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“Ah, right.” I tap my forehead like the answer is just dawning on me. “The wholekeep your enemies closething?”
“Precisely.” She resumes her pageant wave as the last of the people in line shuffle through the entrance. “I do believe the excellent attendance is thanks to the publicity I arranged.”
“Oh.” Spencer’s mouth twitches. “Did you do some advertising?”
“Well you must have seen the flyers. I had invitations stapled to every signpost, light, and lamp in town. Every store window was littered with them. And, of course, there’s also our websites. Both the camp’s and the town’s.”
“Hmmm.” Spencer scratches his chin. “Now that you mention it, I might’ve seen an email from your office.”
Mrs. Lockhart nods. “I sent twenty.”
I cough to keep from laughing, but someone else saves me by calling out from across the parking lot. “Hold the gate!”
It’s Fix Dodd. He and Lucy are out by his grandmother’s Cadillac. They’re helping Mrs. Dodd adjust her wig and fluff out the bottom of her dress. The sky is darkening, but her costume is clear as day. A long white braid and a sparkly blue ball gown.
Mrs. Lockhart cranes her neck. “What on earth is she singing?”
“I think that’s supposed to be ‘Let It Go.’”
Spencer stifles a chuckle. “At least she’s on brand for tonight’s movie.”
“Oh, that woman.” Mrs. Lockhart tugs at the bottom of her jacket. “Always causing a commotion.”
“She’s just having fun,” Spencer says.
Mrs. Lockhart frowns. “In any case, I’d better get back to Bernard.”
I seize the opportunity to drop a big hint before she leaves again. “Spencer,” I say loud enough for her to hear. “You should probably go sit with Kayla.”
The sun is mostly down now, so half his face is in shadow, but something flashes behind his eyes. “I need to talk to you first.” His voice is deep. Almost urgent. But what could he possibly need to tell me that’s more important than the success of our movie night?
“Tess?” Mrs. Lockhart darts her gaze between Spencer and me. “Do you think I should tell the audio-visual gentleman we’re ready to begin?”
“Sounds good,” I say.
Her eyes narrow. “And won’t you be coming with me?”
“Of course I will,” I say.
Spencer reaches for my wrist. “Wait.”
“Now’s not the time.” I force my lips into a smile, but his grip on me is firm. “In fact, I should probably head over there and say something to get the crowd in the mood before the show starts.”
“Excellent,” Mrs. Lockhart says. “Why don’t you sing that song I saw you leading the kids in earlier this week? The one where you all pretend to be musical instruments? You make such a good tuba.”
Oh, wow, do I hate that idea.
“Ilovethat idea, Mrs. Lockhart.”
The Dodds finally reach the gates, and Mrs. Dodd finishes belting out a line about the cold never bothering her anyway. “What are we waiting for folks?” she sings. “It’s gonna be quite a show!”
Spencer drops my wrist. “Later,” he says under his breath.
A shiver runs up my spine.
