Collision Course Read Free Page B

industry who determined the fate of the world. Giants obsessed with nonsense.
    Still, he was puzzled that Juliana would call him rather than the steward on duty. She was a fancy lady, yes, but usually considerate. She knew that Alfie valued his visits with his father now that Mum had abandoned them.
    He stopped in his tracks, suddenly overcome by loneliness for his mother. He felt no anger toward her. He even understood a little why she might run away from her drab life. Mum was a dreamer, her nose forever buried in a penny novel. What else did he expect from a woman who had named her only son Alphonse after the hero in her favorite French romance? To be the wife of John Huggins — who was away at sea far longer than he was ever at home — must have been unbearable for her.
    Stop feeling sorry for yourself
! Alfie thought.
There are many whose lot is far worse than your own
.
    After all, his scheme had worked perfectly. He had lied about his age and signed on with the White Star Line so he and Da could sail together. They were aboard the
Titanic
, the finest ship in the world. He was
lucky
.
    He opened the hatch to the baggage hold and stepped inside, surveying the vast landscape of crates, trunks, and suitcases, all secured by netting. High society did not travel light. Some of the first-class staterooms had stashed as many as forty pieces of luggage.
    At least he didn’t have to search for Juliana’s things. Alfie had spent a lot of time in the hold. He already knew where to find the Glamm baggage — closer to the spiral staircase, not far from the Astors’ vast collection of trunks and boxes.
    He stiffened at the sound of a footfall close behind him. But when he wheeled around, there was no one there.
    Frowning now, he faced up to Juliana’s hatboxes, stacked higher than he was tall. Now, which one of these could possibly be the one she wanted? And how was he to know, by the way?
    A cat meowed somewhere behind the Astors’ luggage. Alfie knew there was at least one on board, kept in the stewardesses’ quarters. But when he looked behind the pile, there was no sign of the animal.
    A deep unease gripped him. He had reason to believe that there was a criminal on board, a notorious murderer from long ago. Could this man be stalking him?
    He felt hot breath on the back of his neck.

CHAPTER FOUR
    RMS
TITANIC

F RIDAY, A PRIL 12, 1912 5:55 P.M.
    Terrified, Alfie spun on his heel. The figure was so close that it took a moment for him to focus and recognize who was standing there.
    “Paddy!” he wheezed.
    The young stowaway was bent over double with laughter. “If only you could have seen the look upon your face!”
    “You fool! I might have done you a serious injury!”
    Paddy, who had survived a year on the streets of Belfast, was unperturbed. “How does your being frightened harm me?”
    “Don’t be cute!” Alfie rasped. “I could have screamed my head off and brought half the crew down on us. What are you doing here, anyway? I thought we agreed you were going to hide in steerage.”
    “I can’t stay there anymore,” Paddy replied. “Their stewards can count, same as in first and second class. One of them remembered how many sons Mrs. Rankin came aboard with. She wasn’t inclined to part with one of her own, you see. So here I am. A long story, it is, but Miss Fancy Pants sent me down to wait for you.” He flashed Alfie a cheeky grin. “You needn’t bother with the hatboxes.”
    Alfie groaned. “What am I going to do with you, Paddy? You know you’re not safe in the hold.”
    Paddy shrugged. “I’m not safe anywhere. This place is no worse and no better.” He locked earnest eyes on Alfie’s. “Don’t you worry. If I’m found, I’ll not tell them who helped me — neither you nor the girls.”
    “You can’t let yourself get arrested! They’ll put you in the brig with those Gilhooley monsters!”
    “Maybe not,” Paddy reasoned. “The captain knows they tried to murder me.”
    “Do you