Last Call for Sector 9G by Leigh Brackett

Author:Leigh Brackett [Brackett, Leigh]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781612104386
Publisher: eStar Books LLC
Published: 2011-12-14T20:00:00+00:00

Chapter VI

Morrison said, “Murder is a harsh word, Durham. After all, they weren’t human.”

“There’s no such difference under Federation law”

“We’re not under Federation law here.”

“No. And you’re engaged in a life-or-death struggle to make sure you don’t come under it. This happened to be one of the death parts.”

Morrison looked at him in mild surprise. “You figured that out, Durham?” He was a lean gray, kindly looking man, the conventional father type. Susan was staring at him in blank horror, as though she could not believe what she was hearing. “I wasn’t told you were that bright. Well, you’re right. Universal Minerals and its various dummy corporations in this sub-sector are making such profits as you wouldn’t believe if I told you, and we have no intention of giving it up.”

“Even if you have to slaughter a whole ship’s crew. What did you do, tow an asteroid into position?”

Morrison shrugged. “Special debris is not uncommon.” “You could have killed us, too, you know,” Durham said angrily. “You could have killed her. Hawtree wouldn’t have liked that.”

“It a risk we had to take. It was a small one.” He looked Durham up and down. “You made us one whale of a mess of trouble. If my yacht wasn’t a good bit faster than Jubb’s ship, we’d have been whipped. What happened to you? Why didn’t you talk like you were supposed to?”

“You’d die laughing.”

“I can control my emotions. Go ahead.” Durham told him. “Virtue,” he finished sourly, “is sure enough its own reward. I should have stayed drunk. I was happier that way. What happened to the Wanbecqs?”

Morrison was still laughing. “They had not come to when their taxi reached the terminus. The port police picked them up.” He took a bottle out of a locker and pushed it and a glass across the cabin table to Durham. “Here. You’ve earned it. Wait till I tell Hawtree. And he was so sure of you. Just goes to show you can’t trust anybody.”

Susan said, “But why?” Shock was making her mind move slowly. It was a minute before they realized she was referring to the Senyan ship.

She added, very slowly, “It’s true about my father?”

“I’m afraid it is,” said Morrison. “But I wouldn’t worry about it too much. He’s a very rich man. He’s also a shrewd one, and it looks now as though he’s going to be all right. Give her a drink, Durham, she needs it. Would you like to lie down, Miss Hawtree? All right, then, I’ll tell you why.”

He leaned over her with no look of kindness at all. “Get this all clearly in mind, Miss Hawtree, so you’ll understand that if at any time you try to hang me, you’ll hang your father too. We’re partners, equally guilty. You understand that.”

“Yes.” She looked so white that Durham was frightened. But she sat quietly and listened.

“For years now,” Morrison said, “I have managed the company here, and Hawtree has used his position with the Embassy to see that I have a free hand.

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