Playing for Keeps by Joan Lowery Nixon

Author:Joan Lowery Nixon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
ISBN: 9780307433633
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2009-04-08T04:00:00+00:00

8

AT SEVEN A.M. THE SHIP, GILDED BY THE EARLY-MORNING sunlight, docked at the port of Ocho Rios, Jamaica. I leaned on our balcony railing and looked down at the long, wide, wooden pier, where seamen were busy securing a gangway leading to the boarding area on deck one. Beyond the pier was a port-of-entry building and a parking lot, where tour buses and taxis were already crowded into every available space.

On the other side of this official area I could see a paved road that apparently led up a hill into town. A crowd of people edged the road, with a steady stream of others joining them. Some carried what looked like homemade cardboard signs. Others unfolded bundles. Merchandise for sale? At this distance I couldn’t make it out.

As Glory walked out onto the balcony, I asked, “What are all those people doing?”

“Waiting for the tourists who will walk into town,” Glory answered. “Many of them have brought souvenirs to sell. The main industry on this island is tourism.” She looked at her watch. “Are you ready for a quick breakfast? Our bus leaves for the falls at nine.”

“Glory,” I said hesitantly, “Ricky is going to be awfully lonely shut up in his stateroom all day. I can stay on board and keep him company.”

Glory fixed me with a steely gaze. “That is not an option,” she said.

“Then could I just say hello to him before we go to breakfast?”

“A quick hello. That’s all.”

Glory stepped aside as we left our stateroom, waiting while I crossed the passageway and raised a hand to knock on the Urbinos’ door.

“I’m sorry, miss,” the guard said. He leaned from his chair and stretched out a hand to stop me. “The prisoner is not allowed to communicate with anyone while we are in port.”

I stared in surprise. “I wasn’t planning to go inside the stateroom. I just need to know that Ricky is all right.”

The guard leaned back in his chair, stretching, before he answered. “He’s fine. He and his uncle had a big breakfast. Room service brought it an hour ago.”

Glory stepped forward, taking charge. “Thank you,” she said to the guard, and she took my hand as though I were a little kid, leading me toward the stairs.

“We’re going to stop off on deck five before breakfast so I can leave my watch and rings in the ship’s safe,” she said. “I don’t want to take any chance on losing them while I’m climbing the falls.”

“Glory! You can’t climb the falls,” I argued. “I’ve seen pictures of them. The rocks are big and slippery.”

“Climbing the falls is part of the tour.”

“But they’re just for young . . . um . . . well, people my age, not for . . . um . . . grandmothers.”

“You think I’m too old to climb the rocks? Just watch me,” Glory said. She left me near the end of the counter and walked to the security desk.

Nearby, at the door to the chief purser’s office I heard someone say, “There’s no sign of him, sir.

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