Party Summer

by R. L. Stine

  “My workers,” Simon said grumpily, pointing to the torn-up wall. “They were on the job for three weeks, and then they got a call to go work on some rich psychiatrist’s house in Wellfleet. So they took off. Lord knows when they’ll be back.”

  Cari and Eric walked over to the big window that practically covered the entire back wall of the dining room. “What a view!” Cari cried.

  The sun was setting. From the dining room, she could see the back terrace filled with deck furniture, tables, and umbrellas. And beyond that the hotel beach and the bay, silver-gray against the darkening sky. The water seemed to shimmer, unreal, like cartoon water, like an artist’s version of what a beach scene should look like.

  “Wow,” Craig said, joining them.

  You do have a way with words, Cari started to say, but stopped herself, remembering how her last crack had hurt Craig. Besides, wow was the correct word. The view was spectacularly beautiful.

  “I do hope your aunt isn’t terribly ill,” Simon said to Jan as they all continued to admire the view, watching the evening sky.

  “She was refusing to go to a doctor,” Jan said. “She’s so stubborn. Can I give her a call?”

  “Certainly you can, tomorrow morning. The lines are fixed but the hotel switchboard is down,” Simon said. “I’m afraid we can’t call out. Someone is supposed to come out from the Cape to fix it tomorrow.”

  At that moment Martin entered the room, coughing loudly, wiping his mouth with a white linen handkerchief. Everyone turned away from the window to look at him.

  He was short and thin, and wore a starched, short-sleeved white shirt over black trousers. His black hair was tousled and standing out at the sides as if he had forgotten to brush it. He had a lean face with small gray eyes set close together over a long, pointed nose. His mouth was set in a straight line as if he disapproved of everything he saw.

  “This is Martin,” Simon said, smiling. “I believe you met him … briefly.” Simon laughed heartily again.

  Martin reddened but his disapproving expression didn’t change.

  “Martin, our unexpected guests are hungry. What can we offer them from the kitchen?”

  “There’s some barbecued chicken,” Martin said. His voice was thin and reedy, a contrast to Simon’s deep, booming tones. “And I guess I can put together a salad.” He said this grudgingly, as if it were the last thing in the world he wanted to do.

  “Excellent,” Simon said, ignoring Martin’s attitude. He shooed Martin to the kitchen with a wave of his large hand. Martin lowered his head and walked quickly toward the double kitchen doors without glancing back.

  “Come sit down,” Simon said, pulling out a couple of chairs at one of the setup tables. “Let’s have a nice chat. It’s been so lonely here since we closed the place. I like it better when the hotel is streaming with young people.”

  Me too, thought Cari with some bitterness.

  She took a seat with the others and studied the vast, empty dining room. It seemed so sad, this giant room with all the chairs overturned, all the tables empty. That beautiful view, that beautiful beach with no one there to appreciate it.

  Maybe we can get in a few hours on the beach tomorrow before we have to go back, Cari thought.

  Back.

  Back to Shadyside. Back to hanging around the house. She probably wouldn’t even be able to get a summer job. Most likely they were all taken by now.

  “We hope to open again by the end of July,” Simon was saying. “Maybe sooner, if my workers ever decide to come back. My brother Edward and I decided to do the renovation last March. We wanted to have it all finished in time for the summer tourist season. Maybe it was all a big mistake.”

  It was definitely a mistake, Cari thought. For some reason, she found herself thinking about Lauren, her little sister. Lauren will think this is really funny, Cari thought. She was so jealous that I was going away for the summer. Now she’ll be laughing at me for months.

  Cari was feeling so sorry for herself, she barely had any appetite when Martin reappeared with the food. Her thoughts wandered. She heard only part of the conversation, and only spoke a couple of times when Simon asked her a direct question.

  Simon is really charming, Cari thought. He’s so warm and friendly. I like the way his black eyes sparkle in the light—they always seem to be laughing. I wonder why he puts up with that sour-faced Martin.

  “My brother Edward is quite moody and depressed,” Simon was saying. His expression darkened and his eyes watered over. “Quite depressed. It’s really a pity. He won’t come downstairs now when anyone’s here. I’m doing this renovation mainly to cheer him. It was a bad business decision, but we don’t really need the money. I only care about helping him. He likes projects of all kinds, so—”

  “Hey, I’ve got a great idea!” Eric interrupted, swallowing a mouthful of barbecued chicken. “You know, Craig and I are really good in shop. We’re good carpenters.”

  “Yeah, that’s true,” Craig said, forking more salad from the big wooden bowl onto his plate.

  “Maybe we could stay and help with the renovation work,” Eric said eagerly.

  “That’s a great idea!” Cari chimed in, immediately cheered. “Jan and I could help too.”

  “We could probably get a lot of it done while you’re waiting for your workers to return,” Eric said.

  “It would be fun,” Jan added, “and we’d do a super job. Really!”

  Simon Fear laughed. “You know … it might be a good idea.”

  “I really wouldn’t advise it,” a low voice said from the kitchen doors. Everyone turned to see Martin standing with a large tray in his hands. “Work like this should be done by professionals,” he said sharply, disapproval showing on his face.

  “It’s all very simple carpentry,” Simon argued. “And a little wallpaper stripping. I think they could handle it. Probably do a better job than those clowns I hired!” He laughed.

  Martin didn’t join in the laughter. His face remained rigid. “It isn’t safe,” he said, staring right at Cari.

  Cari had a sudden chill.

  Something about the way Martin said that made her feel that he wasn’t concerned for their safety. He made it sound more like a threat.

  It isn’t safe.

  “I really think it better if they leave on the next launch,” Martin said stiffly, still holding the large, empty tray at his side.

  “I’m not sure I agree. It might be good for Edward to have some young people about the place,” Simon said thoughtfully, staring out the window into the now dark night.

  “It would be better if they left,” Martin insisted, speaking each word slowly, distinctly, as if he were talking to a child.

  “It might be nice for me to have some young people here,” Simon said, ignoring his servant’s patronizing tone.

  “There will be plenty of young people when we reopen,” Martin said sharply, not bothering to conceal his impatience. “They will only be in the way now.”

  “We’re real hard workers,” Eric said to Simon.

  “We’ll do a good job,” Craig agreed, smiling at Cari.

  “Then it’s settled,” Simon said, giving his mustache a tug. “They will stay and help out with the carpentry work.”

  Cari checked to see how Martin took the news. He didn’t react at all. His face became an expressionless blank. His small gray eyes seemed to glaze over. He stood rigid, then raised the tray. “May I clear?” he asked as if the disagreement between himself and his employer had never taken place.

  Cari turned back to her friends, who were cheering and applauding Simon’s decision, and she happily joined in the celebration. They were all excitedly talking at once until Simon raised a hand for quiet.

  “Of course I don’t expect you to spend all your time working,” he said, grinning. “It’s also required that you put in some time on the beach or at the pool. Catch some rays. I believe that’s what you young people call it.”

  Everyone laughed.

>   “Party summer!” Eric and Craig cried in unison.

  “Yes, yes. That’s the idea. I hope you have a wonderful time at Howling Wolf. Most people do.”

  Smiling at them all, Simon pushed his chair back and stood up. He swept a hand back through his thick, silvery hair. “We will try to contact your aunt Rose tomorrow,” he said to Jan. “I’m so disappointed that she isn’t here, but I’m sure she’s getting along fine.”

  “Aileen is a good nurse,” Jan said. “But I would like to call to find out how Aunt Rose is.”

  “Martin, please show these young people to their rooms,” Simon said.

  Martin stopped collecting the dinner plates and plopped down his tray heavily, making a loud, unnecessary crash.

  “Did you set them up in the new section?” Simon asked.

  Martin shook his head, keeping his eyes down on the floor. “No. The old wing.”

  Simon’s face filled with surprise. But his smile quickly returned. “Well, have a pleasant evening. I’ll see you in the morning, and we will begin work.”

  Cari and her friends thanked Simon. Then chattering excitedly, they followed Martin through the dining room and down a dimly lit corridor, which smelled of mothballs and detergent.

  This must be the old wing, Cari thought. It probably wouldn’t look so bad if the lights were on.

  Following Martin, who walked rapidly, ignoring them, his eyes focused on the carpet, they turned a corner, walked down another long corridor with closed doors on both sides, turned another corner, and continued to walk.

  We’ve walked miles, Cari thought. Where is he taking us?

  Finally Martin stopped in front of an open door. The bronze number on the door said 123-C.

  “This place is bigger than it looks!” Eric declared.

  Martin scowled. “I made up the next four rooms for you,” he said. “You can decide who gets which room.”

  “Thank you,” Jan said softly.

  “I really don’t think you should stay here,” Martin said to her.

  “What?”

  “You heard me,” he said sharply. “I don’t think you should stay here. It could be dangerous.”

  “What?” Cari cried.

  “The construction work, I mean,” Martin said, staring into her eyes. “It’s a lot more work than Simon realizes, and very difficult.”

  “Well, we’re willing to work hard,” Eric told him.

  “I don’t think you’ll enjoy your stay,” Martin said ominously, still staring at Cari. “This old place isn’t much fun when it’s empty.”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll be fine,” Jan assured him.

  “I’m not so sure,” he said. “There are … other things. Things that you would be better off not knowing about.” As he spoke these words, his voice faded to a whisper.

  “You mean the place is haunted?” Jan asked eagerly. “Are there ghosts?”

  Jan’s questions seemed to surprise him. He gazed at her thoughtfully. He seemed to be trying to decide how much to reveal.

  “I’m warning you—” he started.

  “Well, are there?” Jan demanded. “Have you seen ghosts here?”

  He was silent for a long moment. “I have seen things,” he said reluctantly. “Here in the old wing.”

  His tone was odd, cold—almost as if he were teasing them, Cari thought.

  A strange, thin-lipped smile formed on Martin’s shadowy face. “You don’t believe in ghosts—do you?” he whispered.

  “No,” both Eric and Craig exclaimed.

  “Yes,” Jan said. “Please—tell us what you’ve seen.”

  “Leave this place. Go back tomorrow,” Martin said, ignoring her question.

  His face was entirely in shadow. Cari couldn’t see his expression, but his words gave her another chill.

  He turned sharply and, without another word, floated silently away down the dark, empty corridor.

  Chapter 7

  A SURPRISE AT DINNER

  “Hand me the suntan lotion,” Cari said, lazily reaching up.

  “Which one? The coconut one or the one that tastes like bananas?” Eric asked, sitting up to search through Cari’s straw beach bag.

  “I don’t really care what they taste like,” Cari said, laughing. She shielded her eyes with her hand to peer at Eric, who was beside her on the big yellow beach blanket, wearing faded denim cutoffs. “What number is the coconut one?”

  “It’s eight,” Eric said, twisting off the cap and rubbing some of the white lotion onto his pale shoulders.

  “Okay,” said Cari. “That’s good. I want to get a tan, but I don’t want to roast.”

  Eric handed her the tube. Cari began rubbing the lotion on her arms and shoulders, still lying flat on her back.

  “Where is Jan?” Cari asked.

  “I don’t know,” Eric said. He was watching Craig, who was down by the water in lime green baggies, letting the low waves froth around his ankles.

  “She wasn’t at breakfast or lunch. I haven’t seen her all day,” Cari said, a little worried.

  “She’s probably off somewhere, searching for ghosts and goblins,” Eric said, snickering. “Maybe she’s in a deep trance, trying to summon the Ghost of the Howling Wolf Inn.”

  “I love Jan, but she really is weird,” Cari said.

  “I heard that!” a voice cried right behind Cari.

  Cari sat up and spun around. Jan, wearing a pink bikini and carrying a large canvas beach bag, stood over her, an angry expression on her face.

  “Jan—we were just wondering where you were,” Cari said.

  “I know. I heard your whole conversation,” Jan said. “So you think I’m weird, huh?”

  “Jan—” Cari started.

  “Think I’m crazy, huh? Think my interest in the paranormal is one big joke?”

  “Yeah. Kind of,” Eric agreed, unable to keep a straight face.

  Jan scowled at him.

  “Sit down,” Cari said, patting the beach blanket. She gave Eric a shove. “Move over. Make room. And stop picking on Jan.” She looked up at her friend. “Come on, Jan. It’s such a beautiful day. It’s much too pretty to be arguing.”

  “I really don’t like to be laughed at,” Jan insisted. She grudgingly lowered herself onto the blanket.

  “I’m sorry. Really,” Eric said, but his grin didn’t make his words too believable. He adjusted his mirrored sunglasses and gazed at the water.

  “Where’ve you been?” Cari asked.

  “Oh, I slept very late,” Jan told her, pulling towels out of her enormous bag. “Then I explored a little and tried to call Aunt Rose, but there was no answer. Simon thinks she’ll come out today. He’s going to drive down to the dock to meet the launch later. I hope she’s on it.”

  “Me too,” Cari said quietly.

  “This is a great place!” Eric exclaimed, stretching out beside Jan, who was still pulling things from her bag.

  “It’s okay,” Jan said, concentrating on finding the suntan lotion. “Anybody ready to swim?”

  “Looks like Craig is ready to go in,” Eric replied. “Hey—look at that bird.”

  Cari and Jan followed his gaze. A large dark shape glided swiftly across the pale sky.

  “It’s a hawk,” Jan said.

  “They have hawks here?” Eric asked, still following the bird’s progress, the sky reflected in the lenses of his sunglasses.

  “Guess so,” Cari said. The dark bird seemed out of place where everything was so bright and shiny and pretty. Cari somehow felt the bird was an intruder, an unwanted visitor casting a shadow on their private beach.

  She shook away that strange thought and sat up, propping herself on one elbow after adjusting her shimmering green bikini top.

  Craig was still standing at the edge of the water with his back to them, the blue-green water sparkling with sunlight as it lapped gently onto the yellow sand. To the right, two small canoes bobbed against a low wooden dock. The bay beach rolled off on both sides of them, following the
curve of the shoreline.

  Behind them, up a sloping dune, the hotel stood, a sprawling, white fortress guarding the entire scene, the long dining-room window catching the gold of the afternoon sun. And on both sides, the hotel was framed by woods of fragrant, tall, blue-green pines, swaying ever so gently in the warm breeze off the water.

  “I can’t believe it! This is all ours!” Cari exclaimed, filled with happiness. “It’s just so beautiful! I’m glad no one else is here!”

  “It’s not bad,” Jan said, rolling onto her stomach. “NOt bad at all.”

  “Not bad?” Cari cried. “It’s paradise!”

  “I keep waiting for Gilligan and the Skipper to come walking out from the trees,” Eric said.

  “Isn’t that show a little sophisticated for you?” Cari cracked.

  He tossed a handful of sand onto her legs.

  “Hey! You’re getting sand all over the blanket!” Jan protested.

  “I know,” Eric said, pleased with himself.

  “Can’t take you anywhere,” Cari said, frowning.

  He’s cute in those mirror sunglasses and jean cutoffs, she thought. I like his ponytail too. Her thoughts surprised her. She’d never thought of Eric as anything but a friend, but now she suddenly felt attracted to him.

  It must just be the great mood I’m in, she thought. I’m attracted to everybody today.

  “It was nice of Simon to give us the day off to have fun,” Jan said.

  “He’s a nice guy,” Eric said. “He’s a cool dude. He’s so distinguished looking. Like an ambassador or something.”

  “Yes, it was really great of him to let us stay,” Cari said thoughtfully. “But what’s with this Martin character?”

  “Did you see his face at breakfast? Like a stewed prune!” Eric said, laughing.

  “What’s his problem anyway?” Cari asked, sifting her hand through the warm sand. “Did you get the feeling he was trying to scare us last night?”