The Murder At Summer Camp (Clara Young Series Book 4)

by Renee Marski

  Stacy shrugged and tossed the cards on the table. "Not me, that's for sure. I never win." She smiled, causing the tension in Maddy's shoulders to relax a little.

  "Clara, can I speak to you for a minute?" Maddy asked.

  Clara nodded, set down her cards, and followed Maddy out of the room. They stepped into the theater, which was empty, and Maddy turned, crossing her arms and glaring up at Clara. "One of the girls said you were wandering around the camp today. What were you doing out in that rain?"

  Clara sighed, trying to decide what to tell Maddy. She couldn't tell her what she'd found, as it would freak her out. But she could tell her some of what she did. "I went back to the clearing."

  Maddy's mouth fell open. "Why would you do that?"

  "I was looking for the murder weapon. Something that was used to kill both girls. The cops have nothing to go on right now, but if we found the murder weapon, well, it might help figure out who did this." She watched Maddy closely for a reaction. Someone had placed that bat in the barn. Clara couldn't rule out anyone just yet.

  Maddy clenched her jaw, her fists balled at her side. "And what? You thought they'd just leave it in the clearing, like that isn't the most obvious place to put it?"

  Clara tried to keep the shock from her face. Maddy sounded defensive, like she was upset that Clara would think the killer was that stupid. Frowning, Clara shrugged. "It was a good place to start. I didn't find anything there." Clara didn't add that she'd found something. Maddy didn't need to know that.

  Maddy started to say something else but Diamond popped her head in and looked at Clara. "That deputy is here to see you." Clara nodded her thanks and glanced at Maddy before stepping out of the room. She donned the parka again and walked outside in the rain, which was now a light sprinkle. The deputy stood by his car, hands on his hips as she walked toward him. "It's in the barn." He nodded and followed her inside. She walked over to the horse stall, slipped in, and pulled the bat from where she'd stashed it. She handed it to him, still wrapped in the blanket. "I didn't know what else to do with it. I didn't want to lose any evidence."

  "Where did you find this?" The amazement in his voice made Clara smile.

  "It was up in the loft, in a hole I found. I guess there's a crawl space back there or something."

  "I'll send the team up here to search it tomorrow. Maybe they'll find something else." Clara cringed. One night. She had one night to read the other book and put it back where she'd found it. It would be tough, but she could do it. She watched as he walked out to the car. Worry gnawed at her gut. It was going to be a long night.

  ***

  Clara lay in her tent, flashlight in hand as she read the second diary. The soft snores of her friends surrounded her. The book was odd, with snippets of things written inside but not full stories like the other book. It was like this was where Gretchen had written all the bad stuff, the things that had bothered her, so that the other journal didn't include them. In here, her biggest problem was Maddy. Maddy had converted to Wicca and wanted Gretchen to join her. Together, they could convert Savannah. Maddy knew that if Gretchen converted, Savannah would follow. Gretchen documented how Maddy hounded her, trying to convince her that what she believed made perfect sense.

  The day before Gretchen disappeared, she had written about a terrible fight between the two of them. Maddy had been bothering her again and Gretchen lost it, going off on Maddy and telling her that Wicca was fake and that she'd never believe what Maddy wanted her to believe. It left Maddy in tears and Gretchen feeling like a horrible person. From what Gretchen had written, she'd tried to talk to Maddy later, but Maddy had brushed her off, refusing to speak to her. Gretchen had planned a picnic at the clearing for just the two of them, which she planned to head to after getting out of the hike that afternoon. Clara closed the book, her heart pounding. Gretchen hadn't actually hurt herself. She'd faked it to get out of the hike so that she could go to the clearing unnoticed to meet Maddy. Maddy had to have seen Gretchen there. Could Maddy have attacked Gretchen?

  Clara shook away the thought. Maddy didn't strike her as the type. No matter how angry she was, Gretchen was her friend. There was no way she'd hurt Gretchen. Clara resolved to put the book back where she found it the next morning and leave it to the cops. She tucked it under her pillow. Disturbing thoughts of being murdered in her sleep made her night a long one.

  The following morning, after hiding the book again, Clara helped the campers make breakfast. She listened as they laughed and joked, talking about the end of camp. Just a couple of days away, right around the corner. Swapping numbers, they promised to keep in touch. Clara smiled at the friendships she saw developing. Some of them would last for the rest of their lives.

  Patricia breezed into the room and glanced around. "Where's Maddy?"

  Clara looked around, shrugging. "Haven't seen her yet this morning. Why?"

  Patricia shook her head, waving a hand in the air. "No reason. Just wondering. She loves making breakfast with the girls."

  Her curiosity piqued, Clara watched as Patricia walked out. It was weird that Maddy wasn't in the kitchen with her right now. She loved to help the girls cook and come up with new foods to make. Clara wiped her hands on a towel and told one of the girls that she'd be right back. Then she headed outside. As she walked toward the barn, a police car and a van pulled up and stopped near her. The deputy climbed out and pointed to the barn for the people in the van. As crime scene people scurried inside the barn, Clara stopped and waited for him to come to her. "You're here early."

  "I didn't want anything to disappear. My showing up here last night might've spooked the killer. I didn't want to lose any potential evidence."

  Clara nodded, understanding perfectly. "I don't think you'll lose anything. We all slept in tents last night." She pointed to the tents gathered near the big house.

  "In that weather?"

  Clara shrugged and watched as a tech brought over the journal she'd read last night. "It was only sprinkling by then."

  The deputy took the book, barely acknowledging her. Mesmerized by Gretchen's handwriting, he ran his fingers over the words through the plastic that encased the book. "Another journal?"

  Clara looked over his shoulder, biting her tongue. "Maybe it's from a different year?"

  "Could be." He handed it back to the tech and turned to Clara. "Is everyone in the house?"

  Clara nodded. "Should be. We're making breakfast. Patricia did wander outside to go look for Maddy. Not sure where they got to."

  The look on his face made her grimace. "They left?"

  Clara pointed to the van, parked next to the barn. "Not the property. That's the only vehicle here."

  "Round everyone up. I want to talk to them." Clara nodded and headed into the house. She found Diamond and sent her to get Maddy and Patricia. No sense in worrying anyone until there was a reason to worry. The deputy probably thought as she did: that someone here was responsible. In that case, he wanted to get a look at everyone together, see if he could spot anyone acting odd. It was exactly what Clara would've done.

  Clara gathered all the campers and counselors into the game room and watched as the deputy stepped to the front. He glanced at Clara and she shook her head. Diamond still hadn't returned. He sighed, tapping his watch. She shrugged, unsure what else he wanted her to do. She didn't have trackers on them, so until they showed up, she didn't know where they were. She leaned against the wall, hoping they'd arrive soon.

  The kitchen door opened and hope sprang up in Clara. Diamond must've found them. In the kitchen, Diamond stood, Patricia leaning against her. Patricia's hand gripped her side, like it hurt. Then Clara saw the blood dripping from Patricia's hand to the floor, leaving a red puddle at her feet. Diamond's look of fear tore at Clara's heart. The girl didn't need to be experiencing this. Clara took Patricia, shooing Diamond into the theater to get the deputy. Patricia leaned heavily against her, panting. "Patricia, who did this to you? Did you find Maddy? Is she okay?"

 
"Katy." Patricia whispered her daughter's name, making Clara's skin tingle. The deputy rushed in and called for help over his radio. Diamond was on his heels.

  "What happened?" he asked.

  Clara shook her head. "I don't know. Diamond found her." The deputy asked Diamond to wait in the kitchen, then took Patricia from Clara and carried her outside, where the van was just loading up. Seeing the deputy, they took Patricia, knowing they'd get her to the hospital quicker than any ambulance could. The deputy stomped back into the kitchen, his uniform covered in Patricia's blood. Clara handed him a towel to help him clean up and then leaned against the counter, as curious about what Diamond would say as he was.

  Setting aside the towel, he turned to Diamond, trying to smile. "What happened?"

  Diamond shrugged, trying to act tough, but Clara could see the fear in her eyes. "I found her like that, over by the dock. She was barely conscious when I got to her."

  "Did you see a knife out there?"

  Diamond shook her head, causing her braids to wave down her back. "No. Just her, lying by the dock, the water splashing her legs. She was crying when I got to her, but I thought that was from the pain."

  Clara turned to the deputy. "She said her daughter's name when I took her from Diamond. I asked her who did this to her and all she said was ‘Katy.'"

  The deputy narrowed his eyes. "But her daughter's dead. We did an autopsy and everything."

  Clara nodded. "I know. Which makes me think that maybe she feels guilty for Katy's death. We need to talk to her as soon as we can." Her cheeks reddened, realizing she'd just tossed herself into the investigation. What if he didn't want her help?

  The deputy nodded, not noticing the slip. He gestured toward the theater. "What do we do about them? Patricia was the last person keeping this place up and running. Without her, the camp can't keep going."

  Clara sighed. "We have counselors. Granted, fewer than usual, but we can keep things operational until the last day of camp. After that, I don't know."

  Diamond looked between them, worry etching her features. "Close the camp? Are you serious?" Her hands clenched at her sides as tears brimmed in her dark eyes. "This camp is the best thing that ever happened to us. Every summer, we get to go somewhere that's not our homes and be truly happy. Without that, what chance do we have?" She turned and stormed out, leaving Clara and the deputy to stare after her.

  Clara looked up at him. "She's not wrong."

  He held up his hands. "I'm not in charge of the camp. I don't make the rules."

  She blew out a breath. "I know."

  He walked to the door. "Meet me at the car. We'll go to the hospital." Clara nodded and headed into the theater. She had some explaining to do.

  The campers quieted as soon as Clara appeared. They stared at her with wide eyes. Diamond wasn't among them, but Clara wasn't surprised. The girl needed some space. She cleared her throat, preparing what she had to say. "Patricia's been stabbed and Maddy is missing. The deputy and I are going to the hospital to talk to Patricia now. I'll keep you guys posted on what's going on. For now, make sure you do your chores and listen to the other counselors, okay?" The campers nodded, all looking worried. Clara stepped out, her heart breaking for them.

  The deputy was leaning against the car as she walked up. She climbed into the passenger side and buckled her seatbelt. He drove them to town in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Clara leaned her head against the window, worried that Patricia would be dead by the time they got there. Then what would they do? The camp would have to close. There would be no other choice.

  She followed the deputy into the hospital, keeping her eyes on the back of his head. Antiseptic assaulted her nose, making it twitch. She fought the urge to rub it and clenched her hands at her sides. This was one of the many reasons why she hadn't gone into the medical field. The deputy's boots clicked against the white laminate floor as he walked, his back straight. He had a purpose and he was going to fulfill it. As they stopped at the nurse's station, he removed his hat and gave the nurse at the desk a big smile. "Morning, ma'am."

  She smiled at him, her cheeks pink. "Deputy. What can I do for you today?"

  "Patricia Crammer was brought in here a little bit ago. I'd like an update on her status." He flashed that smile again.

  She scanned the computer in front of her and gave him a small nod. "Yep, she was. They patched her up and she's resting in a room now, if you'd like to see her."

  "I would. Which room?" She gave him the room number and he headed that way, Clara hot on his heels. It seemed that he'd forgotten she was with him. She kept her head down, not wanting to miss anything.

  They stopped at Patricia's room, where the curtains were pulled shut. A machine sat next to the bed, beeping in time with her heartbeat. The blanket had been pulled up to her chin, which gave her a childlike appearance. Her eyes were closed but snapped open the minute they stepped into the room. Clara closed the door behind them, shutting out the noise of the hospital. The deputy didn't look back at her. He stepped up to the bed and took Patricia's hand. "How are you feeling?"

  "My body hurts. I didn't know it could hurt this much."

  He took the chair next to the bed while Clara stood behind him. She searched Patricia's face, seeing pain there. "Well, you were stabbed. That can be very painful." He gave her a small smile, which she returned.

  Patricia attempted to sit up. "I take it this isn't a social call. You want to know what happened." Both Clara and the deputy nodded. "Well, fine. I can tell you." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, determination flashed. "Katy's death is on me. Gretchen's, too. I caused them, even if I didn't actually hit them on the head myself."

  The deputy had pulled out his notepad and was scribbling notes. "What makes you say that?"

  "My beliefs. I'm Wiccan." She looked up at Clara. "She knows that. I'm not sure you do."

  He shook his head. "Gretchen mentioned something about it, but not about you. I think Maddy was who she was talking about."

  Patricia nodded. "Maddy is one of my girls, yes. I teach them what I know, about what I've learned through the years. It's mostly healing stuff, protection, crystals, that sort of thing. Respect for the Earth and everything on it. Life is sacred." Tears slipped down her cheeks as she talked. Clara grabbed a tissue out of her purse and handed it to Patricia. She nodded her thanks, not pausing her story. "I swore the girls to secrecy, as I didn't want to embarrass anyone with my beliefs. Katy didn't know. I hid it from her. She thought it had been a fleeting fancy but really, it had been what I was looking for my whole life." She sniffed and held the tissue to her nose. "I told the girls they could tell others if they wanted but they had to be discreet about it." Clara could see the deputy getting impatient. She laid a hand on his shoulder and smiled at Patricia to continue.

  "You think it's one of your girls?"

  Patricia nodded. "I know it is. I've had my suspicions for some time, but today confirmed it." She touched her side, wincing. "It's Maddy. She stabbed me. She killed Gretchen and Katy. And I'm pretty sure the van accident that put Savannah in a coma wasn't an accident at all."

  Clara's eyes flew wide. That wasn't the answer she'd expected to hear. "Maddy? But why?"

  "Maddy cherished our faith. Reveled in it, really. It gave her a place to belong. She imagined that she could convince her friends to join too, that they could all be in this together. I told her that not everyone embraced it the way we did and that it was okay if they didn't. But she was adamant she could convince them." Patricia smiled ruefully. "Then Gretchen told her she wasn't coming back last summer. Shattered all her hopes. She was angry at Gretchen, claiming she was tearing their group apart. Gretchen tried to explain, but Maddy didn't want to hear any of it." Patricia sighed. "Maddy hit her over the head with the baseball bat. Came and got me afterward, crying that she hadn't meant to, that she'd been so upset and Gretchen kept arguing with her. She just wanted her to shut up for one second and listen to her. By
the time I got to the clearing, Gretchen was dead."

  The deputy leaned forward. "What did you do, Ms. Crammer?"

  "I helped Maddy hide the body. I called Gretchen in as missing. We tied her to the bottom of the floating dock, knowing no one would find her there for a while. It was a terrible, horrible thing to do, and I feel so guilty but I believed Maddy at the time that it was an accident. Then the van crash happened."

  "And you didn't think that was an accident?" Clara's heart pounded. Maddy. It had been Maddy all along.

  Patricia shook her head. "I knew it wasn't. Maddy had been calling me, complaining that something was off with Savannah but she didn't know what it was. Katy had told me before camp started that this would be Savannah's last summer with us. I didn't have the heart to tell Maddy. I guess Savannah did. I think the crash was on purpose, that Maddy did it in a fit of anger."

  "Do you think she meant to kill Savannah?" The deputy scribbled something on his pad.

  Patricia shook her head. "I don't really know. Katy was in the car. She said the girls had been arguing before they got in, but she didn't think anything of it." Patricia sighed. "Then Katy died." Patricia closed her eyes briefly, more tears falling. "I'll never forgive myself for that. I'm the reason Maddy was able to kill my daughter. If I'd reported what had happened last year, none of this would've happened. I was so caught up in Maddy's anguish, in worrying about sponsors for the camp, I never stopped to think about how dangerous she was."

  "Why Katy? She wasn't one of you. She just ran the camp." Clara winced as she said the words. Katy did so much more than run the camp.

  "Katy was onto Maddy. She knew that the stories weren't matching up and she knew that the girls had been fighting about something. Maddy took her out before Katy could put it all together." Patricia broke down, her body shaking with her sobs. The deputy watched her, pity in his eyes.

  "You realize I have to place you under arrest, right? For Gretchen?" She nodded, dabbing at her face with the tissue. As the deputy read her rights to Patricia, she just nodded, a look of peace on her face. He cuffed her to the bed, promising to send someone to stand outside her door.