According to Candi Delmar on the eleven o'clock news, 'Andrew Wilde, the Belmore University student missing since Friday, was found earlier this evening when an anonymous tip led the police to the Shady Lane Bridge in Benedict Park. Though suffering from dehydration, exposure and various superficial injuries, the young man was listed in satisfactory condition upon admittance to Queen of Angels hospital.'

'Oh my God, they hospitalized him,' Abilene said.

'Ain't that a shame?' said Finley.

'According to police officials, Wilde was abducted early Friday morning while jogging in the park. His assailants were said to be five males, possibly teens, who knocked him unconscious and stole his wallet before leaving him handcuffed beneath the bridge.'

CHAPTER TWELVE.

It was after dark when they returned to the Wagoneer with the boxes, ice chest and stove.

'We might as well take out whatever we'll need for the night,' Cora said.

'What're we planning to do?' Abilene asked.

'That's Helen's department,' Cora said.

'So what's on the schedule?' Finley asked.

'I suppose pigging out on nacho chips isn't in the cards?'

Abilene was glad to hear Helen joking about her deprivation.

it'll be easier on you,' Cora said, 'if you don't talk about food.'

'Okay if I think about it?'

'Try not to.'

'Why don't we go down to the hot spring?' Abilene suggested, handing the ice chest to Cora, who slid it into the rear of the car. it's cooler now. The pool'll feel good.'

'Sounds fine to me,' Helen said.

'This time,' Vivian said, 'we can take our suits and towels.'

'Does that mean you want your suitcase?' Cora asked from inside the car.

'Yes.'

'Let's take all the suitcases,' Cora said. 'And the sleeping bags. This running back and forth to the car is gonna get old real quick.'

The others agreed, so she unloaded the luggage and bedrolls. 'Is that everything?' she asked.

'Aren't we taking any food at all?' Helen asked.

'We'll eat in the morning,' Cora said.

'Great,' Helen muttered. 'Anyway, what about the water? Or is that forbidden, too?'

Cora crawled backward, dragging a two-gallon plastic bottle out of the car. She slammed the tail gate shut. 'I wonder if the spring water's okay to drink?'

'You'd think so,' Abilene said. 'But I wouldn't want to drink it.'

'It's hot,' Helen pointed out.

'It's had our butts in it,' Finley warned.

'I'm not gonna drink that stuff,' Vivian said.

They picked up their things and began trudging up the steep driveway.

'There's supposed to be a lake not far from here,' Helen said.

'I'm not about to drink lake water, either,' Vivian told her.

'We've got this,' Cora said, and shook the bottle. 'Plus two more in the car.'

'That should be plenty.'

'We only agreed on one night, people.'

'I'm sure there must be a stream, too,' Helen said.

'We'll have to do some exploring tomorrow,' Cora said. 'I'd like to see that lake.'

'Maybe it's got a Boy Scout camp,' Finley said.

'You've reformed, remember?'

'Maybe that kid was a scout,' Abilene said as she climbed the front porch stairs.

Vivian groaned. 'Did you have to mention him?'

'Probably with the Beaver Patrol,' Finley said.

Helen giggled.

'All right!' Finley blurted. 'Starving hasn't dimmed your sense of humor.'

Nudging open the front door, Abilene was greeted by the glare of the Coleman lantern atop the registration desk. She squinted against its brightness, then turned away and watched the others come in.

'Where'll we want to sleep?' she asked.

'How about a Holiday Inn?' Vivian suggested.

'We can worry about that later,' Cora said, letting her sleeping bag drop out from under her right arm. She set down her suitcase and the water bottle.

'Just leave our things here?' Abilene asked.

'Might as well. I don't think we'll be sacking out downstairs, do you?'

i'm certainly not going to sleep down there,' Vivian said.

'Too hot and damp,' Abilene said.

There in the lobby, they opened their suitcases. Abilene took out her towel. She didn't much want to wear her swimsuit in the pool, but she saw that Vivian and Helen had theirs, so she found her bikini before shutting the suitcase.

'Should we change here?' Helen asked.

i'm not going anywhere without my duds,' Vivian said, rolling her suit inside her towel.

'Wary of visitors,' Finley said.

'You're dam right.'

Cora lifted the lantern down from the registration desk. The others turned on their flashlights. They followed her to the doorway behind the staircase, and down the narrow flight of stairs to the pool area.

At the bottom, Finley shone her light on the door marked GENTS. 'Anybody in...' She paused as her voice resounded through the darkness. Speaking softly, she said, 'Anybody in the mood for a john inspection?'

'Feel free,' Cora told her. i'm going in the water.'

'Hickok? There're probably lockers. Maybe we'll find something interesting.'

'Not me. Maybe tomorrow.'

'I'm sure not going in there at night,' Helen said.

Probably afraid there might be a shower room, Abilene thought. Probably remembering that phantom hand from when she was a freshman.

Vivian had kept on walking.

'Some other time,' Finley said.

They continued forward to the edge of the pool. There, Cora set down the lantern. In spite of its bright glow, it left both ends of the pool in darkness and failed to illuminate the far side. The beams of their flashlights searched those areas, sliding along the water's surface, sweeping across the archway that led outside, shining on the empty expanse of floor beyond the right end of the pool, the stools and bar, probing every dark corner.

'Nobody here but us chickens,' Finley said.

'Unless behind the bar,' Abilene muttered.

Cora already had her T-shirt off. Balancing on one foot, she tugged off a shoe. 'If it worries you, go look.'

'Me?'

'Maybe somebody should,' Helen said, shining her light on the distant bar.

'I'm not going over there alone.'

'Gobble-gobble-gobble. '

'You check it out, Finley. You're such a fearless explorer.'

'Ah, Hickok, what a pussy.' Laughing softly, shaking her head, she strode quickly alongside the pool. She left the lantern's brightness behind. Abilene and Helen kept their flashlights on her back.

In unison, they flinched at the noise of a heavy splash.

Abilene whirled around. She saw Cora, long and pale, gliding beneath the water.

Vivian stood motionless beside the pool, gazing toward Finley.

Abilene turned again, and picked up Finley with her flashlight just as the girl stepped behind the bar.

'Hey. What the...?' Finley crouched, disappeared.

'What are you doing?' Abilene called.

No answer.

'She's just screwing around,' Vivian said.

'I know. But I wish...'

A sudden harsh clamor made Abilene jump, Helen yelp, Vivian gasp 'Damn! '

Abilene, shaken, yelled, 'You bitch!'

Finley stood up behind the bar. 'That was just me kicking the bucket.'

'You're a riot.'

'I know, I know.' She made a little bow, then stepped around the bar and walked toward them. She tossed her flashlight into the air. It tumbled high, its beam somersaulting. She caught it and switched it off.

'One of these days,' Helen said, 'you're gonna be sorry.'

'Hope I didn't upset anyone.' Joining them, she started to unbutton her safari shirt.

'Where's Cora?' Vivian asked.

They turned to the pool. Abilene saw no one swimming. She heard no sounds except a soft lapping of the water. She saw nothing gliding beneath the surface.

'Don't tell me she's starting to play games.'

'Oh, man,' Helen murmured.