The Doldrums: the Sailor and the Virgin Ch. 10

Suddenly he understood. The man's trousers were at his ankles, just on the other side of the bars. Swiftly and silently Liam crawled to the bars, reached in and felt the pockets of the crumpled garment. They were there! Now the girl added loud grunting to the man's moans, covering the brief jingle of the keys as Liam lifted them, and the tink-click of his lock being opened. He quickly crouched and returned the keys to the pocket. Meeting her eyes, he mouthed "thank ye." Then he was out of the cell and down the hall.

He bounded up the steps to the first floor and found the chief's office. 'Twas not locked, but the desk was. A few kicks from his rough work boots soon smashed in the drawer front. He grabbed his belongings and was out the front door of the station before the sleepy peeler behind the front counter even noticed him.

Through the dark streets he ran, stuffing the items back into his pockets. He knew not how long he had before the alarm was sounded. He would run to the docks, get his gear from the Selkie and head out into the city. He could not linger anywhere where they might look for him.

But when he got to the waterfront, the Selkie was not there!

Panting he looked about wildly. Was he on the wrong pier? Nay, there be the fishing trawler. What the devil!? She was gone. Someone had moved her! He scanned the other docks, but saw her not. He ran back to shore. Get away from here...ye need to hide.

He roamed the city, keeping to the dark streets. When he saw a peeler on patrol, he managed to duck into a doorway and escape his notice. He had to get off the streets. By and by he found an inn in a genteel looking neighborhood. 'Twas not an establishment he could have ever afforded in the past. He rang the bell, waking the proprietor who peered at him through the crack of the door, dubious at his rough work clothes and the late hour. The gold sufficed to dispel his doubts and he was given a chamber.

He fell back upon the bed in his clothes, pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes. 'Twas Strachan. It had to be. Now he had both his Anya and his Selkie.

But Liam was not vanquished yet.