She gave me a sharp glance and for a moment I saw fear shine wetly in her eyes; then she recovered her self- control. We parked and ate lunch.
Forty minutes later I paid the check out of my newly acquired cash and walked back out to the car.
'Where to?' I asked.
'Bonaventure Motel,' she said. 'That’s where I’m staying.'
She saw curiosity jump into my eyes and sighed, 'All right, I was running away. My Uncle David caught up with me and tried to drag me back to the house. When I told him I wouldn’t go, he dragged me out to the truck. We were going around that curve when I wrenched the wheel out of his hands. Then you came along.'
She closed up like a clam and I didn’t try to get any more out of her. There was something wrong about her story. I didn’t press her. I drove her into the parking lot and killed the engine.
'When can I see you again?' I asked. 'A movie tomorrow?'
'Sure ,' she replied.
'I’ll pick you up at 7.30,' I said and drove out, thoughtfully pondering the events that had befallen me in the last twenty-four hours.
CHAPTER FIVE
When I entered the apartment the phone was ringing. I picked it up and Vicki, accident and the bright workaday world of suburban California faded into the half-world of phantom-people shadows. The voice that whispered coldly out of the receiver was Weinbaum’s
'Troubles?' He spoke softly, but there was an ominous tone in his voice.
'I had an accident,' I replied.
'I read about it in the paper …' Weinbaum’s voice trailed off. Silence hung between us for a moment and then I said, 'Does this mean you’re canning me?'
I hoped that he would say yes; I didn’t have the guts to resign.
'No,' he said softly, 'I just wanted to make sure that you didn’t reveal anything about the – work – you’re doing for me.'
'Well, I didn’t' I told him curtly.
'The night after this,' he reminded me, 'At eight.'
There was a click and then the dial tone. I shivered and hung up the receiver. I had the oddest feeling that I had just broken connection with the grave.
The next morning at 7.30 sharp, I picked up Vicki at the Bonaventure Motel. She was all decked out in an outfit that made her look stunning. I made a low whistle; she flushed prettily. We didn’t talk about the accident.
The movie was good and we held hands part of the time, ate popcorn part of the time and kissed once or twice. All in all, a pleasant evening.
The second feature was just drawing to the climax when an usher came down the aisle.
He was stopping at every row and looked peeved. Finally, he stopped at ours. He swept the flashlight down the row and asked* 'Mr. Gerad? Daniel Gerad?'
'Yes' I asked, feeling guilt and fear run through me. 'There's a gentleman on the phone, sir. He says it's a matter of life or death.'
Vicki gave me a startled look and I followed the usher hurriedly. That let out the police. I mentally took stock of my only remaining relatives. Aunt Polly, Grandma Phibbs and my great-uncle Charlie. They were all healthy as far as I knew.
You could have knocked me over with a feather when I picked up the telephone and heard Rankin's voice.
He spoke rapidly and a raw note of fear was in his voice. 'Get out here, right now! We need – '
There were sounds of a a scuffle, a muffled scream, then a click and the empty dial tone.
I hung, up and hurried back for Vicki. 'Come on,' I said.
She followed without questioning me. At first I wanted to drive her back to the motel but the muffled scream made me decide that this was an emergency. I didn’t like either Rankin or Weinbaum, but I knew I would have to help them.
We took off.
'What is it?' Vicki asked anxiously as I stamped on the go-pedal and let the car unwind.
'Look,' I said, 'something tells me that you've got your secrets about your guardian. I've got some of my own. Please, don’t ask.' She didn't say another word.
I took possession of the passing lane. The speedometer climbed from seventy-five to eighty-five, kept rising and trembled on the verge of ninety. I pulled into the turnoff on two wheels and the car bounced, clung and exploded up the road.
Grim and gaunt against the overcast sky, I could see the house. I pulled the car to a stop and was out in a second.
'Wait here,' I cried over my shoulder to Vicki.
There was a light on in the laboratory and I flung the door open. It was empty but ransacked. The place was a mess of broken test tubes, smashed apparatus, and, yes, bloodstains that trailed through the half-open door that led to the darkened garage. Then I noticed the green
