a fast swimmer, beating all the other boys in every race during the past week.
Summer released the sigh that pressed in her lungs as she watched M&M. The girl was still only dog-paddling in waist-deep water while wearing a life jacket...another screwup on her side of the scoreboard.
Her phone conversation with Dr. Shelton had at least made her feel a little better about the publicity the newspaper had given the camp. He didn’t think it likely that anyone would try to dig for a mammoth. According to him, only a scientist would know what to look for, and a scientist wouldn’t run the risk of working in the dark. And, as he’d pointed out, what would a layperson do with something he found? Any find would be suspicious, thanks to the publicity the site had received.
So while she was breathing easier about that situation, she still couldn’t shake the uneasiness about the Byassee place. No one was searching for fossils there. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to rid them of the image of the dead kit and the smashed whiskey bottle.
“Why’s everybody so sad?” M&M stopped in front of Summer and peered into her eyes.
Summer forced a laugh. “Everybody’s not sad.”
M&M nodded sagely and glanced around the swimming area. “A lot of people are. You. Ms. Tara. Mr. Rick.”
“Maybe we just hate it that the camp is coming to an end. We’ll miss you all.”
A mischievous twinkle lit the child’s eyes. “I know something that will make y’all happy.”
“Oh, yeah?”
M&M nodded and unbuckled her life jacket, flinging it onto the beach. “Watch.”
Her form wasn’t perfect. She slapped the water hard and shifted her face from side to side with every breath, but the child swam across the area from rope to rope.
The entire camp population came to a halt, silently watching the feat.
When she popped up on the other end, a roar of applause greeted her, and she acknowledged the ovation by raising both hands and waving like an Olympian.
“You little imp!” Summer called. “When did you figure out you could do that?”
“Last night,” the child shouted. “I dreamed it. I think it was my pretty heart speaking to me. It told me I could swim and make people happy.”
That announcement was met by more cheers, and M&M beamed.
Neil hoisted her onto his shoulders for a triumphant ride through the crowd, being met with high fives all around.
* * *
RICK JOINED IN THE CHEERS as Neil picked the child up. From somewhere in the distance, a noise floated around his ear—a boat motor backfired with a pop.
The beach...the kids...Summer...Neil—everything in his vision zoomed away as if he were watching through a camera lens and needed a wide-angle shot.
He watched Dunk lift the child with tender care, staggering under the additional weight that should have been an easy carry.
“Can you make it?”
Dunk nodded, his face etched in determination as he turned and fled.
Another lap around the burned-out shell of a building turned up no survivors, and with every step, a sickening realization coiled his muscles tighter. The child had been left behind to die. A decoy, most likely.
Rage fueled his movement as he sprinted to catch up.
He could hear Dunk’s labored breathing.
“Let me have her, Dunk.”
“The name’s Neil, remember? And I’ve got her.” Neil glared at him, the indignation in his eyes magnified by the thickness of his glasses. “I may not be a marine, but I’m capable of carrying a child.”
“No, I, uh...” Rick ran a hand down his heated face, trying to gain his equilibrium. He glanced around the group of still-cheering kids, thankful no one else had heard. Thankful Summer hadn’t heard. She would’ve known immediately what had happened. “I didn’t mean to imply you weren’t strong enough to carry her. I just thought since it’s time to go, maybe I would carry her on up the hill.”
Right on cue, Tara blew a whistle. “Time to get washed up for dinner.”
The swimmers started slogging to the shore, gathering up their towels and shoes.
Neil looked at the hill, obviously sizing it up and making a quick calculation about the slope and the additional weight he carried on his shoulders.
Rick made use of the time by dropping under the water to rid himself of the cold sweat oozing from his pores.
“Okay, man.” Neil grinned, the indiscretion forgiven. “She’s all yours.”
M&M gave a delighted squeal as they exchanged her from one set of shoulders to the other.
On the way up the hill, Summer fell in step beside them. Rick’s heart