BooksBarbecue
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Chapters (88)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Front Flap
  3. Title Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. Back Flap
  88. Back Cover

A sound behind the shower curtain startled her. She spun around and yanked the curtain aside. The faucet was dripping. Cleo ran out of the bathroom and up the stairs to the loft. She checked the closet. No one was there.

Okay, she thought. I’ll go swimming with Dirk. Maybe that will clear my head. Then I’ll figure out what to do. She went downstairs again, changed into her suit, looked for her beach towel, and realized she didn’t have it. Cleo put on a T-shirt, stuffed her feet into a pair of sandals, grabbed her sunglasses and cap, and went outside.

“Taking a swim in the lake always calms me,” Dirk said gently as they started walking down the trail together.

I don’t think anything will calm me, Cleo thought. “Swimming is great exercise,” she said, her voice sounding hollow.

“I just have to stop at the office for a second and change into my bathing suit,” Dirk said. “Don’t worry. It’s not a Speedo.”

Oh, God, Cleo thought.

They reached the office, which was next to the parking lot where the campers left their cars. Cleo’s rented SUV was parked in the corner. When people checked in, a golf cart brought guests and their “gear” up to their cabins.

“I’ll wait outside,” Cleo said. “I’ve been inside so much …”

“Okay. I’ll be back in two shakes.”

Cleo waited. The air was so quiet and peaceful. I’d love to be here under different circumstances, she thought.

Inside the office, Dirk greeted Gordy. “You’re back.”

“Yes,” Gordy said eagerly. “It didn’t take long.”

“That’s good,” Dirk said as he walked back to his private office. “I’m going for a swim with Camper Long. She finally decided to come out of her shell.”

“Great! When I came back I parked next to her car and noticed a bathing suit on the ground under the back door. It was hard to see because it’s green and kind of blended in with the grass. Anyway, I took it up to her cabin but she wasn’t there so I hung it on her clothesline.” He smiled. “I’m trying, boss!”

“I’m proud of you, Gordy.”

Dirk was puzzled. If Camper Long didn’t put her suit on the clothesline, why didn’t she say anything to me? Wouldn’t she want to know how it got there? No wonder she seems nervous. What’s up with her? “I’ll mention it to her, Gordy,” Dirk lied. “But don’t you say anything. I don’t want her to think we’re fishing for compliments.”

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