Solitary no more. A girl sat beside him.

I circled out and around and she was still there. The Bishop sat slumped and gave me no sign what to do. I circled once more, then the sight of a patrolling police car sent me burbling to the bank. The girl stood and waved, then called out.

“Why little Jimmy diGriz, as I live and breathe. What a loyely surprise.”

Chapter 16

Life had had far too many moments like this lately. I looked at the girl more closely as I eased the boat against the bank. She knew me, I should know her; smashingly good-looking, her blouse filled to perfection. Those tulip lips, her!-object of my wildest dreams. “Is that you Beth? Beth Naratin?” “How sweet of you to remember me!” I was ready to jump ashore with the’ mooring line, but she took it from my hand and tied it to the bollard there. Over her shoulder I saw the police cruiser go past and keep on cruising. Then glanced at The Bishop, who simply raised his eyes to heaven as she spoke.

“I said to myself, Beth, I said, that can’t be Jimmy diGriz climbing out of that old Macswineys van and wearing a cute little moustache. Not Jimmy who has been in the news so much lately. If it is, why don’t I just mosey after him, for old times’ sake. Then I saw you talk to this nice gentleman here, before you went off to the marina, so I just made up my mind to wait for you to come back. Going on a trip, are you?” “No, no trip, just a little day excursion up the river and back. Nice seeing you again, Beth. “ That was the only nice part about this. Seeing her, I mean. The object of my childish worship. She had left school soon after I had entered-but she was hard tb forget. Four years older than me, a real mature woman. That would make her twenty-one now. She had been head of her class, winner of the Beauty Queen of the Year.

110 With good reason. Now, old as she was, she was still a smasher. Her voice sliced through my memories.

“I don’t think that you are being exactly truthful, Jimmy. Why with all these bags and things I bet that you are going on a long cruise. If I were you I would consider a long cruise a really good idea. “ Was there a different tenor to her voice with these last words? What did she want? We couldn’t hang around here much longer. She made her wants clear when she jumped aboard, rocking the boat at its mooring.

“Always room for one more!” she called out cheerfully, then went to sit in the bow. I stepped ashore and grabbed up the bags. Then whispered to The Bishop. “She knows me. What do we do?” He sighed in answer. “Very little that we can do. For the present we have a passenger. I suggest that we consider this problem once we are under way. After all-we have no choice,” Too true. I passed our belongings over to him, then struggled to untie the black knot that she had tied in the line. Gave the Lucky Bucks a kick out with my foot, jumped aboard, and took the wheel. The Bishop carried the cases below as I switched on the power and headed downstream. Away from Biliville, Macswineys and the law.

But not from Beth. She lay stretched out on the deck before me, skirt hiked up so I could admire those gorgeous lengths of leg. I did this. Then she turned about and smiled, clearly able to read my mind. I forgot about my planned female disguise at this moment-imagining the jeering that would greet my sex change. I was getting angry.

“All right, Beth, why don’t you just spell it out,” I said, hauling my gaze bodily out to the clear waters of the river. “Whatever do you mean?” “Stop the games. You have been watching the news, that’s what you said. So you know about me.” “Sure do. Know you hold up banks and escape from jail. That doesn’t bother me though. I had a bitsy bit of difficulty myself. So when I saw you, then this boat, I knew you must have some money. Maybe a lot of money. So I just jumped at the chance to take this trip with you. Isn’t that nice?” “No.” I kept my thoughts on the law and not the legs. She was trouble. “And I do have a bit of money put aside. If I get you some, put you ashore...” “The money, yes. The shore, no. I’ve seen the last of him and Biliville. I’m going to see the world now. And you are going to pay my way.” She snuggled down, with her arms for a pillow, smiling as she enjoyed the sunshme. I looked on gloomily and thought of three or four blows that would snap that delicate neck... ~ Not even as a joke. This problem could be solvedand without deadly violence. We hummed along, the water parting in white foam at our bow, Biliville behind us and green fields opening up ahead at the bend in the river. The Bishop came on deck and sat next to me. With her third presence there was nothing much we could say.

We continued in silence this way for the better part of an hour, until a dock beside a general store appeared ahead. Beth stirred and sat up, running her fingers through that gorgeous blond hair.

“You know what-I’m hungry. Bet you are too. Why don’t you pull up over there and I’ll jump ashore and get us some food and some beer. Isn’t that a good idea?” “Great!” I agreed. She goes into the store, we go into high gear and away.

“I am skint,” she smiled. “Stone broke. If you give me a few bucks I’ll buy lunch. I think a thousand will do.” Her sweet-Uttle-girl expression never changed while she said this and I wondered just what kind of trouble she was in. Extortion and blackmail maybe; she certainly had the qualifications for that. I dug deep into my wallet.

“That’s nice,” she said, thumbing through the bundle with glowing eyes. “I won’t be long. And I know you will be here, Jimmy, along with your friend. Haven’t I seen him in the news broadcasts too?” I glowpred after the lovely rotations of her rump as she trotted towards the store.

“Got our hides nailed to the wall,” The Bishop said gloomily.

“Nailed, flayed, and tanned. What do we do?” “Exactly what she says for the time being. Short of killing her, we have very little choice. But I do not believe in killing.” “Nor do 1. Although this is the first time that I have understood the temptation.” “What do you know about her?” “Nothing-since I last saw her in school. She says she is introuble, but I have no idea what she means.” He nodded in thought. “When we are well away from her I’ll get close to a terminal. If she is in the police records I can dig her out, “ “Will that do us any good?” “I have no idea, dear boy. We can only try. Meanwhile we must make the best of the situation. We are well away from the terrors of the pork palace, safely away from our pursuers as well. As long as this creature gets money from us we are safe. For the moment. And you must admit that she. is decorative.” I had no answer . to that and could only sit glumly until our uninvited passenger returned.

After lunch we continued our voyage downstream. Exhausted by the morning of sunbathing, Beth went below for a beauty nap. The Bishop wanted a turn at the wheel sol showed him the simple controls and pointed out the navigation markers. We had very little to say to each other. But we were thinking a lot. In midaftemoon the object of our fierce cogitation trotted up from below.

“Such a cute little ship,” she gushed. “The cutest little girls’ room, little kitchen, and everything. But only two little beds. How in the world will we all sleep?” “In shifts,” I growled, the sound of her voice already getting to me.

“You always were a card, Jimmy. I think it best if I sleep below. You and your friend can make do. “ “Make do, young lady, make doHow does one my age make do on deck when the chill mists of night descend?” The Bishop’s anger was under control, barely, but her bright smile seemed to be unaware of it.

“I’m sure that you will find a way,” she said. “Now I would like to stop at the next town we come to, that one there. I left in such a hurry I forgot all my things. Clothes and makeup, you know.” “You wouldn’t need a bit of money to buy those things?” I asked facetiously. She ignored my feeble humor and nodded.