The light ahead went out, but he ignored it and turned, tearing through the brush, desperate to reach her.
SHE LET OUT A SECOND, terrified scream; then she swung around, ready to fight to the death on behalf of the girls.
There was no need.
“Dammit, Beth,” a voice swore fiercely in the night. “What the hell are you doing?”
She blinked, drawing back with just seconds to spare before giving her brother a black eye.
“Ben?”
“Who the hell did you expect?”
“You scared me to death,” she accused him.
“What’s going on?” Amber asked nervously, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she crawled from the bedroom.
Kim followed, and the four of them wound up in the small outer room of the tent, tripping over one another.
“Nothing,” Ben said irritably.
Just then, as Amber tried to stand, she bumped one of the poles and the tent collapsed on them.
Ben tried never to swear around his daughter, but tangled in the nylon, tasting sand, Beth could hear him breaking his rule beneath his breath.
“It’s all right. The tent just fell,” she heard herself protesting.
But when she twisted to free herself, she only became more entangled.
Then the fabric was lifted from her, and, looking up, she saw the face of Keith Henson, tense and taut as he stared down at her.
“What the hell is going on?” he demanded curtly.
“Nothing,” she snapped.
“You screamed.”
By then Ben had managed to escape the mess of poles and nylon and make it to his feet. He was shaking his head disgustedly.
“Sorry, everyone.”
When she looked around, still on her back, she saw that everyone was there, flashlights shining. Had she really screamed that loudly?
Well, of course she had.
And she was still flat on her back in an oversize T-shirt riding up her thighs, staring up at everyone. Just as the thought occurred to her, Keith reached a hand down to her. At that particular moment, she didn’t think twice about accepting it.
His grip was powerful. She was on her feet before she knew it.
“What is going on?” Amanda demanded, swiping back an errant piece of blond hair. Even at night, Beth noticed dejectedly, Amanda looked great. Like a soap-opera character who awoke in the morning with perfect makeup and shiny teeth.
“Are you all right?” Hank asked, polite as always.
Roger, definitely the oldest in the crowd, set an arm on his daughter’s shoulder and looked over at Beth, smiling, as well. “Maybe we should avoid ghost stories at night,” he said easily.
She tried to smile. And then apologize. “I’m really sorry. I woke up, and went to check on the girls. And then, backing out, I ran into my brother, who was apparently checking on why I was checking on the girls. There were too many of us in too small a space. I guess I woke everyone. I’m sorry.” Except, of course, she was certain that she hadn’t awakened everyone.
Someone had already been up and creeping around the island.
Who?
It was impossible now to tell, because all of them were there. Staring at her.
Amber started to giggle. Beth stared at her, brows raised.
“Oh, Aunt Beth, I’m sorry, but it is funny.”
“Yeah, a real hoot,” Ben muttered.
“Hey, let’s just get the tent back up, huh?” Keith suggested.
Kim stared at him, obviously fascinated. “Oh, sure, thanks.”
“I can manage—” Beth began.
“Take the help when it’s offered, honey. Then maybe we can all get some sleep.” For once Amanda spoke without malice. There was even a teasing tone to her words.
Ben smiled. “Keith, if you’ll give me a hand, we’ll have this back up in two minutes.” He cleared his throat. “Beth, you’re in the way.”
“Excuse me.”
“Me, too,” Amanda said, and yawned. “I’m going back to bed. Dad, want to walk me back? Hank? Gerald?”
“If you guys are all set, we’ll go catch a little more sleep, too,” Sandy said.
“We’re fine. Good night all,” Ben told them.
Once again they parted for the night. Or what was left of it. Glancing at her watch, Beth saw that it was around four in the morning.
The girls’ tent was quickly repositioned, and their group, too, was ready to try for a few more hours of sleep.
Ben thanked Keith, as did the girls. “Hey, Aunt Beth. You could bring your sleeping bag in here, and then you wouldn’t have to worry about us,” Amber said.
“I’ll give you guys your privacy,” Beth told her, smiling.
Keith was staring at her, his gaze intent, as if he was trying to read something in her expression.
Then he smiled easily, without suspicion. “You all right?”
“Yes, fine.”
“I’m sorry if I scared you with my story.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not afraid of ghosts.” She couldn’t help the feeling that her eyes were narrowing. And she wondered if he realized she was telling him that she was scared, but not of any story—of him.
“Well, then, good night.”
With a wave, he started off for his own tent.
“Girls, go to bed,” Ben said firmly.
“Good night,” Amber said.
“Good night,” Kim echoed.
They went into their tent again. Beth winced as she heard them giggling.
“Beth, what the hell was going on?” Ben demanded.
She sighed. “I heard a noise. I was worried about the girls.”
He let out a sigh. “What’s the matter with you? You never used to be paranoid.”
“I’m not paranoid.”
“Listen, Beth, we’re surrounded by people here, half of the people we know. Nothing is going to happen.”
“You scared me,” she protested. “Creeping up behind me like that. You might have made yourself known.”
“I didn’t know who you were,” he told her.
“Aha!” Beth declared. “You were worried. Admit it.”
He sighed. “Beth, nothing’s going to happen,” he responded. “Trust me, huh?”
“I do trust you,” she told him.
“Then act like it.”
“Okay.”
“Can we go to sleep now?” he asked hopefully.
“Yes.”
“Okay. Good night.”
“Good night.”
Beth realized that he was waiting for her to be safely tucked back into bed. She smiled and nodded ruefully, then crawled back into her own tent and into her sleeping