Hey folks and furry things,
I kinda decided that I’d take over the blog today ‘cause it’s a bit special.
Renee and I were waiting on the next adventure to get cleared for take-off. The chairs in the lounge were digging into my knees and were made for short folks.
“Lorelei, the squirrel has found my whiskey, again,” Frei snapped as she strode over to us with just the bottle cap in her hand.
She had? I looked in the direction I could feel Mrs. Squirrel. “Didn’t think she was into spirits.”
“You talkin’ to me?” Nan asked, breezing in.
I chuckled. “Wrong kind, this is the stuff that strips paint.”
“You drink too much of it anyway, Urs,” Renee said, yawning and sitting upright. She smiled up at me. “Why was I using your lap as a pillow?”
“’Cause you’re a rough and tough agent who needs a cwtch?” I chuckled, then stopped as Frei held up the bottle cap, a scowl on her face.
“It’s expensive stuff,” she muttered. “It’s not for animal consumption.”
“You sayin’ the fluffy thief went and drained the bottle?” Nan whooshed over to me. “That ain’t allowed.”
“Can you see squirrels drinkin’ liquor?” I folded my arms. “She ain’t guzzled nothin’.”
Renee pulled her mouth to the side. “Are you sure? Maybe we should take her to the vets.”
I sighed and got to my feet, then groaned. Short folks, seats were for real short folks. My knees cracked as I wandered over to the hole in what had been some kind of stuffed display of a bear with a Christmas hat. “You doin’ okay in there?”
I heard shuffling and scratching and Mrs. Squirrel poked her head out. “There are no trees here or grass, how can I hide my nuts?”
I sniffed at her, then winced. She smelled like paint stripper. “You been drinkin’?”
She hiccoughed back.
I glanced back at Frei who raised her eyebrows. “Great. They’ll never let us on with a drunk squirrel.”
She strode off.
Renee shrugged. “Honestly, I have no idea what the procedure for this is.” She pulled out a pocket-sized thick book that had CIG protocols and procedures written on the front. “Oh, who knew…”
“What?” Maybe it’d help.
“I’m not at liberty to say…” She shrugged.
Mrs. Squirrel hiccoughed again. I stuck my hand in her make-shift nest and pulled out the bottle.
“This ain’t the place to stash your nuts.” I frowned at the bottle. Either the nuts were small or the bottleneck was big. “They stink.”
“Best you hide the haul, Shorty. Guy in the shop is looking for who raided his birdfeeder.” Nan chuckled and clicked to Mrs. Squirrel who purred right back at her.
Could squirrels purr?
I smiled my best smile as the guy caught sight of me then the nut-filled bottle in my hand.
“Any ideas,” I shot at Renee.
She thumbed through the book.
Helpful.
A loud rumble made Mrs. Squirrel dive into my jacket. The guy in the shop scowled.
Renee’s phone rang. She pressed the button, focus on her book.
“Are you moving or do you want to run the base twice, ladies,” Frei’s voice held every ounce of general.
I looked to the window as a chopper lowered into view.
“Move.”
Renee snapped to salute and grabbed our bags and I hurried after her, hoping we could get to the chopper before the guy called security.
“Good thing Icy’s ride is faster,” Nan said with a chuckle as we headed out to the chopper. I winced. I didn’t much like rotorblades. At six five, it didn’t matter how low I ducked, they always felt too close.
Renee yanked open the door and threw our bags in. My dad and Lilia were inside.
“Decided you didn’t want to wait for the green light?” Renee asked Frei as I clambered in, Mrs. Squirrel bounced out of my jacket, snatched the bottle and I swore blew a raspberry at the guy hollering at us from the door.
Frei slid her aviators up her nose. “I prefer my own ride.”
I grinned as Renee shut the door and the chopper started to move. Police—or security cars—came into view.
“Got to say,” I mumbled, stumbling into my seat as Mrs. Squirrel belted up opposite. Guess she’d taken choppers more often than me, I couldn’t figure which way to clip myself in. “You know how to ride in style.”
Renee came to help me, smile on her face. “That she does.”
“Even I’m impressed,” Nan said from the cockpit. “Look at all these buttons…”
“Mamma,” Lilia said, wagging her finger. “You didn’t get your pilot’s license.”
“Whatever, come on, Icy, let’s see how fast she flies.”
Frei smiled and eased the stick forward. My stomach rolled and Renee laughed, belting in.
“You got it,” Frei said. “Hold on.”
Hindsight is in the air exclusive to Bedazzled Ink and in the sale at: Bedazzled Ink Sale
I’ll let you know when follows on Amazon and keep your eyes out for the paperback! You can also enter the Women and Words Hootenanny where you could get all four e-book copies of Aeries series so far at: women and words
Big Smiles,
PS – Also keep a look out for the new episode of The Whistleblower.