Camp Club Girls: Elizabeth

by Brumbaugh Green, Renae;

  “Because God is good,” said Elizabeth.

  “Well, it sure doesn’t feel like He’s good right now,” said Kate. Elizabeth did not have an answer for her. Then, a verse popped into her mind.

  “‘For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you,’” she said. “Isaiah 41:13. We’ll find him, because God will help us.”

  There was a knock at the door. Elizabeth set her phone on the bed and cracked the door to find Gary. Behind him was Charis, the girl who taught the Bible stories.

  “We’ve looked everywhere,” Gary said. “We’ve got to stop and get ready for tonight’s performance.”

  “Tell Kate we’re sorry,” said Charis.

  With a nod, Elizabeth softly closed the door. She turned to find Kate behind her. Kate had heard every word.

  Elizabeth picked up her phone and called the Camp Club Girls on a conference call. She told the others about Biscuit, and they were silent for a few moments.

  Finally, Bailey changed the subject. “Hey, who was it that had news on the strawberry?”

  “Oh yeah. The strawberry birthmark,” said Sydney. “The strawberry nevus is quite common, and as many as one in ten babies have them. They usually disappear in early childhood.”

  “That’s great news!” said Elizabeth. “Maybe Annie’s birthmark will just go away, all by itself!”

  “Probably not,” continued Sydney. “The strawberry hemangioma is a little different. If the birthmark continues to grow, it’s probably a hemangioma, and it won’t go away on its own. Didn’t her mother mention that it was growing?”

  “Yes,” Elizabeth replied, disappointed.

  “This is terrible,” said McKenzie. “That poor little girl!”

  “There’s more,” Sydney told them. “If it’s not taken care of, it has the potential, down the road, to become cancerous.”

  Elizabeth thought of sweet little Annie. God, no. Please don’t let her get cancer.

  “I don’t know how much more bad news I can take,” said Kate, flopping on her bed.

  “Well, there is some good news,” said Sydney. “There is an organization called the Kiwanis Club. They have chapters all over the US, so I’m sure San Antonio has one.”

  “Hey, I saw something about them on Walker, Texas Ranger! Don’t they do things to help little children?” exclaimed Alex.

  “Yes,” Sydney replied. “They help improve the quality of children’s lives, especially young children. Each chapter tries to sponsor at least one service project per year. Maybe you can hook Annie up with a local Kiwanis Club. Maybe they’ll help.”

  Elizabeth couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Kate!” she said, causing Kate to jump from her spot on the bed.

  “What?” answered the startled girl.

  “Do you remember seeing that sign on the stage where the teens perform each night?”

  Kate looked thoughtful. “I remember seeing a sign, but I didn’t pay much attention.”

  “It’s a Kiwanis sign!” exclaimed Elizabeth. “They must own the Fiesta Noche!”

  “Come to think of it, Gary did say we were renting it from some organization. Hey, wouldn’t that be cool if that money ended up helping Annie?”

  “Thanks, Sydney. You’re the best!” Elizabeth said. “All of you are the best! Kate, what time is it?”

  “It’s dinnertime,” said Kate. “But for once, I’m not really hungry.”

  Elizabeth patted her friend’s shoulder. “Let’s go watch the show. Afterward, we’ll talk to Gary, and maybe he can put us in touch with the Kiwanis director. Then we’ll search for Biscuit some more.”

  Kate nodded slowly. Elizabeth wished she could take this burden from her friend.

  McKenzie spoke up then. “Kate, it will be okay. I have this feeling it will all work out, and you’ll find Biscuit. Just like at camp, remember?”

  Bailey chimed in. “Yeah, and remember the verse Elizabeth told us, about God helping us!”

  “And we’ll all be praying,” Alex said. “I’ll bet you’ll find Biscuit by tomorrow.”

  With a few more encouraging words, the girls said goodbye and promised to be in touch soon.

  Elizabeth started to leave, but Kate stopped her. “Wait,” she said. “Let me check my blog first.”

  Once again, there was a comment waiting. Kate nearly lost her balance when she read what it said: “Back off. If you want to see your dog alive again, you’ll keep your mouths shut.”

  Elizabeth reached an arm out to steady her friend. “Don’t worry, Kate. They won’t hurt him. He’s their bargaining chip,” she said with more confidence than she felt.

  Kate took a deep breath. She grabbed the tracking device, and the girls left the room without looking at it. But in the elevator, they couldn’t help but notice. The device was lighting up like a Christmas tree.

  The Skipper was on the move.

  The Girls Confess!

  Kate pressed the ground floor button on the elevator again and again, as if that would make the elevator move faster. “Hurry up! Stop being so slow!”

  Elizabeth looked through the window, scanning the area, looking for signs of the navy blue captain’s hat. Finally, she saw it.

  “Calm down, Kate. He’s getting a hot dog,” she said. She watched the man pay for his snack, then turn back toward his boat.

  Kate held up the tracker again, and sure enough, the tiny red dot was returning to its original location.

  “Whew,” she said. “I guess we need to keep a closer watch. He could have been from here to Timbuktu by now!”

  The elevator doors opened, and the girls saw Uncle Dan talking to a gray-haired couple, obviously hotel guests. When they left, the girls approached. Kate held up the tracker so he could see.

  “This is perfect,” she told him.

  Uncle Dan looked at the device. “Pedro and Maria stopped by after the tracker was in place. They were headed to the mall to see if Joe’d learned anything. They said they’d check back later.”

  “We’re going to watch the kids’ performance tonight. We need a change of pace, and we have another project we’re working on. We have the tracker, and we can leave if the Skipper does anything out of the ordinary,” Elizabeth told him.

  Uncle Dan nodded. “I wish I could help you more, girls, but I’m back on duty. I think you’re safe for another couple of hours. The Skipper will continue to give tours until after dark. And I have another surprise for you,” he said with a smirk.

  The girls looked at each other, then back at Uncle Dan.

  “While Pedro was shoe-shining, I was doing a little detective work. There is now a mini-transmitter on the back of the Skipper’s steering wheel.” He handed the girls a tiny speaker. “You can now listen to him give tours…or anything else he may talk about when he’s on or near the boat. This little baby will pick up any conversation for about twenty feet.”

  Kate looked at the device, eyebrows lifted. “Wow. This is the latest model, isn’t it? I’ve been wanting this one.”

  Uncle Dan smiled, then turned to greet a new set of customers. The girls waved, then headed out the glass doors.

  “I guess this means we can relax for a little while. The Skipper will give tours, and we’ll be able to see when he moves, and hear what he says,” Elizabeth said.

  Kate held the tiny device to her ear. “Sounds like he’s giving a tour now.” Looking at the tracker, she watched the red dot move slowly across the screen. “His movement will be slow and steady as long as he’s on the boat. I guess we can watch it, and if the pattern changes, we’ll know something’s up.”

  The girls were almost to the Fiesta Noche when they ran into Elizabeth’s parents. James was wearing a hat shaped like a Tyrannosaurus rex.

  “Roar!” he said, and Elizabeth pretended to be afraid.

  “There you girls are,” said Mr. Anderson. “We were just about to call you. You missed a lot of excitement this afternoon! They had a special dinosau
r exhibit at the museum. Did you have a nice time with Uncle Dan?”

  Elizabeth glanced at Kate, who was looking at her shoes. “Well, um…we had some excitement of our own,” she said. “Biscuit’s missing.”

  “What?” exclaimed Mr. and Mrs. Anderson in unison. “How did that happen? When?”

  “It happened a few hours ago. We’ve been looking for him ever since,” said Elizabeth.

  “Why didn’t you call us?” asked Elizabeth’s mother.

  “Uncle Dan has been helping us look for him, and I didn’t want to bother you,” said Elizabeth.

  Mr. Anderson looked from Elizabeth to Kate, then back to Elizabeth. Was that suspicion on his face?

  Elizabeth’s mother put her arm around Kate, pulling her into a hug. “You know we’ll do all we can to find him, sweetie,” she said. Kate nodded.

  “Are you two girls involved in another mystery of some sort?” asked Mr. Anderson.

  Just then, Elizabeth spotted Gary talking to an older gentleman. He was handing him an envelope. “Excuse me, Dad. I really need to speak to Gary. Do you mind?”

  Mr. Anderson excused his daughter, and Elizabeth politely approached the two adults. Kate followed behind, her eyes on the tracker.

  When there was an appropriate break in the conversation, Elizabeth said, “Hi, Gary. I need to ask you a question. Are you renting this stage from the Kiwanis Club?”

  Gary looked surprised. “Yes, we are. This is the Kiwanis representative, right here, Mr. Adams.” He looked at the gentleman and said, “Let me introduce you to a couple of my biggest helpers, Elizabeth and Kate.”

  “Nice to meet you,” said the girls, each shaking the man’s hand.

  “Are you interested in joining the Kiwanis Club?” he asked them.

  “Possibly,” Elizabeth replied. “But I’m also interested in letting you know about a possible service project,” she said.

  “Wonderful!” the man told her. “We’re always looking for chances to help kids. Tell me about your idea.”

  Elizabeth began pouring out Annie’s story, and the man gestured to a small bench. They sat down and kept talking. Soon, Elizabeth’s parents joined them. Before long, the man was nodding and smiling.

  “Yes,” he said. “This sounds like exactly the kind of project we’ve been looking for. When can I meet Annie?”

  “She’s been coming to the Bible club every morning at the church at La Villita. Can you come tomorrow morning?”

  “I’ll be there. It may be late morning, but I will be there before your Bible club is over.” He shook her hand, then Kate’s, and said, “Thank you, girls. I love to see young people who care about others, and who want to help. You’re exactly the kind of girls we need in the Kiwanis organization.”

  Elizabeth’s parents smiled at the girls. “This will make such a difference in Annie’s life. I’m proud of you girls,” said Mrs. Anderson.

  “I am too,” said Elizabeth’s dad. “But I still feel like you’re not telling me something. Unfortunately, I’m starved. Are you girls hungry?”

  “No, sir,” Kate and Elizabeth responded.

  Mr. Anderson reached over and tousled Kate’s hair. “Try not to worry about Biscuit,” he said. “He has to be around here somewhere. You know we’ll do all we can to find him.”

  Kate nodded.

  “We’re going to get something to eat, and we’ll meet you back here in time for the show. How does that sound?” he continued.

  Elizabeth nodded, then watched her parents and James head toward a cluster of hamburger and hot dog stands.

  “I’m not sure how much we should tell them,” she said to Kate.

  “Tell them everything,” she said. “At this point, we can use all the help we can get.”

  The girls went to the Fiesta Noche stage and found Gary.

  “Can we do anything to help set up?” Elizabeth asked.

  Gary looked at Kate compassionately, then answered Elizabeth. “Why don’t you do the usual—play for the crowd? And Kate, you come with me. I have the perfect job for you.” He led Kate to a box of black microphone cords. “These have gotten all tangled. Could you please straighten them out for me, and coil each one neatly?”

  Elizabeth smiled. Perfect. Busywork is exactly what Kate needs right now to keep her mind occupied.

  Elizabeth sat down at the bench, feeling almost guilty. Everyone else was working, and here she was, getting to do the thing she loved most in the world. She didn’t feel guilty enough to question it, though. She played a couple of scales to warm up. Then, she began playing a 1950s rock ’n’ roll rhythm that was sure to draw attention. Sure enough, within a few minutes, the seats began to fill with people.

  She was surprised when the sound of a bass guitar joined her. Turning, she saw Joe engrossed in the music. When did he get here? she thought, but continued to play.

  Joe continued playing, but discreetly moved directly behind her. “I’m on a break, and I need to get back to the music store. I think I may have found something,” he whispered. “Can you and Kate meet me at the store at eight o’clock?”

  Keeping her eyes on the crowd, she whispered, “We’ll do our best.”

  After playing a few more measures, Joe set the guitar down and left the stage. Elizabeth continued playing until Gary nodded to her, signaling it was time to begin the mime show. Kate waited for her at the stage door, and together they crossed behind the stage and over the small bridge. They found seats near Elizabeth’s parents.

  James laughed at the mime clowns. The girls, on the other hand, couldn’t concentrate on the show. Kate once again held the tracker in her hand, watching the red dot move slowly in the center of the screen.

  Something out of the corner of Elizabeth’s eye caught her attention. There, coming around the curve, was the Skipper and his boat of tourists. She elbowed Kate. “Look,” Elizabeth whispered.

  Kate looked up, and Elizabeth watched the girl’s hands clench into tight fists. “What did you do with my dog?” Kate whispered.

  The Skipper floated by, his fake smile pasted in place, giving witty, memorized discourse about San Antonio and the history of the Riverwalk. At one point his eyes scanned the crowd, and he seemed to pause on Elizabeth and Kate. His smile faded for just an instant, with something akin to rage—or was that fear?—momentarily taking over his features. The man recovered quickly, pasting on that smile again, and the girls watched him and his boat float out of sight.

  The show ended, and the crowd applauded and began to leave. Kate and Elizabeth didn’t move. Neither did Elizabeth’s parents. What should have been a fun, carefree vacation had turned into a nightmare.

  “Okay, girls. Tell us everything,” Mr. Anderson said. “Start from the beginning. I have all the time in the world.”

  Elizabeth took a deep breath, then began pouring out the story. She told him about Joe and the water balloon. She told him about Gilligan and the Skipper, and watching them in some sort of payoff. She told him about the men chasing them, the failed sting operation, about Biscuit’s disappearance, the blog threats, and finally, about hearing Biscuit through the pipes.

  During Elizabeth’s speech, Kate sat watching the tracker. Fat tears splashed on the ground beside her shoes, but she said nothing.

  Mr. Anderson sighed. “How in the world, Elizabeth, do you manage to get yourself caught up in these messes? All those years of taking music lessons of every kind. You’re supposed to be sitting sweetly in a parlor somewhere, playing your piano. You’re not supposed to be out chasing criminals and solving mysteries!”

  Elizabeth wasn’t sure how to respond, so she said nothing.

  Mr. Anderson looked at the tracker in Kate’s hand. “What is that?” he asked.

  “It’s a tracker. This light shows where the Skipper is. We’re hoping he will lead us to Biscuit,” Kate told him.

  He noticed Elizabeth’s earpiece and asked, “And what do you have in your ear?”

  “Uncle Dan put a bug on the Skipper’s steering
wheel, so we can hear his conversations.”

  Mr. Anderson stood to his feet and began pacing.

  Elizabeth’s mom remained quiet. James was hopping down the stairs, one at a time. He reminded Elizabeth of Tigger.

  Finally, Mr. Anderson said, “We’re going to call the police, and I’m not letting you girls out of my sight until this thing is taken care of. We’re going to have a nice, relaxing evening—perhaps we’ll take a carriage ride around the city. And we’ll let the police handle it from here.” He looked at his daughter, waiting for her response.

  “Yes, sir,” she said.

  He pulled out his cell phone and began dialing.

  “Dan, what were you thinking?” he said after a moment. “Helping these girls get mixed up in something like this. What in the world were you thinking?”

  He listened for a few moments, then said, “Could you please give me the number to the local police?”

  Elizabeth watched her father hang up the phone, and he immediately began dialing another number.

  “Uh, Dad?” she interrupted him. “If we go to the police, they may hurt Biscuit.”

  He stopped dialing and looked at his daughter. “Elizabeth, you’ll have to trust me. Sometimes it’s best just to let the authorities handle these things.”

  “Yes, sir,” she replied. Then, as an afterthought, she said, “Kate and I were supposed to meet our friend Joe at his job in ten minutes. He works at the music store in the mall. Can we just go tell him we’re busy this evening, so he and his friends won’t be waiting for us?”

  Mr. Anderson thought for a moment and said, “Is this the boy who was playing the guitar with you?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He looked at Kate, then back at Elizabeth. “Okay, but don’t dawdle. Do you know where the horse and buggy depot is?”

  Elizabeth nodded.

  “Meet us there in twenty minutes. Don’t be a minute late, you understand? And stay together!”

  “Yes, sir!” the girls said in unison. They dashed for the Riverwalk entrance to the mall. It would have been quicker to use one of the secret passageways Uncle Dan had shown them, but with Elizabeth’s father watching, they didn’t want to take any chances.