by Renee Marski
The Murder at Summer Camp
Book Four
Clara Young Series
Renee Marski
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental..
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The Murder at Summer Camp
Copyright © 2021 by Renee Marski
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of very brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
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Copyright © 2021
Published by Renee Marski
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. A DEPUTY AT THE AIRPORT
2. THE OTHER COUNSELORS
3. MEETING THE CAMPERS
4. CLARA FINDS A MYSTERY
5. A GIRL NAMED GRETCHEN
6. DIGGING FOR INFORMATION
7. RUNAWAYS
8. THE CLEARING
9. FINDING THE BODY
10. THE ACCIDENT
11. PATRICIA
12. SUSPICIONS
13. RIVER RAFTING
14. ANOTHER DEATH
15. THE FUNERALS
16. LUNCH WITH THE DEPUTY
18. MADDY’S FEELINGS
19.LOOKING FOR THE MURDER WEAPON
20. PATRICIA’S CONFESSION
21. STACY’S A HOSTAGE
22. THE LAST DAY OF CAMP
23. A HEART TO HEART
OTHER TITLES BY RENEE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
1. A DEPUTY AT THE AIRPORT
C lara grinned at her friends as they ran toward her in the baggage claim area. It felt like they hadn't seen each other in forever. At least, not in person. Video chats didn't really count. Denise stood beside Clara, her hands fidgeting with the strap of her bag as the girls approached. In Clara's mind, her friends getting to meet each other was a great idea. The only person missing was her best friend from Florida, Mia. Sadly, Mia had been unable to make this trip. Clara shook her head, banishing the thought. Mia and Clara had just reconnected after a couple of years of silence. Clara figured she'd have to make the first trip out to Florida to visit Mia.
Stacy reached her first and pulled Clara into a hug. "Oh my gosh, girl, you look great." She pushed Clara back to arm's length and took in her worn jeans, band t-shirt, and Chucks. Clara had fashioned her dark brown hair into twin French braids, making her look younger than her almost twenty years. The black eyeliner around her green eyes made them pop. Stacy nodded her approval, then passed Clara off to Hannah and Tracy as they approached. Clara hugged them both and watched out of the corner of her eye as Stacy pulled Denise in for a hug.
"It's so good to finally meet you. Clara has told us so much about you."
Denise hugged Stacy and patted her back awkwardly. "It's nice to meet you, too. Now I can put faces to the names." Next to each other, the two girls couldn't have been more different. Stacy's naturally auburn hair had been dyed blonde. It was something she'd done on a whim and she'd decided that she liked it so much, she'd keep it that way. According to her, Clara's brother Rodney, who happened to be Stacy's boyfriend, really liked it. Stacy's pale skin stood out like day and night against Denise's dark skin. Stacy had gotten lucky, though, as she didn't have the freckles that sometimes plagued redheads. That honor had been given to Tracy, who had a smattering of them across her chubby face. Tracy had kept the natural hue of her red hair, which today was pulled away from her face in a high ponytail. All three girls wore jean shorts in contrast to Clara's and Denise's jeans. Tracy favored flip-flops, while the other two wore tennis shoes.
After hugging both Tracy and Hannah, and admiring Hannah's short black bob-something Clara had never thought she'd see-both girls turned to Denise and pulled her into a hug of their own. Denise grinned at Clara, her smile bright, and Clara could see her shoulders relax. Denise had been worried that the girls wouldn't accept her, even though Clara had assured her a million times that her friends weren't like that. Hannah's grey eyes crinkled as she smiled at the group and pulled away from the hug. "Okay, ladies, we've got a cab to catch. We need to get out to the camp quick before they shut it up and won't let us in."
Tracy's brown eyes widened. "They wouldn't do that to us, would they?"
Hannah giggled and patted Tracy on the back. "No, I'm kidding. But we do need to grab our bags and go." The other girls nodded and turned to the baggage rumbling past them. Tracy spotted her bag first and reached out for it, though the strap slipped through her fingers. She huffed and followed it around a corner, Clara closely behind her. As she reached for it again, a large hand wrapped around the strap and pulled it off the belt.
"Here you go, Miss." The man's Tennessee drawl made the words melt in Clara's ears. Tracy looked up into large hazel eyes, flecks of green through the brown. He smiled, flashing large, perfect teeth. With his black hair slicked back and his Wrangler jeans, he could have been any cowboy in any western. Clara watched as Tracy took the bag, trying not to look surprised at seeing the handsome man in front of her. His square jaw and broad nose fit his face perfectly.
"Thank you." Tracy's words barely made it out of her mouth. Clara hid a smile as she stepped up next to her friend.
Clara held out a hand to the man, offering to shake his. He placed his hand in hers and gave her a firm shake. "She's very appreciative, sir. Just doesn't like talking to strangers."
The man grinned and looped his fingers into his pockets. "Understandable. But you can trust me. I'm a deputy here in Nashville."
Tracy's eyes widened even larger.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Deputy. We're visiting. Going to work out at Camp Summerville for the next couple weeks."
The deputy nodded. Something flashed in his eyes, but it came and went so fast that Clara wasn't sure what she'd seen. He pulled out his wallet, took a business card, and handed it to Tracy. "Well, here's my contact info, just in case you ladies ever need anything. Have a nice day." He nodded at the both of them, then picked up his black backpack, slung it over his shoulder, and walked away. Tracy watched him go, turning only once he was out of sight.
"He was so dreamy." Her voice came out wispy and Clara couldn't help but laugh.
The other girls joined them. Hannah looking at Clara questioningly. "What happened to you two?"
Denise had pulled a ball cap out of her bag and placed it over her head, which gave her the look of an avid sports fan. She'd told Clara it was really to protect her face from the sun. Because she kept her hair so short, she had to be extra careful when outside. "And who was that guy?" Denise's dark eyes met Clara's, asking a silent question.
Cl
ara shook her head and glanced at Tracy. "I think Tracy has an admirer."
Stacy and Hannah looked at Tracy expectantly. "He's a deputy and he got my bag for me. Oh, and gave me his business card." Smiling, she held up the card for the other girls to see.
Hannah laughed. "We haven't even made it to camp yet and Tracy's met a guy." She shook her head, hoisted her bag onto her shoulder, and turned to lead the way to the exit, where they'd grab a cab to take them to the camp.
Luckily for them, a yellow van sat out front, the light bar on the roof lit up. Clara opened the side door and smiled at the driver, a middle-aged man with graying dark hair and kind brown eyes. "Are you available?"
He nodded and smiled.
"Great. We're heading out to Camp Summerville."
"Well, hop in, ladies. I can get you there in a jiffy."
The girls clamored into the van. Clara and Denise sat in the middle captains' chairs, while Tracy, Hannah, and Stacy grabbed the back bench seat. Once Clara had shut the door, the driver headed out. He offered to play music for them while he drove, explaining it would be a forty-five-minute drive. Clara thanked him, then turned in her seat so she could see all the girls and gave them a huge grin.
"This is so exciting." Clara couldn't contain her happiness. It was summer, she'd made it through her first semester of college, and she was getting to spend time with four of her favorite people.
"Too bad Jazzy couldn't come." Tracy gave Clara a small smile. Jasmine, Clara's younger sister, had also been invited to be a camp counselor but had turned down the offer, stating that she had her own plans. Clara suspected they involved a boy, but until Jasmine told her that, Clara wouldn't ask.
Clara played with the end of one of her braids, nodding. "Yeah, I was pretty bummed but Jaz had her own plans."
Stacy giggled. "Boy plans."
Clara tilted her head. While she'd moved to Texas to go to college with her boyfriend Anthony, the other girls had stayed closer to home. Stacy in particular was at Clara's house a lot, as she was seeing Clara's brother. "What do you know?" Clara wasn't hurt that Jasmine had confided in her friend. Stacy was easy to talk to.
Stacy shrugged. "Not much. You know how Jazzy is. She keeps everything to herself. But there's a bounce in her step, she smiles a lot, and she looks pretty happy. We just assume she's met someone." Clara assumed the "we" was Stacy and Rodney.
Clara smiled. "Well, good. I want her to be happy." Clara's tone implied the rest. That Jasmine's dating life hadn't always been perfect. Clara had worried that after dating a serial killer, Jasmine would be scarred for life. It made her happy to know that Jasmine was getting out there and seeing someone, even if she hadn't told her big sister about it yet.
Hannah's grey eyes penetrated Clara's, narrowing. "Speaking of happy, how are you doing?"
Clara sighed, blowing at her bangs. She'd known they'd ask that. She just hadn't expected it so soon. "I'm good. I'm talking to a therapist."
"And is it helping?" Stacy leaned forward, concern etched on her face.
Clara nodded. "Yes. She's given me a lot of good tips on how to handle my anxiety and fear. I don't jump at every sound in my apartment now." Last fall, while waiting to start spring classes, Clara had started interning at the police precinct to figure out who had murdered the previous intern there. When she'd unknowingly taken home a box containing proof of the killer's identity, the killer had followed her home and broken in, then tied up Clara and threatened to kill her. Thankfully, Will, Morgan, and Harry, three cops whom Clara worked with, had figured out something was up and come to her rescue. Her boyfriend had called Will when Clara had failed to show up for a dinner date and Will had sprung into action, coming to save her.
While Clara had been physically fine, mentally she'd been a frightened wreck. After many talks with her family and friends, she'd contacted a therapist, with whom she now had weekly appointments to work through what had happened. Those would continue while she was at the camp, just over the phone. Clara was grateful that her therapist was willing to talk to her on the phone. The volunteering opportunity had seemed like the perfect thing to do with her summer and it gave her a chance to have all her friends together in one place.
Hannah sat back, satisfied. "That's good. Can't have you scared of your own shadow." She smiled at Clara, showing she understood. If anyone did, it would be Hannah, what with her best friend having been one of the victims of Jasmine's serial killer boyfriend.
Denise leaned around her seat and looked at the girls. "So, how did you all meet?"
They exchanged glances, grinning. "Hannah, Tracy, and I grew up together. We met Clara our last year of high school, when she decided to solve a murder that had been unsolved for about four years." Stacy grinned at Clara in pride.
Denise looked at Clara, then back at the girls. "So, she really does solve murders?" The girls nodded. Denise looked back at Clara. "I mean, I've seen her solve one, but I didn't realize this was something she did often."
Clara shrugged, her cheeks reddening. "Only sometimes. I don't solve them ALL the time."
Hannah leaned forward again. "How many have you solved?"
Clara scratched her neck. "I'm not sure. I've never counted." The girls laughed, the mood in the van light and carefree.
Tracy rubbed her hands together, a gleam in her brown eyes. "Okay, so inquiring minds want to know. Clara, how are you and Anthony doing?"
Clara blew out a breath, over mulling the question. How were she and Anthony doing? "We're fine."
"Oh no, they're doomed." Stacy said the words, then clapped her hands over her mouth and looked surprised. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. ‘Fine' is just a bad word to use when talking about your current boyfriend."
Clara frowned. "You say ‘current' like I might pick another."
Hannah reached forward and rested a hand on Clara's. "Are you ever gonna put that ring back on?"
Clara looked down at her hand, at the empty finger that used to be adorned by the beautiful engagement ring Anthony had given her. Anthony had joined a frat after coming to the college and there had been some tension between Clara and him over it. Then, at a party, he'd kissed another girl and decided not to tell Clara about it. Shattered, Clara had given back the ring. Anthony had apologized and done his best to make up for it, even proposing again, but Clara wasn't sure she wanted to marry him anymore. She didn't doubt that he loved her, and she loved him, but something was stopping her from saying yes. "I don't know."
Denise snorted. "I think Clara has feelings for someone else." Clara looked at Denise, knowing exactly what she was going to say. She'd mentioned it before. Clara nodded and gave her the go-ahead. Might as well get everyone's opinion on the matter. "I think she has feelings for Will."
"The cop?" Hannah looked between Clara and Denise. The girls had heard all about Will, had even met him at a party at the frat, where Clara had considered setting him up with the girl who had kissed Anthony.
Denise nodded. "Yeah, the cop. He came to our rescue during the last murder she solved. You should've seen the way he hugged her when he came rushing into that cabin. He was so worried, I wasn't sure he was going to let her go. It was definitely not a ‘friend' hug."
Clara sighed. "I didn't realize there were different types of hugs." The other girls laughed, while Stacy shook her head.
"Oh, Clara, there are. Denise, did he hold her close and close his eyes?" Denise nodded. "Clara, sweetie, he really likes you."
"I called it. I thought he liked her when we met him. He couldn't keep his eyes off her at that party." Hannah's mouth quirked in a triumphant smile. As the daughter of a sheriff, like Clara, she prided herself on being observant.
Clara rolled her eyes. "I'm with Anthony. Whether Will likes me or not, it really doesn't matter."
Stacy reached out and touched Clara's shoulder. "And if you like him in return?"
Guilt made Clara's insides churn. Ever since the hug, ever since Denise had pointed out to Clara that it seemed Will h
ad feelings for her, these things had plagued her. She loved Anthony. At least, that's what she kept reminding herself. Clara had kept her distance from Will, trying to put things into perspective. He'd called a couple of times, but once he realized she wasn't going to do more than talk about school and beg out of anything he invited her to, he'd stopped. It had hurt to do that to him, but she had to figure herself out first. Her green eyes met Tracy's blue ones and she sighed. "Anthony and I are working things out. I really want to make it work with him. Will isn't an option."
The three in the back shared a look, then sat back, letting the subject drop. They had weeks to discuss this with Clara. It would be good for her to get away from everything and be able to really figure out how she felt. Maybe by the end of this trip, she'd know whether she wanted to marry Anthony.
2. THE OTHER COUNSELORS
T hey pulled up to the camp shortly after, the girls all peering out of the windows of the taxi to get a good look. Several cabins sat in a semi-circle, with a big house in the center of them. Off to the side sat a red barn with a fence enclosing it. Inside the fence, two horses grazed on grass. A lake sat behind the big house, sparkling in the afternoon sun. The girls climbed out of the cab, paid the driver, and watched as he drove away. The whole ride, he'd kept his peace, letting them talk. Clara smiled at the rear of the van as it pulled away.
A voice made them all turn, smiles plastered on their faces. A girl stood on the porch of the house, her short black hair blowing in the gentle breeze. A pair of wire-framed glasses was nestled in her hair. She smiled at the girls, causing dimples to appear on her cheeks. As she stepped off the porch and walked toward the girls, Clara realized that this girl was a couple of inches shorter than she was. Clara stepped forward to meet her and reached out her hand for a shake. The girl took her hand, then pulled her into a hug. "I'm a hugger." Clara laughed and hugged her back. The girl stepped back, a smile lighting up her face. "My name's Katy. And you ladies must be my new camp counselors." The girls nodded. "Do you all have names?"
