Part 5 (1/2)

They were too caught up in their own thoughts and in the barrage of demands they were leveling at Crowley to notice direction. It wasn't until they were already on the George Was.h.i.+ngton Bridge that Patricia blurted, ”Don, this isn't the way to your hotel!”

Crowley said tolerantly, ”Take it easy, Pat. We're taking a short detour. Something I have to show you in Jersey.”

”I don't like this,” Ross snapped. The redhead s.h.i.+fted his heavy shoulders in a reflexive protest against the confining tweed coat he wore.

”Relax,” Crowley told him reasonably. ”I've been thinking things out quite a bit and I've got a lot to discuss with you folks.”

They were across the bridge now and Larry headed into the maze which finally unraveled itself to the point that it was obvious they were heading north. Larry hit the lift lever and they rose ten feet from the surface.

Dr. Braun said evenly, ”You had no intention of taking us to your room.

You used that as a ruse to get us out of our hotel and, further, across the bridge until we are now in a position where it's quite impossible for us to summon police a.s.sistance.”

Crowley grinned. ”That's right, Doc. Didn't I tell you these three were real eggheads, Larry? Look how quick he figured that out.”

Larry grunted in what might have been amus.e.m.e.nt.

Ross, growling low in his throat, turned suddenly in his jump seat and grabbed Crowley by the coat front. ”What's going on here?”

Crowley snapped, ”Larry!”

From seemingly nowhere, the chauffeur had produced a thin black automatic and was now lazily pointing it, not so much at Ross Wooley as at Dr. Braun and Patricia. He said evenly, softly, ”Easy, friend.”

Ross released his grip, ”Put that thing away,” he blurted.

”Sure, sure,” Larry said, his voice all but disinterested. The gun disappeared.

Crowley, only slightly ruffled, said now, ”Take it easy, Ross. Nothing's going to happen to you. I'm going to need you folks and I'm going to treat you right.”

”Where are we going?” Ross growled.

”I had the boys rent me a big estate like up in the Catskills. Big place, nice and quiet. In fact, the last tenants used it for one of these rest sanitariums. You know, rich people with DTs or trying to get a monkey off their back.”

”The boys?” Patricia said softly.

He looked at her and grinned again. Crowley was obviously enjoying himself. ”I got a few people working for me,” he explained.

Dr. Braun blurted, ”You fool! You mean you've revealed the existence of the process Pat, Ross and I worked out to a group of ignoramuses?”

Crowley said angrily, ”Now look, Doc, let's don't get on that bit. Maybe I'm just a country boy but I'm as smart as the next man. Just because some of you eggheads spend half your life in college don't mean you've got any monopoly on good common sense. I went to the school of hard knocks, understand, and I got plenty of diplomas to prove it. Take it easy on that ignoramus talk.”

Patricia said suddenly, ”Don's right, Dr. Braun. I think you've badly underestimated him.”

Ross snorted sourly at that remark. ”We've all underestimated him. Well, I think you'll agree that our friend Don will get no more injections of the invisibility serum.”

Crowley chuckled.

They looked at him. Three sinkings of stomach taking place simultaneously.

”Now, you know I thought that might be your alt.i.tude....”