Cries of the Children(109)

Wil was about to ask how she knew this, but dropped the question.

“I don’t think it’s Julie,” Samantha said, although she hoped she was wrong.

“I know it isn’t Steven,” Eric said.

“Maybe it’s just some kid who got lost,” Barbara said. “I feel sorry for her, but we’ve got our own problems. Wil, you’re going to be late.”

Rachel held up her hand. “Please, wait.”

She hurried across the sand to the child. The others watched from the road as she fell to her knees. The little girl threw herself into Rachel’s arms. Her hair was dripping and full of sand. Her wet clothes soaked through Rachel’s.

“Rachel,” she whispered in a choking voice. “Your name is Rachel.”

Rachel pulled back. She beckoned the others with a wide arc of her arm.

“How do you know that?” she asked.

“Steven . . . told me,” Lorraine said. “We were calling to you. Did you hear us?”

Rachel hugged her close again. “Yes, yes! I heard you!”

Lorraine held fast to Rachel, hardly able to believe she’d found her. The Demerol had worn off, but the effort of escape had left her as weak as a baby.

The others had arrived. Rachel looked back over her shoulder.

“She knew my name! She knows about Steven!”

“They’ve got them locked up!” Lorraine wailed. “They tried to hurt me! I don’t know what they want!”

“Are there others?” Samantha asked.

“Just Julie and Marty,” Lorraine said. “He’s bigger than the rest of us. Older. But I’ve never seen him.”

Samantha held fast to Wil’s arm. “Julie’s okay!”

“I think she is,” Lorraine said.

Wil knelt down to her level. “Lorraine, how did you get away?”

“Marty told me about a secret tunnel.”

“A secret tunnel?” Samantha repeated with surprise.

“Can you show it to us?” Wil asked.

Lorraine nodded. “Come on, follow me.”

But when she tried to walk, her weak little legs gave out and she stumbled. Wil lifted her up into his arms. Lorraine pointed, and they started down the beach together. The adults were full of questions, but the tired look on the child’s face told them the questions would have to wait. They walked for nearly half an hour, until Barbara grew impatient enough to ask:

“Is it much farther?”

“It’s right over there,” Lorraine said. “See all that beach grass? There’s a pool of water there, and a secret entrance underneath.”

“Water?” Samantha said. “You mean you swam out?”

“Why would they build a tunnel under the water?” Barbara asked, not really expecting an answer.

They reached the grass, and Lorraine showed them the pool of tidewater. They could barely make out the entrance to the tunnel.

“I’d bet it wasn’t always underwater,” Wil said. “It must have been built for a purpose, and when they were done with it they covered it up. Nature took its course and finished the job.”

Samantha touched Lorraine’s arm.

“How far did you have to swim?”

“Not too far,” Lorraine said. “I can hold my breath a few minutes.”

She said this with some measure of childish pride.

“But there was a door blocking the way,” Lorraine went on. “I got scared, but the others helped me. Marty helped me the most of all.”

The adults looked confused.

“How did he do that?”

They expected to see another child emerge from the water.

“He helped me . . . in my mind,” Lorraine said.

Suddenly she clammed up. She wasn’t sure how much she was supposed to reveal.

Everyone turned to Wil, who had become the unofficial leader of this expedition. He asked another question.

“Could you give us an idea how big the building is?”

“I went down a lot of stairs,” Lorraine said. “Maybe six or seven.”

Wil thought about this. It seemed there might be secret subbasements in the factory.

“What now?” Barbara asked.

“First of all,” Wil said, “we get this little girl away from here. I’m sure they’re looking for her, and it won’t take them long to find out she got out this way.”

“I can handle that,” Barbara said. “I’ll take her back to the motel.”

“No, that isn’t safe,” Samantha said. “Take her to Haybrook’s. I’m sure Gordy won’t mind.”

Barbara nodded, and took Lorraine into her arms.

“Now, I have to stick to my original plan to enter the building as a safety inspector,” Wil said. “But two of you need to get in this way. Do you swim?”