I got a portable cooler from the hospital to pack it in.’
‘We’ll stay far away from the bridge and the staging area,’ Melanie
said. ‘So that won’t be a problem.’
‘I think it’s going to be kind of fun,’ Candace said. ‘I’d love to see a
hippopotamus.’
Kevin took another gulp of wine.
‘I suppose you don’t mind if we take those electronic gizmos to locate
the animals,’ Melanie said. ‘And we could use the contour map. Of
course, we’ll be careful with them.’
Kevin sighed and sagged in his chair. ‘All right, I give up. What time
is this mission scheduled?’
‘Oh goody,’ Candace said, clapping her hands together. ‘I knew you’d
come.’
‘The sun comes up after six,’ Melanie said. ‘I’d like to be in the boat
and on our way by then. My plan is to head west, then swing way out into
the estuary before going east. That way we won’t evoke any suspicions
here in town if anyone sees us getting into the boat. I’d like them to
think we were going off to Acalayong.’
‘What about work?’ Kevin asked. ‘Won’t you be missed?’
‘Nope,’ Melanie said. ‘I told the people in the lab I’d be unreachable
at the animal center. Whereas the people in the animal center I told . .
.’
‘I get the picture,’ Kevin interjected. ‘What about you, Candace?’
‘No problem,’ Candace said. ‘As long as Mr. Winchester keeps doing as
well as he’s doing, I’m essentially unemployed. The surgeons are golfing
and playing tennis all day. I can do what I like.’
‘I’ll call my head tech,’ Kevin said. ‘I’ll tell him I’m under the
weather with an acute attack of insanity.’
‘Wait a second,’ Candace said suddenly. ‘I just thought of a problem.’
Kevin sat bolt upright. ‘What?’ he asked.
‘I don’t have any sunblock,’ Candace said. ‘I didn’t bring any because
on my three previous visits I never saw the sun.’