“I want Rockland, New York,” he told the operator. “The residence of Colonel John Wendt. I don’t know the number. It’s person to person for Colonel Wendt....” _Rockland--4_ P.M. (_E.D.S.T._) The phone chime couldn’t compete with Beethoven. He didn’t even hear it till it rang once in an interval. Then he tried _not_ to hear it. But when the music began again, he was listening for it, and at the next chime he got up and went inside, turned the volume down and switched the phone onto audio only. “Yes?” _Lisa!_ She was never this late.... “Colonel Wendt? Hold the line for Mexcity, please.” Mexcity? Not Lisa, anyhow. _Colonel_ Wendt? Who the hell--? What did Mexcity want with him anyhow, at this late date? “Colonel Wendt?” The voice was familiar. “Yes?” “Johnny--hi! This is Chris.” “I’ll be damned! I thought you were away up there.” “Was. Will be. Tomorrow. Don’t you ever answer your phone? I’ve been trying to get you for the last half hour.” “What’s on your mind?” A moment’s silence, after which Christensen’s voice came through just a bit too loud and too jovial: “At the moment: dinner. What are you people doing tonight? I thought maybe I could talk you into coming down to New York for the evening. I’m planning to hop the mail rocket there right away.” “Anything in particular, Chris?” _You’re not calling me just for love, ole bud!_ “Several things.” The voice was more normal. Okay. Backslapping gambit rejected. “How about tomorrow?” Johnny said. “I’m not sure I could, but--?” He let it dangle. “I can’t tomorrow. Got to be in Denver by three.” “Hate to miss seeing you,” Johnny said evenly. “Next time around, maybe?” _Yeah, next century._ Perversely, he reached out and switched on the video. After all, it wasn’t Chris’ fault. He’d been pretty decent, all round. “My God, you look comfortable!” Christensen said. “It’s miserable here!” _So go back up where you belong._... “Yeah,” he said. “Hate to go into town myself.” The perverse impulse swept him again. “Listen, why don’t you come up here instead? Why don’t you eat with us? You know Lee, don’t you?” _No, you don’t._ “Only from watching her. Matter of fact, I’d like to. If you really mean it?” “Right. You can pick up a heli in New York, fly right in here. Just north of Nyack. Our strip is number seventeen. You can’t miss it.” “Okay. If I have any trouble getting on the rocket, I’ll call you back. Otherwise--let’s see--I guess I should make it about seven?” “We won’t eat till eight, probably.” “I’ll see you.” “Right.” He switched off, and snapped off the player angrily. Well, it was his home and his dinner, after all. He didn’t have to listen to anything he didn’t want to. And where in Hell was Lisa? After four, now.