Part 35 (2/2)

”Oh, I can.” She could, vividly. The shared vision pulled them out of each others' arms. He hesitated, then touched her hair.

”I was so worried for you, Rhani,” he said.

”And I for you. I'm so glad you called me. If you hadn't -- ”

”I almost didn't,” he said. ”But something about Binkie's manner troubled me. He was just -- odd.” He drew a breath. ”Stars, I was stupid.”

”We've all been stupid,” she said. ”Have you eaten? Come and eat.”

She watched him eat. He did not appear to be tasting much. After his pace slowed down, she said, ”Did you reach Loras U-Ellen?”

Hand halfway to his mouth, he halted. ”I found someone who could. I paid her eighty-five credits. I told her to tell him to get in touch with you, by letter.”

”You're sure the message will reach him?”

He looked surprised. ”Yes,” he said, ”I'm sure. She -- when she says she'll do a thing, she'll do it.”

Who? Rhani wanted to ask. But she remembered that she had promised to trust him -- and besides, she did not want to watch his eyes grow secret as he considered how best to lie. ”Binkie's at Main Police Station,” she said. ”Zed doesn't know. I want to see him.”

Dana looked thoughtful. ”Can't they bring him here?”

”No,” she said. ”Zed would know. He's gone now to look at the -- at the house, but he might come back. Besides, I want to see him _there_, behind locks and doors and bars.”

”What about the Free Folk of Chabad?” he said.

”They're locked up, too.” She felt in her pocket for the police communique. Pulling it out, she pa.s.sed it to him.

As he read it, she ate another strip of fish.

”Ramas I-Occad -- ?” he said.

”That's Binkie's full name,” she said.

”Sweet mother. Why did you call him _Binkie_?”

Rhani said, ”It was the name of a toy I once had.”

Dana stared at her. ”A toy? A toy what?”

His tone annoyed her. ”What difference does it make? A toy animal, as I recall. Stuffed. It was some ancient Terran creature -- a giraffe.” She stretched her hands apart. ”It had a long neck. Dana, this is all irrelevant.” ”Yes,” he said. ”It must seem so, to you.”

She scowled at him. ”Will you please make sense?”

He flushed. ”I'm sorry, Rhani-ka. I -- please forget it. If you want to go to the Abanat Police Station, then we'll go. Now?”

”Are you fit?” she said bluntly.

He nodded.

Rhani thought: I'd better warn them that I'm coming. She glanced around the pink room, looking for com-unit and screen.

If it was there, she could not see it. Walking to the door, she opened it and stuck her head into the hall. ”Nialle?” The secretary popped from another room. ”Thank you very much for your patience. Please come in now.” Nialle, smiling, came into the room. ”I was looking for the com-unit.”

”Of course, D -- Rhani-ka.” The round-faced woman went to a section of the pink-papered wall and pressed what appeared to be a heat-sensitive plate.

The wall revolved, presenting them with a compscreen, a com-line, and a computer keyboard.

”That's rather nice,” Rhani said. ”Would you connect me with the Abanat Police Station? Ask for Sachiko Tsurada, Officer Tsurada.”

”Certainly, Rhani-ka.” Nialle's small hands skipped delicately over the keys.

Watching her, Rhani was painfully reminded of when Binkie had first come to be her secretary. She had bought him during Auction, struck by something about him -- his reticence, perhaps? She was no longer sure; whatever it was it had shone through the dorazine haze. He was a reticent man, a private person.

Once he had relaxed in her presence and grown used to the household customs, he was pleasant, even funny, to be with. They had joked together; they made each other laugh. She had spoken to him of her childhood, and he had shared with her -- a little, very little -- his wishes and his griefs.

She could date precisely the summer night when the laughter had ceased.

She had not wanted him to be so hurt. She had warned him, more than once.

But he had not listened....

”Rhani-ka?” said Nialle.

She brought herself to the present with an effort. ”Yes?”

”I have Sachiko Tsurada onscreen.”

She went to the com-unit. Tsurada's dark face looked out at her. The edges of the screen were blurry as people flowed in and out of focus at Tsurada's back. ”Domna Rhani,” said the policewoman. She sounded and looked exhausted. ”I'm glad to see you safe.” She coughed. ”We have your slave here: Ramas I-Occad. He is formally charged with the attempted murder of his owner and the actual murder of Amri Utasdatter, also a slave. We also have five members of the Free Folk of Chabad in custody. Their names are -- but you don't want to know their names, do you, Domna? They are all members of the drug detail of the Federation Police Force.”

Rhani heard Dana gasp. ”That's crazy,” he said.

”We have signed confessions from them, Domna,” said Tsurada. She smiled.

”We also have their resignations waiting for the acting captain to accept.”

”You have evidence besides the confessions?” Rhani said.

”The fingerprint belongs to one of them. And we have all their equipment.

You may even recognize one or two of them, Domna. They swear the attacks were never meant to kill.”

Rhani said, ”I believe them. Do you have A-Rae yet?”

”No. We cannot find him.” Tsurada sounded angry.

”Sweet mother,” Dana said. ”The Hype cops turned a.s.sa.s.sins?”

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