“Johnny!” She jumped up. “Hold it, Thad,” she said. “I’m on my way.” _Mexcity--Wednesday, October 5, 5:35_ P.M. (_C.S.T._) “I’m sorry, Johnny. We’ve been doing our damnedest. She’s on her way back now, but Relay will cut out in two minutes.” The distant voice was Chris’, but yet not Chris. He couldn’t get _through_, somehow. “Okay,” he said. “Look, I don’t have to talk to her. Will you send her down?” “I’ll tell her you called. I’ll tell her you asked her to come. I can’t _send_ her, Johnny.” “Okay.” _Bastard! You’ll tell her--yeah! But what? What can you tell her to be so sure she won’t want to come?_ “Okay. If that’s it, that’s it.” “I’ll tell her,” the voice named Chris said again. “Hey! Chris! Listen!” He felt his throat tighten up, but the words squeezed past. “Chris! If she--never mind if--Chris, can you make room for me to come up Sunday? Maybe she ought to stay--” “I don’t know--” “We-are-sorry-to-interrupt-this-call-but-Relay-Station-has-passed-out- of-range-This-is-a-recorded-message-We-are-sorry-to-interrupt--” The sound cut out. Johnny turned from the mike, and saw Jed’s hand on the switch. “Well,” he said. “Thanks. I--appreciate everything.” Harbridge took a single step forward. “All right, Johnny. I’m glad we could get you through. Wish you’d connected better. But I imagine she’ll be down Sunday. She _is_ on the subpoena list, you know, so--” “She is?” He hadn’t even read that. He’d forgotten about it. The headline was all he saw, really. “You--wouldn’t care to tell me where Phil Kutler is?” he asked, feeling the ice in his gut again, just like he felt it when he saw the paper, her name, and Phil’s picture. DANCER PREGNANT, SAYS MOON DOC “No. No, I don’t think I’d care to tell you that, John. In fact--Al, I think I hear your phone.” He looked meaningfully at the young man, who undraped himself from the corner of the desk, mock-saluted, and left. “Now let’s get something straight, John,” Harbridge said. “I got your call through. That’s as far as I go. You had no damn business coming in here again. If you had half a brain, you’d realize what it means if they get you into that hearing room _now_. If you care about Lisa at all--Well, that’s your affair. But you busting in here is _my_ business. This is the last time you do it. Try it again, and you’ll find yourself in the jug before you’re halfway in the main door. You follow me?” “_All_ the way,” Johnny said. “Sir.” “All right. I’m going to do one more thing for you, and then I’m through. I wouldn’t do it for _you_; but it happens to be more convenient for me this way. I’m going to get you the hell out of here without any of the process servers who are outside by now getting hold of you. After that, will you please, kindly, _get lost_?” “I hear you talking,” Johnny said tightly. “I’m not sure I follow you though.” “You follow me all right. Come on.”