“That won’t happen, don’t worry,” Claire said. “I’m sorry this happened. I’m going to take a look at the rink, if that’s okay. I’d also like to take a look at your camera footage. It’s a good thing you have that, at least. Maybe we can find something.”
“I’ll go with you,” Laurel said. She nodded at Don. “You rest. Gabe, thanks for coming.”
“Is there anything I can do?” he asked.
“It’s your day off,” Laurel said. “Take the rest of it. Tomorrow we’re going to interview the counselors.”
“If you can think of someone else who can be our boys’ coach, let me know,” Don said dejectedly.
Drew cleared his throat, and everyone looked at him.
“I’ll coach,” he said simply.
“Drew…” Gabriel said softly. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I know,” Drew said. “But I want to.” He turned to Don. “I’d be happy to coach, and you don’t have to pay me to do it.”
Claire, the police officer, looked at him with interest. “Who did you say you are, by the way? I don’t think we’ve met.”
“I’m visiting for the summer,” Drew said. “I know a few things about hockey, and I’d be happy to help out.”
Laurel and Don exchanged a look. Drew wondered if Don had told Laurel who Drew was.
“Please let me help,” Drew said. “Like I said, you don’t need to pay me.”
Don looked extremely relieved. “Thank you,” he said. “That’s very generous of you.”
“Drew,” Gabriel whispered. “Thank you.”
Drew nodded. He wanted to help out. And, thinking about the Tarot reading from Gabriel, maybe this was part of his new beginning. He wanted to help, and he wanted to be of use. He had enjoyed his time relaxing and resting, but by now he was getting bored. He needed something to do. If the Ackermanns needed his help, even if they wouldn’t ask for it, he wanted to help them.
“That’s very kind,” Laurel said. She stepped forward and shook his hand. “Let’s talk later. We can figure out the details.” She nodded to Claire. “I can show you around the rink if you’d like.”
They left, and the older man, Hank, was soon to follow. He shook his head as he left and muttered something that none of them could hear.
“He’s always so grumpy,” Gabriel said when Hank was gone.
“He’s one of the few people here who actually believes the stories about the hauntings,” Don said. “I think he’s mad we don’t believe them.”
“If you don’t mind me asking,” Drew said, “whatarethe stories about the hauntings? Is there a ghost at this camp?”
“No,” Don said, at the same time that Gabriel said, “Yes.”
Don gave his son a frustrated look. “The camp isn’t haunted.”
“There’sdefinitelysome otherworldly shit going on here,” Gabriel said simply. “Haven’t you heard voices in the woods? Haven’t you had objects move on you when you weren’t looking? The door in cabin eight that opens on its own?”
“That’s just because the camp is old,” Don said.
“The figure that people see on the lake?”
“Optical illusion.”
“The story of Frozen Fred?”
“A local legend that got popular because it was nice and alliterative,” Don insisted.
Drew had plenty of questions about everything they had both said, but he sensed that now wasn’t the time to ask them.
