The Andre Norton Megapack - 15 Classic Novels and Short Stories

seems to have cut him out.”
    “It’s more complicated than that, I think. He likes Philippine and gets on with her because she is—well, almost professional, in her attitude toward his injury. It makes him feel at ease with her. But I don’t think it’s more than that, or ever was—”
    He stopped speaking as Peter came back with Roger who lagged behind him and was obviously reluctant to join them. Could anyone look more guilty then he does, Fredericka thought. I wonder if Thane and Peter are right to be so sure of his innocence. Perhaps they weren’t. Perhaps Peter was taking the same plane on purpose.
    Knowing that it would be best to turn away, Fredericka swung around to face the coffee urns and tried to catch the eye of the waitress who was having a heart-to-heart talk with a mechanic at the other end of the counter.
    Peter sat down beside Fredericka, and Roger next to him. There was a moment of awkward silence and then Thane leant across Fredericka and Peter to say: “Everything all right at the Farm, Sutton?”
    “As right as it can be,” Roger muttered.
    “Is Mrs. Hartwell at the hospital?”
    “Yes. She was there all night.” Then with surprising force, he added: “It’s a good thing, too. Mother’s had just about all she can stand.”
    “I know,” Peter said quietly. Then he interrupted himself to say; “Coffee?” as the waitress came up to them.
    “Yes, large and black. Nothing to eat.”
    Fredericka now stole a look at Roger under cover of the general discussion. One hand was tightly clenched, the other, which shielded his face, was trembling and held stiffly open to show the long bony fingers. Fredericka had never seen Roger dressed in anything but faded blue jeans and an old shirt and she was surprised to observe that he now wore immaculate town clothes, conservatively cut. As she stared she became aware that he had removed his hand from his face and that two large dark eyes were regarding her intently. The eyes were set deep in his skull and the scarred tissue around them was purple and white in patches. His mouth was twisted sideways as though he was leering at her. She looked away in confusion. Then, ashamed that she had done so, she said hurriedly: “At any rate, Philippine will look after Mrs. Sutton, won’t she?”
    Roger made no answer. The coffee arrived and he drank it down in great gulps. Then he got up before anyone could think of anything else to say. “Thanks, Mohun. See you on the plane,” he muttered, and walked rapidly away.
    At that moment they could hear the roar of the engines outside and Peter also got up, as the loudspeaker blared the announcement of imminent departure.
    “So long,” he said lightly. “Be a good girl, Fredericka, and remember all Doc Mohun’s orders.”
    She smiled and he started to walk away. But, at the door, he stopped to put out his cigarette, and then came back to say: “Keep an eye on her, Carey. She needs watching.”
    “I’ll do my best,” Thane agreed. “Only, for God’s sake, hurry back. I’m beginning to feel like the boy on the burning deck, or the one who kept his finger in the dike, or what have you—”
    But Peter had gone before he finished speaking.
    “Well,” Thane announced, “that seems to be that. Now,” he added thoughtfully, “just what did he mean about keeping an eye on Miss Fredericka Wing? Is Sergeant Brown falling asleep on the job?”
    “Oh, no, he’s wonderful.” She was able to answer this question with genuine enthusiasm. Then, aware that Thane continued to look at her steadily with a very police-like stare, she went on hurriedly, “I—I guess Peter just thought I was a little lonely or—or something.”
    “I see. Well, now, I have to go back to the Farm and to the hospital. As a matter of fact Connie’s fed up with me about this damn case. Could you, do you think, go along to the house and have supper with her?”
    “Oh no—really—”
    “Oh, yes, really. Please. As a matter of fact it would ease things for me if I could just have you along when I break the news to her about being out tonight, too.”
    Fredericka remembered how much she had liked Constance Carey when she met her at the bazaar and it did not take her long to decide that she would much rather have supper with her than go back home before Jim Brown was well and truly back. She’d asked him to get supper, so she’d no doubt get it for himself. Besides if Thane were to drive her home now he might easily discover the