The Dark Lady

truth?” I replied.
    “How should I know?” he said irritably. “Coincidence?”
    “Do you truly believe in such a coincidence?”
    “No,” he admitted. “But I do believe that there's a logical explanation, even though we haven't come up with it. Maybe— ”
    At that instant he was interrupted by a high-pitched beeping sound.
    “What was that?” I asked, startled.
    Heath was already on his feet. “That was James, signaling me that we're no longer alone.”
    “The police?” I asked.
    He nodded. “I fear we're going to have to make a rather abrupt exit.”
    “But why?” I asked. “If, as you say, you came by the Mallachi painting legitimately, you have nothing to hide.”
    He looked amused. “In this room alone I can see three books and more than a dozen alien sculptures that are in need of hiding— and you haven't seen what I've got in the bedroom.” He paused, staring unhappily at his art objects. “I don't suppose I've got time to pack them and take them along, more's the pity.” Suddenly he walked decisively toward the door. “All right,” he said. “Let's go.”
    “Why do you not simply disguise yourself as your other identity?” I asked.
    “Because my makeup's in the sixth-floor apartment,” he said. “Do hurry up, Leonardo.”
    “I have nothing to fear from the police,” I replied.
    “You want to meet Mallachi, don't you?”
    “As you say, he may be dead by now.”
    “He may also be alive.”
    “Then I shall find him in my own good time,” I said. “The police are my friends, not my enemies.”
    “Don't bet on it,” said Heath. “You might find it difficult to explain how an alien came to be alone in an apartment with all these stolen goods.” He grinned. “They might even think you were the thief.” He must have seen my horrified reaction, because he continued, even more persuasively: “At the very least, they'll think you're involved in all this, and unfortunately the building's security system will confirm that I described you as a business associate and that you didn't disagree.”
    “No Bjornn has ever been arrested! I will disgrace the House of Crsthionn!”
    “Then stop wringing your hands and come with me,” said Heath.
    “But even if we escape, they will still know I was here.”
    “So what?” he said. “Tai Chong ordered you to inspect the painting. She'll explain everything to the police.”
    “The painting!” I exclaimed. “We cannot leave without it. That is my purpose for being on Charlemagne!”
    “All right,” he said calmly. “Pick it up. We've still got a minute or two before the police get through the security system and figure out which elevator to take.”
    I raced to the painting and carried it back to the door.
    “Now follow me,” he ordered.
    He stepped out into the corridor and walked rapidly to a service lift. I had to adopt a shuffling run to keep up with him, but twenty seconds later we had ascended past the main floor.
    “Where are we going?” I asked.
    “My other apartment,” he explained. “It would be just a bit awkward to try to take the painting out past the police, so we'll store it there for the time being.”
    “And then what will we do?”
    “You worry too much, Leonardo.”
    We got off at the sixth floor, walked down a corridor, and stopped before a door. Heath stared intently at it for an instant, then walked right past it to the stairwell.
    “What is the matter?” I whispered.
    “The police are in the apartment.”
    “How do you know?”
    “Whenever I leave the apartment, I always put a little piece of dark tape, no more than an inch or so, where the door meets the wall. It pulls loose if anyone opens the door.”
    “Could it have been removed by a maintenance worker?” I asked.
    “Do you want to take the chance?” he responded.
    “No,” I admitted.
    “Neither do I.”
    “What now, Friend Valentine?” I said, falling into the Dialect of Affinity more from terror than any valid reason.
    “Well,” he said, “while I've always admired video heroes who bound catlike across the rooftops of a city, I very much doubt my ability to emulate them, so I suppose we'll have to depend on intelligence rather than agility.” He paused, lost in thought. “There's a helioport on the roof, but that's much too obvious. And they've doubtless got men stationed at the rear entrance.”
    “Please hurry!” I said urgently.
    “We're in no immediate danger,” he replied. “They'll simply assume that I'm out