Mrs. Pollifax & the Lion Killer by Dorothy Gilman

Author:Dorothy Gilman
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2011-05-28T18:30:00+00:00

And now," said Mrs. Pollifax when Kadi was once again in the room they shared, "now at last for the gift, so to speak, that 1 was about to give you in the garden the other night. Which I certainly wish you'd had with you when you dashed off into the darkness." She brought the pistol out of her bag. "I've cartridges somewhere, too," she added, digging deeper into the bag.

"B-but Emmyreed," Kadi stammered, "where on earth did you get this? Guns are banned here. Surely Sammy didn't —"

"No, no, I bought it on the black market. Dr. Merrick told me where."

Kadi laughed. "You did that? He's a dear, isn't he, Dr. Merrick?" She sobered and said, "Yes, I do wish I'd had it that night, I was such a fool. You worried even then, didn't you? . . , and I —I've shoved deep every memory of those three men. You think the person who attacked me in the garden was really after me? And might be connected to that nightmare day?"

"Not necessarily that particular man," said Mrs. Pollifax. "You also glimpsed two other men, and neither of them wearing masks, either."

Kadi shook her head. "But I didn't see the other two men, only their backs as they walked away."

"Would those two men know that?" she asked. "Kadi, I don't think you've thought this through seriously. Or wanted to."

Kadi looked startled. "You mean —?"

"I mean," explained Mrs. Pollifax, "the one man who saw you need only have said later, 'the girl was watching, I saw her hiding in the tall grass, she may have seen everything. ' Kadi, you can't overlook the fact that you may be a threat to someone. I've admired your common sense but in this situation you're blocking out too much, including the fact that you could still be in some danger if any of those men —XI2, X2 and X8—are alive."

"All those initials! What are you talking about?"

"Sammat and I found the orders to execute your parents in the strong room this afternoon, Kadi. The killers were referred to as X12, X2 and X8. We couldn't find their names."

"Oh God," Kadi said.

"So here is the pistol. I'll help you make some kind of holster for shoulder, waist or ankle."

There was a glitter of tears in Kadi's eyes. She leaned over and kissed Mrs. Pollifax on the cheek. "I truly thank you for this, Emmyreed." Suddenly smiling through her tears she said, "And what else have you been doing while I've been stuck in the infirmary?"

"I've visited Sharma."

Kadi shook her head and said humorously, "And who told you where to find him?

"Dr. Kasonde. Now shall we go down for dinner in the cafeteria? Dr. Merrick recommended a quiet evening with Candide, so that by tomorrow you can finally do anything you choose. Within reason," she added quickly.

What Kadi chose to do the next morning was to buy presents. "Something to celebrate my release from the infirmary," she said. "A present for Cyrus, and for you, and for my wood-carving teacher at school.

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