Breakfast at Noon (ePub)

Paul Stuart arrives at an outdoor theater in the mountains of Tennessee for his summer job. He renews his friendship with Charles Crowder and Linda Thompson, associates from previous summers. He also meets Mike Chandler, a new boy to whom Paul is obviously attracted. The next morning as the four are seated together in the cafeteria, they notice a girl rush in to talk with the director. She is agitated and seems quite worried. Howard, the director, shows concern. Later at the company meeting Howard announces that Lisa, one of the female dancers, has disappeared. Jeff Keene, a new boy, was the last to see her. He walked to the theater with her last night but left her there alone at her request. Paul invites Mike, Linda, and Charles to his apartment that night for a drink. At Pauls apartment Charles reports that the police have found some shoes in the woods near the dorm. The four talk about Lisas disappearance. It is possible that she has been murdered, but Paul thinks no one in the company would do such a thing. Linda, though, thinks that Tom Sneed, the new dorm manager, seems creepy enough. Paul and Mike begin to form a close friendship, but Paul resists the urge to seduce Mike. The next day at rehearsal Charles reports that some campers have found the nude body of a girl who fits the description of Lisa. She has been raped and strangled. Jeff is the only suspect. Paul begins to be jealous of Mike and Linda. Linda, though, doesnt notice. She is concerned about what she thinks is a ghost--a man who suddenly appears at the edge of the woods and then vanishes. Charles believes that everyone is nervous because of the murder and so theyve revived the traditional rumors about the ghost. Charles urges Paul to seduce Mike, but Paul thinks that a spiritual relationship is best. His jealousy of Linda, however, grows. Charles turns the conversation to the murder. He has begun to doubt Jeffs story. Paul still thinks Jeff is innocent. Later Charles rushes to Pauls apartment with the latest news--Lisas clothes have been found in Jeffs car. Even Charles agrees, though, that the clothes must have been planted. Surely Jeff isnt that stupid. Mike is spending more time with Linda, and Paul is convinced that they are having an affair. Later as Paul sits at a table with Jeff and his girlfriend, Jeff desperately asserts his innocence, but Paul suddenly realizes that he is lying about something. Pandemonium breaks out after Howard discovers that one of the cast members has been having sexual relations with one of the young local boys, but this incident eventually leads to the identity of the murderer and the reconcilation of Paul, Linda, and Mike.