Free The Raft by Christopher Blankley Page A

was holding a
Rafter against his will, I'd get lynched.”
    “Gandalf, I need time. I need to move
quickly. I can't haul Chemical along with me. If I can't get to
Horus before the Feds get to us. Do you understand how people are
going to react ?”
    “Yes, of course, but -”
    “But nothing,” Maggie interrupted. “Think of
something. I only need a day.”
    Gandalf threw up his hands, tilting back his
helmet. “Today of all days, Maggie. I have three executives from
Arrowsoft right there. I was this close to convincing them
to move a part of their company out here to the Raft!”
    “Gandalf...”
    “Do you know what that would mean? What that
could do for the Raft?”
    “I'm sorry Meerkat's bloody murder is an
inconvenience to you.”
    “Alright, alright, a day. But that's it. You
know tomorrow is the Freaky Kon-Tikis. I can't haul Chemical all
the way up there. Word would get out.”
    “I know, I know,” Maggie said gratefully.
“Thank you. And I'm sure Chemical likes putt-putt golf. He can play
with your Arrowsoft friends. Why don't you introduce them?”
    “Thanks,” Gandalf rolled his eyes.
     
    #
     
    “I wouldn't worry, dear,” a voice came from
behind Rachael. “Boys and their business, you know?”
    “I'm sorry?” Rachael said, turning to meet a
middle-aged woman carrying a tray of drinks. She had an aged but
well-dressed quality about her. She was wearing full makeup and a
number of large accessories. Her clothes were perhaps a few years
too young for her – a little too tight – but she was able to pull
off the look.
    “Iced tea?” she asked, offering Rachael a
drink from the tray.
    “Oh, no, thank you,” Rachael said.
    “Are you with Arrowsoft, dear?” the woman
asked.
    “Arrowsoft?” Rachael couldn't contain her
surprise. She looked back to the putting green and the three
clean-cut men. “No, no, I'm here with Maggie.” Rachael said, her
reporter senses tingling.
    “Oh, Maggie,” the woman smiled softly. “We
all love Maggie so much. After that terrible business with the
Shane boy. She's so wonderful. A real hero.”
    “Shane?” Rachael didn't follow.
    “I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself. I'm
Tiger Print,” the woman said. “I'm Gandalf's wife.”
    Tiger Print, it made sense. She wasn't
wearing a pair of tiger print spandex pants, but Rachael was sure
that the woman would have a pair of the titular trousers in her
closet.
    “Hello, I'm Rachael Bigallo.” Tiger Print
held out a little finger from the tray, all she could spare, and
Rachael shook it.
    “Nice to meet you. You're a friend of
Maggie's, you say? We get so few dryfoots out here, and today we
have so many. What a wonderful surprise. Are you sure you wouldn't
like some iced tea?”
    “Yes, thanks, I'm sure.”
    Maggie was returning from her private
discussion with Gandalf. She seemed content. Behind her, Gandalf
seemed frazzled. Maggie crossed the car deck and stepped up to the
woman with the tray.
    “Tiger Print, dear,” she said and kissed
Tiger Print on the cheek.
    “Maggie, what a surprise!” Tiger Print said
with honest joy. “What brings you aboard?”
    Maggie gestured at Chemical. “Can you watch
him for a while? Make him feel at home.”
    “Of course, dear, anything for you. What has
he done this time?”
    “Nothing. Yet. Can you keep him out of
trouble?”
    “Of course.”
    Then Maggie's tone turned serious. “I'm
afraid I have some horrible news, Tiger.”
    “What's wrong?”
    “It's Meerkat. She fell overboard. She's
dead.”
    Tiger Print paused, but she didn't seem to
waver. The tray before her remained totally motionless. “Oh, no.
How sad. Poor girl... Chemical didn't-”
    “No, but if you can still keep an eye on
him.”
    “We will, we will,” Tiger Print swallowed.
“And to think, I just saw her last night, alive and happy, dancing
aboard the Geoduck... how horrible...”
    “The Geoduck you say?”
    “Yes, dear. I can only guess that you're
going to go look for