Moving Target (9 page)

The extra exertion demanded by the hilly terrain kept casual conversation to a minimum, and the lunch stop came as a welcome break.

A historic marker, set in concrete, stood guard in front of a picnic area, little used now that the main highway bypassed it. The brass plate announced that it had been a major stopping point on a pioneer trail as early settlers moved west. A stream trickled past the site, and the occasional screeching of jays in the woods beyond broke the calm silence.

Three pine picnic tables were lined up in a half-moon clearing, and a rusted metal can was upended in the center, covering a water pipe and faucet. The cyclists dismounted, and while the others started unpacking the food that the inn had supplied, CJ stretched out on one of the picnic benches and put his baseball hat over his
face. “Thanks, I'm not hungry,” he muttered, when George offered him a sandwich. “I really thought I was in better shape.”

“You do look kind of pale,” Nancy told him.

“Light-headed, that's all,” CJ replied. “And hot.” He raised his head and took a swig from his water bottle. “I'm glad it's flatter country this afternoon. I couldn't go up one more hill.”

The banter at lunch was low-key. At the table beside them, Nancy heard Kendra complaining to Jennifer about Michael standing her up.

“He was supposed to meet me here for lunch,” she pouted.

Nancy leaned over to Ned. “I'm glad he didn't make it,” she whispered.

After they had finished eating, everyone packed up and headed for their bikes. CJ, who had remained sitting, finally got to his feet.

“Are you okay?” Ned asked, peering at him.

CJ shook his head. He reached for the table to steady himself and suddenly doubled over, arms wrapped around his midriff.

Ned ran to him, but he was too late. CJ had collapsed.

N
ANCY AND
G
EORGE
, walking toward their bikes, turned to call to the two boys to hurry up. They saw CJ fall and hurried back to kneel beside him.

“Give me your water bottles,” Ned said as he cradled CJ's head in one arm, “and something to put under his head.”

Quickly both girls passed over their bottles, and Nancy took her sweater from around her waist and rolled it into a pillow to go under CJ's head.

“What happened?” George asked Ned, as he held a water bottle up to CJ's lips. CJ did not respond, and the water dribbled to the ground.

“He passed out,” Ned replied. “I don't know why. It's warm, but not that warm.” He poured water on CJ's forehead. Then he poured more on
his own bandanna and began gently swabbing CJ's face with the wet scarf. Finally his eyelids flickered and opened. “He's coming around,” Ned said.

At that moment the other three riders turned around and came back from the road, where they were just about to start out.

“What happened to him?” Kendra asked in a worried voice, dismounting and kicking the stand on her bike into position. Her face was pale as she stared wide-eyed at CJ lying on the ground.

For the first time on the trip, Nancy felt some empathy for the girl who so easily antagonized people. She seemed to be genuinely concerned about CJ as she crouched down beside Nancy.

CJ managed a weak grin as he saw the circle of people around him. “Whew,” he breathed, struggling to sit up. Ned slipped his arm behind him and gave him a boost. “Sorry about that,” he said. “I don't know what hit me. I got these awful stomach cramps, and then I got really dizzy.”

He looked up at the concerned faces around him, took a deep breath, and drew his knees up against his chest. But then he leaned forward as his face contorted with pain. “Cramps aren't gone yet,” he said haltingly. “You guys go on. I'll catch up later.” He struggled to his feet, wobbled, and then quickly sat down again, shaking his head as if to clear it.

“No way,” said Ned. “We're not going to leave
you here. You can't even stand up. We should get you to a doctor.” He looked around at the others. “Look, you folks go on. I'll stay with—” But his words were interrupted as George let out a scream and dropped to her knees to catch CJ just as he toppled backward.

“Water!” she said. “He's passed out again.”

“This is serious,” said Nancy. “We can't go anywhere until we get him some help. I haven't seen a car along here for two hours. Erik, will you ride back to the last town and phone for an ambulance?”

Erik nodded. “I'm on my way,” he said, mounting up.

“Wait a minute!” Kendra reached out and gripped his handlebars as he was about to take off. She was shielding her eyes from the sun and staring in the direction from which they had ridden. Off in the distance, a vehicle was approaching. “I think that's Michael coming now. He was going to meet me here for lunch, but he must have been delayed. He can take CJ to a doctor.”

George exchanged a glance with Nancy. “The first good idea she's had,” she whispered.

Nancy nodded. “It
is
a good idea,” she said. “He's really sick.”

Jennifer, who had been standing on the edge of the circle, moved closer to them. “What's the matter with him? Do you know? Did he just pass out? Could it be food poisoning or something?”

“I don't think it's food poisoning, or we'd all have it,” Nancy answered. “He said he had terrible cramps, and then he passed out.” She turned to face Jennifer, whose concern for CJ was apparent. It was really true, Nancy thought, how an emergency could knit a group of bickering people together—sometimes. But why hadn't it happened when George had had her accident?

Kendra was standing almost in the middle of the road waving her arms at the approaching vehicle. Michael slowed the van, pulled off the road into the picnic area, and jumped out.

“What happened?” he called, peering at the cluster of people around CJ. “Another knee problem?”

“No, no. It's CJ. He's terribly sick. We have to get him to a doctor.”

“CJ?”

“You know, the tall blond guy with glasses.”

Michael nodded, and the two of them moved toward the group. Nancy watched his expression as he came closer. He seemed more puzzled by this emergency than surprised. A suspicious feeling crept over her, a sixth sense warning her to be alert. Was CJ's sudden illness caused by something they couldn't control? Or was it the result of someone's deliberate action?

Michael and Ned revived CJ, then supported him as he walked unsteadily to the van, where Erik was standing ready with the passenger door
open. George, following close behind, wheeled CJ's bike up to the back doors.

“We passed a crossroad about a mile back,” Ned told Michael. “If you go back to that road and take a left, there's a hospital in the first town you come to. Moorestown. I have a buddy who lives there. His father's one of the doctors, and he has an office in the hospital. Ask for Dr. Anderson.”

“Gotcha. I know where Moorestown is,” Michael replied, giving him a mock salute. He turned to George. “You want to go along for the ride, darlin'?” he asked, grinning at her. “I mean, I noticed that you and the patient are, well, special friends. We can just put your bike in the back, and you can ride along and play nurse.”

George's eyes narrowed as she looked at him, and Nancy could tell that she was weighing the reason behind the offer. Before she could answer, Ned stepped in. “I'll ride along with CJ,” he said. “I know a shortcut coming back. Then CJ and I can bike back together after he's been treated for whatever this is.”

Without waiting for Michael to agree or disagree, Ned loaded his bike in the back with CJ's, then climbed into the seat behind Michael and CJ. The others in the group silently watched the van pull out, make a U-turn, and head back down the road. Even Kendra, who appeared to be irritated with Michael's offer to George, was subdued.

“Ready?” Erik said to George.

“I guess so.” Her voice was strained, and Nancy could tell that she was worried. “I'm glad Ned went with him,” she said to Nancy.

Erik glanced at the others. “Fayne and I are resuming the competition,” he announced. “We'll see the three of you in about an hour, at the roadside park where we originally planned our afternoon break.” He consulted his watch. “Even with the interruption, we still have plenty of daylight to get to our lodgings for the night.”

They all put on their helmets. Then Erik and George rode off, and Nancy, Kendra, and Jennifer followed at a slower pace.

“That's so scary,” Jennifer called to Nancy, who was riding a little ahead of her. “Just to have somebody pass out like that. Maybe he ate something that none of the rest of us did, something he had left over in his pack.”

“Or he could have a heart condition that he didn't know about,” Kendra volunteered, as they coasted down a slight incline. “Sometimes the healthiest people do. People you wouldn't suspect.” She looked over at Nancy for confirmation.

“I'm sure they'll figure it out at the hospital,” Nancy replied.

“I'm glad Ned went with him,” Kendra continued. “It's so much better for him to have a guy along.”

Nancy bit back a smile and thought of the
surprised look on Kendra's face when Michael had asked George to ride in the van. She concentrated on pedaling and didn't reply, concerned about CJ and hoping that he and Ned would be able to join them at the beautiful site where they were scheduled to spend the night.

She had been to Lakeview several years before with her father, at the height of the tourist season, and been captivated by the quiet beauty of the small lake with its sandy beach and the surrounding woods. The lake itself was dotted on one side with tiny cabins, built over the years by the owner, who lived in a spacious home on the grounds. While the cabins had a waiting list of vacationers during the summer months, the owner looked forward to the peaceful early weeks of fall, when the cycling groups came through and used the facilities. He not only lowered the rates for the students, but had become famous for the barbecue dinners he prepared for them in the huge stone fire pit that dominated a picnic area by the main house.

Jennifer and Kendra had pulled out ahead of her, and Nancy made no effort to catch up, glad to have some time alone to sort out her thoughts. Maybe she was overly suspicious about Jennifer. Maybe Jennifer was telling the truth about mailing her tuition payment. It could also be a coincidence that she and Palumbo worked at the same place. And while Kendra had undoubtedly written the note in a jealous huff, Nancy had no
proof that she had trashed the room. Unlike their behavior when George had her accident, when Kendra had been accusatory and Jennifer had been silent, both girls had seemed genuinely concerned about CJ.

Nancy had to wonder where Michael Kirby figured into all this. Why did he keep asking George to ride with him, when she had made it clear she wasn't interested in him? Why did he carry a gun in his van? And a file of newspaper accounts of the burglaries? Was it coincidence, or her own imagination, or was George really targeted for some reason?

And what about CJ's sudden illness? Could it have been food poisoning? But then, why didn't the rest of them get sick? They had all eaten the same food. Unless Jennifer was right and he had eaten some leftover food from his pack.

The late afternoon sun was warm. Nancy unclipped her water bottle, only to remember it was empty. She had given the water to Ned so he could revive CJ. She was clipping it back in place when the thought struck her. The water bottle! CJ's water bottle! No one else had drunk from it.

Nancy reached the roadside park a few minutes later. George was doing stretches, using a picnic table as a prop, and Erik was sitting across from her, eating an apple.

Nancy headed straight for George. “Got any water left?” she asked.

“Are you kidding?” George asked, picking up
her plastic bottle from the table and turning it upside down. “Not a drop.”

“Let's go fill them,” said Nancy, clutching her bottle.

“Now?” George asked. “I haven't finished my series.”

Nancy raised an eyebrow. “Now,” she said. Her voice was quiet and urgent.

“Oops!” said George. “I know that look. You're onto something. Something about CJ?” she asked as she followed Nancy toward the water fountain.

“I don't know yet,” Nancy replied. “Remember this morning when Kendra was filling all the water bottles?”

George nodded.

“Did you get yours?”

George held out the bottle in her hand as proof. “Here it is.”

“Are you sure it's yours?”

“Well, I think so. CJ and I have the same kind. Actually, half the cyclists in the world and I have the same kind. Except for the burn mark.” She stopped walking to examine it, and a puzzled look crossed her face. “Nan,” she continued. “Do you remember that camping trip I went on a couple of weeks ago?”