The Missing Boatman Part 19

"Not going to sleep in the car?" Tony asked her. This seemed to amuse her.

Tony c.o.c.ked an eyebrow. "An old girlfriend of mine looked just like you do now when I told her I stopped buying and wearing silk underwear."

"Really?" Lucy frowned. "Why?"

"I had to. I was feeling up my a.s.s too d.a.m.n much."

The laugh that came from Lucy was adorable. She made it even more adorable when she clamped both hands over her mouth to quiet herself.

She sobered up then, and looked straight into Tony's eyes. "Anthony, do you know what time it is?"

"Yeah, it's" he remembered his watch and started to look at it. Lucy reached across the table and covered its face with her hand. Her touch froze Tony. Blinking, he glanced around the bar, searching for a clock. "Well, near eleven anyway."

Lucy did not seem pleased with his answer. "Yes, around there. When did you pick me up?"

"Yesterday," Tony sipped on his beer, trying to remember. "Maybe around nine-ish? Nine thirty?"

"And where are we now?"

Tony shrugged. "Just into Quebec maybe..." he trailed off. He had no idea. "Why? Do you know?"

Lucy nodded. She reached over, gently took off his watch, and placed it face down on the table. Tony did not resist. She had folded the paper pyramid up and down during their beers and now she began folding it in upon itself. "How are you about surprises?"

"You mean if I like 'em or if I can handle 'em?"

"Both."

"Okay, I guess. Depends on the surprise. If it's like a birthday kind of surprise, then that's fine. If it's something else, then I dunno. If it's like your mom has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer, then that's a different matter. But I can handle it. If that's what you mean. I don't freak out easy."

Lucy digested this stoically. She took a sip of her beer and pinched-wiped her mouth with two fingers. It was obvious she was contemplating something heavy, but Tony could not guess what. Was she finally going to open up about her past? Was she a single mom on the run from the mafia and heading west to start a new life? Was she really a man? Christ, Tony hoped he was wrong on that one.

She flipped up the paper she had been folding. It was a tourist advertis.e.m.e.nt. There was the bluest river before a city with a high tower topped off with what looked like a flying saucer. Mountains glowed next to it, and tiny people were skiing down their faces. Golden words were etched brightly across the fabricated sky. "See Calgary! See How We Live!"

Tony studied the ad for a moment. "Where you get that?"

"It was always here."

His eyebrows went up in an 'oh really' expression.

Lucy was not smiling anymore. "Really."

"So... what?" Tony shrugged.

"We're in Alberta," she informed him.

"We're in Alberta," he repeated, not believing her and trying hard not to grin at the ridiculous notion.

"We pa.s.sed Calgary a ways back," Lucy told him.

"Hm," he simply said, looking off into s.p.a.ce and wondering if the wench actually believed she was being convincing. The thought made him shake his head again.

"You don't believe me?" Lucy asked, sad.

"No," Tony smiled. He didn't want to, but he could not help himself. At least he managed not to laugh in her face.

"I see." She looked in the direction of the bartender. "Excuse me!" She yelled.

The man's head bobbed up.

"Where are we exactly?"

"On highway one. Almost two hours outside of the city."

"What city?" Lucy asked, glancing at Tony to see if he was listening. He was. Sort of.

"Calgary," the man answered. "You folks not from around here?"

"No," Lucy replied. "Thank you." She fixed Tony with a 'you see' glare.

Tony smirked. "So you paid the guy or something."

"You didn't see the calendar in the lobby? The plates on the cars in the parking lot?"

"I was getting over being sick. I didn't notice," Tony said truthfully. "Should I have?"

"Go take a look."

"Now?" It was cold outside. "I'm not going outside!"

"Ask about the time, then," she instructed him.

Tony scowled. She was going too far with this. But he did so anyway. "Hey buddy, what time is it?"

A pause. "11:10."

Tony thanked the man. "Alright Lucy. It's 11:10."

She handed him his watch. It said 2:10. He studied it for no more than a second. "You changed this or something?"

The man was handling it quite well thus far, but Lucy was nowhere near the drop. "With one hand? Right in front of you? I think you'd notice."

"I think so, too," Tony agreed. "So how you do it? You work in a casino once or something? Tell me. Seriously. Light up the mystery. d.a.m.n good trick so far though, I'll give you that."

"It is something of a trick," she admitted, "but that part isn't really important right now. Right now, I have to convince you that we are in Alberta. On the other side of Calgary. That weird feeling you had earlier. That's part of it. And you'll feel it tomorrow when you get behind the wheel. You'll feel that way because, well," she looked him straight in the eye, "time is very important right now."

"I bet. A question, though."

"Go ahead."

"Why aren't you feeling weird then? Feeling sick? You were in the car, too. What's up with that?"

"I'm different," Lucy said simply.

Tony had been around a lot of liars. He had a pretty good idea of how to detect someone in the middle of stretching the truth. And, as far as he could tell, there was nothing in her tone, her body language or her eyes to suggest a lie. She was telling the truth as far as he could tell.

"Okay, you believe you're different, then" People from Quebec were different too. "And you believe we're in Alberta."

"Let's step outside for a minute." Lucy was already pulling on her coat.

"Why do I want to step outside? It's cold outside, man! It's warm in here! You can go outside if you want. Just leave the beer, okay?"

"Just for a minute. A minute. I'll prove to you that we are in Alberta."

"No," Tony smiled at her. He wasn't moving. He raised his mug.

Lucy studied him for a moment, debating something. "I'll give you a b.l.o.w.j.o.b," she announced finally.

The words stunned Tony faster than a Taser to the heart. He blinked over the rim of his beer. He forgot to swallow. He finally did and lowered his gla.s.s to the table. "Wow," he muttered in blunt amazement. "Did you just say-"

"You heard me," Lucy interrupted, her eyes never left his.

Tony sat in silence for a moment. "You're serious," he eventually stated.

"Yes."

"If I go outside with you, a BJ is mine."

"Yes."

"No questions asked."

"No."

"Only service."

Lucy expelled an impatient breath, "You want the b.l.o.w.j.o.b or not?"

Tony sat blinking for all of three seconds, three thudding heartbeats, and then he was getting to his feet as if his a.s.s were on fire.

They got up and moved towards the exit. Lucy led the way. Tony trailed behind as if he were on an invisible leash. He was too shocked to say anything. He met the eyes of the bartender as he went by.

A b.l.o.w.j.o.b? The guy mouthed wordlessly to him, equally shocked.

Tony only nodded.

The bar guy slowly shook his head. Then, he nodded his approval. Like Tony needed it. He was stunned by the proposition, but he was coming out of the thaw very fast. He liked the prospect very much. Lucy was an exotic dish. Part of him already envisioned her generous lips servicing him. He wondered if she was a sucker or a stroker or both. Did she cup b.a.l.l.s? Then, he realized he didn't care in the least.

They stepped outside, into the freezing cold of the late winter night. The ploughed snow made ramparts around the edges of the parking lot. There were cars in the lot, and a few pickups, all dark and shiny under tall lights. Lucy marched towards the vehicles.

Reaching the front of the first car, she whirled about and pointed at the license plate. "There!"

It was clearly an Albertan license plate. "Alberta. Wild Rose Country," it read.

"Well?" Lucy demanded after a moment.

"Well, what?" Tony countered. "Don't mean anything. They could be tourists. Or on a business meeting or something."

"It's from Alberta because we're in Alberta," Lucy stomped in the snow to the next car as she spoke. She jabbed at the plate with an open palm. "See this?"

It also read Alberta.

"So it's a convention." Tony said calmly. "We're not in Alberta, and I think you owe me something."

Lucy ignored him. She wasn't too happy with his reluctance to admit what was obvious. Tony didn't care as long as he got what she said she would give. In the back of his mind, he knew he wasn't going to get anything, and he certainly would not force the issue, but he was buzzed just enough to have a little fun.

"Here," she said, stopping in front of the next car.

"Alberta." Tony declared loudly. "Big convention. Funny though that the bar was empty. I figure folks from out west would be all big drinkers."

"Step out here," Lucy ordered him. She moved closer to where the parking lot met the highway. The snow was piled up chest high.

Lucy whirled on him. "Tell you what. I'll guess what the next car is. If I get that right, I don't have to give you a b.l.o.w.j.o.b."

Already Tony's head was shaking, "No way, man. I specifically came out here for a b.l.o.w.j.o.b. And I'm here. And it's cold. You have any idea what happens to a guy in weather like this? And why I would risk a sure thing anyway?"

"If I'm wrong, you'll get more than a b.l.o.w.j.o.b."

Sweet Jesus. "More?" he asked, dubiously.

"More," she repeated, the challenge glowed in her face and stance.

Tony cleared his throat. "How much more?"

Her eyes locked onto his. "Everything."

The word everything was a little slow piercing Tony's brainpan, however, once it did and understanding set in, the slow nod of his head became more energetic. "Let's do it."

"You only get it if I get the car wrong."

Something bothered him. "The next five cars."

"Deal," Lucy said immediately. That did not bode well, either. She was too sure of herself.

"Hold on." He glanced about to see if there were any hidden parking lot mirrors. He couldn't see any. No camera, either, however the h.e.l.l she could work that to her guessing five cars in a row.

"Are we doing this or what?" Lucy wanted to know.

The light poles were empty, too, and Lucy was standing with her back to the road. She couldn't see anything. The cars would be past her before she did. And she looked ready.