The Viking Seal

CHAPTER 23 - Better Not To Argue

Captain Eddie descended from the bridge with his empty thermos and handed it to Arvil.

"I think we can stand down, lad; the wind's abated and the sea is levelling."

"Our passengers will be pleased, sir."

"I wonder how our campers are making out?"

"That Gretta woman, from what I've learned, sir, could manage on an ice floe without a tent."

"Aye, she's made of something different that's for certain." The Captain stretched and gazed about. "Dinner, Arvil?"

"We could have it early I guess. We missed lunch."

"Make it a hot one and maybe one of your puddings for dessert.?"

Mel stepped into the lounge as Arvil was getting his orders. "Need any help? I'm not much of a cook but I can fetch and carry with the best of them."

"Much obliged, ma'am. This dinner the Captain wants requires a lot of chopping though. Is that okay?"

"I can chop."

Arny stuck his head up the stairway and asked what was happening only to be told he was on deck watch.

"Deck watch? What am I supposed to be watching for?"

"After a sea like that we always have a series of procedures to run. The sea anchor needs to be reset. A scan for debris or even sea ice and a check of the lines and fittings around the boat. The tender will need to be baled as well since the tarp cover came loose in the wind." Captain Eddie gave a scowl toward Arvil, who made a guilty face and slipped quickly below.

"Well somebody better come with me 'cause I don't know anything about boats."

"You will before this is over, lad." Captain Eddie shrugged on his heavy jacket and headed out through the aft passageway. There was a squawk from the bridge and Gretta's voice crackled through the static. Arvil bounded up from the galley and out to the bridge.

"CONGA here, go ahead Gretta."

"Just reporting in. Got some interesting pictures for study. Going to have some dinner and then settle in for the night. Weather fair. Wind is back but no rain. How's everything on the boat?"

"Had some rocking waves but all is secure and sound. Dinner here as well . . . better than yours I'll bet," Arvil laughed. "Any messages?"

"Stone says hi to Mel, and I say the same to Arny. What time is pickup in the morning?"

"Ten hundred I should be at the pickup spot."

"Roger that, CONGA. See you then."

"Roger, Gretta. Out."

"Everything okay?" Arny asked as he pulled on his coat.

"Yep. We'll get them at ten hundred and see what they found."

"Ten hundred," Arny muttered as he went topside. "Why not, o'clock, like normal people?"

****

"She's in her cabin singing again. I tell ya, Parker, she scares the shit out of me."

Parker's face darkened and he clenched his teeth. "First sign of anything hinky with that broad and I'm gone."

"What about our money?"

"Screw that! Did you hear the radio this morning? Some local pusher was found jammed between a couple of buildings with a hole in his neck."

"So?"

"So drugs, Kenny, drugs. They said the police found several small packets of coke in the guy's house. Small packets? Ring a friggin' bell, Kenny?"

"You think—"

"Damn right I do! First sign, pal, I'm warnin' you. You better think about it too."

"What are we thinking about today, boys?" Moira climbed the stairs past them to the lounge and they both froze, eyes blinking wildly. She stopped and looked down the stairs at them. "Well, are you coming up or what?"

"We thought you- I heard you singing..." Kenny cleared his throat.

"How was it?" She plopped some bread on a plate and smeared on butter from the small fridge. "Is there any juice?" Parker automatically went to the fridge and took out a bottle from the back, handing it to her. "Apple? Shit is that all there is?" She gulped down her bread and butter and grabbed her coat. "Get the car, we're going for breakfast."

They rode in silence until Moira pointed out a small diner next to a service station. "You can gas up here, Kenny. We'll be inside."

Parker followed her into the diner and to a small booth near the rear. They sat across from one another and while Moira calmly studied the paper menu, he studied Moira.

"So, Parker, you heard something interesting on the news this morning?" He felt a sudden tic beside his eye and he licked his lips. "C'mon now, don't hold back; I like to hear what's happening in the world."

He shifted his feet and wiped a hand across his mouth. "I think you know what happened in the world, Moira."

"But I'd like to hear it from you."

Kenny came in and stood by the booth but neither of them moved. "Hey, can I sit too?" Parker and Moira stared hard at one another and finally with a taunting grin, Moira slid over against the wall and Kenny sat with a pointed, humph. "Am I missing something?"

"Parker was just about to tell me what he heard on the news this morning."

Kenny gaped across the table and stifled a gasp.

"Okay. You want the truth? I think you are the one that killed the pusher the other day and those packets in your room are full of coke." Parker remained tense as he watched her process his words. "And I don't think we need this kind of trouble," he added before she could speak.

"Exactly what trouble are you referring to, Parker?" Moira cooed. Kenny shifted toward the edge of the booth, ready to flee if things went south.

"Possible police trouble. We arrive down here by helicopter. Make curious flights around the Labrador coast. Get a special boat provided for our use. You think the locals don't notice this stuff? We aren't invisible down here, Moira."

"Then perhaps we should become invisible." She fiddled with the sugar dispenser as she held their attention, awaiting an explanation—which didn't come.

"What does that mean?" Kenny asked nervously.

"We'll take the boat further up the coast and lay in wait for our friends to come back down."

"You want to ambush them at sea!" Kenny looked about the diner, forcing his voice lower. "We aren't pirates for Christ's sake."

"Why not?"

"Well for one thing, we're outnumbered." Parker said. A waitress finally made it to the booth and asked them what they wanted. "A little better service, sweetheart; we've been here about fifteen minutes already."

"Cooks gone sick. I hadda do both jobs until Freddy come in." She gave them a bored look. "So? What'll it be?"

They ordered and then sat uncomfortably while Moira laid out her plan. If she gave any thought to Parker's concerns she didn't let on.