cancelled. Good thing for us, though,
Eh?”
“ Well! Do we get a
contract?”
“ How about the number two turret?
We’ll be all to ourselves. Conover wants contracts signed by next
Tuesday. There will be a contractor’s briefing this weekend.
Details, you know. Can you make it?”
“ I have a business trip coming up,
but I can put it off. I’ll bring Madden,” Trent said. “Any work
crews on board yet?”
“ A Yard crew started opening up
the engine spaces. It’s a tough job and could hold up the tow date.
The turret should be straightforward.” Newby held up a folder and
laid it on the car seat, “The diagrams and deck plans are in here.
I’m still running an inventory check of gun parts.”
“ Good. Here’s Harper’s latest
list.”
“ When do we take the Missouri ?” Newby asked, his skin tingling with impatience.
“After I retire, maybe?” Newby laughed, his skin crinkling about
his eyes.
Trent dropped Newby off to catch the 1100 departure.
He wheeled the few blocks up from the Ferry Terminal to the Olympic
Hotel. Parking in the hotel garage, he shot up through the lobby
and headed for the Holiday Fur Shoppe. Trent whistled at the fur
pieces enticingly displayed on window manikins. The Shoppe’s
walk-in trade had money. Sugar daddies probably found it simpler to
reach for their wallet than say ‘no’. Trent patted his wallet. A
brunette sat perched on a tall stool beside a white counter trimmed
in gold.
“ I’m trying to locate a young
lady. She dropped in here about two weeks ago.” In the strong
sunlight and against the sharp green of a drape, she was
startlingly attractive. She lifted her heel until it caught the
stool rung. She leaned back and crossed one leg over the
other.
“ A friend of yours?” She asked
coyly.
“ An acquaintance. I dropped her
off here. I thought you might remember her.”
“ No, not really,” She muttered,
tossing the hair from her eyes.
“ Long blonde hair, pulled back and
tied in a knot.”
“ Oh! That one! Lisa Mallory.” Her
eyes narrowed to cat-like slits. “She’s not a customer. She works
for some company that collects money, overdue bills, I guess.” She
loosened her skirt and plucked it away from her thigh. “The owner
wasn’t here, so she chewed me out instead.”
“ Does she work nearby?” Trent
asked.
“ I hope the bitch is in big
trouble.” She slipped off the stool and crossed through a curtained
doorway. Trent heard papers shuffle. She reappeared and said,
“There’s no address, just a name and phone number. Let’s see, the
NARDO AGENCY.”
Trent gave a crooked grin then jotted down the phone
number. “How about mine?” she said, sliding up on the stool and
letting the slit in her skirt fall open.
Trent sighed, “Business before pleasure.”
“ Don’t be a dull boy.”
Trent didn’t look back, but checked for his wallet
safely tucked away on his hip.
* * *
Trent passed through Haury’s portals, but not before
catching a glimpse of a parked yellow Corvette with a black
hardtop. He marched up to the bar, a man on a mission.
“ Has Madden been in,
Charlie?”
“ Not since Friday.” Charlie tugged
at a beer tap, the glass frothed up and overflowed. He cut the foam
and slid the glass down the bar to a pair of outstretched hands.
The place seemed crowded to overflowing and the noise off the tin
ceiling almost deafening. Trent shouldered through a milling Friday
night crowd.
“ Hey! Stranger!” A soft voice
floated over gruff bar sounds. Unsure, Trent turned. She was
sitting alone. “Remember me?”
Trent said dryly, “One so attractive is not easy to
forget.” She raised her eyebrows at his comment.
“ Flattery will get you everything.
Join me?” Her eyes twinkled with amusement. They broke into
laughter. He wedged his legs into the booth and signaled for
drinks. He felt the electricity. She tossed her head back,
gracefully folded her hands and tucked them under her chin. Pulled
back blonde
Eh?”
“ Well! Do we get a
contract?”
“ How about the number two turret?
We’ll be all to ourselves. Conover wants contracts signed by next
Tuesday. There will be a contractor’s briefing this weekend.
Details, you know. Can you make it?”
“ I have a business trip coming up,
but I can put it off. I’ll bring Madden,” Trent said. “Any work
crews on board yet?”
“ A Yard crew started opening up
the engine spaces. It’s a tough job and could hold up the tow date.
The turret should be straightforward.” Newby held up a folder and
laid it on the car seat, “The diagrams and deck plans are in here.
I’m still running an inventory check of gun parts.”
“ Good. Here’s Harper’s latest
list.”
“ When do we take the Missouri ?” Newby asked, his skin tingling with impatience.
“After I retire, maybe?” Newby laughed, his skin crinkling about
his eyes.
Trent dropped Newby off to catch the 1100 departure.
He wheeled the few blocks up from the Ferry Terminal to the Olympic
Hotel. Parking in the hotel garage, he shot up through the lobby
and headed for the Holiday Fur Shoppe. Trent whistled at the fur
pieces enticingly displayed on window manikins. The Shoppe’s
walk-in trade had money. Sugar daddies probably found it simpler to
reach for their wallet than say ‘no’. Trent patted his wallet. A
brunette sat perched on a tall stool beside a white counter trimmed
in gold.
“ I’m trying to locate a young
lady. She dropped in here about two weeks ago.” In the strong
sunlight and against the sharp green of a drape, she was
startlingly attractive. She lifted her heel until it caught the
stool rung. She leaned back and crossed one leg over the
other.
“ A friend of yours?” She asked
coyly.
“ An acquaintance. I dropped her
off here. I thought you might remember her.”
“ No, not really,” She muttered,
tossing the hair from her eyes.
“ Long blonde hair, pulled back and
tied in a knot.”
“ Oh! That one! Lisa Mallory.” Her
eyes narrowed to cat-like slits. “She’s not a customer. She works
for some company that collects money, overdue bills, I guess.” She
loosened her skirt and plucked it away from her thigh. “The owner
wasn’t here, so she chewed me out instead.”
“ Does she work nearby?” Trent
asked.
“ I hope the bitch is in big
trouble.” She slipped off the stool and crossed through a curtained
doorway. Trent heard papers shuffle. She reappeared and said,
“There’s no address, just a name and phone number. Let’s see, the
NARDO AGENCY.”
Trent gave a crooked grin then jotted down the phone
number. “How about mine?” she said, sliding up on the stool and
letting the slit in her skirt fall open.
Trent sighed, “Business before pleasure.”
“ Don’t be a dull boy.”
Trent didn’t look back, but checked for his wallet
safely tucked away on his hip.
* * *
Trent passed through Haury’s portals, but not before
catching a glimpse of a parked yellow Corvette with a black
hardtop. He marched up to the bar, a man on a mission.
“ Has Madden been in,
Charlie?”
“ Not since Friday.” Charlie tugged
at a beer tap, the glass frothed up and overflowed. He cut the foam
and slid the glass down the bar to a pair of outstretched hands.
The place seemed crowded to overflowing and the noise off the tin
ceiling almost deafening. Trent shouldered through a milling Friday
night crowd.
“ Hey! Stranger!” A soft voice
floated over gruff bar sounds. Unsure, Trent turned. She was
sitting alone. “Remember me?”
Trent said dryly, “One so attractive is not easy to
forget.” She raised her eyebrows at his comment.
“ Flattery will get you everything.
Join me?” Her eyes twinkled with amusement. They broke into
laughter. He wedged his legs into the booth and signaled for
drinks. He felt the electricity. She tossed her head back,
gracefully folded her hands and tucked them under her chin. Pulled
back blonde
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