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“Count me in, too.” Mrs. S joined the trio, throwing her arms around them all as best she could.
Adeline nodded and added her body to the clinch.
The five stood like that for a few heartbeats, before Cisco eased his way out of the hug and broke things up. “Okay. No more lamenting. We have things to do,” he told them, resolutely. “Hilly, go call all the campers and counselors into the pavilion.”
Hilly nodded, squaring her shoulders.
He dropped a quick kiss on her tight lips. “Nothing will stop me from finding out how this happened.”
Cisco strode off.
To say he was pissed, was an understatement. He was absolutely furious on Hilly’s behalf. Clearly, this was an act of defiance from someone who’d made it a point to know the ins and outs of camp, and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.
His phone rang in his pocket. He picked it up and saw it was Mason.
“Yeah, LT?” he answered.
“I hear you’re having some problems at camp.”
Leave it to Mase to cut right to the chase.
Cisco gave a wry snort. “You talked to your mother?” It was the only way his SWAT boss could have heard the news.
“I did. And she’s really upset. Which I can’t stand. I’m just calling to make sure you’re trying to get to the bottom of things, and will make this right.”
“I am,” Cisco told him. “I’m about to read the entire camp the riot act to see if I can shake anything loose.”
Mason grunted. “I think your problem more likely stems from someone not on site. I’m in the mindset of it being Langford Cottins, Marty Smittfield, or that drunk nurse Hilly canned.”
Wow. The boss was well informed. But with the man’s mother on staff, he probably got a phone call and an earful every night.
“It most likely is,” Cisco agreed. “But I’m not ruling anyone out at this point.” Cisco would go over every possibility, thoroughly.
Mason continued. “Good. If you need help or back-up, let me know. Your posse is already champing at the bit to come out and help with the investigation.”
That would be Kyle, Mike, and Welker.
“Thank them for me, but hold them off. I’ve got this meeting, then I’m going to do some recon on the grounds and see if I can find anything suspicious.”
“Okay, Cisco. But keep us posted.”
“Will do, Chief.”
Cisco hung up, a little calmer than he’d been. Knowing his team would have his back went a long way toward making him feel more in control. Where Hilly was concerned, he needed that affirmation. His heart was way too involved with this one. Which meant his emotions could get in the way.
Ten minutes later he stood in the pavilion, hands clasped behind his back, his body in the at-ease position, even though he was feeling anything but.
The kids and counselors began filing in, and the mood was low, to say the least.
Cisco would play on that.
He examined the myriad of faces as everyone took seats on the concrete, examining the crowd for one person who might seem more anxious than the rest, or even smug.
A few kids were giggling uneasily amongst their peers, but under the circumstances, Cisco figured that was normal. Unforeseen, distressing events could cause uneasy laughter.
What Cisco looked for, and didn’t observe, was anybody shifting nervously, or gloating.
When the entire group had finally settled, he began speaking. “As you all are aware, Bailey had an allergic reaction this morning which sent her to the hospital. She’s going to be fine, but that’s only thanks to Crash, who happened to be with you and had the necessary EpiPen to counter the reaction she suffered.”