Chapter 8: Bearly Hidden

"Crunchy?"

"Yes, Momma. Crunchy and lumpy, too."

"Take the bear down and put him in his regular spot. We'll have to check him when we get back. Unless you want to shop in Manitowoc. That's the next boat."

"No thank you, momma. Manitowoc doesn't even sound like fun. We can dismember the bear when we get back. Ludington for a week doesn't sound like much, either."

"Dress in your owners outfit while I get us a ride."

Momma ran for the white house with the red stripe while I gussied up. I was waiting in the salon with the bear wearing my hat. The more you try to make people notice something the less they see. Mother tripped lightly down the stairs, the Lieutenant close behind. Momma ran to her suite to dress.

He stopped when he saw me sitting with the bear.

"Now THAT is cute. Your hat?" He walked over to us, looked the stuffed animal over and pulled the hat off Mr. Bears head. The weight of the hat surprised him. "'High Mucky Muck' What does that mean?"

"She's the owner." Momma was wearing her imitation snowman suit ... white everything, gold buttons and sleeve stripes ... Her 'CAPTAIN' hat proudly perched on her head, "Sshe bought the boat ... trust fund. I'm teaching her to sail so it's educational and legal under the terms of the trust."

The Lieutenant scraped his chin off the floor and looked at his watch. "We must run, they said they'd hold the ferry for 10 minutes."

I snatched my hat from his hands and we ran. We made it... Pere Marquette 22 sailed three minutes after the Lieutenant made his bow to the Captain. We were allowed to stand and watch while the Captain and wheelhouse crew did ship things.

"Here, girl ... pull this chain. Two long ... two short. Watch my hand." He dropped his hand, I pulled. Whoa! That's loud. He gave it about 5 seconds and lifted. As soon as the echo died he dropped his hand again. I pulled, grinning from ear to ear. When I pulled I howled as long as I had the whistle blowing. The bridge crew started laughing. Five seconds again, he lifted, grinning. I stopped. The echo died. He dropped again, I pulled and howled. 1 second. I stopped when he lifted. The echo faded. I waited. He dropped, I pulled and howled. It was over.

"Oh, thank you! thank you! thank you!" I tiptoed and kissed his cheek. "I'll remember this for the rest of my life ... Thank you.

"Momma? Did you see? That was so fun!" I was so excited ... I nearly peed my panties.

"I saw ... and heard. You harmonize..." On the word harmonize, the whole wheelhouse crew howled in key ... they broke up in riotous laughter. Mom had to wait 'til they settled down. " ... Harmonize well with that horn. It's nice to know a High Mucky Muck can still be a kid.

"Thank you, Captain. You have made her summer one to remember."

"You're welcome, Captain. Nice outfit. What are you doing in Milwaukee?"

"Shopping, Captain. Shopping and more shopping. My little girl is growing up."

He looked between us..."Daughter? I thought younger sister. Shopping, eh?"

I grinned, waiting for permission to speak.

"You are a well behaved young lady. You had something?"

"I'm so excited, Daddy gave me mom for the whole summer. I don't have to put up with pesky brothers and I own a sailboat I bought with my own money. And I'm going shopping until I'm satisfied and you let me blow the whistle. I'm so happy." I started to cry, great big tears rolling down my cheeks..."Happy happy happy." I got the hiccups.

"Captain? Is there a stateroom available? We've both had a very trying day."

The Captain picked up a blow tube, one of several. "Chief? Do we have a stateroom?"

"One?"

"It's reserved?"

"Who?"

"Austin?"

"Are they aboard?"

"That's me," momma said, tootling her fingers. "Who reserved a stateroom for me?"

"Who reserved... ?"

"Harvey?"

"Oh, Harvey Fromm. Pentwater Yacht Club. I have them in the wheelhouse."

"I'll send them down, the youngster seems to have had an exciting day."

I was crying in earnest now, the last five days closed in on me; landing the plane, buying the boat, leaving Chicago in a worry, the watch, the attempted ramming, the safe, the party, the fortune telling, meeting my grandmother as a girl, the coming storm, mother nearly getting shot, mother KILLING someone, learning my ancestry ... it was too, too much ... too exciting, too scary ... too everything. The room went grey, then black.

I woke up in a bed that was rocking side to side. Mother sitting at my side and a kindly looking gentleman was holding my wrist and looking at his watch.

"Am I gonna live, Doc?" I croaked.

He laughed.

"Yas, missy. It was a close call but the surgery saved ya." A strange accent.

Mother cracked up. "Think you can get up? We're nearly here."

"Here? Oh Milwaukee. Hotel? Shopping? Hotel? Shopping? Dancing? Shopping? Hotel? I can get up for that." I struggled to sit up. "I'm a little dizzy but if I think 'new clothes' I'll muddle through it."

"Young lady! You are fine, you sleep soundly, and you are humorous awake. Get up and quit wasting my time."

"I wish you were my Doctor ... mine is so serious."

Mom handed him a folded bill.

"Not necessary, Mrs. Austin. She was a joy to sit with. She talks in her sleep. Did you know that? Very good imagination ... she said someone tried to kill you." He watched as mother crumbled. "Now what have I said to make you go all white like that?

"Sit and let me check your pulse. Some one Did try to kill you?"

Mother mumbled a faint explanation. Typical mother ... her baby is safe, the rest doesn't matter.

"Mrs. Austin ... are you in a family way? Would you stop by my office tomorrow? My card."

She took the card and stuffed the money in his pocket.

The whole wheelhouse crew helped us off the boat. The Captain even summoned a taxi. "The Ambassador, driver," said the Captain.

Harvey did it again. Reservations for two in a suite. The doorman knew who we were ... it must be the snowman outfits. It was coming on 7PM when we were settled in.

Mother sent our uniforms with the bellboy. "Half an hour? Yes, ma'am. Brushed and pressed. Yes, ma'am. You might want to glance at the paper, Ma'am ... You made the front page."

Mom picked up the courtesy newspaper and started to read. She blushed, turned white, blushed again and quickly folded the paper when I tried to look.

"Oh No! Wendy, take a shower. You can read this later. We have dinner in 45 minutes. Hurry."

I couldn't find the paper after my shower..."MOM?!! You ... you ... you mother, you!" I yelled. It was too late, she was already in the shower.

I called the desk. "No Miss. No paper, your mother forbid it."

AAARRRGGGHH!!!

"Nice try, Wendolyn." Mother came out fluffing her hair. "I told them no."

"Tell me!" I wanted to shake her.

Mom gave a dismissive little wave with her hand, "It's just a little article about the boat."

"BOATS don't make the front page! Not in Milwaukee. They have NEWS here." I was so mad!

"Wendolyn Elizabeth Austin." Uh oh. "I said no."

I pouted.

"If your lip freezes like that ... it'll break off when your boyfriend tries to kiss you."

I tried, I really did. Still, I had to laugh.

Knock-knock, a rap on the door, from behind the door a voice called, "Uniforms. Your uniforms are hanging on the door."

I cracked the door, grabbed the hangers, and slammed the door. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, Miss."

Dinner was an event. The dinning room stood and applauded us all the way to our seats.

Mother had LIED to me.

I gave her the look she uses on me when I've been a 'Disappointment.' I had it perfectly. I should know it ... I've seen it often enough.

Mother was shocked when an thin greasy looking guy, holding a microphone, stepped up to the table and announced:

Announcer: "We're here in the Ambassador Hotel Restaurant to see if we can get a word about the Ludington Murders from the Heroine who stopped the serial killer, United States Coast Guard Ensign Thomas Johnson, son of Senator Johnson, with one well placed shot.

"Mrs. Wendy Austin, may we have a word or two about the attack?"

"I have no comment." Mother said.

Announcer: "Perhaps your lovely daughter would like to say a few words? Miss Austin, have you anything for our listeners?" He stuffed the microphone in my face ... scared me half to death.

"She has no comment." Mom said.

Announcer: "May she not speak for herself?"

"No." A little peeved. "She's a minor." More peeved. "I speak for her." Much peevage. "We have no comment." Oh lordy ... Mom was fixing to do something awful. It's one thing to annoy her and back off ... it's a completely different thing to keep it up.

Her persistent refusal to speak was not what the announcer wanted to hear.

Announcer: "It is my understanding that Senator Johnson intends to summon you to testify before Congress concerning, in his words, 'your heinous and wanton murder of his innocent boy.'"

Mom gave it one more try, Her glare would have melted a sane man into a little puddle of pee. "I have no comment."

Mom was going to do it, I can tell. She had the same look when she shoved the Baptist preacher in the pool.

Announcer: "You mean to say, you're going to calmly sit here and eat your food, in total disregard of a parent's suffering? How does the food stay down?" There are stages of dumb ... the last one was just passed.

"No comment." She sat for a second..."After further deliberation, I do have something to add."

With a look of triumph the announcer announced, "Attend America, she speaks."

He stuck the microphone in her face, she grabbed it and dropped it in the pitcher of iced tea on the table. It began to smoke. News photographers snapped dozens of pictures as the microphone sparked and the announcer attempted to pull it out of the tea.

Mom jumped up and collared the broadcast technician. "Unplug it. Now! How much did that cost?"

"250 bucks." It was high, Mother knew it was high. She opened her purse, laid the 1911 Colt on the table and counted out 250 dollars. "I need a receipt. It's a tax write-off."

More snaps of the cameras, this time of the gun laying on the table.

"Gentlemen, I use the term in it's loosest form, if one picture of my daughter appears in any publication you will hear from my lawyer. I will not sue one. I'll use the shotgun theory, and sue all of you. She is 12 years old, a minor. You may not photograph her without express permission, in writing, and I will not grant it.

"Please leave us alone, you would better serve justice and the press by speaking to the mothers and fathers of the children that monster murdered. The Ludington car ferry makes multiple trips a day. Go there.

"Has everyone seen the gun? Yes?" She picked it up and put it in her purse. Three or four lucky photographers were ready and snapped pictures as she did it. The news left.

One down at the heels young man stayed. "Mrs Austin? May I sit?"

"Certainly. Had dinner? No? Waiter, a menu here. My treat."

"I must say, your composure impressed me. I've been hoping against hope that some innocent interviewee would put that ass in his place..."

"Thank you. Want an exclusive interview?"

He looked shocked.

"Come up with us after dinner."

Dinner was fair ... mom and Seven cook better, and they have fun doing it.

The monkey behind the desk, sporting the beginnings of a class A shiner, tried his best to exclude our companion. Mom asked if he wanted another one as she focused on his bad eye. He immediately stepped back beyond reach. She looked at his name tag and tapped the silver bell on the desk.

The night manager slipped out of the office just as the clerk snatched the bell off the counter.

With as pretentious an attitude as he could muster, he commenced a speech that mentioned management, and the good name of the hotel, that they had decided she and her daughter were unworthy to grace this marvelous establishment with their presence. He wanted the key, he wanted it now, there would be no refund: we had violated the strict moral code by our actions in the prestigious and hallowed confines of the restaurant, upsetting not only the waitstaff but causing grievous damage to the sensibilities of the five star chef. He was just beginning to mention the multitude of complaints by legitimate guests when he was suddenly elevated three feet off the floor and sprawled across the desk. The manager had given him the 'boot'. In more ways than one.

"Johnson ... that's it. You're fired."

"My father..." he began...

"Morals charge. You all heard him accost this young lass?"

Johnson fled.

Mom said, "That was a well placed kick. you should try out for the pros. Packers maybe?"

"I was place kicker for the Milwaukee Badgers. They folded a year ago."

"You haven't lost your touch. Was that... ?"

"Ensign Johnson's older brother ... the smart one of the family."

"I predict the demise of that branch of the Johnson family tree. The 'twigs' have no leaves."

"Mrs. Austin..." he began.

"No need. We'll leave." She presented her key.

"Leave? Management wishes to compliment you with a gratis stay. Your presence here has us at one hundred percent occupancy. Please, please, please stay. We've moved you to the penthouse. Your key." They made the trade.

"This young man..." mom began.

"Hi Bill, how's the newspaper business?"

Bill, his name was Bill.

"I miss the team. I'm trying out for the Packers ... you should drive up with me."

Mother said, "I hate to interrupt this meeting of the DMBPA but I'm going to give Bill an interview and hit the hay. It's been a very long and trying day."