Well, this is embarrassing. I bet people have been wondering what happened between the end of chapter 8 and the beginning of chapter 9. This is it. I thought I had uploaded it but obviously not. This is what happens when one starts writing stories in fragments. I only found about while trying to clean up the folder of all the already used fragments while preparing to put together the next chapter. Man, do I feel like a jackalope!

They entered Yosemite National Park Around ten that next morning, paying the entrance fee, getting a map of the area before taking the road south towards the Yosemite valley It was the most popular part of the Park. If Quill and his mysterious girlfriend had gone anywhere if was likely here. The map showed a visitor's center and that was their destination. They drove through a large, flat valley, sheer cliffs of the Sierra Nevadas on their left. Occasionally a stream would meander through the valley, cross under the road and disappear towards the southwest. They stopped to watch a herd of Buffalo off in the distance. Tiffany grumbled about them being so far away until Knute told an apocryphal story about a bull Buffalo trying to mate with some visitor's car. She stopped him before he got to the punch-line, visions of hoof-dented trunks on her mind and drove on.

The visitor's center sat in the middle of a large and largely unused parking lot. A couple of tour buses panted to one side, air conditioners blasting even in the mild summery weather.

"Maybe we're early," Luann speculated as they piled out of the car.

"Or maybe no one ever comes here," Tiffany scoffed.

"Yosemite is one of the frequently visited National Parks in the country," Gunther said unnecessarily.

The Visitor's center was a large, round, wood and stone structure, built to one side of the valley. An ornamental garden circled it with cement walks leading up to the doorway. Inside huge log trusses supported the circular roof like a flattish teepee. There were restrooms off to one side, flanked by vending machines and an shoal of chairs and sofas. A lot of the elderly were sitting on the couches fanning themselves with brochures. In the center of the building was a large circular desk filled with pamphlets. brochures, laminated maps and several rangers in brown uniforms and wide-brimmed peaked hats.

Luann found what she was looking for in front of the man entrance, a guest registry book. She quickly signed it, then started flipping the pages towards the front. There was an interesting mix of people from all over the country as well as visitors from Europe and Asia. A lot of Asians actually. The entries were dated and visitors often gave not only their city of origin but their ages as well, with the occasional quick note as well. Madelaine loved the county almost as much as she loved her husband of five days said one note. She reached the front of the book with disappointment. The earliest date in this book was only six months ago. Quill had been here a full twelve months before. She looked around the writing stand to see if there were any other guest books stashed away, hoping to find one stretching back in time far enough for Quill and Elizabeth to have visited.

"Find anything?" Bernice was back from her visit to the little girls room. Bernice was one of those who always made use of the bathroom when one was available because you never know when you'll find another. She had a couple of chocolate bars in her hand. She held one out, "want one?"

Luann took the offered bar and started to eat. "I think we may have hit a dead-end, Bern," she mumbled. "The guest book only goes back six months. It's to soon for Quill and his girlfriend."

"We know she's from Seattle. Maybe we can pick up her trail there?" Bernice suggested. Tiffany had joined the party, hoping for news about Quill.

"Really," she sneered. "Do you have any idea how many Elizabeths - no last name there are in Seattle. It's got to be hundreds. What do expect us to do hang around street corners with flyers asked 'have you seen this girl?'"

"With modern facial recognition software we can do the equivalent of that thousands of times a second." Gunther has joined them. "We just have to scan her picture into my computer..."

"Oh, puuleeze," Tiffany said in disgust. "Face it, DeGroot, we're at the end of your little wild goose chase. We'll never be able to find Quill and frankly I've had enough looking for him. I'll be waiting in the car waiting to go home. Come on Crystal!"

Crystal was standing next to Luann. "Do you sign us in?" she asked. Gunther tried to explain more about face-recognition software but no one was listening. Luann suddenly realized that Bernice wasn't standing there with the rest of them. She looked around and found her over at the help desk talking to one of the rangers. While talking she brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear. And a moment later did it again. She was leaning in close to the man and when he straightened up and strode off to talk to an older ranger she touched his hand.

She walked over to her friend, "Are you flirting with him?" she accused.

"What? No. I'm not flirting. I wouldn't know how. I've never flrted in my life. She was about to go on when her eyes grow large and she looked down at her hands. "Oh. my god, I was flirting. What'll I do? What'll I do? Oh my god, here he comes!"

Luann watched the approaching ranger. He looked to be in his early twenties, about six foot, slender, except around his shoulders, which looked well filled out. He was average looking but had a nice smile. He certainly looked good in his uniform. He had 'Barry' over his shirt pocket.

"Like I thought, the guest registries are sent to park headquarters as they get filled and kept in storage there until we fill a crate, then they're shipped to the Library of Congress. I'm sure we have the last several years worth of registries here but my buddy, Ernie, is pretty sure you've have to apply to the National parks Commission for approval to look through them."

"Oh," Bernice said, crestfallen.

"But Ernie had an idea. See these registers are only turned in when they're full. Some places like here, the book gets filled in a couple months. Some of the less popular ranger stations the registers don't get filled up as fast." He reached under the glass counter and picked up one of the detail maps of the map and spread it out. "We're here," he said, circling a spot on the map. "Now way over here is a station called Little Bald Face." He drew another circle on the map. Little Bald Face is the summit of a trail marked 'difficult It's actually a straightforward hike, no climbing or anything, but the summit doesn't overlook much so people don't often make the climb. In fact the only reason we keep a station there is forest fire monitoring and it's one of our cellphone relay towers. If you're looking for a guest registration from three years ago that the one place Ernie can think of. Ernie's been here for like forty years. So if he doesn't know something, no one does." He flashed a smile at Bernice. "I hope that helps."

"It does. A lot!" she seemed on the verge of saying more. Luann decided she'd better intervene before Bernice said something awkward. She nudged her friend. "Come on, we'd better tell Tiffany. She'll be crushed by this."

"Because we're not going home?"

"No, because she's going to exercise."

"Oh, Bernice, it is Bernice isn't it?" Ranger Barry called as they turned away. "I'd be really interested to know if you found your friend up there. Maybe you could drop in on your way back and let me know. I'll be working here till 5."

"We'll do that," Luann answered and lead the star-struck Bernice out to the car

][

The Welcome Center Ranger Barry had mentioned was at the other end of the vast park. It was a long drive but filled with incredible views. Eventually the road turned up a long grade into forested highlands. A side road lead them to a small parking lot. The lot was empty, a large wooden sign pointed to the start of the trail. Tiffany, behind the wheel, pulled into a slot next to it. She took one look at the tall mountain rearing up beside the parking lot and insisted that someone had to remain behind to look after the car and elected herself it.

"Oh,come on," Crystal argued. "It'll be fun and you need the exercise. We've been sitting in the car all day every day for the last week. You'll turn all doughy like Luann if you remain there."

"Forget her,"Luann said. "It'll be one less whiney voice on the trail. And I am not 'doughy.' I can take Tiffany in any contest - hiking, running, swimming, you name it!"

"She just wants to work on her suntan," Bernice put in.

"She'd not forget to use sunblock," Luann said, then added in a whisper, "Ten to one she'll looks like a lobster when we get back."

Knute had gone to the trunk and pulled out his skateboard. He wheeled around the lot,practicing a few jumps and reverses before heading for the trail. Crystal, walking away from Tiffany, met up with him near the trail marker. "You can't skate up a trail," she said.

"I know," he said, "but I can roll down, and man, won't that be something!"

"You ever wipe out at sixty miles an hour?" she asked.

"Nah. It'll never happen."

"I'm surrounded by idiots," she grumbled and stalked off into the woods. Knute watched her go, his eyes lingering on her figure. Crystal was wearing black short-shorts over fishnet tights. Her top was a sports bra covered by a mesh vest, a choker, black, circled her neck. Sunglasses were pushed up on her head. "God, she is so hot," Knute said, and shouldering his skateboard, ran after her.

Gunther had stopped to read the warnings on the sign. He looked a little blanched when Luann and Bernice reached him. "What's up?" Luann asked.

S-s-s-snakes," Gunther stammered.

"'Rattlesnakes are known to be in the area.'" Bernice read. "'They may be sunning themselves on sun-facing rocks. Avoid at all cost. Snakes will act aggressively if approached.' Ugh! Makes me wish for the hiking trails back home where all we have to worry about was poison ivy!"

"Also bears and mountain lions," Gunther added. "Is finding Quill really worth all this?"

"We're not going to run into any lions or bears," Luann asserted. "But if you're worried, you can stay with Tiffany."

Gunther thought for a moment then straightened up slightly. "No, I'll go. I'm - I'm not afraid." He marched into the woods.

"Well, I'm a little afraid,"Bernice confided.

'You don't have to come."

"And disappoint Barry?"

"He is kind of cute," Luann agreed.

"I saw him first," Bernice said defensively.

"The only boyfriend I'm looking for is the guy I want to punch out."

From the trail they heard a loud cry of "Oh, Man!" They hurried into the trail.

The trail started out paved in asphalt for the first hundred yards then took a turn to the right. The paving stopped there. Wood chip mulch marked off the trail as it went up a gradual slope. It made a turn to the left up a steeper grade. Here the grade got steep. The trail was dug out into steps, logs were embedded at each step to prevent the trail from being washed out. Knute was standing at the foot of these steps, shoulder's slumped, his skateboard dropped to the ground. His dream of skating down the mountain shattered. Crystal was several steps up the stairs. "Are you coming?" she asked. He left his board where it lay and hurried after her.

The five kids hiked steadily up the trail. A couple places were narrow passages between boulders and some places were very steep. They passed a couple small waterfalls, pausing at the second to rest on some log set up for the purpose. Once they even had to walk under a waterfall to continue the trail on the other side. They left the forest about noon, climbing up a rocky path for another hour before suddenly coming out on a plateau. There were wide views of the mountains and forests. In from of them was a small log cabin with a wood tower behind it. There was a ladder ascending the support poles and a hut at the top. Behind the tower was a steel pylon with a cluster of antennas - the cellphone relay Ranger Barry had spoke of. Bernice, Gunther, Knute and Crystal collapsed on benches in front of the cabin. Luann, red faced, and sweating profusely marched into the Welcome Center and looked around for the Guest Book.

It was sitting on the counter, opened to nearly the last page. Luann seized that complimentary pen and started to sign the book but her hands were shaking so badly her had to stop and take a deep breath. This was the culmination of their week-long drive out from Ohio. Either they find a clue to where Quill is or go home humiliated. And all of the bills to be paid.

She took up the pen again and signed her signed her name in a shaky hand. Then she started turn the pages back. The guest book had been started only a year and a half ago and not the three years she had been hoping for. That was when he had been here with the girl Elizabeth. But he had been here just last year, too, according to the postcard from Frank. If she was lucky maybe he had come up here last year.

She turned the pages ... March ... April ... May... She could feel a knot in her throat as she turned the page. Gah! More May visitors... She turned the page June! She ran her finger down the page but Quill's name wasn't there. She turned the page. By the bottom of the page it had turned to July. She sighed with a bit of a whimper then decided to look over the signatures again, looking at each one by one. This time she found his name, written in a feminine hand, "Quill Masterman, 25, Australia, Elizabeth Porter, 21, Seattle."

Luann slumped with a sign of exhaustion. Quill... She had found him at least. Now if they can find this Elizabeth Porter of Seattle they'd be on the road to tracking Quill... With her eyes closed she recited the inscription: "Quill Masterson..." Her eyes popped open in surprise. She read the inscription again. "Oh My God! - Bernice come here!" she shouted through the cabin's screen door.

Two doors popped open at once, Bernice coming in from outside and a ranger coming out of an inner office. "Is there something the matter?" the ranger asked, smoothing down his uniform shirt.

Luann grabbed her friend's arm and pointed to the line with Quill's name in the guestbook. She tapped it frantically, unable to speak.

"Are you OK, Miss," the ranger asked. Luann ignored him while waiting for Bernice to see what she had. "Elizabeth Porter," she read. "So now we know who to look for in Seattle."

"No! There! There!" Luann stabbed at the guestbook.

"What?" Bernice demanded. "It says Quill Masterson. So?

"Oh, for God's sake, Bernice," Luann shouted, "Look at his age!"

Bernice looked more closely at the book. The ranger was leaning on the other side of the display case. "Miss? Miss?" he asked.

"Oh My God!" Bernice shouted. "Guys, come here!"

"We're already here," Crystal said, leaning over Bernice's shoulder. "What's the shouting all about?"

"According to this Quill is 25 years old."

"26," Luann corrected. "He was 25 last year when they signed the guestbook!"

"Twenty-Six?" Knute echoed, "then why was he in school. You don't have to go to school after you're twenty-one."

"Sixteen," Crystal corrected, then regretted suggesting to Knute that he could drop out of school at any time.

"He never said anything about about being as old as that."

"He never really talked about his age," Gunther said. "But still, he's nine years older than the rest of us. Why didn't he say anything about that?"

Luann was just shaking her head, repeatedly saying "I don't know. I don't know."

The ranger, tired of being ignored walked back to his office and closed the door.

Bernice took out her phone and took several pictures of the guestbook page. "Let's go," she said. We've seen what we've come for. I don't think we're going to see any other clues up here."

Knute, Gunther and Crystal marched out of the door and piled up on the benches outside again. Bernice watched Luann for a moment, concerned about the exhaustion on her face. After a moment she picked up a souvenir bandana and handed to Luann. "Wash your face then soak this and wrap it around your neck. You'll feel better." She pushed her friend towards the restroom. She grabbed several bottles of water and called to the ranger to pay up.

"What was that all about?" he asked as he rang up the items.

"We're running down Luann's ex-boyfriend."

"Deadbeat?"

"Philandrist."

"Well, good with that." he said noncommittally.

Luann came out of the restroom looking a little better, the wet bandana rolled around her neck. She helped Bernice carry out the extra water and distributed among the others. Knute and Gunther had walked over to the edge of the mountan top and were throwing stones over the edge, trying to see who could thrown the farthest.

Luann sat down on one of the benches only to find that Crystal was sitting there as well. Bernice was trying to get the boys away from the edge and down the trail. Luann was perfectly happy to let Bernice boss the group. She was feeling oddly empty and unfulfilled having found a lead to Quill. She was sipping on the water then pouring part of it over her head. She looked over at Crystal. Though dressed all in black Crystal did not look like she had developed even a glow of perspiration. Luann could feel the sweat rolling off her face, down her back, even trickling between her breasts, to soak into her bra and make it start irritating her skin. "I hate you," she said, "We both walked up the same trail but while I've got sweating out the wazoo, you don't even look damp. It's unfair."

"When you dress this well," Crystal replied airily, "You don't dare sweat."

Luann poured more water over her head. "No, seriously, how do you do it?"

"Lot's and lots of anti-persistent. Also I walk slowly and don't make any unnecessary motions."

"You don't like me, do you?"

"Tiffany doesn't like you. I'm more neutral. There are things about you I like, you're willingness to throw yourself into things. You sense of play, your humor. You dress dreadfully but most people do so I don't worry about it. I've known Tiffany a lot longer than I've known you so I'm going to take her side on things. But I'm not her sycophant."

"What do you see in Knute?"

"What's it to you," she answered defensively.

"He's a slob, he's lazy, not reliable. I can't see what you see in him."

"He makes me laugh."

"You're comparing Knute to Roger Rabbit?"

"I'm not comparing him to anything. I'm just saying that the ability to make people laugh is a gift that shouldn't be slighted. I like Knute because he likes the Three Stooges like I do. He loves to dance. Isn't afraid of making a fool of himself. And of course he's totally devoted to me. I might find other people who like the Stooges but how often will you found someone totally devoted to you?"

"I wouldn't know. It seems like all my boyfriends have turned out to be jerks." Aaron Hill could never commit; Miguel only wanted one thing and I wasn't ready for that. And Quill seemed reliable but wasn't. So what are you going to do when Tiffany figures out you're an item. I can't imagine her welcoming Knute into her select circle."

"Like I said, I'm not her sycophant." Crystal stood up, finished the bottle of water and through it into the trash bin. "Remember what they say, never let them see you sweat.'" And walked towards the trail.

"Come on," Bernice urged now that Luann was by herself. "I want to get down before the sun starts to set." Luann heaved herself to her feet and joined Bernice at the trail head..

][

They have been working their way down for about an hour when Gunther stopped and waited for Luann to catch up.

"I've been thinking..."

"You must be the only one with the energy to."

"It's about Quill."

"What about him. You know how to find him in Seattle?"

Maybe later. What I was wondering about was this girl he was with. You said you have a photo of her's to Quill dated three years ago."

"Yeah. So?"

Well, her entry in the guestboard said she was 20..."

"And Quill was 25. So?" Luann answered crossly. She really didn't want to talk about her false boyfriend.

"Well, if she was 20 last year then she was 18 in the photo, which means she was about your age when she met Quill."

"You're saying Quill's a pedophile?"

I don't know, Maybe. What struck me is that he seemed to have a thing for high school girls. You, this Elizabeth woman, who knows how many other girls. I don't know why he would be making out with high school girls, because they're underage..."

"Not in all states," Luann corrected, "but we never made out. The one time we were going to was the day he bolted from Pittsville."

"That proves my point!" Gunther exclaimed. "Or does it? I don't know. But Quill was up to something. I suspect we'll understand want when we find this girl."

"Yeah. Quill was up to something alright. When we find out what I'll feel a lot better. Thanks, Gunther, You're a peach." He hurried away to catch up with Knute at the head of the troop.

"You'll never get rid of Gunther if you keep telling him stuff like that." Bernice reminded her when Gunther was out of hearing.

][

Tiffany was asleep in the car when they finally returned. She hadn't baked to the shade of a lobster but there were parts of her arms that she undoubtedly would want to put some Aloe lotion on as soon as possible. Everyone tried to tell her what they had discovered at the top of the mountain, making it impossible for Tiffany to know anything.

As the chatter died down she turned to Luann and asked. "So you found Quill?"

"We know who his other girlfriend is. We should be able to find her in Seattle."

"Another road trip..." Tiffany seemed less than enthused.

"Hey, we're trying to find Quill. This girl in Seattle should know where he is now. So we have to go there."

"Think of the shopping?" Crystal suggested.

"I didn't say we weren't going," Tiffany said, defensively, I'm just tired of driving in my car all the time. I'm starting to feel all doughty."

Luann had to fight hard to keep from snorting at that. Irony came so easily and so unawares to Tiffany.

"So back to the hotel?" she asked, starting the engine.

"First we have to go back and tell Ranger Barry what we found out."

"Oh. Jeez, Bernice. That visitor's center's the other end of the park. It's not like he was really expecting you to come back."

"He was. He was very sincere about asking me to let him know what we found out."

They argued about that until Luann cut in with, "If Bernice wants to see her Ranger than let her drive and you can come back here and sleep."

Tiffany looked to Crystal for support but the Goth just shrugged her shoulders.

The girls traded places and Bernice eased out of the parking lot and to main road. As always she concentrated intently on her driving. Gunther, riding shotgun, was staring out the window. "It's such a beautiful place. I wish I had brought my camera, or that we could stay longer."

"Yeah," Luann agreed. "But Agnes, the landlady, said we could only stay till tomorrow."

They came to a fork in the road. Luann unfolded the map of the park and found the route they wanted. As she refolded the map she noticed all the others were sleeping. Tired little campers, all.

Eventually they got to the welcome center. It was ten minutes to five. Luann hadn't mentioned the time since Bernice was already stressed out enough driving. Bernice parked and ran into the center by herself.

Luann expected her to be out in a couple minutes but time dragged by and no Bernice. Soon it was Five and Luann was getting concerned when the door opened and Bernice staggered out. She walked blindly to the car and got in. Her face was unusually pale.

"Are you all right?" Luann asked, concern and a million horrifying scenarios playing through her head. "What happened? Did he hurt? I'll kick his balls in if he did."

Bernice was sitting bolt upright in the car. Tears starting seeping from her eyes.

More alarmed than ever, Luann reached over to touch her friend. "Bernice what did he do to you?" she demanded.

"He asked me out on a date!"