Hide and Seek

would make more sense to do it someplace in town. If we can't get

caught, Where's the risk? What's the point?"

"There's no risk. But I can still make it fun. It's kids' stuff, all

right. But use your imaginations. You'll see."

"See what?"

"Will you tell us for chrissake?"

"Come on, Case," I said. "Let's have it. Skip the buildup."

She looked at me and grinned. I wasn't a conspirator, but I felt like

one. Whatever her idea was we hadn't discussed it. She knew damn well

I wasn't happy with the thing. I'd go along. She didn't have to sell

me like she did the other two. But I wasn't happy.

She was, though.

She'd found a way to shoo the boredom again.

"Hide and seek," she said.

Kim's mouth made a big scowly streak across her face. "What?"

Steve looked at her the way an adult will look at an annoying child. I

just sat there, thinking about it.

"Hide and seek. Just the way we used to play it when we were kids. But

we play it in the Crouch place."

You could feel it dawning on them. It was a dumb idea, all right, but

it had possibilities, ambiguities. Personally I'd rather have been in

Sheboygan.

"I get it. The place is supposed to be haunted or something, right?"

Steve's index finger darted at her like the tongue of a snake.

"Right. So we play with that a little, see? No flashlights allowed.

A strange house. At night. Alone. A place we don't know and have

never been in before."

Kimberley nodded. "The vague possibility of a cop coming along."

"Very vague," I told her. I hoped I was right.

"But still there," said Casey.

"And us with the lights off, trying to find one another in the dark in

an old, weird house." Kim's voice was excited now, the concept in full

bloom.

Steve snapped his fingers.

"I like it. I really do. You're right- it's kids' stuff, but it's

good."

"A whole lot better than The Love Bug."