Coswell swung again and the knife nickedGeorge’s right forearm.
George hissed. His arm stung.
“Constable! Constable!” A female voicescreamed.
Coswell’s glare hardened; he looked asbloodthirsty as a starved bear. He clearly wanted to finish him offbefore a deputy broke up the fight.
Gorge constantly moved his feet. He was saferif he didn’t stay in the same place. Make Coswell work to get tohim. His insides squeezed together. This needed to end before thelaw came which meant he had to make a move fast.
Coswell lunged for him but stumbled in the process. That was the opening heneeded. George jumped on the white man’s back. The brothel ownerwas strong, but George’s weight caused him to bend forward.
“Get off me you brute!”
George clamped his legs around the man’smiddle. He wasn’t going anywhere. Holding him in place, he reachedaround and got Coswell in a headlock. Unfortunately, from thisposition he couldn’t apply the pressure needed. Lifting his arm offthe man’s throat, he struck him inthe back of the head. He needed the man face down in the water.He’d have the upper hand then.
Knocked off balance, Coswell fell with Georgestill on top of him.
George rose from the cold river, spittingwater and gasping for breath. It felt like an invisible hand hadpunched him in the stomach. Icy needles pricked his lungs and heforced his numb body to swim to shore.
He pulled himself up on the bank and lookedback at the river. Coswell floated at the top, bloody watersurrounding him.
George blinked. The man must have fallen onhis own knife.
The woman continued screaming for aconstable. Her voice took on a more urgent screech. “He killed him!He killed him! Look.”
His heart seized and pounded his chest tomake sure it beat again. Too many witnesses. I need to get outof here.
“George!” Allison shouted, running to him.“Oh, George I was so scared.”
“Allison what are you doing here?” His voicewas harsher than he intended. “I thought you were running tosafety.”
“I didn’t want to live if something hadhappened to you,” Allison said. “I ran but then I was pulled back.I had to make sure you were all right.”
They were all right until he gotarrested.
Her eyes darted down the docks. “That likelydrew some attention. What are we going to do?” She gasped. “I seea deputy coming this way.”
George took Allison by the hand and they ranto the Queen Bee, crouching down to hide behindthe vegetation growing along the bank. George expected the clerk tostop them from boarding the steamboat but he allowed them on,merely raising eyebrows at his bloody shirt, but without theypassed without as much of a question. Did he still think theyworked on the steamboat? He wasn’t about to argue. As soon at theQueen Bee was far away from shore they might be safe.
Mr. Seever strode over to them. “Why this isa surprise,” he said. “Did you fall in, George? You better stand inthe boiler room for a few minutes and thaw out.”
George tried to regulate his breathing sohe’d be able to speak. The winter wind bit through his drenchedclothes stabbing his skin.
Allison stood beside him, mute. Not wanting to let her out of his sight,he’d take her to the boiler room with him. “Yes, sir. Thank you.”He turned to leave when Allison grabbed his arm stopping him.
“I see the constable. He’s boarding theAurora. He’s looking for you.”
George’s teeth chattered. The boiler roomsounded mighty good, but he didn’t know what to do now. If hestayed on the deck much longer they wouldn’t have to hang him he’dturn into a six-foot tallicicle.
“You ran into some trouble?” Mr. Seeverasked.
“Yes, sir. A white man tried to kidnapAllison.”
“Coswell,” Mr. Seever growled. He glancedback over at the docks, watching for the lawman. “Did you hurt thiswhite man?”
“We fought in the river. He had a knife—”
Mr. Seever held up his hand for George tostop. “I don’t need to know anymore. Are you both in need of jobs?” he asked soquickly the words blurred together.
Allison exchanged a confused look withGeorge. “Yes, sir,” she said.
“Good. You’re both hired again for the timebeing. Allison, go up to the parlor. George boiler room now,” heordered.
“Yes, sir,” George said. Allison headed upthe stairs, and he wished he could accompany her. But he trustedMr. Seever had a plan.
George hurried to the boiler room and stoodby the fire. It wouldn’t take him long to dry off next to the hotstove. He kept the door to the boiler room cracked and strained tolisten to Mr. Seever’s conversation with the deputy.
“Is there a problem, sir?” Mr. Seever askedcalmly.
“There was a fight in the river a few minutesago. I’m looking for the black man who started it.”
George bit his tongue. Coswell had thrown thefirst punch.
“Looks like the scuffle is over. I’m sure itwas nothing serious.”
The deputy didn’t respond.
George held his breath. Coswell falling onhis knife was an accident, but they’d still charge him with murder,hang him.
“And you think it was one of the crew memberson the Queen Bee?” Mr. Seever asked.
“I’m not certain. I plan to search all thesteamers until I find him. Witnesses say he has a knife wound onone of his arms. I guess he got slashed in the scuffle. I saw himfrom a distance. He had the build of a roustabout.”
“Feel free to search, sir. But we have notroublemakers here.”
“I’ll see about that.”
George’s pulse drummed in his ears. Silence.How thorough would the man’s search be?
George sat on the floor, knees drawn up tohis chin, his strength fleeting. Time stood as still as the handson a broken clock. Could Mr. Seever keep the constable out of theboiler room?
“I can have the roustabouts line up for you,”Mr. Seever suggested. “Save you some time.”
“Go ahead. I’d appreciate that.”
Mr. Seever ordered the roustabouts to gatheraround and answer any questions the constable had.
Seconds ticked by and then minutes.
Footsteps approached. George forced himselfto his feet. Mr. Seever walked into the room and put a hand on hisshoulder. “You’re safe now.”
George exhaled a long breath. “Thankyou.”
Mr. Seever nodded. “You’re both welcome tostay on the Queen Bee. The captain hasn’thired anyone to take your
