Free Toad in the Hole by Paisley Ray

cement thing with some buttons and a wheel.”
    “Don’t push anything. Come back here on the boat and let me have a look.”
    A grinding noise like a distressed Sasquatch echoed and the gates in back of the boat closed. I knew two more things had to happen. The narrow canal we’d pulled into had to empty, lowering the boat, and the front gate needed to open when we were at the river’s water level. But I couldn’t make anything else happen. With the boat in the lock, we were at a standstill. Travis tied a rope on a metal rung of the lock and joined me on the dock. I showed what I’d done and he fiddled with all the same things I had.
    “We’re stuck.”
    My dry eyes stung from still being awake, and I tripped over my feet.
    “We should get some rest,” he said.
    “But the marina where we can anchor is somewhere beyond this lock.”
    Travis reached for my hand and wrapped me in his arms. I guessed he worried about my mental state since I’d told him about Billy Ray. “We’ll stay here until morning and hope a lock keeper shows up.”
    I was sorry when he released me.
    Back on board, climbing down steps from the cockpit to the cabin, we ducked inside. There was a single room with a kitchenette, bench seating, and a two-by-two potty enclosure. The Murphy bed that folded out of the wood cushioned bench was cozy. “There’s only one bed.”
    “What was your grandmother thinking?”
    I owed her a thank you.
    “That we’d stay in hotels along the river.”
    Travis hid a hand behind his back. “We’ll draw for the bed.” He counted to three.
    I had pretty much conceded to myself that I was not quarry in this hunt, but for decency sake said, “You can sleep with me as long as you keep your pants on.”
    He locked his arm around me from behind. “Have you forgotten, this isn’t our first time?”
    I hadn’t.
    Being close to him made me feel safe. And the cramped quarters didn’t bother me a bit. Tonight at least one thing worked in my favor. I was going to sleep with Travis and I hoped this was the beginning of a memorable trip.
     
    NOTE TO SELF
    Apparently I’m seeing London via the River Thames. Never would’ve thunk it .

 
     
     
CHAPTER 12
     
    T he K eeper
     
     
    T he clunk, clunk, clunk on the deck was annoying, like school mornings when your PU’s —parental units—purposely closed doors and rattled kitchen drawers with a vengeance. Early morning clanks and clunks were normally a precursor to a shout from the bottom of the staircase. “Are you up yet?”
    “Hoy, anyone in there? This isn’t a boat hotel. We’ve got vessels waiting.”
    Travis tugged his arm out from under my neck. The sudden jerk sparked a volt into my dodgy shoulder. It acted up when I twisted funny or when the barometer dropped before a storm.
    Despite a portside window cracked open, the air inside smelled of church pew benches and musty bedding. My head thumped a beat and my eyelids protested as though someone had cemented them shut.
    “Rachael, wake up. Someone’s found us.”
    I felt as though I’d only just fallen asleep.
    A belt buckle jangled as it slid through pocket loops. “We got four hours sleep.”
    Thump, thump, thump. This time I sat up. “Gunshot?” I said, trying to block the last image I remembered of Billy Ray pointing a gun at me before blood suddenly gushed from his sternum. Shaking the memory out of my brain I told myself, I didn’t have to ever worry about him again in this lifetime .
    “Guns aren’t legal in Britain. Someone up above has a long metal stick. Probably putting some nice dings in the rental.”
    Travis stood on the bed and peered out a window. “This guy looks like Captain Kangaroo. I mean, who grows sideburns like that? Rach, come out on deck with me.”
    Throwing the covers off, I fumbled out of our cozy nest. I was already dressed in the same clothes from yesterday.
    “Hi there,” I heard Travis shout to a man onshore.
    I waved. “Good morning. We were hoping to get