept the money not her, she would keep her four quarters. She got to the phones and looked at Skeeter.
"What time is it?" she asked.
"My watch I must have forgot it on my night table." Skeeter sighed.
"It’s almost lunch time," Willie said seeing kids headed to the canteen.
"Excellent what about Chuck?" she asked.
"He is there, he said he would call back at six, but he would be in the dinning room at noon if you wanted to call him before then.
"I will call him you guys go ahead and get some spinach and ham for me," she said.
"Spinach and ham?" Skeeter said making a face as they went to join the line of kids.
"She is amazing but I wish she would tell us what she is up to," Willie sighed.
"I have a feeling she thinks we are being watched and the less we know the better, we have to stay here she gets to go home." Skeeter said.
"Lucky Topaz," Willie sighed.
"You don’t like it?" Skeeter asked.
"Well I didn’t until I found out you were here. Who is Chuck? Where is Poldarke’s anyway?" Willie asked.
"Poldarke Lodge is across the lake to the West of here, Copper Beeches Resort is to the East and to the South is public camping. Chuck is a friend of Jeremy’s a seventh grader, a cool guy, his mom is the land lady over at Jeremy’s apartment building. James Poldarke is his uncle and he goes up there and helps out in the summer that’s why he is not around," Skeeter explained.
"Maybe Chuck is going to bust us out of here?" Willie asked hopefully.
"I doubt it, but you only have a week to do, I have four more after you go home," Skeeter sighed as they got plates.
"Ham and spinach like she said, how did she know?" Willie asked.
Skeeter shrugged, "I think she was an Apache scout in a previous life."
Willie just stared at Skeeter, not knowing if he was joking or dead serious, he was a quirky kid but Willie thought he liked him.
Soon Topaz came up and smiled as she looked at the uneaten lunch on Skeeters plate, "You best eat that if you don’t want to get even skinnier!"
"I am not allowed to eat ham and I hate spinach," he said.
"Why not?" Willie asked.
"I’m Jewish," Skeeter sighed.
"Oh heck, I didn’t know," Willie said.
"Skeeter Epstien," Topaz said and grinned, "Sounds Jewish to me."
"Well actually I am only half, my mom is a shixa," Skeeter said.
"Well eat half that ham for your mom," Topaz said reasoning it seemed right.
"Ham is pretty good," he said grinning after a moment with the three of them eating.
"You think this dried out old pig is good, you should have some of my uncle Shady’s hickory sugar cured ham with red eyed gravy now that is good ham," Topaz laughed.
"Don’t forget the corn bread, and yams, Topaz your uncle Shady is the best cook, even my mama says that, and she is really picky about her food." Willie said grinning.
"But his fried chicken, gravy, and biscuits are the best," Topaz sighed wishing she was home.
"Let’s talk about something else before I start bawling," Skeeter joked.
They all laughed. Food wasn’t bad at camp but it was sorry next to what they had at home.
Davie didn’t seem surprised to see Willie later as the two boys went to the cabin, Topaz had been put up with Karli and another girl, Karli had liked Topaz minutes after Skeeter introduced them.
Topaz had went to the office to wait for Benny or one of the others to call her.
"Welcome aboard Willie," Davie said sounding like he was a skipper of a ship.
"Davie, Skeeter tells me you are a great fan of Steve’s, he seems like a good guy," Willie said wondering why Topaz had wanted them to keep him occupied, what was she up to.
She learned from Butch her bike was safe at the bus station, he had told the man that worked there the bike would be picked up by the owner. Luckily all the gang knew each others combinations so they had been able to lock her bike up.
They also had a course of action to get Skeeter out of there next week when Willie came home, but there were details to work out and they would need someone trustworthy at camp to help.
She told him she knew who the thief was and with Chuck’s help they would nab him tonight.
Willie went into the office, and found Scout there, he had hoped to rifle through records and find something himself, but Scout as the campers called him because he always wore a hat, was busy typing something.
"I was wanting to know if my friend JLB that was here last summer and if they are coming this summer." Willie said, knowing the man might help he was so embarrassed over the incident with Topaz and the bus.
"Sure" Scout said smiling.
Willie watched him looking through files.
"We have two JLB Joanna Lindsay Beck in cabin 13 last summer and Justin L Black in cabin 19, which is your friend?" Scout asked.
"Joanna," Willie said, thinking Topaz’s hunch was right it had been lost in the cabin last year.
"She will be arriving in two days." Scout said.
"Wow thanks! What about Justin?" Willie said, if she identified the ID bracelet they were that much closer to proving Skeeter innocent.
"He is not coming this year he is 14 and 13 is as old as we take them, he will probably go to another camp." Scout explained.
"No one else signed up with those initials?" Willie asked to double check.
"No the closest one is John E Burns," Scout said double checking the file.
"Thanks, forget about what I said about you on the bus you were only doing your job, and kids don’t have ID cards," Willie said kindly and then left.
"Where is Topaz?" Willie asked when he got back with Skeeter.
"She’s talking to some of the girls." Skeeter said.
"Let’s go swimming there is nothing else we can do, I think I found the owner of the bracelet she had your cabin last year and she will be coming back to camp in two days." Willie said smiling.
"That’s good news," Skeeter said.
"Last one in the water is a rotten egg!" Willie said running to the cabin.
That evening Topaz went to the office to use the phone no one was around as she had hoped.
She called the Sandovals and Butch answered.
"What the heck is going on?" He asked.
Slowly she explained all that she hadn’t time to tell Benny that morning. Butch was amazed and a little angry at Skeeters parents and was glad Skeeter was all right. She told him all she knew and then he told her his plan for getting Skeeter out of there, they would wait until Willie’s week was up because they would need Willie too. They were going to bring the raft to the river below the lake, they weren’t sure they could navigate the creek between the river and lake and that was what they needed Willie to explore that area to see if it could be done or find a way to get to the river for, with Willie’s first had knowledge of the area he could be their guide on that part of the journey. It was a good plan, and Topaz couldn’t wait for the week to pass.
They would take turns feeding Skeeter, Topaz said the restaurant had tons of left over food, and he could stay a few days at a time in vacant rooms her uncle rented out. But most the time would be on the raft or the club house, because they had plans for more rafting trips after the rescue.
This was going to be a good summer after all.
She collected Willie and Skeeter, and then hurried to the lake after hanging up with Butch, Chuck had a canoe and was rowing towards the bank with a cage in his canoe.
Willie and Skeeter hurried to help her with the cage trap.
"Did you bring the bait?" she said grinning.
"Sure did," Chuck said grinning, and producing an apple wrapped in clear wrap.
"Hope I can come camping with you later and hear this story."Chuck laughed. Topaz hadn't filled him in on all the details but he went along knowing the girl did not ask favours lightly.
"So do we thanks Chuck, Willie and Skeeter will make sure you get your trap back Skeeter will call you." Topaz said as they got the cage trap and saw Chuck off.
"I am not allowed to be here so be sure the area is clear when you call me," he called softly.
"Will do," Willie promised.
They all waved goodbye to Chuck as he paddled from the forbidden spot.
"Jeremy is right he is one good kid," Willie said. He had seen Chuck around but never met him.
"He is and really good with animals wild or tame," Skeeter said, thinking how he admired the older boy.
They sat the trap and baited it.
"I don’t know how this is going to catch a thief he must be pretty dumb to try to get that honeyed apple." Skeeter sighed.
"I don’t think he is dumb and you will see." Topaz said grinning, "Now lets get back to the campfire stories before someone misses us and comes looking.