Dexter
“I think we should call Miss Belle now,” said Grandma. “If he will steal our map and follow us, he may try to get the journal.”
Grandpa opened his phone and pushed the call button. “I’m going inside while I talk to her.” He opened the door, stepped inside the trailer, and closed it behind him.
“Maybe you all should go tonight.” Carly struggled to sit still. She was shivering partly from the cold and partly from the sudden turn of events. They had gathered around the picnic table, packed in close to keep warm.
“It’s a two-hour drive and it’s already 7:30,” said Dorie. “It will be at least 9:30 or 10:00 before you could get there and after midnight before you would get back.”
Brandon shook his head. “I don’t think Grandpa will want to leave the girls and Grandma here at night without us either.”
“Let’s wait and see what Miss Belle and Grandpa say,” said Molly. “They might have an idea.”
“Why is Dexter following us? That’s what I want to know,” said Chad.
“He must think there is something to find. He stole my map,” said Carly. “He threw my Bible in the trash. I think he’s a jerk.”
Molly gasped. “Carly! You know you aren’t supposed to call people jerks. That’s not nice.”
Carly’s chin jutted out. “I don’t care. Daddy says we should make sure we use our words appropriately, and I think that’s pretty appropriate.” She swallowed hard to get the lump out of her throat but it didn’t work. Tears shone in her eyes and she hurried on. “He has followed us and scared us and stole my map. Now he’ll probably go down there and take the journal from his aunt.” Her voice rose until she was almost shouting. “He threw my Bible in the trash . . .” Then her voice cracked and she burst into tears. She put her head down on her arms on the table and cried. Silence covered the campsite like a wet blanket.
“I think we should wait for your grandpa to finish talking to Miss Belle and try not to jump to any conclusions or let our minds run away with us.” Grandma reached across the table and held Carly’s hand. “This probably won’t matter in fifty years anyway, so it’s not worth worrying about now.”
Molly blinked back tears. “It might matter in fifty years, especially if he hurts Miss Belle.”
“Grandpa’s letting her know,” Dorie said. “She will be okay there in her apartment.”
“I saw a security room by the main door when we went in to see Miss Belle,” said Brandon.
Carly lifted her head and peeked at him. “You did?”
“Yes,” Brandon said. “I didn’t think much about it then, but I bet someone is there at night.”
The camper door opened and Grandpa climbed down the two steps and shut the door.
“Well, she is not happy with her nephew,” he said. “I have a feeling that boy is going to regret ever messing with us.”
Slim grinned. “What did she say?”
Grandpa stood behind Grandma, his hands on her shoulders. “She’s quite indignant but didn’t seem shocked. She said she tried to contact him because she needed some groceries. She also said he does drive a blue pickup which she called a ‘derelict old rattletrap.’”
Chad giggled. “A derelit old battletrap.”
Max laughed. “That’s not exactly right, Chad, but close.”
Chad continued to repeat it, over and over again in a sing-song voice.
“What else did she say, Grandpa?” Dorie almost shouted to drown out Chad’s chanting.
Grandpa reached over and put his hand on Chad’s head.
“She insisted she would be safe. She said they have a security system at the apartments with a security guard at night. The doors are locked after nine and she will call down and tell them not to let Dexter in to see her. She said, ‘Mr. Henderson will be quite happy to tell Dexter he cannot come in.’”
Carly wiped the tears from her face. “I’m so glad. I was scared he would hurt her.”
“Sometimes fear causes us to say things we wouldn’t normally say,” Grandma commented. “But then we find out God has already handled the problem.”
Grandpa looked from Grandma to Carly. “I think I missed something.”
“It’s okay,” Grandma said. “Go ahead with the rest of your story.”
“Well, she doesn’t believe he’s dangerous. She said, ‘He’s selfish, lazy, greedy, and he needs to find the Lord.’” Grandpa laughed. “Then she said, ‘If I get my hands on him I’ll. . . .’”
“What, Grandpa? What did she say she would do?” Chad’s wide eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“She didn’t,” said Grandpa. He grinned at Chad. “I guess we get to use our imagination there.”
Carly giggled. “She’s so tiny and he’s so big, but I can see her taking after him with a broom or something.”
“Or her cane.” Brandon swung his arm through the air.
The group burst into laughter. Grandma laughed until tears rolled down her cheeks.
“She said she would see us about 11:30,” Grandpa said. “I think under the circumstances I’ll leave you here with the ladies, Slim. You can shuttle them back and forth from the museum in the pickup and then we won’t have to worry about Dexter either way.”
“That’s fine with me,” said Slim. “I wanted a chance to look around town a little anyway.”
“I’m taking my new book with me,” said Grandma. “I haven’t even started reading it yet, and my book club meets the day after Labor Day. I thought I could sit in the park and read for a while.”
“I guess you girls will be on your own with the research,” said Grandpa.
“That’s okay.” Molly snuggled in closer between Dorie and Carly. “We love mysteries!”
Dorie shivered. “It’s cold out here. I wish we had a fire.”
“We could start one,” said Slim. “I saw some wood bundles over at the office when we checked in.”
“Too bad we don’t have stuff for s’mores.” Brandon rolled his eyes and licked his lips.
“We do have some marshmallows,” said Carly. “I know we packed some.”
Slim got to his feet. “Someone want to come with me and we’ll get some wood?”
“I’ll go,” Chad slithered from his seat onto the ground under the table and crawled between legs to get out.
“Me too,” said Molly.
“Okay, then. We’ll be back in a couple of minutes.” Slim, Molly, and Chad hurried out of the campsite.
Brandon cupped his hands over his mouth and called across the campground. “See if they have any old newspaper. We’ll need it to start the fire.”
“I’ll get the matches and marshmallows out of the trailer,” said Dorie.
“Can you bring me my sweater?” asked Grandma. “I’m chilly too.”
“I’ll come with you, Dorie,” Carly said. “We’ll get sweaters and jackets for everyone.”
A few minutes later they were all gathered around the fire, sweaters on against the chill air. They took turns cooking and eating the marshmallows.
“I bet Miss Belle isn’t just mad at Dexter. I bet she’s sad too.” Molly licked her fingers.
“I’m sure she is, Molly,” said Grandma. “You still love your family even when they do wrong things.”
“Maybe we should pray for Dexter.” Max squatted by the fire. The coat hanger in his hand dangled a marshmallow over the flames.
“Good idea.” Slim’s voice sounded like someone was squeezing it. “When you are crossways with the world, like we talked about at the cemetery, you are lonely. You make bad choices and they lead to other bad choices . . .” His voice faded.
“Can we pray right now, Grandpa?” Molly grabbed Grandpa’s arm.
“All-righty.” Grandpa looked at Max. “You suggested it first. How about if you pray, Max?”
“Okay.” Max pulled the marshmallow out of the fire, looked at it, then stood up. He pulled his baseball cap off, bowed his head, and prayed. “Lord, please help Dexter to see he shouldn’t steal. Please help him to get things right with people and with You. Help us to find a way to help him. Keep Miss Belle safe. And us. Lord, we need help with this mystery too. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
“Amen!” Slim leaned back against the picnic table and grinned. “I sure am blessed!”