Space For Hire (Seven For Space) Read Online Free PDF

to Cen Park. I'd put it at 01620."
    "Splendid!" The fat tinkerer beamed. "I can put you practically spot-on. It's much tougher without a time-table."
    "Say, just how did those ginks send me here in the first place? I didn't see any dimensional junk in the unit when I woke up."
    "They must have used a portable rig. More sophisticated than mine. This equipment is still a bit on the cumbersome side, but it works . I'm sure it works."
    "It damn well better," I said.
    Oliver adjusted me in the cone seat, making certain I was in the right cosmic position; he attached several metal doodads to my neck and head. Then he stepped back, obviously pleased with himself. "When I activate this nodule-type activator you'll feel dizzy, then sickish. As these sensations pass, you should spin into blackness and thus out of this universe. Is all that clear?"
    "Yeah, yeah. Let's get cracking. I want to find the dame that had me sapped. And maybe there's still time, in my world, to save doc Umani."
    Nate fiddled with more dials, clucked his fat pink tongue against the roof of his mouth, then looked over at me. "Ready?"
    "Right."
    His eyes gleamed. His chins quivered. "Gook luck, Sam."
    "Thanks, Nate. Thanks for the ride."
    I got dizzy.
    I got sickish.
    And, with a great sparking hum, I spun into blackness.
    * * *
     
    I woke up where I'd fallen, in Nicole's unit in Cen Park South. One thing was for sure: I wouldn't have to go looking for her.
    Totally nude, Nicole was stretched out on the floor next to me, eyes open and staring.
    She was as stiff as a Christmas turkey.

Six
     
    Nicole was still a prime looker. They hadn't done anything to her face, and her body seemed to be unmarked.
    She was lying on her back. I flipped her over and found the deep laser wound that had sliced into her flesh from neck to hips. Looked like the work of a .48 PA tri-beam rimfire Gripper — but I couldn't be sure.
    Whoever had done the job had been in a big hurry because my .38was still on the floor where I'd dropped it. I picked it up, checked the load. Okay. Now I owned two .38s — this one and the one under my coat from the other universe. At least I had something to show for the trip.
    Nicole's murder had all the earmarks of a double-cross. Apparently whoever was after Umani had used the girl to decoy me here, then put her away for good after I was safely transported out of the scene. They didn't want to leave any witnesses around loose, and a good-looking piece of fluff always has a tendency to shoot off her mouth to the wrong Joe.
    They'd made certain her mouth stayed shut.
    There was nothing I could do about Nicole but the unit was worth a frisk. Last time I'd searched the wrong crackerbox. In that world this place belonged to a seventy-six year-old bed widow who liked walking neardogs in the afternoon.
    I figured this time I'd get lucky and find something I could use in the case. And I did.
    They'd taken Nicole's purse but they'd been in too much of a rush to grab her trip trunk. It was just to the left of the door where she'd set it down after entering the unit. Inside, neatly tucked away between a pair of scented glosex blouses, I found a faxletter addressed to Nicole S. Tubbs, source punched Domehive, Saturn. I unlooped the fabcovering and read:
     
——
My dear and delightful Miss Tubbs:

Word has reached us that Dr. Umani's daughter has hired a private investigator named Space to accompany a coldpac body shipment from Earth to Mars. He must be detoured. And you have been selected for this assignment. Meet him on ship-board and arrange for him to escort you to your life unit. We will have an agent there to deal with him.

You will be paid well for this service.

F.
——
     
    I sighed. F. had paid her well, all right, whoever he was. With a laser cut to the heart. I had my clue. It didn't look like much but when you're in my kind of game you play the hand that's dealt you. With any luck, F. could be my ace.
    * * *
     
    I checked out the Reagan by