Blood Games

    ‘Shit.’ Finley boosted herself out of the pool.

    ‘Why don’t you take those with you, too?’ Cora said, nodding at Helen’s sneakers and the bag of chips propped between them.

    Dripping, Finley picked up the shoes and bag. Then she strode ahead of Vivian toward the corner of the lodge.

    ‘Come over here,’ Abilene said. She took Jim’s arm and led him to the narrow drainage channel that led from the outer pool toward the woods. ‘I’ll clean you up.’

    She helped Jim to sit down. He eased himself onto his back, then rolled over. Crouching beside him, Abilene cupped up water with both hands and began to rinse the blood off his injured leg. The wound was a raw vertical slit a few inches above the back of his knee. It leaked fresh blood as Abilene gendy cleaned the skin around it.

    ‘I’m sorry I did this to you,’ she whispered.

    ‘Don’t guess I blame ya,’ he said. ‘Ya thought I’d killed yer friend.’

    ‘Does it hurt much?’

    ‘Ain’t so bad. Just wish I wasn’t tied up, is all. I ain’t gonna run off.’

    She saw the way the rope was pressing into his wrists, then looked over her shoulder.

    Cora, still sitting on the edge of the pool, had her little finger up one of the shotgun barrels. She twisted it around. When she pulled it out, the finger was dark with mud.

    ‘The rope’s cutting off Jim’s circulation,’ Abilene said.

    ‘It’s gotta be tight or he’ll get loose.’

    ‘Sorry,’ Abilene told him. ‘We can’t take any chances.’

    ‘ Ya gonna keep me till Hank comes?’

    ‘That’s the idea.’ She cupped up more water and spilled it onto his leg, watching it turn pink as it mingled with his blood.

    ‘Yer gonna kill him, ain’tcha?’

    ‘Maybe.’

    ‘I can help.’

    ‘Help us kill your own brother?’

    ‘I hate him. Hank, he’s always tormentin’ me. ’Sides, I don’t want him cuttin’ ya up like he done the fat one. Don’t want him cuttin’ up none a ya. I think yer all pretty nice, ’n…’

    ‘Say cheese,’ Finley called.

    Even before looking up, Abilene knew she was being taped. Sure enough, Finley stood at the corner of the lodge, the cam-cordcr to her face while Vivian approached with the first-aid kit.

    ‘Quit screwing around and come over here,’ Cora called to Finley.

    Abilene rinsed off the leg once more as Vivian knelt across from her. Then she leaned forward and used the tail of her blouse to dry the area surrounding the gash. She held the cloth there until Vivian had a bandage ready. When she took it away, Vivian covered the wound with a wide, adhesive strip.

    ‘Thanks,’ Jim said. ‘Both a ya.’ He started to roll over, but Abilene held him down.

    ‘Just a minute. I’ll wash off your other leg.’

    He nodded. Abilene scooped up more water and began to rinse the smears of blood off his right leg.

    Vivian picked up the first-aid kit. ‘We oughta patch your back,’ she said, heading for Cora. ‘And there’s an Ace bandage in here.’

    ‘Later,’ Cora said. ‘I’m planning to soak a while as soon as I’ve got this taken care of.’

    Finished with Jim, Abilene got to her feet. She slipped out of her moccasins, pulled off her socks, and stepped into the drainage channel. The warm water washed over the tops of her feet. She bent down and splashed it up her legs. As she rubbed at the blood stains, she watched Cora break open the shotgun, remove the two shells, and peer down the barrels.

    Finley dug a fresh shell out of a pocket.

    Cora took it from her, slipped it into the breech, then replaced the unused shell and snapped the barrels back into place. She tossed the empty shell. It tumbled through the air and landed silently in the grass.

    Finley patted Cora on the head. Grinning, she said, ‘Loaded for bear.’ Then she jumped into the pool.

    ‘Why don’t you take a peek inside?’ Cora suggested.

    With a nod, Finley waded over to the archway.

    ‘No funny business,’ Cora warned.

    ‘Who, me?’ She leaned into the opening. After a few moments, she backed away. ‘Nobody there.’

    Cora looked around. Apparently satisfied that Hank was nowhere in sight, she set down the shotgun alongside the pool and lowered herself to the submerged ledge. She winced a bit as her shoulders sank below the surface. ‘Damn cat,’ she muttered.

    ‘You coming in?’ Finley asked Vivian.

    ‘No way.’

    ‘Feels good.’

    ‘I’m sure it does.’

    ‘I took a good look around inside. No sign of that headless body floating around. Ghost or otherwise.’

    Ignoring her, Vivian walked toward Abilene. ‘You can get in, if you want.’

    ‘Bring the kid over,’ Cora said.

    Together, Abilene and Vivian helped him up. They led him to the near side of the pool and held him steady while he sat on its edge and lowered his feet into the water.

    ‘If one of you wants to loosen the rope a little,’ Cora said, ‘go ahead.’

    ‘What’s the big idea?’ Finley blurted.

    ‘It’s too tight,’ Abilene told her.

    ‘He won’t try anything.’ Cora reached out and patted the stock of the shotgun. ‘You won’t try anything, kid. You’ll just sit there.’

    ‘I’ll take care of it,’ Vivian said, and crouched behind Jim’s back.

    ‘For Godsake,’ Finley muttered.