The Devil on Kazoo

7: The Plan

Afternoon crept close and Kathy found it increasingly difficult to avoid suspicion.

She tried to distract herself by practicing rhythm patterns on her drum buckets, but as Syl silently observed her from her chair, the uncomfortableness was growing more obvious by the minute.

Finally, Syl said, ever so casually, "Bash, did you happen to pick up those bass strings I asked for the other day?"

Bash looked up from his work. "You never asked for strings."

Syl blinked. "Yes, I did. The other day in-between All You Need Is Love and I Can See for Miles. I was sitting at the circuit board right where you are now."

She's good, Kathy thought.

Bash rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess I just don't remember. Sorry, Syl."

Syl, of course, had not asked for new strings. "I was going to go on Tuesday, but perhaps I can just go today before the week begins."

"I need new, uh, velvet," Kathy added clumsily.

Smiley squinted an eye at her. "You've been to the store three times in the past two weeks, how could you possibly need more material?"

"I'm not seeing that boy," Kathy defended.

"Never said you were," he retorted.

"Let's not argue," Syl suggested. "Kathy and I will just go into town today and be back in two pops."

There was a heart-stopping moment of silence.

"What are you waiting for, then?" Smiley asked. "You need our permission to go or something?"

"You two go on. Smiles and I will keep the boat afloat," Bash added.

Syl and Kathy had to resist making eye contact with each other. Had they really pulled it off that easily?

They made a point to act like they weren't in a hurry, so they didn't leave for another hour.

Once they were finally on the dinghy, rowing toward the dock, they gave a sigh of relief.

"No questions asked," Kathy mused. "We must be excellent actresses. Did you bring the stuff?"

Syl opened her bag to reveal their disguises. "I did. As well as the rope, the lockpick, and the umbrella."

"Where did you get a lockpick?"

"Let's maybe keep the questions at a minimal."

Kathy shrugged and looked toward London's shorelines. "Teddy's, here we come."

The dinghy bumped against the wharf's dock and Syl jumped out to tie it up.

She and Kathy sauntered down Canary Wharf and as soon as they rounded the corner, out of sight from the boat, they picked up their pace.

"Here." Syl tugged Kathy into an alleyway and tossed her the bag.

Syl pulled on a long dress over her shorts and shirt, complete with a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses.

"I am certainly not in favor of this," Kathy complained. Her disguise consisted of a sports jacket and a long wig that was matted in two places.

As much as she wanted to prove herself to Syl, she wasn't sure that wearing this debacle was worth it.

"Why do I have to be the man?" she asked.

"Because this dress–" Syl gestured to herself– "would be too short on you. Besides...it smells like beans. And feet."