Postage Due -Long Listed ONC2022

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The deluge was so heavy it actually hurt when it hit Warren's exposed head. He pulled his jacket up and waved frantically at the blurred image of the taxi emerging from the wall of rain. Sloshing through the rapidly forming puddles, he grappled with the door and launched himself inside, swearing.

"You're lucky I saw you, I'm just going to sit here a minute and hope it lets up, the wipers can't keep up."

"I don't care as long as I'm in here. Man, that is some downpour." Warren sorted out his wet clothes and sat up, looking at the picture on the back of the driver's seat. "You're a woman."

"You sound like you spotted a new species."

"No . . . I just- I've never had a woman cabbie before."

"There aren't many of us."

He sat forward and read the rest of the posted information. "Lynne Kirk, licensed for four years now."

"Sorry, didn't hear that last bit. I think this rain is getting heavier."

I was just saying," Warren spoke up, "your name is Lynne Kirk and you've been licensed for four years."

"Right."

"Well, Lynne, I'm Warren Daly and I want to get to nine-twenty-nine, St. Leonard whenever you think we can make it."

"I've got some cookies up here if you'd like one, and I haven't started the meter.

"No cookie thanks, but very generous on both counts."

The talk stopped, and they sat silently listening to the rain pound on the roof. Warren's feet were soaked and he bent down, yanking at a stubborn shoelace. The awkward position caused his foot to slip and he felt something hit his other leg.

"Is this yours," he asked, sitting up, passing a thick, padded envelope over the seat back.

Lynne turned on the dome light and studied the address, written in marker.

"Nope. Some passenger must have dropped it. Wasn't tonight either."

"What's it say?"

"Shropshire Hotel, Room four-fifteen. No postage, no return address." She passed it back.

"Wait, I don't want it. Turn it in to your dispatcher."

"No way. I wouldn't turn a criminal into my dispatcher."

Warren looked at the envelope, laughing at her remark. "The Shropshire is on the way to my place. We could stop and drop it off there - that is if we ever get going."

After another silent period, Lynne tried the wipers and muttered a 'Yay'. "I think we can manage that now." She started the meter, put the cab in gear and splashed their way down the almost empty street.

****

The Shropshire had a covered driveway in front of the entrance, and a uniformed doorman stepped forward and opened the door, allowing Warren to exit. His pants were wrinkled as well as his jacket, and he made a helpless face at the doorman's scrutiny.

"Wait for me, Lynne. Be right back." He did a soggy jog up the few steps into the lobby and headed for the desk.

The young man looked up with a strained expression as Warren leaned his wet sleeves on the counter.

"May I help you?"

"Yeah. Found this in the back of a cab I have waiting. It's addressed to one of your rooms."

With his pen, the man turned the envelope around and read the front. "Four-fifteen is unoccupied." He edged the envelope back toward Warren.

"Well, was somebody in it recently, or is someone coming in?"