Chapter Three

Surprisingly, Keith handled the frantic situation calmly. "It's okay, Mom. She probably just wandered off. We'll go look for her." He motioned to Laurie and the two of them rose from their beach towels.

"We'll help." Said Chris and Shirley shook her head.

"No, I want you and Danny to stay here with our belongings. Laurie? Keith?" She looked to her eldest children. "You two go that way and I'll go this." Keith nodded and then Shirley headed off towards the parking lot.

"I feel just terrible!" Laurie admitted to her brother as they walked down the beach and towards the cliffs. She couldn't help but think it was her fault that Tracy had disappeared.

"It's alright, Laurie." Keith tried to be comforting. "It could have happened to any of us. You know how Tracy wanders off."

"But Keith, she wanted to go into the water. What if she---" Laurie didn't dare finish her sentence. Keith took her hand and squeezed it. She knew he understood. She just hoped they would find Tracy or she would never forgive herself.

The sun was nearly gone from the sky when they reached the cliffs. They walked along the thin stretch of sand and wandered along the rock-side. The two siblings continued to hold hands as they padded along across the seaweed strung sand. Laurie nearly tripped twice and her brother had to help her.

"Should we turn back?" Keith asked her when the last sliver of the golden sun disappeared from sight. The moon was out now and it was pretty dark.

"No. Let's go just a little further."

"Laurie, if we haven't found her by now, there's no way---" The words caught in his throat as both he and Laurie saw two lone figures coming towards them. The taller one walked with a faltered step as the smaller one toddled along a step ahead.

Keith instantly pushed Laurie to the cliff with him and watched breathlessly as the strange figures approached.

"Come on, Sandy. It won't be long now." Spoke the smaller one.

Tracy! Laurie knew that small voice in an instant! She elbowed Keith in the ribs. "It's Tracy!" She whispered urgently in his ear. "She's alright!"

Keith merely nodded and dropped her hand.

"But---" It suddenly dawned on her, "Who's with her?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out."

They were still whispering and when Keith pushed away from the wall, Laurie grabbed his arm. "I'm coming too."

Keith nodded weakly and the two siblings approached the figures. As they drew nearer they could see them more clearly. The moonlight helped illuminate the details. Sure enough, there was Tracy, and right behind her a beautiful girl with long hair and a short dress.

"Tracy!" Laurie called out, recognizing her sister. She ran to her, stooping and throwing her arms around the little six-year-old.

"See?" Tracy spoke to her companion. "I told you we were close."

Her sister's comment to the other person caused Laurie to look up at her. Laurie straightened and took hold of Tracy's hand. The teenaged girl that stood before her looked at her nervously. Laurie almost thought she was scared.

"Who are you?" She asked the girl, but the girl remained silent.

Tracy spoke up, "This is Sandy. I met her on the beach."

Laurie looked down at her sister and then looked over to her brother. Why wasn't he helping? She soon found out why. He was gaping. Lover-boy Partridge was star-struck once again.

"Oh." Laurie looked back to the girl. Something was unusual about her, but Laurie couldn't figure out what.

Tracy tugged at her arm. "Where's Mommy? I want to introduce her to Sandy."

Laurie looked down at her sister, "I don't think we should, Tracy."

"Why not?"

But Laurie wasn't listening. She looked back to the girl and for the first time noticed what she was wearing. It wasn't a short dress after all. It was Tracy's beach towel: wrapped around her thin figure and tucked in at the front. Laurie only hoped that Sandy had something on underneath. "Keith?" She looked to her brother.

"Oh, uh huh?" He looked over to her.

"We found Tracy, let's go." She frowned at Sandy, but Sandy wasn't paying attention.

But Tracy let go of her sister's hand and again grabbed hold of the stranger's. "I'm not leaving without Sandy." Sandy looked down at the youngest Partridge.

"You have to." Laurie argued, irately.

Tracy shook her head.

Keith finally made himself useful. "Tracy, come on. We need to go now. Mom's really worried about you. We've been searching for almost an hour. Say goodbye to your friend and let's go."

Tracy looked up at Sandy and then back to her brother. "But you don't get it, Sandy has to come with us. She doesn't have any place to stay!"

Laurie got a sick feeling in her stomach. "She told you that?"

Tracy shook her head. "I asked her. She's really shy. She won't talk to anybody."

Laurie looked back to Sandy. Won't talk? That was odd.

"Um… okay?" Keith looked to the tall girl that stood nearby. "Sandy, is it?"

The beautiful girl tilted her head sideways and looked at him perplexedly.

"Do you know who I am?" He pointed to himself. Laurie thought this a dumb question, but kept her opinion to herself and also looked to Sandy, waiting for an answer.

Sandy looked at him for a long while and then shook her head firmly.

Laurie wasn't convinced. A teenage girl that didn't know about Keith Partridge? It seemed impossible. It was as if this girl appeared out of nowhere.

"Um…"

Laurie looked to her brother as he began to speak again. She hoped Keith would ask all the correct questions and keep away from the dumb ones. Maybe this girl couldn't speak. Maybe she was mute? Or maybe she was only pretending? Laurie didn't like the idea that her little sister may have befriended a fortune seeker.

"Laurie." Tracy tugged at her arm again while still holding on to Sandy's hand. "She doesn't have a family. Can't we take her to Mom?"

Laurie motioned for her to be quiet.

"Alright then…" Keith tried to come up with another question and scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Where are you from?"

Sandy glanced at the ocean and then looked back to Keith. She bit her lower lip and smiled nervously.

Laurie was getting inpatient. She figured his questioning wasn't getting them anywhere so she decided to ask the most obvious question herself. "Sandy?"

Sandy looked to her, quickly.

"Can you speak?"

Sandy's smile faded and she shook her head solemnly.

"You mean she's mute?" Keith looked from one sister to another.

Laurie shrugged, "That's my best guess."

"Laurie…" Tracy said again.

"We'd better go." Laurie said to Keith but he wouldn't budge.

"What about Sandy?"

"What about Sandy? Keith, we can't take her with us. We don't' know anything about her!"

But reason didn't seem to reach her brother's lovesick heart. "Oh, come on Laurie. Let's at least bring her to Mom and see what Mom thinks. Tracy said she doesn't have a home." All it took was a pretty girl to make Keith neglect reason.

Laurie shook her head. "She could be lying."

"Well, if she is, Mom will know."

Laurie was skeptical. "I don't know…"

"Please Laurie…"

"Please?" Tracy echoed her brother.

Laurie sighed, knowing she couldn't win this argument. "Okay, fine. Let's go."

Tracy's small face broke into a huge grin and she began to lead Sandy across the shore once more. "Come on, Sandy." She prodded gently and Sandy walked with faltering steps behind her.

Laurie and Keith exchanged worried glances, but Laurie said nothing. She gave her brother a vicious look and then followed after her sister. A shroud of mystery surrounded Tracy's new friend and Laurie didn't care a bit to find the answers. Unfortunately, she was sure Keith didn't share her opinion.