Cabin Girl (6 page)

I'm still trying to figure it out a couple of hours later when April comes in. She doesn't turn on the light. Instead she stumbles around in the dark, bumping into furniture and then swearing like it was the furniture's fault. What she doesn't crash into she smacks with the plastic bag she's carrying. From the way it rustles and clanks, I'm guessing it's full of empty beer cans. Finally, April makes it to the bed and collapses. The bag of cans clatters to the floor.

I wake to early-morning sun and April snoring. The cabin reeks of stale beer. Since the new guests don't start arriving until ten o'clock, there's no rush to get up, except that I need some fresh air. If I breathe in any more beer fumes, I'll be drunk too.

I shower and dress. April still hasn't moved. In fact, I don't think she's moved all night. She's sprawled facedown on the bed, fully dressed. There are beer cans spilling out of a plastic bag on the floor—a lot of them. I wouldn't be surprised if April stays passed out until tomorrow.

I think about getting Gabe. One look at April and she'd be leaving on the next plane. It's nothing less than she deserves, but—

A light goes on in my brain. Picking up my clock, I smile and set the alarm for right now. Then I stroll over to April's bed and pull the pin.

Instantly, the whole cabin starts jangling. I flinch, even though I know what's coming. April's eyes snap open and her body jerks off the bed. She grabs desperately at empty air, but it doesn't help, and she drops to the floor in a noisy heap, knocking the beer cans every which way.

“Oh god!” She belches and claps a hand over her mouth. Then she claws her way to her feet and stumbles to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

She's there for quite a while. When she returns, she has a wet facecloth pressed to her forehead. She looks like the walking dead.

“Headache?” I ask sweetly.

She glares at me. “Why did you do that?”

I frown. “Do what?”

“You know darn well what. The alarm clock.”

I glance at the offending clock. “Oh, that. I guess I woke up early and forgot to turn it off. Sorry.”

She lies down on the bed again and lays the cloth over her eyes.

“Are you sure you should do that?” I say.

“What?” she replies. Her voice is as lifeless as her body.

“Lie down. You might fall asleep again.”

“That's the idea.”

“Except that you might not wake up for a couple of days, and guests arrive in a couple of hours. It's going to take you at least that long to get ready.”

April lifts the facecloth long enough to glower at me.

I sit down on my bed, and with the toe of my runner, I send a beer can rolling back to April's side of the room. “For starters, you need to get rid of these beer cans and air out the cabin—you know, in case somebody lights a match or in case Gabe comes in.”

“Why would he?”

“Because he owns the place?” I clear my throat. “And you might want to think about having a shower and brushing your teeth. No offense, April, but you look like you spent the night in a garbage bin, and you smell like a brewery. Definitely not the image the camp is going for.”

April props herself on an elbow and scowls. “You're enjoying this, aren't you?”

I cock my head curiously. “I'm just looking out for you.” I smile brightly. “That's what friends do.”

April starts to roll her eyes, but the effort obviously pains her because she gives it up and flops back down on the bed. “Go away,” she mutters. “You're making me feel worse than I already do.”

I stand up. “You know what you need? Food. You'll feel much better with something in your stomach. Some greasy bacon and fried eggs should do the trick, I think. Nothing like a little bacon grease to jumpstart the day. Before you know it, you'll feel like your old self. I bet you'll be up to pulling more tricks on me by lunchtime. Heck, you may even want to do your witch impersonation again.” I stroll over to the door. “But then, that's not really an impersonation, is it?”

When April leaps off the bed, I think she's going to strangle me, but instead she bolts once more for the bathroom.

“See you at the lodge,” I call after her and let myself out of the cabin.

As I start down the trail, I'm smiling. It feels good to give April a taste of her own medicine. But the feeling doesn't last. The two of us have to work and bunk together for another month, and that is not going to be easy. In fact, it could get downright ugly. I may have had a laugh at April's expense this morning, but if her claws come out all the way, I don't stand a chance.

As the trail opens into the clearing, I look around. The morning sun is dancing on the lodge windows and glistening in the dew on the lawn. Cellophane-winged dragonflies skim the surface of the lake in search of a mosquito breakfast. The camp is still asleep, except for me—and Gabe and Ed. They're standing on the dock, deep in conversation.

Suddenly I remember that I need to tell Gabe about Dennis Savoy's telephone call. What he'll make of it, I don't know, but I have to tell him. I should probably tell him about April too, but I won't. She may have broken a rule, but I'm not the lodge police. If she can do her job, it's none of my business. If she can't, Gabe will find out anyway.

I hurry toward the dock, but before I get there, Gabe takes off for the lodge. As usual, he's in a hurry.

“Gabe!” I call.

He looks up and waves but keeps on running.

“Can I talk to you?” I shout after him.

He turns and jogs backward. “Could we do it later, Bailey?” he says. “There's something I need to do that can't wait.”

When I nod, he gives me another wave and resumes his run to the lodge.

Foiled again.

Chapter Eleven

Since I have nowhere else to go, I continue on to the dock. “Morning, Ed,” I say with a sigh, staring at my feet as I drag myself along the boards.

He looks up from the rope he's coiling. “Aren't you a ray of sunshine,” he says sarcastically. “Somebody pee in your cornflakes?”

I make a face. “No.”

“Then why so glum?”

I sigh again. “I need to talk to Gabe, but he's always busy.”

Ed goes back to coiling the rope. “That's camp life for you. Anything I can do?”

I think about that. Ed is Gabe's right-hand man, and no matter how busy Gabe is, he always has time for Ed. Maybe Ed could speak to Gabe for me.

“It's about a guest who just left—Dennis Savoy.”

Ed chuckles. “The fisherman with no fishing gear.”

“Right,” I say. “The thing is, I accidentally overheard him on the phone in Gabe's office.”

“Accidentally?”

“I was standing in the hall, waiting to go in and dust.”

When Ed raises an eyebrow, I wince.

“I know. I should have left and come back, but I wasn't eavesdropping. Honest. I just have really good hearing.”

“And?”

“Well, it sounded like he was talking to his boss. He said he'd gotten everything they needed to proceed. What do you think he meant? He's an investigator, you know.”

“And you know this
how
?”

I lower my eyes. “I saw his business card. It was in the wastebasket in his cabin.”

“You went through his trash?”

“Not on purpose,” I say in my defense. “I knocked over his wastebasket, and I saw the card when I was cleaning up the mess.”

“I see. So you think Dennis Savoy is investigating the lodge?”

“Yeah. Why else would he say those things on the phone? I mean, we know he isn't a fisherman, right? He admitted it. And he was always taking pictures and asking questions about the lodge and the staff and the work we do. Why would he do that if he wasn't investigating the lodge?” I pause. “Is the camp in some kind of trouble?”

Ed looks surprised. “Not to my knowledge. But if you like, I'll tell Gabe what you've told me.”

Relief washes over me. “Thank you.” Then I frown. “Do you think he'll be mad about me listening in on Dennis Savoy's phone call?”

Ed smiles. “I wouldn't worry about it.” Then he changes the subject. “So where's your sidekick this morning?”

I tilt my head curiously. “Sidekick?”

“You know. April. I thought you two were inseparable.”

I shrug. “Not really.”

“Oh?”

“We kinda had an argument.”

“Ah. Well, I wouldn't worry too much about that either.”

“Why?”

He lays the coiled rope on the dock. “Things have a way of working out. Not always how you think they will or even how you want them to—but they work out.”

The planes start arriving at ten sharp, and the camp goes from lazy to crazy. Because Drake and his trailer are needed to move supplies, the guides deliver the luggage. Gabe usually takes guests to the lodge to get their fishing licenses, but today he's needed on the dock, so April and I escort the new arrivals to their cabins. I'm coming as April's going, so we manage to avoid each other all morning.

It's a relief, but it can't last. Even if we could stay out of each other's way during the day, how are we supposed to manage at night? We share a cabin. We're going to have to talk sooner or later.

I think about the different ways it could go. We could freeze each other out. We could have yelling matches. We could continue to play dirty tricks on one another. We could have a knockdown, drag-'em-out fight. We could have a guarded truce. Or we could talk out our differences and start over.

I'd bet my entire summer wages that that last one's not going to happen—April isn't the forgive-and-forget type, and she was only pretending to like me in the first place.

The last guests arrive around eleven, and after showing them to their cabins, April and I head for the lodge to get ready for lunch service.

We're barely in the door when Cook says, “Gabe called from the dock. He wants you both back down there.”

“What for?” April grouses. “Whatever he wants, the guides can handle it. We have to serve lunch.”

Cook raises an eyebrow. “Since when do you call the shots around here? If Gabe wants you at the dock, I suggest you get your butts down there.”

Sending Cook a snotty look and grumbling under her breath, April stomps back outside. I follow a good ten steps behind.

I shade my eyes and look toward the water. Another plane is taxiing in. I'm surprised. I didn't hear it coming. April's step quickens. She sees the plane too.

“More guests?” I hear her mutter.

Though I don't say anything, I don't see how that's possible. The camp is full. The plane must be carrying supplies. So why would Gabe want April and me to meet it? Drake's the delivery guy. All I can think is that maybe there's a cake or something else fragile that needs extracareful handling.

“You wanted us, Gabe?” April says. She sounds totally pleasant. I'm amazed.

But Gabe and Ed are securing the plane, and he doesn't answer.

I try to see inside. It's a little four-seat Cessna. With the sun behind it, the interior is dark. I can't tell if there are passengers or not.

“This is ridiculous,” April says quietly in my direction. They're the first words she's said to me since I woke her up. “We don't have time to be standing around here.” She glances impatiently at her watch. “Guests are going to be coming in for lunch soon.”

“Chill out, April,” I say. “So lunch is five minutes late. It's not a big deal.”

If looks could kill, I'd drop dead on the spot. “You've been doing this job a big three days. What do you know?” she snarls.

“What I know is that you don't handle a hangover well.”

April takes a step toward me. “You little…” she growls through gritted teeth.

For a second, it's all I can do to stand my ground. April may be small, but she's tough. And then it all seems so stupid. “Oh, April, get over yourself,” I say. “You're acting like a two-year-old. So you don't like me. Will beating me up change that? I thought you were mature and independent, but clearly I was wrong. I also thought you were my friend. Obviously, I was wrong about that too. But there's a lot of summer left, and we still have to work and bunk together, so suck it up.”

To my surprise, April just stares at me.

I nod toward the plane. “Passengers are getting off.”

Of course, the pilot is first. And right after him is—

“Meira!” April and I shout in unison, rushing forward to welcome her back.

Chapter Twelve

“Oh, Meira, it's so good to see you!”

“We've missed you.”

“How are you feeling?”

“How's your arm?”

“Guys, guys!” Meira laughs, pushing through our hugs. “I've missed you too, but you're smothering me. I can't breathe. I'm good. The doctor says my arm is healing fine.” She gently pats the bandage wrapped around her forearm. “Might not even have any scarring, thanks to Cook. I know it's only been a few days, but I've really missed the place. I can't wait to get to work.”

“I can't wait either.” April glares in my direction. “It's gonna be a relief to get back to normal.”

Normal? And that's when it hits me—my time as a waitress is over. Now that Meira has returned, I'm the cabin girl again. Period. Although I never stopped cleaning cabins, the idea of going back to only that is deflating. Doing two jobs was a challenge, but it was fun waiting tables. Now the days are going to seem so long, especially since the friendship between April and me is over.

I know April's looking at me. I can feel her smugness.

“Good to have you back, Meira.” Gabe smiles. “Can I assume the doctor has given you the all-clear?”

Meira nods. “Yup. I'm good to go.”

“By the way, thank you for recruiting another staff member while you were in Winnipeg. I really appreciate it.”