By the next morning three-quarters of the campers had already packed up their belongings, more than ready to get on the buses that would take them back to their families and air-conditioned houses. The kids who were staying longer watched in envy as their friends shoved damp bathing suits and sweatshirts that stunk of bug spray into bags, eagerly talking about ordering pizza and playing video games as soon as they got home.
Camp Shady Brook didn’t inspire lingering.
After most of the Walleyes had dragged their suitcases, duffel bags, sleeping bags, and dirty pillows down to the main hall for breakfast, Archie stayed behind in the cabin, empty and quiet for the first time in a week.
He enjoyed these moments, alone in the bunk, in between batches of campers. It gave him a little time to evaluate the last week and look forward to the next. What had gone right, what could be improved. Usually new ideas for schemes danced in his head like the visions little kids have the night before Christmas.
This week was a little different, however. The money situation had not been good, not at all, and he hadn’t been able to develop any brilliant new cons. Instead he’d spent most of his time, and his attention, training Cupcake Girl. Training her, and keeping her out of trouble. (Which also meant keeping himself out of trouble, as he was too aware.)
The only success he’d had was the candy-bar scam with that kid Julian. It had been an unfortunate mistake to pick a kid who took everything so . . . personally. Archie wasn’t used to kids being so angry about his cons, at least not until they got home and realized he wasn’t who they thought he was. But he chalked it up to experience. He’d choose better next time.
He’d hoped that a chance to turn the tables on Vivian would appear, but so far she’d been very cagey and unwilling to succumb to any of his attempts to get her to hand over some of her own money.
Still, the sacrifice was worth it. His reputation remained pristine, or it would be once his ill-fated mark Julian left, and today Cupcake Girl would get on one of those buses and leave Camp Shady Brook forever. And he had time to make up the money he’d missed out on. There were still five more weeks left of camp, after all.
Archie allowed himself a deep, satisfied smile before he hoisted himself off his bunk and headed off to breakfast. He wasn’t in much of a hurry. The last breakfast was usually the worst of the week, as the cooks and CITs cleaned out the back corners of the fridge and cupboards in preparation for the new campers who would get at least one or two nice meals to write home about before the food took its usual steep downhill turn.
He didn’t see Vivian at breakfast. She was probably packing with the other girls who were leaving from the Rainbow Smelts’ cabin. The older the girls, the longer it seemed to take them to pack up, though they didn’t bring any more things than the boys did. Archie spent the meal nibbling on stale toast and hearing people promise to each other that they’d email or text every day once they were back home. But he just nodded and smiled enigmatically, and begged off when people asked for his address. “I’m not really supposed to give it out,” he said apologetically. “You know how it is . . . with my family and all.” The boys at his table exchanged knowing glances.
He finally spotted Vivian afterward, as the masses of campers convened on the dirty lawn in front of the main office building. Luggage was strewn everywhere as counselors tossed things carelessly into the storage sections under the buses. Some of the departing campers hugged their friends, or said their final good-byes. But most of them just stood with hunched shoulders, defeated, coughing in the exhaust from the buses and occasionally scratching one of their many bug bites.
Camp Shady Crook had that effect on people.
Archie came up behind Vivian and clapped her on the shoulder. “Well, there you go,” he said, with more genuine enthusiasm than he gave to anything except the most potentially lucrative con, and once in a while, Oliver. “I’ve taught you everything I know.”
That wasn’t technically true, but honesty had never been Archie’s specialty. He continued, “Now you can head back to New York City and use your skills on all the kids there. Good luck! Safe trip! Have fun!”
He started to walk away, back toward the Walleyes’ cabin and the rest of his summer, but Vivian stopped him.
“Ah, but that’s the thing,” she said with a strange grin. “I’m not going back to New York.”
Archie stared at her like she’d lost her mind. “The bus leaves in a half hour.”
“I’m aware that the bus leaves in a half hour,” Vivian said patiently. “I’m just telling you that I’m not going to be on it.”
“But . . . but you said you were only staying a week. You said that!”
“Are you acting shocked at the idea I might have . . . lied to you?” Vivian said with a snort. “That’s pretty impressive, coming from Archie Drake.”
“But you have to!” Archie’s voice was getting louder and more strident. He couldn’t believe what she was saying. “You need to go home, that was the plan.”
“I don’t ‘have to’ go home, and actually, I can’t. Because my parents are”—she checked her watch—“already somewhere over the polar ice cap, flying to China right now, and they won’t be back for a month.” She paused. “So I guess it’s your lucky day, Archie. Looks like you’ve got a brand-new partner. For the whole rest of the summer.”
She grabbed his hand and shook it firmly.
All he could do was gape at her in disbelief.