Cabin Girl Read online

  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 b
e 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.”

  “No problem,” Meira says. “It was good to have something to do.” She turns back to the plane. “Come on out, Jen. Don’t be shy.”

  A girl about my age climbs down from the Cessna.

  “Everybody, this is Jen. Jen, this is April and Bailey—and Gabe, of course. He owns the lodge.”

  April and I mumble hello, and Gabe shakes Jen’s hand. “Glad to have you aboard, Jen.” Then he turns to April and me. “Ladies, Jen is going to be our new cabin girl.”

  “Cabin girl?” I say. I thought I was the cabin girl.

  “There are two cabin girls now?” April says what I’m thinking.

  “No.” Gabe shakes his head. “Jen is taking over from Bailey. Bailey will continue working in the dining room.”

  I’m sure April’s jaw hits the ground. I know mine does. “Bai—Bai—Bailey’s going to keep waitressing?”

  Gabe nods. “Yes.”

  “But—but why?” I can tell it’s taking all of April’s self-control to be reasonable. I bet she’s screaming inside. If Gabe weren’t there, she’d pounce on me like a feral cat. “Meira and I can handle the dining room,” she continues. “We always have. It’s not a problem. To tell you the truth, Gabe, I don’t think there’s enough work for three waitresses.” April sends me a phony apologetic look.

  “I agree,” Gabe says.

  “What?” April is clearly stunned.

  “I said I agree with you. The lodge doesn’t need three waitresses. That’s why there are only going to be two.”

  April frowns. “I don’t get it. You said Bailey is going to stay on as a waitress. That makes three—her, Meira and—”

  A shuffling and bumping cuts April off, and we all turn back to the plane as a third passenger climbs out. It’s a man. His face is hidden by a big brimmed hat, but once his feet are firmly on the dock, he lifts his head and smiles.

  “Hello again, everyone.”

  It’s Dennis Savoy.

  He points to his head. “Made sure I brought a hat this time. Unfortunately, I won’t be staying long enough to try it out on the water. Maybe next time. Right now, I need to talk to April.”

  “Me?” April exclaims. “Why do you need to talk to me?”

  “It’s a private matter,” Dennis Savoy replies discreetly.

  Gabe clears his throat. “Meira. Bailey. We need to get the new guests fed. So head up to the lodge. Take Jen with you and show her the staff dining room. Bailey, after lunch maybe you can help Jen get settled in.” Then more quietly, “She’ll be bunking with you.”

  I’m in shock. “What about April?”

  “Something has come up. She won’t be staying.” Then Gabe turns to the pilot. “Come on, Jim. Let me buy you a coffee.”

  “Sounds good,” Jim says. As he and Gabe head up to the lodge, Jim glances at his watch and calls to Dennis Savoy and April, “We’ll be leaving in half an hour.”

  I feel like a tornado has blown through camp and turned everything upside down. My head is spinning, and my legs are wobbly. Halfway to the dining room, I look back at the dock. April has never looked smaller.

  I serve lunch in a daze. I have no idea what’s going on. Meira has no clue either. If Cook knows something, she’s not saying. Somewhere between soup and dessert, the plane takes off. Though no one has said so, I’m pretty sure April won’t be back. Considering how she treated me, I should be doing a happy dance, but I actually feel a bit sad.

  After lunch I take Jen to the cabin and tell her about camp life. I also promise to help her with cabins for a couple of days, until she gets comfortable with the routine. She seems nice. We could be friends, but I’m not going to rush into it this time.

  In the middle of our conversation, there’s a knock on the door. It’s Gabe. I’m surprised. He’s never come to the cabin before.

  “I’d like to talk to you,” he says.

  I turn to Jen. “Make yourself at home. I’ll be back.”

  Gabe doesn’t waste any time. As soon as we step away from the cabin, he says, “Lodge staff come and go all season long, so no one needs to suspect April’s departure is unusual. The official story is that she left for personal reasons—which is basically true. But because she was your cabin mate and because you knew something was going on with Dennis Savoy, I thought it only fair to tell you the whole story.

  “Ed said you discovered Dennis Savoy is an investigator. You were one up on me. I didn’t find that out until last night. However, he wasn’t investigating the lodge—he was investigating April.”

  “April? Why?”

  “I’m sure you know that April was in a motorcycle accident last year.”

  I nod. “The guy she was riding with died.”

  “And April was badly injured. So badly, in fact, that her doctor deemed her unable to work. Because of that, she was awarded a large insurance settlement.”

  I’m confused. “But April was working. Sometimes her hip hurt her, but it would always feel better after a night’s sleep.”

  “That’s the issue. The insurance company heard she was working here and sent Dennis Savoy to see if it was true.”

  “So now what?”

  “April will have to appear at a hearing. If she can’t justify the deception, she’ll have to give the money back. She might also be fined. She could even go to jail.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Unfortunately, yes.”

  Things start to make sense. “What if she had a good reason for what she did?” I say.

  “Like what?”

  “Like trying to better herself. I think April was saving the insurance money to open a flower shop.”

  Gabe shakes his head. “It’s good that she wants to improve her life, but she can’t do it like that. That’s part of April’s problem. She plays by her own rules. She’s got a chip on her shoulder. Sure, she’s had a hard go of it, but so have a lot of people. That doesn’t make it okay to
abuse the rules and other people.

  “This is April’s third year at the camp. She’s a good worker, but she has always had issues with people. As long as she’s on top, she’s sweet as pie, but if she’s not, she can get nasty.” He pauses. “But then, you already know that.”

  I blink at him in surprise.

  He chuckles. “Not much happens at the lodge that I don’t find out about, Bailey. I know about April’s pranks on you. A little teasing can be fun, but she went too far. And, like I said, this wasn’t the first time. That’s why I let her go. Enough is enough. I only hope April learns a lesson from all this.”

  I’m numb. I don’t know what to think. What April did was wrong, but I still feel sorry for her, especially when I think that I told Dennis Savoy about her plans to open a flower shop. Without meaning to, I contributed to her getting caught. I thought April had her life totally together. When I told Dennis Savoy about her, I was so proud. I wanted to be like her. Now I’m grateful that I’m not. My parents may be overprotective, but at least they look out for me. April has no one.

  “Anyway, that’s the long and short of it,” Gabe says. “I’d appreciate it if you kept this to yourself.” He squeezes my shoulder. “Keep up the good work. You’re doing a great job. But don’t forget to have some fun too. There’s still a lot of summer left. Make it one to remember.”

  I sigh. “It already has been.”

  Cabin Girl is Kristin Butcher’s fourth entry in the Orca Currents series. Her other Orca Currents titles are featured on recommended-reading lists such as the PSLA Top 40 (Cheat) and nominated for the YA Quick Picks list (Caching In). Kristin lives in Campbell River, British Columbia. For more information, visit www.kristinbutcher.com For more information on all the books in the Orca Currents series, please visit www.orcabook.com.