Strawberry Summer (12 page)

If Chris wasn’t here and she wasn’t back at the Lake Majestic offices, then where on earth
was
she? She was really getting worried now.

“There are my folks,” Alan pointed out, his voice a loud whisper.

Sure enough, Jake and Olive Reed were at the front of the room, moving toward a desk on which rested a pile of official-looking papers. They both looked grim. Behind them, their faces reflecting triumph, were the three real estate agents.

“Oh, no! I think we’re too late!” Susan groaned. “It looks like the deal has already been made. Your parents are about to sign over Camp Pinewood to those ... those
criminals.”

“Maybe we can still warn them....” But Alan sounded anything but optimistic.

“Well, we might as well go over and try.”

But as Susan and Alan made their way up to the front of the room, a peculiar thing happened. Tom, the real estate agent, happened to glance over and see them. All of a sudden, a look of horror crossed his face.

“It’s
her!”
he cried, gripping the side of the desk for support. He dropped the pen he had been holding in midair as he was about to sign the papers that would make Camp Pine wood his. “How did you get out?”

And then he realized something else: that this girl in the sundress walking toward him, the girl who had somehow managed to escape from that locked storeroom, had in her possession papers that could make him and his real estate company look bad.
Very
bad.

He suddenly turned beet red.

“Well, now, maybe we’re being a bit too hasty here after all,” he sputtered.

His two associates, Pete and Doris, looked at him in amazement.

“What are you talking about, Tom?” asked Pete, sounding annoyed. “You know we’ve been planning this for months. For years!”

The lawyer who was overseeing the transaction looked over at the two men, surprised. “Months? Years?” he asked, blinking with astonishment. “But this land was only put up for auction last week!”

But the others ignored him. They were too busy looking at Tom, who was growing more and more agitated.

“No,” he said, “on second thought, I think we need some more time before we decide to make a big purchase like that Camp Pinewood land. In fact, I’d like to call a conference with my business associates right now, if you don’t mind....”

He dragged Pete and Doris away, both of them wearing expressions of amazement.

“What was that all about?” asked the lawyer.

Susan suddenly burst out laughing. She had just realized what had happened ... and the fact that it was the very last thing she would have expected in a million years made the whole thing seem even funnier.

“Let’s just say that they seemed to think I was someone else. A natural mistake, of course, but something that it never even occurred to me might happen....

“Anyway, it’s all for the best. Mr. and Mrs. Reed, we happen to know for a fact that those real estate agents are the people responsible for all those ‘mysterious’ things that have been going on at Camp Pine wood over the past few summers. They’ve been trying to make you lose business so you’d sell them your land—cheap. The whole thing is terribly dishonest.”

“That’s quite an accusation to make,” the lawyer interjected with a frown. “Especially since these people happen to be some of our town’s most upstanding citizens.’’

“Hah!” snorted Alan. “Is that why they scurried away like that just now? No, they were afraid of being exposed in public. Right here, in front of all these people.” With a sweep of his arm, he indicated the roomful of local citizens who were seated in the community room, waiting for the next parcel of land to be put up for auction.

“And we have proof, too,” Susan said bravely. “At least I
think
we do. First of all, we have to find my sister, Chris.”

“Chris?” asked Mrs. Reed. “What does
she
have to do with all this?”

“It’s a long story, but one that I hope you’ll give me a chance to tell.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” said the lawyer. “In the meantime,” he added, turning to the Reeds and handing them some papers, “why don’t you hold on to the deeds to your land? As of right now, you two are still the owners.”

Susan and Alan exchanged looks of relief—and triumph.

“I’ll tell you what, Susan,” said Alan. “How about if you stay here and tell my folks and this lawyer all about everything you two found out about the Lake Majestic Realty Company? In the meantime, I’ll take the truck and try to find Chris.”

“All right. But where are you going to look?”

“Back at the real estate offices. I have a feeling that this plot to ‘steal’ Camp Pinewood from my parents isn’t the only thing those people are capable of. Maybe she’s still in there, locked up or something. Didn’t that man Tom say something like, ‘How did she manage to get out?’ At any rate, I’ll tell you one thing: I wouldn’t put anything past them! I’m going back over there to see what I can find out.”

“Thanks.” Susan squeezed his arm gratefully. “I’m sure she’s all right ... but I’ll feel a lot better once she’s back at camp!”

“And now,” she went on, turning back to the lawyer and the Reeds, all of whom seemed anxious to hear what she had to say, “let me tell you what’s been going on. I’ll start at the very beginning.”

Camp Pinewood’s annual Parents’ Day was held a
few days after the land auction. The day dawned sunny and cool—-the perfect kind of day for showing the campers’ parents around, letting them get a closer look at the place where their children were making new friends and learning new things and simply having fun. Everyone had been preparing for days, and it promised to be a joyous festival.

Late that morning, the Reeds took a moment out to sit down at their kitchen table and to share a pitcher of lemonade with their son—and the camp’s two most celebrated counselors, Chris and Susan Pratt.

“You know, this is easily the best Parents’ Day we’ve ever had,” said Olive Reed, putting her arms around the shoulders of both Chris and Susan. There were tears in her eyes as she spoke. “And it’s all because of you two girls.”

“That’s right,” Jake Reed agreed in a hearty voice. “If it weren’t for you twins, this would be our last Parents’ Day ever.
And
the last year that Camp Pinewood ever existed!”

“Well,” said Susan sheepishly, “we were glad we could help....”

“ ‘Help’! You saved Camp Pinewood!” Alan was no less grateful to the twins than his parents. “You decided that you were going to get to the bottom of all the things that had been going on here for years, and, by golly, you went ahead and did it!”

“Aw, shucks.” Chris grinned. “It was easy.”

“Easy!” exclaimed Olive Reed. “I don’t exactly
call being locked up in a storage closet for over an
hour ‘easy’!”

“Well ... I suppose so,” Chris said modestly. “But Tom let me out just as soon as he got back to the office, right after his hasty departure from the Public Land Auction.” She chuckled to herself. “Boy, you should have seen the look on his face when he opened the door and saw that I was still in there! I thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head! He said, ‘I don’t believe it! There are
two
of you!’ ”

Chris shook her head as she remembered, her brown eyes shining with merriment. “See that? It really does pay to be a twin. Even when Sooz and I haven’t actually
planned
to take advantage of the fact that we each have a double!”

“That sure was lucky.” Jake Reed nodded. “If Tom hadn’t mistaken Susan for Chris right before we signed those papers ... well, I shudder to think.”

“And it’s lucky that Chris had the foresight to hang on to a copy of all those memos and letters that she found in their offices,” Alan said admiringly.

“Hey, after all I went through to get them, I wasn’t about to leave them behind! But the funny part is, Tom never even realized that I had made two copies of each document and kept one for myself, hidden away. When I handed the whole pile of papers back to him, he just assumed I’d given up.

“Of course,” she added, laughing, “he was still in shock over the fact that I’d managed to show up at Town Hall while still remaining locked up in his office. I wonder if he’s managed to figure that one out yet.”

“Well, I’m sure our lawyers will explain the whole thing to him. Now that we’ve got that evidence, Chris, we can make sure that the Lake Majestic Realty Company never tries to pull a stunt like that again.”

Olive nodded in agreement with her husband. “That’s right. In fact, I doubt that the Lake Majestic Realty Company will even be in existence very much longer! Especially since everyone’s beginning to suspect that this kind of thing has gone on before.”

“Well, I could sit around celebrating all day, but I’ve got things to do.” Jake Reed stood up from the kitchen table. “There are a lot of parents out there who need to be given a tour of this place. And,” he added with a wink, “I’m sure they’ll be wanting to meet the heroes of Camp Pinewood. You know, you two have already become legends around this place!”

“I’ve noticed,” said Alan. “The kids actually argue over whose turn it is to sit with Chris and Susan.”

“Oh, Chris did most of it,” Susan said, blushing. “All I did was happen to be in the right place at the right time.”

“Hey, what about your ‘sixth sense’?” Alan teased. “You told me you ‘had a feeling’ you should show up at Town Hall. I’d say that counts for plenty!”

Just then there was a knock at the screen door.

“Hello? Anybody in there?”

“Oh, it’s Richard. Come on in! Door’s open!”

“Thanks, Mrs. Reed. I don’t mean to break up your little party, but there are a lot of parents out there who want to meet the owners of Camp Pine-wood. Apparently word has spread about everything that’s been going on, and there are quite a few who’d like to shake your hand!”

“Come on, Jake. Our public awaits,” said Olive Reed with a smile. “Let’s go attend to our camp, and let these four kids enjoy themselves.”

Richard joined Alan and the twins at the kitchen table and helped himself to some lemonade. “Ummm, this looks good. But we should all save some room for the Parents’ Day banquet they’re setting up. I checked out the dining hall before coming over, and they’ve got quite a spread laid out.”

“Yes, they’ve been working hard at it all morning,” said Alan. “And even though I’ve been sworn to secrecy, I’m going to tell you that my parents asked me what the celebrity twins’ favorites are. They want to make sure you two know you’re a key part of this celebration today.”

“That was sweet of them,” said Susan. “But I don’t know how you’d have any idea....”

“Oh, no?” Alan grinned mischievously. “Let’s just say that you two are not the only ones around here who have a natural talent for spying!”

“Well, the best part of all this is that now we can all take it easy and enjoy the rest of the summer,” said Chris.

“Right,” her twin agreed. “Now we don’t have to worry about any more mysteries or pranks or prowlers in the night.”

“One thing we
do
have to worry about, though,” said Richard with great seriousness, “is making sure that Chris is really Chris and Susan is really Susan. Now that we all know how easy it is for you two to switch places, how can we be sure we’re talking to the right twin?”

“I hadn’t thought of that.” Alan looked pensive. “And you two said that you’ve done this switching-off business before, right? “

“Oh, on occasion.” Chris looked at Susan and laughed. “But we promise not to do it anymore this summer. Right, Susan?”

“Right! But wait a minute... I thought I was
Chris!”

The twins broke into hysterical laughter at the boys’ confusion.

“Hey, we’d better get down to the dining hall,” Richard reminded them all. “If my nose serves me correctly, I’d say it’s just about time for the big Parents’ Day banquet to get under way.”

“I’m famished!”  Chris jumped up from the table. “And I can’t wait to see those special ‘goodies’ that the Reeds have arranged to serve in our honor, Sooz.”

Still laughing and joking, the foursome tromped down to the dining hall, Alan and Chris arm-in-arm, Richard and Susan holding hands. It was a real celebration, the twins had to admit. Getting rid of the “ghosts” that had been haunting Camp Pine-wood for three years, saving the camp for the Reeds, and seeing that justice was done as far as the Lake Majestic Realty Company’s three real estate agents were concerned were all cause for feeling triumphant. And knowing that now they could enjoy the rest of the summer, with Alan and Richard as well as each other, made everything even better.

As they walked into the dining room, there was suddenly a loud burst of applause. Indeed, word had spread quickly, and parents, campers, and counselors were all on hand to salute them. The Reeds were there, too, standing in front of a cake large enough to serve dozens of people. And written on it in big red letters were the words “Thanks, Chris and Susan!”

“Oooh, you shouldn’t have!” Susan cried as she spotted the cake. The real reason for her modesty, however, was, being afraid she would start to cry. But when she glanced over at her twin and saw how glassy her eyes were, she stopped worrying. At least she wouldn’t be the only one!

“That’s not all,” said Alan in a teasing voice. He led the girls over to another table. On it was placed the biggest bowl of strawberries they had ever seen.

“Strawberries!” they cried in unison, bursting into laughter.

“Didn’t you once say something about strawberries being one of the things that make summer so special?” Alan grinned knowingly.

“Of course. Strawberries ...”

“And lemonade ...”

“And going barefoot ...”

“And let’s not forget the really important things,” Susan said seriously.

“Like what?” Chris popped a huge red strawberry into her mouth.

“Like good friends ... and having a good time.”

“Of course,” said Chris. “And I can think of one more thing, too.”

“What’s that?”

“Having a twin sister!”

With that, the two girls leaned forward and gave each other a big, long hug.