Puzzle for Fiends by Patrick Quentin

Author:Patrick Quentin [Quentin, Patrick]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Crime
Publisher: Pocketbooks
Published: 2015-04-17T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

I felt like a prisoner, almost reprieved, who sees the door of his cell slam again in his face.

“But someone must....”

“I’m afraid that’s the way it is.” Dr. Croft, who had for so long let the women hold the floor, took control at that point. He watched me from his liquid, unmasculine eyes. “When you were received at the hospital, there was absolutely no clue to identity on you, no wallet, no papers, nothing except the clothes you were wearing and they seemed to be brand new with no laundry marks.” He paused with a faint smile. “You must realize that I took a tremendous risk loaning you to the Friends the way I did. I’d never have taken that risk if you’d been someone with a name, an identity who might at any moment have been claimed by relatives.”

“But the people who brought me to the sanatorium?”

“Marny told you. They were motorists who found you lying unconscious at the side of the road. Marny suggested you were a hit-and-run victim. I think it’s more likely you were robbed. Perhaps you gave a ride to a hitchhiker who blackjacked you and stole your valuables and your car. The wound on your head’s such as might have been made by a blackjack.” Mrs. Friend gave me a sudden, sweet smile. “Don’t worry about it too much, dear. I’m sure your memory will come back soon. Meanwhile think of us as your family.”

“Yes, baby,” said Selena, rubbing her soft cheek caressingly against the back of my hand. “We simply adore you. We honestly do. We’ll adopt you.”

If I’d felt sardonic, I could have pointed out that, since they had kidnapped me, the least they could do was to house and feed me until I found somewhere else to go. But I didn’t feel sardonic. It’s lonely being a man without a name and without a past. The Friends were the only people I knew. I clung to them.

Nate Croft said: “Of course, when the right time comes, we’ll do everything we can to see that you’re restored where you belong.” He looked faintly awkward. “I must admit that while the—er—little masquerade was on, I did my best to discourage any shreds of genuine memory you showed signs of developing. Of course all that will be changed now. You can rest assured that my services as a psychiatrist are completely at your disposal.”

“Free of charge?” I asked.

He looked even more awkward. “I don’t blame you for feeling antagonism towards me, old man. As a doctor, I have acted in an unorthodox fashion. I’m the first to admit it. My only excuse is that I didn’t feel it would do you any serious harm and, believing as I do that Mr. Friend’s will was outrageously unfair, I thought you might be the means of doing the Friends a great deal of good.”

Nate was as expert as Mrs. Friend in finding the favorable interpretation for his own behavior. In that smooth speech, he had

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