Island of the Sequined Love Nun

stood and straightened the front of her slacks.
    "I'd appreciate that," Tuck said. "I promised him I'd get him back to Yap and I owe him some money. The natives didn't find my backpack, did they? My money was in it."
    She shook her head. "Just the clothes you had on. We burned them. Fortunately, you and Sebastian are about the same size. Now, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Case, I have some work to do. Sebastian will be along in a bit with your medicine. I'm glad you're feeling better." She turned and walked out the door into the blinding sunlight.
    Tucker stood and watched her walk across the compound. The Japanese guards stopped their work and leered at her. She spun on them and waited, her hands on her hips, until one by one they lost their courage and returned to their work, not embarrassed but afraid, as if meeting her direct gaze might turn them to frost. Tuck sat down to his half-eaten pancakes and shivered, thinking it must be the fever.
    A half hour later the doctor entered the bungalow. Tucker was spread out on the couch descending into a nap. They'd been doing this since they'd moved him to the bungalow, tag-teaming him, one showing up at least every hour to check on him, bring him food or medicine, change the sheets, take his temperature, help him to the bathroom, wipe his forehead. It looked like concerned care, but it felt like surveillance.
    Sebastian Curtis took a capped syringe from his coat pocket as he crossed the room.
    Tuck sighed. "Another one?"
    "You must be feeling like a pin cushion by now, Mr. Case. I need you to roll over."
    Tuck rolled over and the doctor gave him the injection. "It's either this or the IV. We've got this infection on the run, but we don't want it to get a foothold again."
    Tuck rubbed his bottom and sat up. Before he could say anything, the doctor stuck a digital thermometer in his mouth.
    "Beth tells me that you're worried about your friend, the one you say came to the island with you?"
    Tuck nodded.
    "I'll check into it, I promise you. In the meantime, if you're feeling up to it, Beth and I would like you to join us for dinner. Get to know each other a little. Let you know what's expected of you." He pulled the thermometer out of Tuck's mouth and checked it but made no comment. "You up for dinner tonight?"
    "Sure," Tuck said. "But…"
    "Good. We'll eat at seven. I'll have Beth bring you down some clothes. I'm sorry about the hand-me-downs, but it's the best we can do for now." He started to leave.
    "Doc?"
    Sebastian turned. "Yes."
    "You've been out here, what, thirty years?"
    The doctor stiffened. "Twenty-eight. Why?"
    "Well, Mrs. Curtis doesn't look…"
    "Yes, Beth is quite a bit younger than I am. But we can talk about all that at dinner. You should probably rest now and let those antibiotics do their work. I need you healthy, Mr. Case. We have a round of golf to play."
    "Golf?"
    "You do play, don't you?"
    Tuck took a second to catch up with the abrupt change of subject, then said, "You play golf here?"
    "I am a physician, Mr. Case. Even in the Pacific we have Wednesdays." Then he smiled and left the bungalow.

31 – Revenge: Sweet and Low in
    Calories
    Sarapul twisted the last of the fibers into his rope and drew his knife to trim the ragged end. It was a good knife, made in Germany, with a thin flexible blade that was perfect for filleting fish or cutting microthin slices from coconut stems to keep the tuba running. He'd had the knife for ten years and he kept it honed and polished on a piece of tanned pig hide. The blade flashed blue as he picked it up and he saw the face of vengeance reflected in the metal.
    Without turning, he said, "The young ones are going to kill you."
    Kimi stopped, his knife held ready to strike the old man in the neck. "You ate my friend."
    Sarapul gripped his knife blade down so he might turn and slash at the same time. There was no quickness in his bones, though. The Filipino would kill him before he got halfway around. "Your friend is with the white Sorcerer and Vincent's bitch. Malink took him away."
    "Not that one. Roberto. The bat."
    "Bats are taboo. We don't eat bats on Alualu."
    Kimi lowered his knife an inch. "You are not supposed to eat people either, but you do."
    "Not people I know. Come over here where I can see you. I am old and my neck won't turn that far around."
    Kimi walked a crescent around the tree and crouched at ready in front of the old man.
    Sarapul said, "You were going to kill me."
    "If you ate Roberto."
    "I like