Glimmer by Marjorie B Kellogg

Author:Marjorie B Kellogg [Kellogg, Marjorie B]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: DAW
Published: 2021-10-19T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

—

When I went down to breakfast, Daniel wasn’t there.

Not my business, but still, I was bothered. I shook out my salvaged poncho and climbed up to the walkway to grab a look before I ate. Hard rain chewed the rising water into chop, one of those hot rains we hated, the far side of the Lagoon blurring in the steamy downpour. At the rail, I peered across at a shuttered book boat, returned to its earlier mooring, its boarding ladder rolled and neatly stowed in the stern pit. The dinghy, tied up alongside, was covered with a tarp.

“Trusting sort, ain’t he.”

“Huh?”

Breakers was folded into the watch shelter, rifle held close to keep it dry. “Leaving it all like that, I mean.”

I glanced back at the boat. “Probably just trying to get some sleep.”

“Nah. The guy I relieved said he took off.” She moved over to make room for me under the canopy.

I stayed where I was. “Took off? When?”

“Middle of the night. Shifted mooring, then somebody showed up in a small, fast motor and whisked him away. Our guy said it sounded like a woman.”

“He was sure?”

She shrugged. “It was dark. Looks like the dude’s got friends all over town.”

She didn’t need to add: friends with a fast boat and fuel. Rich friends.

“Yeah, well, he would. From the Souk, y’know?” I fiddled with the hood of my poncho. Rain was dripping down my front. “Weird, though, to take off in the middle of the night.”

“Depends on where you’re going.”

“You mean, something . . .” What, wrong? Illegal? Criminal? Meaningless words in a lawless town. “Against the den? He wouldn’t do that!”

“Not what I had in mind.”

“Oh.” Breaker’s ironic grin implied a romantic tryst, but my brain shot off in another direction. “You mean, something happened uptown?”

“Something.” She was still smiling.

But having said it aloud, I was sure it was true. Daniel, the bearer of news. From a friend with a landline. Hints about risk. And there was that creepy guy in the raincoat, my first night at the Souk. Someone should go check. But today was the next big caucus. The den would have other priorities.

I pulled my hood tight. “I’m for the Mess. You need anything?”

“Not a thing, thanks for asking. ’Cept maybe a drier job.”

“That’s what you get for being so good with that gun of yours.”

“Rifle.”

“Right. Later, then.” I shot another look at Daniel’s boat, then retreated. In the close heat of the mudroom, I dripped puddles onto the floor and wrestled with anxiety. Why so worried? Daniel could take care of himself. He had his own life. It was, like I said, none of my business.

But I couldn’t put it to rest.

I snatched at my poncho to haul it off. My head and hands tangled in its oversized wetness, made me grapple more frantically. When I’d thrown it off and onto a hook, I snarled at it, breathing hard. But I couldn’t make it my true frustration. It was just a poncho.

Across the floor

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