Swamped

"What's in your pocket? It wasn't bulging that much when you came in."

Damn! You thought you were careful when you put the onion in there, but it must have shifted while you were sitting down.

"What, do you make a habit of staring at a lady's pockets?" you shoot back. "That seems awfully rude."

"I ain't gonna make a fuss over it, long as you return whatever you took."

Hmm. You think your best bet is to be straightforward here. You pull out the onion.

"It's from the trash, I found it because there was a weird smell. I was going to ask Lex if it'd still work for the stuff he needs to make. You know, the message we passed to you earlier?"

The cook doesn't look very pleased.

"Don't much like people poking around in the trash either. I'll let it slide this time, but if it happens again I want you to ask me first."

"Sure. Sorry, didn't think it'd be a big deal."

"I just don't want word getting around that I messed up a dish, for the first time in years," the cook grumbles. "I figured I'd just let the quartermaster know we're a little short on onions, and that'd be it. Don't care how many officers know, but I don't need the sailors gossiping about it."

"I'll be discreet," you promise.

"Good. Now get going, I've got work to do."

You step out, with the onion back in your pocket. Colleen greets you.

"Good to see you. How'd things go in there?"

"I'm a bit out of practice with my peeling, took me a bit to get back to proper pace," you say. "Cook wasn't that thrilled."

"I'm about ready for this whole thing to wrap up, myself," she replies. "Ever since you went in there, it's been real boring. Didn't see any sign of your friend, even. Just the cook coming back."

Hmm. Maybe now that you know a little more, you might be able to get somewhere by questioning her. Get a sense of how much she knows, at the least.