Stop Look and Dig

George O. (George Oliver) Smith

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of Stop Look and Dig by George O. Smith This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at http://www.guten- berg.org/license Title: Stop Look and Dig Author: George O. Smith Release Date: November 29, 2006 [Ebook 19963] Language: English ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STOP LOOK AND DIG*** Stop Look and Dig by George O. Smith Edition 1, (November 29, 2006) [051] Stop Look and Dig BY GEORGE O. SMITH ILLUSTRATED BY SMITH The enlightened days of mental telepathy and ESP should have made the world a better place, But the minute the Rhine Institute opened up, all the crooks decided it was time to go collegiate! Someone behind me in the dark was toting a needle-ray. The impression came through so strong that I could almost read the filed-off serial number of the thing, but the guy himself I couldn't dig at all. I stopped to look back but the only sign of life I could see was the fast flick of taxicab lights as they crossed an intersection about a half mile back. I stepped into a doorway so that I could think and stay out of the line of fire at the same time. The impression of the needle-ray did not get any stronger, and that tipped me off. The bird was following me.

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• Publié par: fiwyong
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 14
• Langue: English

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TheProjectGutenbergEBookofStopLookandDigbyGeorge O.Smith ThiseBookisfortheuseofanyoneanywhereatnocostand withalmostnorestrictionswhatsoever.Youmaycopyit,give itawayorre-useitunderthetermsoftheProjectGutenberg LicenseincludedwiththiseBookoronlineathttp://www.guten- berg.org/license Title:StopLookandDig Author:GeorgeO.Smith ReleaseDate:November29,2006[Ebook19963] Language:English ***STARTOFTHEPROJECTGUTENBERGEBOOK STOPLOOKANDDIG***

potSLkoo byGeorge Edition,1 dnagiD O.Smith (November92,)6002

StopLookandDig BY IL G L E U O S R T G R E AT O. E S D M B I Y TH SMITH TheenlighteneddaysofmentaltelepathyandESPshould havemadetheworldabetterplace,ButtheminutetheRhine Instituteopenedup,allthecrooksdecideditwastimetogo collegiate! Someonebehindmeinthedarkwastotinganeedle-ray.The impressioncamethroughsostrongthatIcouldalmostreadthe filed-offserialnumberofthething,buttheguyhimselfIcouldn't digatall.IstoppedtolookbackbuttheonlysignoflifeI couldseewasthefastflickoftaxicablightsastheycrossedan intersectionaboutahalfmileback.Isteppedintoadoorwayso thatIcouldthinkandstayoutofthelineoffireatthesametime. Theimpressionoftheneedle-raydidnotgetanystronger,and thattippedmeoff.Thebirdwasfollowingme.Hewasnopeace- lovingcitizenbecausehonestmendonotcartweaponswiththe serialnumbersfiledoff.Thereforethecharactertailingmewasa hotpapawithaburnerchargelabelled"SteveHammond"inhis needler. Iconcentrated,buttheonlyimpressionIcouldgetwouldhave specifiedninety-eightmenoutofahundredanywhere.Hewas shorterthanmysix-feet-twoandlighterthanmyone-ninety.I couldguessthathewasbetterlooking.I'dhadmyfeatures arrangedbyablockeddropkicktheyearbeforetheNational FootballLeagueruledtheRhineInstituteoutbecauseofouruse 50[]1 0[]25

2StopLookandDig ofmentalsandperceptives.Igaveuptrying--Iwanteddetails andnotanoverallpictureofahotbirdcarryingaburner. IwonderedifIcouldmakearunforit. Iletmysenseofperceptiondigthestreetahead,casingevery bumpandirregularity.IpassedplaceswhereIcouldzigoutto takecoverinfrontoftelephonepoles,andotherplaceswhere Icouldzagintotakecoverbeyondfrontstepsandthelike.I letmyperceptionrunuptheblockandbythetimeIgottothe endofmyrange,IknewthatblockjustaswellasifI'dmadea practiseruninthedaytime. AtthispointIgotashock.Thehotpapawascomingupthe sidewalkhellbentfordestruction.Hewasamentalsensitive,and hehadbeenfollowingmythoughtswhilemysenseofperception madeitstrialrunupthestreet.Hewasrunninglikethedevilto catchupwithmymindandburnitdownperschedule.Itmust havecomeasquiteashocktohimwhenherealizedthatwhile themindhewasreadingwasrunninglikehellupthestreet,the hardoldbodywasstandinginthedoorwaywaitingforhim. Idoveoutofmyhidingplaceashecameclose.Iwantedto tacklehimhardandasksomepointedquestions.HesawmeasI sawhimskiddingtoanunbalancedstop,andtherewasthedull glintofmetalinhisrighthand.Hisneedle-raycameswingingup andIwentformyarmpit.Ifoundtimetocursemyownstupidity fornothavinghardwareinmyownfistatthemoment.Butthen Ihadmyrodinmyfist.Ifeltthehotscorchoftheneedlegoing offjustovermyshoulder,andthencamethegodawfulracketof myancientforty-five.Thebigslugcaughthimhighinthebelly andtossedhimback.Itfoldedhimoveranddroppedhiminthe gutterwhiletheechoesofmycannonwerestillracketingback andforthupanddownthequietstreet. Ihadjustenoughtimetodighiswallet,pockets,andbillfold beforethewholeneighborhoodwasupandout.Sirenshowled inthedistanceandfromaboveIcouldhearthethinwailofa

3 jetcopter.Someoneopenedawindowandcalled:"What'sgoing onoutthere?Cutitout!" "Teaparty,"Icalledback."Goinvitethecops,Tommy." Thewindowslammeddownagain.Hedidn'thavetoinvite thelaw.Itarrivedinthreegroundcruisersandtwojetcopter emergencysquadsthatcameclosinginlikeacollapsingballoon. TheleaderofthesquadronwasaLieutenantWilliamson whomI'dnevermetbefore.Butheknewallaboutmebefore the'copterhittheground.Icouldalmostfeelhissenseof perceptionfriskingmefromtheskinoutward,goingthrough mywalletandinspectingthePrivateOperator'slicenseandmy Weapon-Permit.IfoundoutlaterthatWilliamsonwasaRhine ScholarwithaBachelor'sDegreeinPerception,whichputhim headandshouldersoverme.Hecametothepointatonce. "Anyideasaboutthis,Hammond?" Ishookmyhead."Nope,"Ireplied.Helookedatoneofhis .nem Theothermannodded."He'slevelling,"hesaid. "Nowlook,Hammond,"saidthelieutenantpointedly,"You're cleanandweknowit.Buthotpapasdon'tgooutforfun.Why washetryingtoburnyou?" "Iwouldn'tknow.I'masblankasanyperceptivewhenit comestoreadingminds.Iwashopingtocollecthimwhole enoughtoaskquestions,butheforcedmyhand."Ilookedto wheresomeoftheclean-upsquadweretuckingthecorpseinto abasket."ItwasoneofthefewtimesI'dhavehappilyswapped myperceptionfortheabilitytoreadamind." Thelieutenantnoddedunhappily."Mindtellingmewhyyou werewanderingaroundinthisneighborhood?Youdon'tbelong here,youknow." "Iwasdoingthejobthatmostprivateeyesdo.Iwastailinga gentwhowasplayinggamesoffthereservation." "You'vegoneintothisguy'swallet,ofcourse?" Inodded."Sure.HewasPeterRambaugh,agethirty,and----" [ [ 0 0 5 5 4 3 ] ]

4potSkooLdnagiD

5 "Don'tbother.Iknowtherest.Icanaddonlyoneitemthat youmaynotknow.Rampaughwasapaidhotboy,suspectedof playingwithScarmann'smob." "I'vehadnodealingswithScarmann,Lieutenant." TheLieutenantnoddedabsently.Itseemedtobeahabitwith him,probablytocoveruphisthinking-time.Finallyhesaid, "Hammond,you'reclean.AssoonasIidentifiedyouItooka digofyourfolderatheadquarters.You'reabitroughandfaston thatprehistoriccannonofyours,but----" "Youmeanyoucandigafolderatcentralfilesalltheway fromhere?" "Idid." Herewasarealesperforyou.I'vegotarangeofabout twoblocksforgood,solid,permanentthingslikebuildingsand street-cartracks,butunfamiliarthingsgetfoggyataboutahalf ablock.Icandiglethalmachinerycominginmydirectionfor aboutablockandahalfbecauseI'mabitsensitiveaboutsuch things.IlookedatLieutenantWilliamsonandsaid,"Witha rangelikeyours,howcomethere'sanycrimeinthistownatall?" Heshookhisheadslowly."Crimedoesn'toutuntilit'scom- mitted,"hesaid."You'llrememberhowfastwegothereafter youpulledthetrigger.Butyou'reclean,Hammond.Justcometo theinquestandtellall." "Icango?" "Youcango.Butjusttokeepyououtofanymoretrouble,I'll haveoneofthejetcoptersdropyouoffathome.Mind?" "Nope.Butisn'tthatmorethanthepoliceareusedtodoing?" Heeyedmeamusedly."IfIwereamental,"hesaid,"Icould readyourmindandknowthatyouwereformingthenotionof callingonScarmannandaskinghimwhat-for.ButsinceI'monly amind-blankesper,allIcandoistofallbackonexperienceand guesswork.DoImakemyselfclear?" ]550[

650[] 6StopLookandDig LieutenantWilliamson'sguess-workandexperiencewereus goodasmentalsensitivity,butIdidn'tthinkitwisetoadmitthat IhadbeenconsideringjustexactlyhowtogettoScarmann.I wasquicklyandfirmlyconvoyedhomeinajetcopterbutonceI sawthemtakeoffIwalkedoutoftheapartmentagain. IhadmoreorlesstacitlyagreednottogolookingforScar- mann,butIhadnotmentionedtakingadigattheapartmentof thedeardeparted,PeterRambaugh. Rambaugh'splacewasuptownandthefrontdoorwasprotect- edbyaneighttumblercylinderjobthatwouldhavetaxedthe bestofesperlockpicks.Buttherewasaserviceentranceinback thatwasnotlockedandItookit.Theelevatorwasaself-service job,andRambaugh'sbackdoorwaslockedonasnaplatchthat aplayfulkittencouldhaveopened.Idugtheplaceforafew minutesandfounditclean,soIwentinandtookamorecareful .kool Thedeskwasnotparticularlyinteresting.Justpapersand lettersandunpaidbills.Thedresserinthebedroomwasthe same,exceptingforthebottomdrawer.Thatwasfilledwitha finecollectionofneedle-raysandstungunsandonebigforce blasterthatcouldblowaholeinabrickwall.Noneofthemhad theirserialnumbersintact. ButbehindareproductionofaGainsboroughpaintingwasa wallsafethatmusthavebeenbuiltbeforeRhineInstitutediscov- eredthekeytoman'slatentabilities.Insideofthistincanwas acollectionofphotographsthatmusthavebroughtRambaugh anicesuminthemonthswhenthemurderbusinesswentslack. Icouldn'tquitedigthemclearbecauseIdidn'tknowanyofthe peopleinvolved,andIdidn'ttrytoohardbecausetherewere somelettersandnotesthatmightleadmeintotheanswertowhy Rambaughwashotburningforme. Ifiddledwiththedialforaboutfifteenminutes,watchingthe tumblersandthelittlewheelsgoaround.Thenitwentclickand

7 Iturnedthehandleandopenedthedoor.Iwasstandingthere withbothhandsdeepinRambaugh'ssafewhenIheardanoise behindme. Iwhirledandslidasideallinonemotionandmyhandstreaked formyarmpitandcameoutwiththefortyfive.Itwasawoman andshewascarryingnothingmorelethalthanthefountainpen inherpurse.Sheblanchedwhenshesawmyforty-fiveswinging towardshermiddle,butshetookadeepbreathwhenIhaltedit inmidair. "Ididn'tmeantostartleyou,"sheapologized. "Startle,hell!"Iblurted."Youscaredmeoutofmyshoes." Idugherpurse.Besidetheusualfemalejunkshehadawallet containingacoupleofcharge-accountplates,adriver'slicense, andahospitalcard,allmadeouttoMissMarthaFranklin.Miss Franklinwasabouttwenty-four,andshewasastrawberryblonde withthepaleskinandblueeyesthatgoeswiththehair.Igathered thatshedidn'tbelongthereanymorethanIdid. "Idon't,Mr.Hammond,"shesaid. SoMarthaFranklinwasamentalsensitive. "Iam,"shetoldme."That'showIcametobehere." "I'mesper.You'llhavetoexplaininwordsofonesyllable becauseIcan'treadyou." "Iwasnotfarawaywhenyoucutloosewiththatfield-piece ofyours,"shesaidflatly."SoIreadyourintentiontocomehere. I'vebeenfollowingyouatmentalrangeeversince." "Why?" "BecausethereissomethinginthatsafeIwantverymuch." Ilookedatheragain.Shedidnotlookthetypetogetintoawk- wardsituations.Shecoloredslightlyandsaid,"Oneindiscretion doesn'tmakeatramp,Mr.Hammond." Inodded."Wantitintactorburned?"Iasked. "Burned,please,"shesaid,smilingweaklyatmeformy intention.Ismiledback. ]750[