Let's Make a Deal (Bob and Nikki Book 11)
wasn’t sure what to say, so I just held her for a bit. Finally, I said, “Thanks. Can we talk about it more when we don’t have company?”“Sure. Sorry I embarrassed you.”
“It’s okay. I’m just being too touchy about it.”
“No, you’re not. I shouldn’t have brought it up in front of company. Joshua just surprised me, I guess.”
“He is a little squirrelly.” I hadn’t actually meant to make a joke, but at least it broke the serious mood, and we all had a laugh. I asked, “You fellas want to come to the backyard? You can tell me about your trip while I grill the steaks.” They thought that was a good idea, and Nikki went in to bring out the food. Once I had the grill set up the way I wanted it, I asked, “You must have something important, to need to report right away. Lay it on me.”
Rikki spoke up. “Boss, you were right. Those nuts I remembered were walnuts. I left the hulling machine, and they think they can put out a ton or so a year. Not much, compared to what the Squatch collect, or what you can buy back on Earth, but it’s a start.”
“Did you tell them to be careful of the cartel?”
“I did. They told me that their ancestors told stories of how the cartel tried to drive them out of the walnut business, and they know how to keep a low profile.”
“You think they will be okay, then?”
“I do. They were glad to get the huller. I think you have more fans.”
“I do try to make friends with people. Did you have something else to tell me, or is Joshua the one with the bad news?”
“That’s on Joshua, Boss. I had a pretty good trip.” I looked at Joshua. And waited. Finally he said, “It wasn’t that bad, Bob. I just misplaced a decimal.”
“You mean that fellow with the warrant out for him was worth more than a measly thirty ounces?”
“Yes. I messed up the math. It was three thousand. Sorry, I really wasn’t trying to cheat you. I left the money with Topper, he said he would get it deposited in the company account.”
I asked, “Rikki, you’ve been cooped up with him for a while, what do you think? Was it all a mistake, or was he trying to pull one over on the stupid monkey?”
“I think he honestly screwed up the math. He did get sent to your planet, indefinitely. Not what you’d call the sharpest knife in the drawer.”
“There is that, but I’ve seen him do some fairly smart things, over the years. I have a hard time believing he just blew the math.”
Joshua said, “Honest, Bob, I wasn’t trying to steal from you! Please believe me?”
I had let the pain go on long enough. “Joshua, I’ve taken Steve’s course. I knew you were telling me the truth the first time. It was fun to watch you squirm, though.”
He looked at me, shocked. “You asshole! You scared the crap out of me! I thought you were going to send me for a walk without a suit.”
“I guess we’re even, for you stirring up trouble with Nikki.” She came out just then, and asked, “Talking about me, are you?”
I replied, “No, dear. Just getting revenge for Joshua upsetting you.”
“Really? What’s his new job? Scrubbing out the ships that hauled the outhouse shovelers? With a toothbrush?”
“I really need to ask you about these things before I do them. I like your solution way better than mine.”
Joshua was looking uncomfortable. Nikki asked, “Oh? So what did you do?”
“Made him think I was going to space him, for trying to cheat me out of most of the bounty money on that fellow he hauled to Oak.”
“Why did he try to cheat you?”
“He didn’t. It was just a math error, converting from Squirrel units to ours.”
“And you let him think you didn’t believe him?”
“I did. Probably didn’t make him suffer as long as I should have, but I got his attention.”
“You take such good care of me, Caveman. Thanks.” I put the food on to cook, and we all sat and talked till it was ready. We sat around eating, and drinking beer. I said, “You two go easy on that, we don’t have time for you to hibernate.”
Joshua looked confused. Rikki said, “I overindulged, when I was overdue to hibernate, anyhow. Took me two days to wake up.”
Joshua said, “What are you, a teenager, to lose track of your hibernation like that?”
“I had just come out of the autodoc, and lost track of my cycle. The alcohol tipped me over the edge.”
I said, “Tikki made it sound like that was a normal reaction to getting too drunk.”
Rikki replied, “Not usually. She was just trying to cover for me. In our culture, it’s embarrassing for a grown man to lose track of his cycle like that. She didn’t want to admit my failing to you.”
“That’s understandable.”
Nikki asked, “How were things back in Squirrel space? Have they put a bounty on Bob’s head, yet?”
Joshua said, “Not that we heard of. Why do you ask?”
I said, “I met a fellow who really wanted to take me to Oak for trial.”
Rikki asked, “Oh? What happened?”
“He had a nasty accident. Fell on his XO’s knife. Tragic, really. They couldn’t get him to the autodoc in time.”
Joshua asked, “I’m guessing he fell backwards, so that the knife entered his back?”
“Now that you mention it, I think he did.”
“I take it the XO was easier to get along with?”
“Much. I’m acquainted with his Uncle.”
Rikki asked, “His Uncle?”
“Fella by the name of Natti Dressi. We’ve done a little trading. He’s a nice enough guy.”
“You dealt with Captain Dressi, and you still have