Miserable Business
Page 27
He put his arm around Evelyn and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Here we go, baby.”
She took his left hand, and he poured on the power. The boat erupted to a horizontal plane and reached cruising speed in seconds. It was a beautiful day with the sunlight sparkling on the water. The heavy forest created towering shadows along the shoreline in sharp contrast to the endless blue skies above. Running the shoreline and lake narrows southward, the couple headed toward Steam Boat Bay.
In the busy resort community on the south end of the lake, a lone man stood at the shoreline overlooking the water. He was conspicuous in his professional dress clothes on the warm summer’s day. The sun worshipers on the beach paid no attention to the man they assumed to be an accountant or possibly the manager from the resort office.
Passing the point of the bay, Hank scanned the developed shoreline for locations where a bus might park. He didn’t see his guest until they were nearly right in front of him. He pointed him out for Evelyn’s benefit. “There he is.” Henry waived to the man.
Henry cut the power, and the boat slowed until it nudged up against the cushioned piers of a resort dock. With a leather briefcase in one hand, the man trod the length of the dock and efficiently secured the boat with a length of rope.
Henry kept his voice low. “Welcome. It’s been a long time.”
The man took a knee on the dock, reached down, and shook Henry’s hand. “Yes, it has. And who do you have with you in this beautiful boat?”
“Oh, sorry, this is Evelyn. Evelyn, I want you to meet Mr. Johnson.”
“Hello, it’s nice to meet you.”
“Please, Evelyn, call me Al.”
She nodded. “Say Al, what a smart-looking briefcase you have there. What line of work are you in?”
Al paused and looked out across the lake. He turned toward Evelyn and said simply, “I’m in the insurance and investments business.”
Evelyn smiled.
“I’m one of the big-city business agents who comes to see Henry from time to time to talk strategy and how to handle business risk.” Al smirked. “Despite his looks, Henry is quite brilliant.”
Evelyn looked over at Henry and thumped the side of his leg. “Is that so?”
Henry didn’t like the attention and glanced around the shoreline. “We should get underway. There’s room in the second seat. Do you have any other baggage?”
Al smiled at the notion of hauling bags in a boat.
“Well, it’s a long story, but no, I don’t have any bags, but I did bring a package for you, Henry.” Al opened the briefcase, pulled out a brown paper bag, and passed it to Evelyn, who set it on the boat seat.
Al remained on the dock while he scanned the inside of the craft with a curious look on his face.
Evelyn smiled at him. “Al, would you prefer to ride in the front seat?”
He smiled. “Oh no, ma’am. I was looking around to see where Henry has the set of oars he plans to use to row us to the cabin today.”
Evelyn got a twinkle in her eyes. “There must be some history with you two and boats. Is this why Henry insisted we pick you up by water?”
Al stepped aboard and settled in the second seat. “Oh, there is history all right. In the past, I might have preferred to leave Henry on the dock rather than get into the same boat with him. Maybe we can tell you more of that story a bit later.”
Henry powered the boat’s engine back to life, pushed off the dock, and began to motor out across the bay. He slid his hand down inside the paper bag Al had brought along. He recognized the hard feel of the shape and drew out a glass bottle. It was filled with single-barrel bourbon whiskey. He raised it high in the air, glanced back at Albert, and shook it. Henry laughed as he had never laughed before.
Being fully aware of the truth of things, Henry felt blessed to be alive.