The Fairy Chessmen (Jerry eBooks) by Lewis Padgett

Author:Lewis Padgett [Padgett, Lewis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jerry eBooks
Published: 2015-03-08T05:00:00+00:00

VIII.

No one else must know. Seth’s disappearance must be explained away, somehow, for a while.

Because no hint of the real problem must reach Cameron; the director had to be shielded from realization of his responsibility, or he would go mad.

There was not even time for grief.

DuBrose went into Pell’s office and stood silent, considering. The room’s vacancy chilled him.

An hour ago Seth had been sitting on that desk, swinging his heels and talking in his lazy, casual voice. Suppose DuBrose, not Pell, had been Pastor’s victim? How would Seth have reacted?

With competence, anyhow.

DuBrose fumbled out a cigarette, stared at the desk, and tried to imagine Seth sitting there, white hair gleaming under the pale lights, youngish face faintly amused.

“How about it, Seth?”

“How about what?” Yes, that was it. Careless, casual, but—

“You know what. You’re dead.”

“O.K. So you’re in charge. Take over, Ben.”

“But how? One man can’t—”

“Oh, stop worrying. You’ll do all right. It’s only that sense of responsibility that can break you.

You had one idea already. The chief mustn’t know I’m dead.”

“He’ll want to know—something!”

“Well, tell him something. Use your memory. Didn’t I anticipate trouble?”

“Not this trouble. You did with Ridgeley.”

“So?”

“Yeah. You said you’d put some papers in your safe, just in case. And the chief’s got the combination.”

“Smart boy. This is a good trick, you know. You’re so used to kicking ideas around with me that it’s hard for you to think on your own. O.K. Imagine me any time you want. Put words in my mouth. It’ll help a bit.”

It had helped. Seth wasn’t sitting on the desk. He hadn’t been sitting there. But, briefly, DuBrose had recreated Seth Pell as surely as Pastor had destroyed him.

DuBrose headed for the director’s office. Cameron was at the window; he had slid aside the pane and was watching the shadowy, red-lit darkness of the Spaces. Thunder of the great machines came through the port. DuBrose saw that Cameron’s luncheon hadn’t been touched.

“What is it, Ben?”

“I’d like you to open Seth’s safe.”

Cameron turned. His face was under iron control. “Why? Where’s Seth?”

DuBrose said carefully, “I just got a message from him. He wants you to open his safe. That was all.”

Cameron hesitated, smoothed back his gray hair, and grimaced. Without a word he went past DuBrose into Pell’s office. The safe was a dual-control, attuned to open only to the radiation pattern of Pell’s brain or Cameron’s.

The panel slid aside. A bulky envelope was propped up against a shelf. It was addressed to Cameron, who slit it open and took out a paper and another thick, sealed envelope.

The director’s eyes moved swiftly across the letter. He handed it to DuBrose.

DuBrose read:

Bob,

I’ve been called away. Can’t tell you details yet. Till I get back, let Ben take over. He knows the set-up. Give him full charge. If he isn’t available, open this envelope yourself. See you later.

Seth

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