Part 3 (1/2)

”Who is it?” Houston asked.

”Is this CHAring Cross 7-8161?” It was a woman's voice, soft and well-modulated.

”No, this is CHElsea 7-8161,” Houston said. ”You must have dialed C-H-E instead of C-H-A.”

”Oh. I'm very sorry. Excuse me.” There was a click, and she hung up.

Houston walked back over to the bed and picked up his paper. He looked at it, but he didn't read it. It no longer interested him.

So Dorrine was finally in London, eh? He'd recognized her voice instantly; even years of training couldn't smother the midwestern American of Chicago completely beneath the precise British of the well-educated English girl.

The signal had been agreed upon, just in case his phone was tapped. Even the Psychodeviant Police could be suspected of harboring a Controller--although Houston didn't think it too likely. Nevertheless, he wasn't one to take too many chances.

He glanced at his watch. He had an hour yet. He'd wait five minutes before he phoned headquarters.

He sat down in his chair again and forced himself to relax, smoke a cigarette, and read the paper--the sports section. Perusing the records of the season's cricket matches kept his mind off that picture on the front page. At least, he hoped they would. Let's see, now--Benton was being rated as the finest googly bowler on the Staffords.h.i.+re Club ...

Everything went fine until he came across a reference to a John Harris, a top-flight batsman for Hambledon; that reminded him of Robert Harris.

Houston threw down the paper in disgust and walked over to the phone.

The number was TROwbridge 5-4321, but no one ever bothered to remember it. Simply dial 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, and every time a voice at the other end would answer--

”Hamilton speaking.”

”Houston here; will I be needed in the next hour or so?”

”Mmmm. Just a second; I'll check the roster. No; your evidence won't be needed personally. You've filed an affidavit. No, I don't think--wait a minute! Yes, there's a return here for you; reservation on the six A.M.

jet to New York. Your job here is done, Houston, so you can take the rest of the evening off and relax. Going anywhere in particular?”

”I thought I'd get a bite to eat and take in a movie, maybe, but if I'm due out at six, I'll forego the cinematic diversion. When's the trial?”

”It's scheduled for eleven-thirty this evening. Going to come?”

Houston shook his head. ”Not if I'm not needed to give evidence. Those Controllers always give me the creeps.”

”They do everybody,” said Hamilton. ”Well, you caught him; there's no need for you to stick around for the windup. Have a good time.”

”Thanks,” said Houston shortly, and hung up.

_The windup_, Houston thought. _Sure. That's all it will be. A Controller's trial is a farce. Knock him out with a stun gun and then pump him full of comatol. How can he defend himself if he's unconscious all through the trial?_

Houston knew what the average man's answer to that would be: ”If a Controller were allowed to remain conscious, he'd take over the judge's mind and get himself freed.”

Houston said an obscene word under his breath, jammed his hat on his head, put on his coat, and left his apartment.

With the coming of darkness, the heavy fog had become still denser. The yellow beams of the sodium vapor lamps were simply golden spots hanging in an all-enveloping blackness. Walking the street was a process of moving from one little golden island of light to another, crossing seas of blankness between. The monochromatic yellow shone on the human faces that pa.s.sed beneath the lamps, robbing them of all color, giving them a dead, grayish appearance beneath the yellow itself.