A Borrowed Man Read Online Free PDF Page B

knew it. “First, to verify your brother’s assertion that there was nothing else in there—also to get a lead on what the other contents may have been, if there were other contents. Second, because the people who are after the book must have learned about it in some way. There are at least half a dozen ways they might have found out, and maybe more. You may have told them yourself, for example. Or they may have overheard you telling someone else. But—”
    Colette interrupted. “No, they couldn’t! I’ve never told anyone but you.”
    â€œGood! Your brother may have told someone, and so on. But highest probability—or so it seems to me—is that they learned about it from the locksmith. If so, he must have seen them. In my day, one could call others on many telephones without being seen. Now, screening—well, I suppose it might be possible to fake a face in some way, but you’d have to be very good with screens to do it. Or so I imagine.”
    Colette nodded. “I’ve been using screens since I was a little girl, and I don’t believe I could manage it. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”
    â€œBesides which, I doubt very much if a simple screen from a stranger would do it. You could explain that we need to know, that your brother is dead now, and so forth. They wouldn’t have that advantage. The locksmith could say, why do you want to know? And he probably would.”
    â€œThey may have bribed him.”
    â€œYou’re right,” I said, “money always works—if it’s enough money. Offered more, he might describe them and his conversation with them. That information might be vital to us.”
    She nodded again. “Knowledge is power, if it’s the right knowledge.”
    After that she screened for our hovercab while I dried her feet—a real blast—with my handkerchief. Then I helped her with her boots and put on my socks and shoes. I kept looking for animals as we made our way back to the clearing where the hovercab had let us out, but I never saw a one.
    After fifteen minutes or so, the hovercab came back. It had a bill on its screen that was a lot larger than it had been when it left. Colette ignored that, got the sim, and for the second time told it to take us to the Taos Towers.
    Then she turned to me. “All right if we go straight there? In a hovercraft the trip will take two or three hours and it’s getting dark here already.”
    I shrugged. “You’ve checked me out for ten days. May I assume you’ll at least put me up for the night?”
    â€œOnly if you’ll sit with me, sip a little wine while we watch something, and whisper clever compliments. Then be content to sleep in my guest room.”
    I should not have grinned, but I believe I did. “I’ll do them all very willingly indeed.”
    â€œFine.” She smiled. “I’ve five rooms and a bath. The lounge and the dining room are open to you. The lounge is the biggest room, and it’s where the couch is. The bathroom’s available whenever you need it as long as I’m not in it, but the kitchen and my bedroom are private property. If you want something to eat, or a glass of milk or something, I’ll bring it. There’s wine and beer and who knows what all under the bar in the lounge. Ginger ale, peanuts, crackers, and so forth. Take any of that stuff you want. Understand? Just stay out of the kitchen and my bedroom. It’s my apartment and those are my rules.”
    â€œWhich I will certainly follow.”
    â€œYou won’t go in the kitchen? Or my bedroom?”
    â€œAbsolutely not.”
    â€œYou’d better mean that. If I find you in either one, you’ll go back to the library just as fast as I can get you there.”
    Later, in her suite, she said she had expected me to want to see her father’s house in New Delphi as soon as I could.
    I shook my head.
    â€œI