division – the lot.’
‘Before we go any further into this,’ he said, ‘I’d like to have your ideas about expansion. Have you given it any thought?’
I pushed a folder across the desk. ‘There are a few ideas here. Just a beginning.’
He studied the papers I had put together and we discussed them for a while. At last he said, ‘You’ve obviously been thinking hard. I like your idea of a construction division.’ He checked the time. ‘I need the telephone. Will you give me half an hour? I might have to do some tough talking.’
I pushed the telephone towards him. ‘Best of luck.’
I found Julie holding Karen in her arms and looking faintly worried. Karen was sniffling and wailing. ‘But I want to go!’
‘What’s the matter?’
‘Oh, Karen’s not well,’ said Julie. ‘I don’t think she should come with us. That cold in the head has sprung up again and she’s got a temperature.’
‘It’s not fair!’ cried Karen. ‘Sue’s going.’
I put out my hand and felt her forehead; Julie was right about the rise in temperature, but it was not much. ‘Maybe we should cancel the trip,’ said Julie.
‘Put her to bed and we’ll talk about it.’ I looked around. ‘Where’s Sue?’
‘On Lucayan Girl helping Pete or, rather, getting in his way. I’ll be back soon.’ Julie walked into the house carrying Karen who had burst into tears.
I found Debbie relaxing by the pool and dropped into a chair next to her. ‘Poor kid,’ she said. ‘She’s so disappointed. How ill is she?’
‘Not very. You know how kids are; their temperature goes up and down for no apparent reason. She’ll probably be all right in a couple of days. But Julie is thinking of cancelling the trip.’
‘I’ve noticed something about this household,’ said Debbie. ‘Apart from Julie and the girls there are no women in it. If Julie wants someone to look after Karen I could do that.’
‘It’s a kindly thought,’ I said. ‘But if it comes to the push I’ll take Karen to the Royal Palm. We have a very efficient and charming young nurse there whom Karen knows very well. I’ve done it before when Julie has been away.’
‘Then talk Julie out of cancelling. It would disappoint Sue so much.’
‘I’ll do my best.’ Presently Julie came out of the house, and I asked, ‘How is she?’
‘Rebellious.’
‘You don’t have to cancel the trip. I don’t want two gloomy kids sulking about the house. Debbie has offered to look after Karen, and there’s always Kitty Symonette at the hotel.’
‘Thanks, Debbie. That’s good of you.’ Julie thought for a moment. ‘Very well – we’ll go.’ She looked at Debbie. ‘Don’t let Karen play you up; that little minx is full of tricks.’
I stood up. ‘If everything’s aboard I’ll come and see you off.’
Just then Billy came striding out of the house and beckoned me with a jerk of his head. He said, ‘There’ll be a squad of lawyers and auditors flying in to look at your books. If everything checks we have a deal.’ He laughed and put out his hand.
So it was with a light heart that I saw Julie and Sue away on Lucayan Girl. I told Julie about the deal and she was delighted, and then we went out to the lagoon where the Girl was ready to cast off, her engines already ticking over. Sue was running about taking photographs with the camera I had given her for her birthday; her teacher had set her the exercise of a photo-essay as her homework for the Christmas vacation. By the look of her both she and her stock of film would be exhausted before the voyage began.
I had a word with Pete who was coiling a rope in the bows. ‘Got a crewman?’
‘Sure.’
‘How is he?’
‘He’ll do,’ said Pete laconically. Knowing Pete that meant the young fellow was pretty good.
‘Where is he?’
‘Below – greasing the shafts.’ Pete raised his voice. ‘All right, then; all aboard that’s goin’ aboard.’
Sue scampered aboard and Julie kissed me and followed more sedately. ‘Cast off the after line, Miss Mate,’ said Pete. He cast off the forward line and quickly went to the helm on the flying bridge. The engines growled and Lucayan Girl moved slowly away.
We watched as the Girl went down the lagoon and turned into the channel which led to the open sea and so out of sight. I said to Billy, ‘I think we have work to do.’ I stooped to pick up Sue’s camera which she had left on a chair. ‘Sue will be mad enough to bust. When Julie rings tonight I’ll tell her to buy another. We mustn’t disappoint teacher.’
It was late in the day when it went bad – an hour from midnight. Billy and I had worked late, sorting out the details of the proposed merger and outlining future plans, and were having a final drink before he went back to the Royal Palm. Suddenly he broke off what he was saying in mid-sentence. ‘What’s the matter? You got ants in your pants? That’s the third time you’ve checked your watch in five minutes. I hope I’m not that unwelcome.’
‘Julie hasn’t telephoned,’ I said shortly. ‘That’s not like her.’
I picked up the telephone and rang the Fontainbleu in Miami where she usually stayed. The call took an annoyingly long time to place and Billy occupied himself with shuffling his papers together and putting them into his briefcase. Finally I got through and said, ‘I’d like to speak to Mrs Mangan.’
There was a pause. ‘Do you know the room number, sir?’
‘No.’
Another pause. ‘There’s no one of that name in the hotel, sir.’
‘Put me through to the desk clerk, please.’ Again that took a bit of time but I finally got him. I said, ‘My name is Mangan. Has my wife checked in yet?’
A rustle of papers. ‘No, sir.’
‘But she did make a reservation?’
‘Yes, sir; two rooms. Mrs Mangan and Miss Mangan, and Mr and Mrs Pascoe.’
‘Have the Pascoes checked in?’
‘No, sir.’
‘Thank you.’ I put down the telephone and said blankly, ‘She’s not there.’
‘What time was she supposed to get into Miami?’ asked Billy.
‘Before dark; say, eight o’clock. Pete has standing instructions from me to get into port in daylight if possible, especially with the family aboard. She’s a fast boat for her type and he’d have no trouble about that.’
‘She’s only three hours overdue, Tom. Anything could have happened. Engine trouble, perhaps.’
‘Boats with Pete aboard don’t have engine trouble,’ I said sharply. ‘Besides, the Girl has two engines.’
‘If one was knocked out it would slow her down.’
‘Not by a lot – not by three hours.’ I picked up the telephone again. ‘I’ll ring the marina in Miami.’ Ten minutes later I knew that Lucayan Girl had not arrived. I said to Billy, ‘I’ve got a feeling about this. I’m going over to BASRA – they can raise the US Coast Guard.’
‘How long will you be?’
‘Fifteen