Ernie quick walked from the side exit of the hotel, barely able to keep from breaking into an all out bolt. The briefcase banged against his calf as he slalomed through the parked cars to the lane leading to the adjacent street. The shot had scared him more than Ted, and he had screamed aloud like a baby, dropped the gun, grabbed the case and fled. Now all he wanted was to get out of town and back to Sandra.

Ted, while equally scared, and wounded to boot, was lying on his bed swearing angrily at the ceiling, saving particularly vile words for Sandra. The bullet had punched a hole in his good pants and torn a groove along the side of his calf. Blood finished the job of ruining the trousers and when he finally managed to limp to the bathroom, it had spoiled a good deal of the decor as well.

He stripped down, got himself into the shower and with a line-up of soap, paper towel and the only tie wore, he sluiced off and applied the best first aid he could to the wound. He dried off and put his shirt and underwear back on and went to the bar, swearing again when he realized he'd cleaned it out beforehand. He rang the desk and asked for a bottle of vodka and a pair of scissors, then sat and waited - fuming.

A third of a bottle gone, some on the wound and the rest in his stomach, Ted checked his tailoring in the mirror. The trimming wasn't even but he figured it would get him out of the hotel without too much attention; lots of businessmen wore shorts and jackets. The short socks were a fashion no-no as well as his Hugo Boss tie wound about the calf, but you work with the tools you have.

Luckily there was no reaction from the gunshot and with a quick check of the hall, he headed to the stairs with his travel bag containing the discarded gun and the remainder of the bottle and limped down to the lobby exit.

ööööö

Ernie slowed his pace, furtively glancing back to see if he was being chased, and aimed for the train station. After one backward glance he turned around and crashed right into the side of a car that had coasted out of an alleyway in front of him.

"Hey! Jesus Christ, why don't you look where you're going?" The window dropped slowly and a round barrel eased out, aiming right at him. "Wha- what the hell?" A gloved hand extended from the window toward the case, and Ernie clutched it up to his chin. "No way, Jose!" An audible click and a waver of the barrel instantly changed his mind; he'd just been through the results of a gunshot and wasn't about to entertain another.

Quickly he handed it over, stepping back with his hands in the air. The case and the barrel disappeared the window rose and the car took off with a squeal of rubber. Ernie cursed as he saw that the licence plate was covered in dirt. What would he tell Sandra? He saw his fantasy life swirling down the toilet. He had to get back to town as fast as possible. She loved him. She'd understand.

ööööö

The car sped for thirty minutes down the highway and then pulled off at a roadside diner parking lot. The combination lock surrendered to the tip of a large slot-head screwdriver and when the lid popped up there was a sharp gasp. Three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, just as promised! Neatly packed and banded, a tribute to Barry's penchant for neatness in things financial, the money almost glowed in the fading daylight inside the car.

"Any easier and it would have been embarrassing." Gwen laughed, pulling back onto the highway and stepping on the gas.

ööööö

Barry stood in his stocking feet on the dark aft deck, holding his shoes in his hand while Heidi unlocked the cabin and disappeared inside to check the utilities. A moment later a pale yellow light in the ceiling by the hatch came on revealing, to his surprise, a very well appointed cabin with matching, brightly coloured upholstery on the side bench and chair.

A polished wood table, fixed to the deck, fronted the bench and held a very modern looking vase filled with artificial flowers. He stuck his head inside and took in the rest of the decor, amazed at how little it resembled a boat. Framed pictures of Nordic fjords were spaced along one side and a brass, combination compass, humidifier and barometer took center stage on the other.

The floor was a deep blue, water-resistant carpet that fit snugly over the entire area. An elaborate sound system was tucked neatly into one half of a bookcase beside the stairs, and the receiver face was glowing with a green light.

"Welcome to the Iron Tulip, Mr. Stein." Heidi waved a hand about and beamed a huge smile. "Come aboard and make yourself at home."

"You said a little boat," Barry remarked as he dropped his shoes and flopped into the soft chair.

"Forty feet is not big, Mr. Stein. But it has all the comforts I need and is outfitted with enough engine to take us a goodly distance." She swept past him and outside. "I will bring the things from the car," she called back over her shoulder.

Barry pursed his lips. Didn't even ask me to help, he thought, watching her comely bottom wiggle past him up the steps. This might just be a very good thing after all. He stood and went down the small set of stairs through a compact galley and along the companionway to the bow cabin.

Two single beds, fitted along the sides with a small shelf between them for a clock, and another vase of flowers. Drawers were built into the bases, and all in all he found it very compact and efficient. He wandered back to the rear and opened the door to the aft cabin, stopping short, mouth agape.

Except for a row of portholes down each side, the entire cabin was mirrored, and everywhere he looked there was the image of the tulip covered red comforter over the wide, full-sized bed. A small door in one corner led to a two-piece en suite, also mirrored, and accordingly, less appealing.

He jumped as Heidi came in behind him. "You like my tulip room, Mr. Stein?"

"It's certainly remarkable."

"It is where I garden," she said with a strong, suggestive emphasis.

"Uh huh. What uh- what else should I see?" He blanched. Wrong question as once again, Super Heidi shed her clothes and flung him onto the tulip patterned, down-filled mattress.

ööööö

Sandra left the marina office and fairly skipped the length of the jetty. Ted had definitely not skimped on the boat. For a brief moment she almost felt sorry for him since it had been for the both of them, but it didn't last long as she clambered aboard and took a quick tour of the amenities. Thank goodness Gwen knew how to run one of these things; she recalled her lie to Ted and wondered how she might have explained her lack of knowledge to him.

No need to worry now. She went back to the car, unloaded all the stuff she'd packed and bought on the way down, stowed it on board and then left with the car to find a place to leave it.

The empty lot behind the building on a side street a few blocks from the marina seemed suitable and after a short goodbye, she cleaned out all identification and with the licence plates and a heavy rock, she tied it all into a small bag and hurled it out into the bay. So long Bottomless Bucket and Sandra's old life! She skipped back to the boat and began arranging everything for Gwen's arrival.