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〃I am watching。〃
〃It is my move；〃 Remo said； as he lifted the queen； standing it on its green felt base in the palm of his hand。 His fingers curled down to hold it by the base； against his palm。 Then his deep brown eyes that seemed to have no pupils burned into Stohrs' eyes and Remo said； 〃It is mate in one。〃 Remo turned the queen over in the palm of his right hand； and then； with a roll of the wrist； moved it forward。 His move； the greatest move in the history of chess； put the white point into Stohr's right eye； and then a push through the socket into the brain； and there was Stohrs with a green felt monocle where his right eye should be； and red ribbons beginning to hang from it。 Stohrs' body twitched convulsively and his fingers went snap； snap； snap； because that was the last message his brain had sent before Remo had moved； white queen to the bastard's eye。
Remo looked at him； then smiled with only his lips。
〃Checkmate；〃 he said。 And walked away。
The rest was easy。
CHAPTER TWENTY…FOUR
Anna Stohrs was still naked。 She was just placing the negatives of Remo into a metal card file containing the other negatives when Remo walked into the darkroom。。〃
She looked up； and her eyes opened wide in horror； when she saw him there。
〃He lost；〃 Remo said。
She tried to kick him but Remo； laughing； ignored the effort； and flipped her left arm up behind her back。 Then he whispered into her right ear； 〃Your father said just before I killed him that the one thing he really enjoyed was seeing you perform。 But he never wanted to let on； because you might stop。〃
Then he killed her and left her body sprawled over the giant photo dryer。 The sweat on her naked body sizzled as he dropped her over the stainless steel drum。 Then Remo burned the negatives； and set fire to the house。
He took a doughnut from the cupboard on his way out； and left a few minutes before the arrival of the first fire pany。
The cool of evening chilled the air； and suddenly it became incredibly cold for August； then hot； then Remo felt nothing and just kept walking。
CHAPTER TWENTY…FIVE
The roast beef at Henrici's in Dayton was good。 It had been good for the last two Wednesday nights and…Remo looked out of the windows down on the Miami valley； with blinking lights on the outskirts of Dayton； and farther off the small towns surrounding it。 The restaurant was on the top of the hotel and for Dayton provided exquisite dining。 In New York； it would be just another good meal。
He cut into the rich red beef； which shivered slightly； emitting a reddish pool which flowed into the mashed potato mountain； making its base pink。 Good beef； someone had once said； was like a hearty woman。 It must be taken with gusto。 Who said it？ It obviously had not been Chiun； who while he once allowed that all women are beautiful but not all men are capable of seeing it； also felt that red beef was like a subtle poison。 You enjoyed your destruction because it was fortable and slow。
Remo enjoyed the beef。 In fact； Chiun might be very bright about the poison。 Being some place at a certain night regularly； a certain place someone else knew； made you a perfect setup for that someone else。 The beef could be poisoned。 He couid be poisoned without his poisoner ever seeing him。 CURE was good at that。 In fact； if it wanted to； the poisoner might not even know it was poison。 Breaking links wherever you can。
But he was alive and every day he lived probably meant that he was being kept there to stew。 The punishment would be waiting to be killed。 If he waited； though； it would also show them that he could be trusted again。
What had he really done that was so bad？ Talked back？ That could be attributed to the long peak。 What counted was not what he said but what he did。 And what he did was to follow orders。 He had headed for Deborah's cottage and then he went to Dayton。
How he had gotten to Dayton； he forgot。 There was the path； the tiredness； the oppressive heat； and then； what he remembered of it； he was in the Dayton Airport just outside Vandalia； with an incredible sunburn； money from what must have been cashed traveler's checks and no identification。 He had probably gone through the necessary go routine automatically。
He had noticed how weak he had bee； but the rest improved him daily。 When he returned to training； he would be well ready for it。 But he would never again allow them to keep him at that level。 He would explain this if he ever got to Smith again。
Deborah； of course； had gotten her man。 He knew she would； but it was a sloppy job。 He had heard about it in a bar。 Father…daughter fight。 But why would the woman choose suicide by photo…drying？ Funny； it sounded like something he might do。 The Israelis were supposed to be a bit neater。 Yeah； he might do it。 No； it just wasn't fast enough。 For punishment； it would do。 But Remo； however； was not in the punishment business。
Some day； if they should ever meet； he would tell Deborah how sloppy she had been。
He looked out over the valley； gazing for miles。 It was a clear night； yet there were no stars； and for reasons he could not fathom； he felt deeply lost； as if he had found something so necessary to his life； then lost it without knowing what it was。
It was then that Remo created an original line of sentiment and felt proud of it。 He thought of Deborah's freckles and said to himself； waiting to use it publicly to advantage some day； 〃A girl without freckles is like a night without stars。〃
Remo looked around the restaurant for a woman with freckles。 He had to try out his original line。 He saw only a man in a suit with a briefcase。 The reason he saw only this was that the man was standing three inches from him。
〃Enjoying yourself？ Pleasant thoughts？〃 asked the man。 It was a bitter thin voice。 Remo looked up。 It belonged to a bitter； hateful face。
〃Good evening。 Sit down。 I wondered why you kept me waiting so long。〃
Remo watched Harold W。 Smith take the other side of the table。 He put his briefcase on his lap。
Smith ordered a grilled cheese sandwich。 The waitress said； 〃We have something with tomatoes and bacon and。。。。〃
〃Just grilled cheese；〃 he said。
〃And make it unpleasant；〃 Remo added。 Ah； the waitress had freckles。 He would devastate her。
The waitress hid a smile from all but the corner of her mouth。
〃Be off；〃 Smith said to the girl； and turning to Remo said： 〃My； you're in fine fettle。 Did you enjoy yourself on your last business trip？〃
〃Not really。〃
〃I never knew you liked to freelance。〃
〃What？〃 Remo looked confused。
〃You've forgotten little details？〃
〃I don't know what you mean。〃
Smith leaned over the table and peered intently at Remo's forehead； where his peeled skin was still taut and shiny； and his eyebrows were just growing back。
〃Well； the reports said it was there； so I suppose I'll buy it。 And I do have Chiun's explanation。〃
〃Buy what？〃 Smith smiled and Remo knew that he was not supposed to ask。
〃When did you recover your memory？ I mean fully？〃
〃Tell you what；〃 Remo said； 〃you tell me how I got this sunburn because I'm sure you know and I'll tell you when I recovered my memory。〃
〃You'll tell me when you reco