Part 17 (1/2)

”I hadn't really thought about it,” Trigger said.

”I'd let you carry your own gun then.”

Trigger looked reflective, then shook her head. ”I'd rather not.”

”Suit yourself,” Mihul said agreeably. ”In that case though, there should be something else understood.”

”What's that?”

”We'll have up to three-four days to spend here together before Whatzzit shows up.”

”Whatzzit?”

”For future reference,” Mihul said, ”Whatzzit will be that which--or he or she who--wishes to have that interview with you and has arranged for it. That's in case you want to talk about it. I might as well tell you that I'll do very little talking about Whatzzit.”

”I thought,” Trigger suggested, ”I was one of the gang.”

”I've got special instructions on the matter,” Mihul said. ”Anyway, Whatzzit shows up. You have your interview. After that we do whatever Whatzzit says we're to do. As you know.”

Trigger nodded.

”Meanwhile,” said Mihul, ”we're here. Very pleasant place to spend three-four days in my opinion, and I think, in yours.”

”Very pleasant,” Trigger agreed. ”I've been suspecting it was you who suggested it would be a good place to wait in.”

”No,” Mihul said. ”Though I might have, if anyone had asked me. But Whatzzit's handling all the arrangements, it seems. Now we could have fun here--which, I suspect, would be the purpose as far as you're concerned.”

”Fun?” Trigger said.

”To put you into a good frame of mind for that interview, might be the idea,” Mihul said. ”I don't know. Three days here should relax almost anyone. Get in a little shooting. Loaf around the pools. Go for rides.

Things like that. The only trouble is I'm afraid you're nouris.h.i.+ng dark notions which are likely to take all the enjoyment out of it. Not to mention the possibility of really relaxing.”

”Like what?” Trigger asked.

”Oh,” Mihul said, ”there're all sorts of possibilities, of course.” She nodded her head at the guns. ”Like yanking the Denton out of my holster and feeding me a dose of the stunner. Or picking up that coffee pot there and tapping me on the skull with it. It's about the right weight.”

Trigger said thoughtfully, ”I don't think either of those would work.”

”They might,” Mihul said. ”They just might! You're fast. You've been taught to improvise. And there's something eating you. You're edgy as a cat.”

”So?” Trigger said.

”So,” Mihul said, ”there are a number of alternatives. I'll lay them out for you. You take your pick. For one, I could just keep you doped. Three days in dope won't hurt you, and you'll certainly be no problem then.

Another way--I'll let you stay awake, but we stay in our rooms. I can lock you in at night, and that window is escape-proof. I checked. It would be sort of boring, but we can have tapes and stuff brought up. I'd have the guns put away and I'd watch you like a hawk every minute of the day.”

She looked at Trigger inquiringly. ”Like either of those?”

”Not much,” Trigger said.

”They're safe,” Mihul said. ”Quite safe. Maybe I should.... Well, the heat's off, and it's just a matter now of holding you for Whatzzit.