“Oh, just lots of people,” she said with a shrug. “Can I get you another beer, sir?”

“I’d rather you talked to me about Santiago,” said Cain.

“But I don’t know him,” protested Moonripple.

“He’s eleven feet tall and he’s got orange hair,” said a deep voice from the doorway. “What else do you want to know?”

Cain turned and saw a large, extremely heavy black-clad man, his twin laser pistols clearly visible, standing in the doorway.

“You’re Father William?” he asked.

“At your service,” said Father William, walking over and extending a huge hand. “And you are...?”

“Sebastian Cain,” said Cain, surprised by the strength in the pudgy fingers.

“Ah!” said Father William with a smile. “You’re Virtue MacKenzie’s friend!”

Cain nodded. “And you’re the man who saved her life back on Goldenrod.”

“The Lord was her savior,” replied Father William. “I am merely His instrument.”

“What’s His instrument doing on an out-of-the-way little world like Safe Harbor?” asked Cain.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” said Father William with a smile.

“Probably not—but suppose you tell me anyway and let me make up my own mind.”

“Well, the truth of the matter is that when I found out what wonderful food this child cooks”—he smiled at Moonripple—”I decided that it was time to take a vacation, and since I’m a man who likes his comforts, what better place than right here?”

“Do you really cook the food yourself?” asked Cain.

“Yes, sir,” said Moonripple.

He turned back to Father William. “You still haven’t told me what you were doing here in the first place.”

Father William smiled again, and the fingers of his right hand drifted down toward the hilt of a pistol. “I wasn’t aware that I was obliged to do so.”

“Just trying to make conversation,” said Cain with a shrug.

“As long as you aren’t insisting, then I have no objection to telling you,” said the preacher. “I set down here a few days ago because my ship needed some minor repairs.” He walked over to his table. “I’ll be happy to continue our conversation, but it would be sinful to let this magnificent repast get cold. Will you join me?”

“I’ll sit with you,” said Cain, getting up and walking over. “But I’m not very hungry.”

“What a shame,” said Father William insincerely. He picked up an oversized napkin, tied it around his neck, pulled the serving platter toward him, and sliced off a few large pieces of meat. He then impaled one of the pieces on his fork, brought it to his mouth, and began chewing noisily. “Perhaps you’ll allow me to ask you the same question you asked me: What is a famous bounty hunter like Sebastian Cain doing on Safe Harbor?”

“Just sitting around drinking beer.”