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Well, Peter, said Marenson grimly, I ve got some work for you to do. So let s get busy. For a while, then, it was a case of Where s that, Peter? And, Peter, how about the stamp for this kind of docu-ment? Altogether, in one hour he wrote out five orders. He assigned himself a Model A hut. He authorized himself to make visiradio calls to Earth. He assigned himself to Clugy s food unit. And he requisitioned two blasters, the use of a helicar and a pilot to operate it. Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html While Peter raced around delivering four of the orders to the proper departments, Marenson wrote out a news item for the editor of the camp newspaper. When that also was delivered, and Peter was back, Marenson felt better. What could be done on the scene was done. And since he d have to remain for twenty days, the men in the camp might as well believe he was here on an inspection tour. The news-paper account would see to that. Frowning, but partially satisfied, he started for the radio hut. His requisition was not questioned. He sat down and waited while the long and involved connection was put through. Outside, men and machines were forcing a malignant stretch of jungle to be temporarily friendly to the hothouse needs of human flesh. Inside, surrounded by embanked instrument boards, Marenson pondered his next move. He had no evidence. His presence here against his will was not transparently the fault of Clugy. He had a lot of obscure back trails to investigate. Here s your connection, said the radio man at last. Booth Three. Thank you. Marenson talked first to his lawyer. I want a court order, he said after he had described his situation, authorizing the camp magistrate to question Clugy by means of a lie detec-tor, and authorizing complete amnesia afterwards. That s for my protection during the rest of the time I ll have to spend in the camp with him. Can do? Can, said the lawyer, by tomorrow. Next, Marenson connected with Jerred, head of his protective staff. The detective s face lighted as he saw who it was. Man, he demanded, where have you been? His listened soberly to Marenson s account, then nodded. The outrage has one favorable aspect, he said, it puts us into a better legal position. Perhaps now we can find out who the woman was that called Clugy s room at eleven o clock the night before you were kidnapped. Apparently, his son answered, and must have communicated the message to him. Woman? said Marenson. Jerred shrugged. I don t know who it was. My agent didn t report to me till the following morning. He had no opportunity to listen in. Marenson nodded, and said: Try to see if there were any eyewitnesses to my kidnapping, then we ll get a court order and find out from Clugy and his son who the woman was. You can count on us to do everything possible, said the detective heartily. I expect results, said Marenson, and broke the connec-tion. His next call was to his apartment. The visiplate did not brighten, and after the proper length of time, a recorder sighed at him: Mr. and Mrs. Marenson have gone to Paradise Planet until August 26th. Do you wish to leave a message? Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html Marenson hung up, shaken, and went quietly out of the hut. The fear that had come faded before his determination not to be alarmed. There must be a rational explanation for Janet s departure. He couldn t quite see how the Yevd could be involved. He was annoyed that his mind had leaped instantly to that possibility. A minute later, wearily, he unlocked the door of the hut. Inside, he removed his boots and sprawled on the bed. But he was too restless to relax. After less than five minutes, he got up with the intention of going to Clugy s office, and waiting there for the man to return. He had a lot of hard things to say to Ira Clugy. Outside, he stopped short. Climbing up to his hut, he hadn t realized what a vantage point he had. The hill reared up a hundred feet above the jungle and the main part of the camp. It gave him an unsurpassed view of a green splendor, of the endless, shining forest. Clugy had chosen his camp site well. Lacking the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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