Page 78 - Effable Encounters

The Formic Solution

already shopping for the trip—toiletries, nothing out of the ordinary.
Wednesday she would have gone to the children’s hospital to serve as
a volunteer on the admissions desk. Thursday she taught handicrafts
at the disabled veterans center downtown. Friday was her day to help
out in the soup kitchen at the homeless women’s shelter on Main
Street. And then Saturday morning she left.”
“How would she have gotten to the docks? Taxi?”
“I guess so.”
Gill stood up, his eyes straying to the newly-arrived parcel leaning
against the wall. “Then I think we have enough to get started. I shall
be in touch with you.”
“Oh, thank you, Mr. Gill. I feel so much better knowing you are on
my side. Now I can get some rest. I’m sure you’ll locate my cousin.”
Ann made sure the client got into the elevator safely, then returned
reluctantly to 5G. She found Phibian ripping at the wrappings of his
package. He held up his prize: Uncle Eliot’s Ant Farm, deluxe model.
Grinning, he opened the box and removed a prefabricated formicary.
“What are you doing with that?” she asked, as he swept aside small
objects on his desk to make room for the sand-filled Plexiglas
sandwich on a bright green plastic stand.
“Where are the ants?” Gill rummaged in the discarded paper and
cardboard. “Ah, the tiny tube. Excellent.”
“Hey! I asked you a question.”
Gill dumped the mail-order insects into their parallelepiped
domicile and closed the hatch. “This, my dear Miss Teeter, is
identical to the gift I am sending my great-nephew. His will arrive in
two weeks, and I will be able to anticipate any problems he may
encounter. One must stay a step or two ahead of the younger
generation if one is not to be trampled.”
“You mean I’ve got to look at that thing every day? Don’t we have
enough ants in your kitchen sink?”
He ignored her.
“The instructions say to let them establish a nest before giving any
food. Fine. Now, let’s get on with this new case: lots of legwork for
you, I’m pleased to say. You won’t have to hang around here, ogled
by hundreds of tiny admirers, all waving their antennae in your
direction.”

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