"Dickson, Gordon - Stranger Txt" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dickson Gordon R)

Merlin stared at Church. He had not thought of the other man in the role of protector, and he felt embarrassed at not giving Church more credit. In a way this warning repaid the favor Merlin had done him by putting him on the track toward getting his job. It testified to an awareness of obligation in Church that Merlin had not expected.

He got the contingency payment approved and stood in tine at the phones to tell the detective agency.

"Fine, fine!" the voice of the woman at the agency crackled in his ear. "I think we've just about located your wife, Mr. Swenson. With this payment against expenses we should find her this week."

"Splendid," said Merlin. "You'll call me?"

"As soon as we've got something to report. Now,

Mr. Swenson, it was explained to you that your payment in full would have to be in our hands before we released any hard information?"

"Of course," said Merlin. "I've already talked to my employers here, and there'll be no problem getting an advance for the rest. They just want to be sure I've really found her, and they won't have to turn around and give me another advance next week."

"Good. We'll be calling you this week, Mr. Swenson."

He went back to the barracks, his mind full of Ona and her happiness when she would learn what had happened to him.

He had completely forgotten about Church's warning, when, two days later, he was called out of class with orders to report to Conference Suite 460 in the Headquarters Building. Suite 460 turned out to be a spacious room with a long table capable of seating perhaps sixteen people. But when Merlin stepped in, the only ones there were a fiftyish, tired-looking man and a woman of about the same age, raw-boned and with graying red hair. They were seated side by side at the far end of the table. Д

"Come sit here, Mr. Swenson," said the woman. She pointed to the first chair on the long side of the table, at her right. He obeyed-

"Now," said the woman, glancing at a printout sheet before her. "Of those trainees presently in your barracks, Mr. Swenson, were there any you knew before you came here?"

"No," said Merlin. He did not have to stop and think in order to answer. "No" came automatically to everyone's lips these days. It was a "yes" answer that called for thought and hesitation.

The woman looked again at her printout. So far the man had said nothing. It occurred to Merlin that the psychological profile they had worked up on him might have indicated that he was more likely to trust a woman.

"Do you know a StoUer Fread or a Bill Sumash, Mr. Swenson?"

"I think they're in the barracks."

"This Fread and Sumash," the woman said, "have you ever noticed them talking together, or attempting to gather others in the barracks to talk?"

"No," said Merlin.

"Have either of them ever tried to talk to you privately, Mr. Swenson?"

"No," said Merlin. "Not that I can remember, anyway."

"Do you know anyone here whom you might have cause to suspect as an activist or subversive?"

"I'm afraid," said Merlin, "I've been so busy with the training courses, I haven't really had a chance to talk with the others much."

"Yes or no to the question I asked, Mr. Swenson?"

"Definitely no," said Merlin. "I haven't met anyone like that."

"But you'd tell us if you did, wouldn't you, Mr. Swenson?"