Programmed for Peril

life, that I had escaped him. But he’s back again. He knows me so well that he might as well be in my head—like the devil. I’ve bargained away my soul to him, in a way. Look what he’s done. Taken effective steps to destroy my business. He’s destroying my relationship with my fiancé, too. He’s beginning to reduce me to the dominated person I was. He can only do those things because of his intimate knowledge of me, of my soul. See what 1 mean?”
    “We’ll find him. We’ll put him away, either behind bars or at Mental Estates.”
    Trish was glad her face was deeply shadowed. Jerry would think her smile loony. “Somehow I don’t think you will. No matter what you try. Even if you had everybody on the force working full-time on the case, never mind your efforts and Lieutenant Sarkman’s half-hearted ones. Carson is... Carson. Genius unchecked. He’s my devil. I’ll have to be the one to drive him away. Either I do it, or... I’m finished. My daughter and I will be his for the rest of our lives. And...” Her voice caught like rag on thorn. “You can’t imagine how miserable we would be.”
    “How do you expect to rid yourself of him?” Jerry said. “I haven’t the faintest notion.” She got up and walked to the edge of the deck where flowers grew in long boxes. “He’s a contemporary devil. No crucifix and holy water for him. No traditional rites of exorcism would work.” She stared off toward other condo clusters. “There’s more to it, too, Jerry. I’ve grown as a human being since I left him. If I’m to grow the rest of the way, to reach whatever potential I have, I have to completely and permanently escape him.”
    “We have to find him!” Jerry said.
    “You’ve had my photo of him for nearly a month, haven’t you? And nobody’s seen him except me.”
    “Oh, he’s out there—somewhere. Nicholas is on his track.”
    “Could you make a cop available if Nicholas comes up with something this time?”
    “Maybe. Depends on when. Trish, I just don’t have the authority with your case.”
    “Could you talk to Sarkman?”
    “The prima donna? Lots of luck.”
    She spun in the dimness. “Jerry, I need your help!”
    “I know one way to help you. A simpleminded way, but at least it’ll be something.”
    “What’s that?”
    “Get you a pistol and teach you to shoot.”
    She protested. She knew nothing about handguns. Not to worry, he said. He would teach her. He arranged for her licensed, revolver, a smallish, deadly-looking thing. She found its bluish steel and the gleam of copper cartridges fascinating as he made her repeatedly load and unload it. At mutually suitable times he took her to a private range. At first she shot at stationary targets, with sound deadeners clinging to her ears like hi-fi phones. Then, when she felt ready for more adventure, they stalked pop-up figures into which she put bullets with surprising accuracy—and enthusiasm.
    “Women are men’s equals as marksmen,” Jerry said. “It’s that they hesitate to kill with their weapons that makes the difference.”
    “The difference between civilization—and none, if we left it up to the men.”
    “The only question you have to ask yourself is: Could you shoot at Carson?” Jerry said.
    “Just give me a chance.”
    “I hope the opportunity’s all you need.”
    After their sixth and final three-hour session he drove her toward PC-Pros. “How do you feel after an hour of revolver
    practice?”
    She lowered her lids. “Do you believe—sexy?”
    He laughed, Mr. Straight Cop. “It can definitely be a turn-on.”
    She was tempted to tease him, asking if he was interested. Ho, that wouldn’t do. Jerry was too straight. Think what further confusions another emotional relationship would introduce into her already tumbled life! Foster was her man and would stay so until Carson had done his worst. After that, who knew where—and who—she would be. And what about Dino? For now Jerry could only be a friend.
    He had accepted that from the first moment he learned she was engaged. In their conversations during her firearm training he had revealed himself to be a churchgoing man who truly believed in right and wrong. And in God as well. To him it was wrong to become physically involved with an engaged woman. It was also wrong to lie, steal, do drugs, or break the law. In her life, Trish admitted, she had met few such people. When she had, her memory reminded her, she had made fun of them. She arrogantly