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〃How long was I here？〃
〃Well； I didn't have my stop watch。 But I would guess two or three minutes。 You looked very tired when you came in； and then you fell； and your hands were cold； and I thought you were having a coronary。 But I didn't know you did magic。〃
〃Yeah； kid。 That's the biz。 Look。 I'm late for an appointment。 Tell your dad that I'm going on vacation and I may not be back because the forum is too rough for me。 Okay？〃
〃I'll write it down；〃 said Stephanie。 With her awkward six…year…old hands； she maneuvered a pencil over several pieces of note paper； in a handwriting reminiscent of someone designing a rope。
〃I paraphrased；〃 she explained； starting on the first page which contained half a word。 〃Feelings of。 inadequacy impel Remo Pelham's resignation。〃
〃You've got it； sweets。〃
〃Well？〃
〃Well； what？〃
〃Aren't you going to kiss me goodbye？〃 And Remo Williams kissed Stephanie Brewster goodbye and she crinkled her nose； explaining that his face was hot。
〃That's the biz； kid；〃 Remo said with lightness of heart； and he left with his very dry clothes crackling around him toward his appointment hi Dayton。 Wait hi Israel for an agent to e home？ Remo chuckled。 He never would have made it out of Chicago。 Well； senility is senility。
His body hurt； like a very bad sunburn； but it was a good hurt。 He was breathing well and moving well and relaxed and alive。 He wished Deborah all the best and assumed she would be well because； after all； she was very lucky。 She would have died on Deuteronomy。 That's the biz。
Still； he felt a little desire to read the note again； just once more。 But it had gone up in flames and just as well。 He would relax； go out of his head in Dayton； fornicate a bit； and maybe start slow in a week or two。 Perhaps they would move Chiun out to him for one of the training programs。 He would probably need that。
An ambulance moved toward him from the other side of the circle。 It couldn't be Ratchett。 His house was in the other direction。
Then there was the body。
The ambulance slowed and a patrolman riding in front called out： 〃You must be Pelham。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Remo。
〃You're the security officer。 You want to meet me at the morgue？〃
〃Well； I'm sort of busy；〃 Remo said； and seeing the young policeman's face contort in shock； he felt somewhat stupid。 〃I'm clearing up some things here。 I'll be with you later。 I've had a hard day。〃
〃So has she；〃 said the patrolman； nodding back to the receiving section of the ambulance。 〃Another OD。 Your second in a month。 I thought you people up here were brains； not junkies。 Look。 You've got to make it to the morgue because we're checking out stuff with the FBI。 Hey； what happened to your face？〃
〃I got too close to a stove。〃
〃Oh。 Just a second。〃 And to the driver he said； 〃Wait a minute。〃
The policeman left the seat' and sidled up to Remo and in confidential tones that the driver could not hear said； 〃Look； no matter what they say； the FBI goes out of its way to grab credit。 You know what I'm talking about。〃
Remo nodded。
〃They told us that if anyone saw you to tell you to meet them at the morgue。 I know what they're doing。
They want to get yoi away from the photographers over on the thirteenth green。 That's where we found the body。 Fuck 'em。 You're the security officer。 If you make it there fast； you can still get to see a reporter。 Know what I mean。 I mean they e in here to make a pinch or something that we can do just as good and they act so goddam nicey…nicey like they don't want the credit。 Know what I mean？〃
Remo understood。
〃How does that make us look； right？ And you。 You're security officer。 Both of us together don't make what those bastards make。 Right？ All we got is our respect。 Right？〃
Remo nodded。 〃I'd like to see the body。〃
〃She's a shrink。 Would you believe it？ A shrink OD'ing on horse？ What a bunch of dingalings。 Hey； watch it with those stoves； fella。 You look awful。〃
〃The body。〃
〃Sure。 But she's wrapped。〃
〃Just a look？〃
〃Sure。 Hey； don't start up yet。〃
The driver shook his head。' … 〃Where do you think I'm rushing to； man？〃
When they got to the rear； the patrolman confided that the driver's entire race was lazy。 He opened the doors and with the effected cynicism of young policemen； said： 〃That's it。〃
Remo saw the sheet covering the being on the folding stretcher。 He knew it was Deborah。 He reached into the ambulance and carefully； very carefully； folded back the sheet； controling every nerve lest his hands break away。 He could feel the tremble of energy course through him； and he channelled it into the precision he knew he needed； and he felt something rise hi him； something trained and yet beyond training。
And he saw the still face and the closed eyes and the freckles which had lit his night of loneliness and the lips which were now still and the arms that would never move again。 He reached in and held her hand。 In the light from the overhead bulb he saw on her arm something that was being surrendered； either by the chemicals he knew were in her or by the life that was no longer in her。 The faint blue rectangle which looked as though drawn by a robin's egg crayon。 They had been neat little numbers once that the master race used to catalog the human beings they considered subhuman； even precious children who； for a brief moment； would light up a life； and having lit it； could set in motion that which would settle an old； old score。
He squeezed her hand。 It was hard； unyielding。 Tenderly； he opened the fingers and removed the object that she clutched。 He looked at it； then put in his shirt pocket。 Deborah was supposed to lead our agents to the killer。 Now； in death； she would lead Remo to the master race who thought they were supermen。
Well； then； he would let them know what one was。 One who was not sure of where he had e from because he was left at a Catholic orphanage； one who； for all he knew； contained the seeds of all races。 He might even be a pureblood German。 If that should be； thought Remo； should they hold some special lien on viciousness； let that enjoy itself within him now。 Chiun's ancient scripture flashed through his mind： 〃I am created Shiva； the destroyer； death； the shatterer of worlds。〃 They would e to know the destroyer。
And then Remo covered the stars for the last time and could have sworn that he gently shut the ambulance doors。 He had been very precise about it； doing it very slowly to appear casual。
But the bang and the crack of the door and the caved…in red cross； and the ambulance settling on its wheels brought the driver running from the cab。 The patrolman yelled and Remo shrugged his shoulders。
〃These fuckin' nuts they got here；〃 the patrolman yelled to the driver； while he stared at Remo angrily。 〃They're all screwballs。 Even the cop。 What'd you do that for； huh？〃
But he made no move toward Remo。 And Remo again apologized； and walked away。 He hoped he would arrive before the FBI。 He had nothing against the FBI。
CHAPTER TWENTY…THREE
The man once known as Dr。 Hans Frichtmann sat at his chessboard； staring at an endgame whose oute was a foregone conclusion。 Chess was a balm for the mind； the mind that could appreciate it。
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