The Andre Norton Megapack - 15 Classic Novels and Short Stories

with that racket.”
    He turned to her as though he had been roused from a dream. “I can’t stop,” he explained hurriedly. “Must get back to Connie, and, moreover, there may be a call from Peter. Any messages?” he added lightly.
    “No. No thanks,” Fredericka said stupidly and then felt herself blushing. She was grateful for the darkness. Sergeant Brown came down the path toward them.
    “Good evening,” he said politely to Fredericka who was now standing by the car, and then he turned to Thane who was about to drive off. “Hi, Chief,” he said, and then asked anxiously, “any news?”
    “Oh, Jim,” Thane said. “No. Nothing to report. I just wanted to be sure you were still on the job.” Then, before anyone could ask any more questions, the small car had roared away into the night.
    “And that’s that,” Jim remarked as they turned together to go up the path.
    “I’m glad you are here, Jim,” Fredericka said. “I’d hate to have come back alone to an empty house, and I’m not ashamed to confess it. I’m beginning to get a bad case of the jitters.”
    “It might seem lonely-like here I suppose, but you’ve got a cosy place all right. And plenty of visitors. I got back at five and, since then, the Reverend Williams has been in and left a book, said to tell you he’d decided not to buy it, after all. Mrs. Hartwell stopped by, and James Brewster and Philippine Sutton have just left. I was beginning to think about making some coffee—that is, if it’s allowed.”
    “Of course, and I hope you got some supper.”
    “Yes, thanks. As a matter of fact I expected you so I had two suppers. I’d begun to get worried. Anyway I waited for you for coffee.”
    “Your family all right?” Fredericka asked when they were sitting at the kitchen table a few moments later, to drink the sergeant’s black brew.
    “Yes and no, I guess you’d say in answer to that one. Susie—that’s my wife—is okay, but the baby’s all choked up. I told Susie to get the doctor but she said she could cope. You know how women are—” He stopped suddenly.
    Fredericka laughed at his embarrassment. “As a matter of fact I’d say she was a rare one. Most mothers I’ve observed call the doctor for a safety-pin scratch. They seem to think babies are made of porcelain,” she said and was aware how elderly she sounded.
    “Susie’s not like that,” Jim said complacently. But before he could enlarge on Susie’s virtues, they both heard the sound of a car outside. “More visitors,” he muttered as he stood up and went to the front door. A moment later Fredericka heard him say: “Hi, Phil.” And then: “Isn’t it past your bedtime?”
    The screen door banged. Fredericka got up and, as she went out into the hall, Philippine came toward her. There was no sign of James.
    “Oh Fredericka,” she said breathlessly, “I’m sorry if I’m terribly late. I—I had to come. It’s Margie. She’s died. I felt I had to talk to you. You’re the only one who seems normal in this whole town.”
    “Guess you want some coffee,” Jim said gently, steering them both into the kitchen.
    “Where’s Brewster?” Jim asked when they had sat down.
    Philippine held the steaming cup between her small hands and drank it gratefully like a thirsty child. “After we left here,” she said, between gulps, “we decided to go back to the hospital. Then—then, when we heard, about Margie, I mean—James thought we ought to take Martha Hartwell and Margaret back to the Farm. They’d been there most of the day—both of them—saying nothing, doing nothing—not even crying. But I—I just couldn’t go back with them. I wanted to talk to someone sensible so I took the jeep, and James took them home in his car—”
    Fredericka said nothing for a moment. It was hard to find the right consoling words. Jim coughed self-consciously and then, in the silence that followed this burst of sound, they could hear the ticking of the kitchen clock and the subdued chirping of crickets outside.
    After a few uncomfortable minutes, Jim could not bear the tension. He pushed back his chair and stood up. “Well,” he said slowly, “I guess you two would like to have a heart-to-heart. I’ll clear things up here and then walk around for a smoke and a look-see. Why don’t you go into the other room? It’s more comfortable in there.”
    Fredericka and Philippine got up obediently and walked, as if by clockwork, into the office. They sat down stiffly