Little Tiny Teeth by Aaron Elkins Read Free Book Online Page B

in reality a measure of thrift on the captain’s part, being far more cost-effective than renting a bona fide office full-time, especially inasmuch as his business meetings were few and far between. Of course, once Amazonia was on its feet, once there was a steady stream of passengers for the Adelita, once another ship or two had been added to what he fondly thought of as his “fleet,” then there would be a fine office with an anteroom and a receptionist, and right on the Malecon Iarapaca too, the grandest boulevard in all Iquitos.
    But for the time being, the elegant hotel bar served his purposes. It was where he had first met with the famous professor, Scofield, to negotiate the terms for the Adelita ’s maiden voyage as a passenger ship. It was where he was sitting with him today to iron out the final details. But the meeting was not going well. Scofield had taken exception to Vargas’s intention of having three additional passengers aboard: the man from On the Cheap and his two associates.
    “I don’t know about that now, Captain,” he said pleasantly enough, digging at his cheek with the bit of his pipe. “That wasn’t the arrangement, as I recall. Didn’t we agree that my party would have the ship to themselves?”
    “True, professor, very true, you’re right about that. But these men, you see, are not passengers at all, not in the usual sense of the word. They will be there only to look at life aboard the Adelita. It’s going to be in a travel book, you see – that is, if they are favorably impressed – and as you can imagine, this can be a great asset to my business.”
    They spoke Spanish. Although Vargas could converse quite well in English, he was more comfortable in his native language. Scofield was equally at ease in both.
    “We can’t have them interfering with our activities, you know,” Scofield said. “That wouldn’t do at all.” He was a stocky, apple-cheeked man, handsomely boyish and twinkle-eyed, and he was speaking, as usual, with a playful, jokey air, but Vargas knew from their earlier meetings that he was not to be taken lightly. Underneath the pleasantries there was a man who was used to getting what he wanted.
    “No, no, I can assure you that they won’t. They are observers only. You’ll hardly be aware they’re there.”
    “All right, but I must require that the ship pursue our itinerary. Your eventual aim may be tourism, but on this trip it’s strictly botany. Is that understood?”
    “Perfectly, perfectly, professor. On that you have my word.”
    Despite the hotel’s air-conditioning, Vargas was sweating. Scofield was a difficult customer, had been from the start. But he was also Vargas’s only customer, with no others presently in sight. If he insisted that he didn’t want Phil Boyajian aboard, Vargas would have to accede. But it would be a blow to his hopes and plans. “Flowers and shamans, that’s what it will be about,” he said jovially. “Don’t give it another thought.”
    Scofield pointed the pipe bit at him. “ Plants, captain,” he said merrily. “Botanicals. Not ‘flowers.’”
    “Yes, yes of course. Did I say flowers? Plants, I meant to say plants, nothing but plants and shamans.” He hesitated. “Well, that is…”
    One of Scofield’s eyebrows lifted. “Yes?”
    “Well, I’m sure this is already understood, but perhaps it’s best to be perfectly clear. I am at present still in the cargo business. In addition to your group, we will be carrying a consignment of coffee, along with a few miscellaneous items – a little lumber, a little mail, a generator, a few pairs of rubber boots, a dining room table and chairs, a wooden door, and so on. The coffee is bound for a warehouse in Colombia; the other items will be dropped off on the return-”
    “You use one of the warehouses on the Javaro tributary, do you not? The one not far from, what is it, San Jose de Chiquitos?”
    Vargas was astonished. “Yes. How is it that you know