outside the courthouse moved across the road. Frensic stopped the car and stared unhappily through the windshield. The gaunt men had holsters on their belts and the gauntest of them all wore a star on his chest. He walked round the car to the side window and leant in. Frensic studied his yellow teeth.
'Your name Frensic?' he asked. Frensic nodded. 'Judge wants to see you,' continued the man. 'You going to come quietly or...?' Frensic came quietly and with the little group behind him climbed the steps to the courthouse. Inside it was cool and dark. Frensic hesitated but the tall man pointed to a door.
'Judge is in chambers,' he said. 'Go on in.'
Frensic went in. Behind a large desk sat Baby Hutchmeyer. She was dressed in a long black robe and above it her face, always unnaturally taut, was now unpleasantly white. Frensic, staring down at her, had no doubt about her identity.
'Mrs Hutchmeyer...' he began, 'the late Mrs Hutchmeyer?'
'Judge Hutchmeyer to you,' said Baby, 'and we won't have anything more about the late unless you want to end up the late Mr Frensic right soon.'
Frensic swallowed and glanced over his shoulder. The sheriff was standing with his back against the door and the gun on his belt glinted obtrusively.
'May I ask what the meaning of this is?' he asked after a moment's significant silence. 'Bringing me here like this and...'
The judge looked across at the sheriff. 'What have you got on him so far?' she asked.
'Uttering threats and menaces,' said the sheriff. 'Possession of an unauthorized firearm. Spare tyre stashed with heroin. Blackmail. You name it, Judge, he's got it.'
Frensic groped for a chair. 'Heroin?' he gasped. 'What do you mean heroin? I haven't a single grain of heroin.'
'You think not?' said Baby. 'Herb'll show you, won't you, Herb?'
Behind Frensic the sheriff nodded. 'Got the automobile round at the garage dismantling it right now,' he said, 'you want proof we'll show it to you.'
But Frensic was in no need of proof. He sat stunned in the chair and stared at Baby's white face. 'What do you want?' he asked finally,
'Justice,' said Baby succinctly.
'Justice,' muttered Frensic, 'you talk about justice and...'
'You want to make a statement now or reserve your defence for court tomorrow?' said Baby.
Frensic glanced over his shoulder again. 'I'd like to make a statement now. In private,' he said.
Baby nodded to the sheriff. 'Wait outside, Herb,' she said, 'and stay close. Any trouble in here and...'
'There won't be any trouble in here,' said Frensic hastily, 'I can assure you of that.'
Baby waved his assurances and Herb aside. As the door closed Frensic took out his handkerchief and mopped his face.
'Right,' said Baby, 'so you want to make a statement.'
Frensic leant forward. It was in his mind to say 'You can't do this to me,' but the cliche culled from so many of his authors didn't seem appropriate. She could do this to him. He was in Bibliopolis and Bibliopolis was off the map of civilization.
'What do you want me to do?' he asked faintly.
Judge Baby swung her chair and leant back. 'Coming from you, Mr Frensic, that's an interesting question,' she said. 'You come into this little town and you start uttering threats and menaces against one of our citizens and you want me to tell you what I want you to do.'
'I didn't utter threats and menaces,' said Frensic, 'I came to tell Piper to stop sending me his manuscripts. And if anyone's been uttering threats it's him, not me.'
Baby shook her head. 'If that's your defence I can tell you right off nobody in Bibliopolis is
