That fella is sure concerned about my health, alright, Jake thought, though Jake wasn’t sure why. He hadn’t had anyone take this much interest in his welfare since he became eligible for Medicare.

Could Amanda Rae be right? Could this exam that this fella wanted Jake to take have nothing to do with his general health? Naw, that didn’t make no sense, he mused. Why else would he be offering Jake the free exam?

But he sure was being persistent.

Huddy extracted a bottle from the cabinet shelf that served as a bar and poured two fingers of the contents into a glass with ice. He added more liquid from another bottle, then filled another glass.

Somerset was sprawled decoratively across the curving couch, looking indifferently ravishing. Beyond her the floor-to-ceiling windows opened onto the lights of the megalopolis, the vast flat Christmas tree that was the Los Angeles basin at night. He handed her her drink.

“I just don’t understand why he should do a complete turnaround like that,” he muttered as he sat down close to her. “He seemed so enthusiastic when I made the proposal to him the first time. What could I have said to make him change his mind?”

“Take it easy, Benjy.” She sipped at the drink. “Probably you had nothing to do with it. He just changed his mind.You know how these old codgers can be.”

“No, I don’t know how they can be. I don’t have many dealings with ‘old codgers’ and neither do you.”

“Swell. So he changed his mind. He may change it again. You told me that you gave him two days to think it over and that he agreed to reconsider.”

“I know, I know.” Huddy rose and moved to replenish his drink. “But we can’t afford to give him too much time. Suppose,” he said earnestly, “suppose he’s a little sharper than we’re giving him credit for. Suppose he talks to somebody else about this. He noticed the CCM on my business card right away. Smart he may not be, but he’s damn observant. I got out of the slip easily enough, but I kicked myself all the way back to the office. It was just reflex, handing over a card like that.”

“Like you say,” she soothed him, “it doesn’t seem to have done any harm. He’d made up his mind before you showed him the card.”

“Yeah, but if he talks to somebody else…. What if he’s made the connection between his little magic demonstration and my sudden interest in his health?”

“That’s hardly likely. He doesn’t have the educational background that would enable him to make that kind of connection. If he did he probably wouldn’t have done his ‘tricks’ for you in the first place.”

“I know I’m worrying needlessly,” he said tiredly, “but I can’t help it. I’m a natural worrier. I wish he hadn’t changed his mind about going in for the exam that day. If we’d just gotten him into the car everything could’ve been managed from then on. But there were too many kids around to try ‘helping’ him into the Eldo.

“You know, I’ll bet I’m the first perceptive adult he’s ever done those tricks for. He thinks they’re just suitable for children.”

“Which may be the case, Benjy. Keep that in mind. We still don’t have any hard evidence for anything more than parlor magic.”

“I know what I saw,” said Huddy slowly, positively.

“Of course you do, Benjy. I’m not disputing that. I’m just saying there might be other explanations for what happened besides magic and the supernatural.”

“It’s not supernatural. It’s psionics and parapsychology.”

“Which most intelligent scientists regard as falling in the realm of the supernatural. I’ve done some reading, you see.”

“So have I, Ruth. You know me. I’m as much a realist as anyone you’re likely to run into.”

“I’m aware of that, Benjy,” she said sweetly, “and that’s the only reason I’m going along with you on this one.”

“You know something,” he said, suddenly excited, “his sudden refusal to take the exam, his abrupt turnaround, that tells us something in itself.”

“Like what?”

“Like maybe he’s aware of his own abilities and he suspects that I am, too. Otherwise why refuse to take a simple medical exam? Isn’t his abrupt refusal proof that he has something to hide from us?”

She considered that one as the liquor warmed her belly. “Now that,” she said evenly, “is an intriguing thought, Benjamin.” She mulled it over further. “Yes, a very intriguing thought. Why refuse the exam if he has nothing to hide? Unless maybe he’s talked to someone about this and gotten some advice.”

“Who could he have talked to? If he knows he can do more than simple tricks, who could he confide that knowledge to with any assurance it would stay secret? No one in that neighborhood, that’s for damn sure.”

“Maybe it would be better just to pick him up,” she suggested thoughtfully.

“That’s why I had two boys with me today, but the presence of all those kids checked me. Besides, when he said he’d think it over again, I thought it best to give him another couple of days. Naturally it’ll be easier if he comes in of his own free will. Hell, maybe he only refused because he was constipated or something. Old folks ailments. He may call tomorrow and ask to come in. If he does I’ll go get him right away, before he has time to change his mind again.

“If we do have to pick him up it’s the sort of thing that’ll be better done in the middle of the night. And I’d rather use something besides my own car. A van would be better. Something with a plumber’s or electrician’s insignia on the side. How did Navis react when we didn’t show today?”

“Philosophically,” she told him. “I just told him the project had been put back for a few days. He complained about having to juggle his precious time, but that’s all.”

“Good. Navis is a good man. He’ll keep his mouth shut. When he sees what’s to be gained from this, he’ll be so busy with his tests he’ll forget that what he’s doing is illegal.”

“We may have to cut him in,” she observed.

“I’m prepared for that,” Huddy told her. He sipped at the liquor. “It’d be impossible to exclude the doctor running the tests from participating in any benefits. Two more days. He changed his mind once, maybe we’ll get lucky and he’ll do so again. If not, I’ll have another chat with Drew. We’ll go ahead and make arrangements for the van, just in case. We may have to go with a hot one.”

“Surely that’s not necessary.”

“Might be simpler and safer than trying to disguise a company vehicle, and any rental could be traced. Damn,” he frowned. “This isn’t my department. The clean-up was one thing. This sort of deal is petty.”

“Would you like me to handle it?” she asked. “You’ve been working awfully hard. First the clean-up, now this, not to mention your regular work.”

“That’s alright. How can I ask you to take over details when you don’t really believe in what I’m doing? You don’t, do you?”

“Not really. Not yet, no.”

“Then I can’t ask you to take risks for something you don’t feel strongly about. Look, you’re right. I’m worrying too much. We’re dealing with one solitary old man.”

“What happens to him when you get him into Navis’ hands?” she wondered. She recrossed her legs, showing smooth tanned skin all the way up to her silk.

“He’ll be sedated, told he’s been transferred temporarily to a hospital ward. That’s no problem. An old man like that with heart trouble could expect to wake up in a hospital bed anytime. Then Navis can begin his tests. I expect if there’s anything to my suspicions Pickett will be with us for a long time.”

“Suppose he doesn’t cooperate?” Somerset asked. “Suppose he decides he doesn’t want to perform his little tricks for Doctor Navis?”

“Oh, he will,” Huddy murmured softly, “he will. I’ve already talked to Navis about that possibility. He isn’t worried about getting Pickett to cooperate.”

VII

“Mandy, I don’t understand. So much fussin’ over my health. Even the people at the hospital don’t show that much interest in me.”

“Uncle Jake,” Amanda said inside his head, “don’t you understand yet? That card that man gave you proves it. Consolidated Chemical and Mining. That’s a big corporation, Uncle Jake. And you showed one of their representatives how you can make things slipt. A man who probably has a good background in science and engineering. A man who’d know right away that you just don’t make things slipt.”

“It wasn’t much of a trick,” Jake murmured innocently. “All I did was—”

“I know what you did. Bottle caps and road dirt. It was obviously enough. I’ve warned you about this before, Uncle Jake. You should’ve known better.”

“I’m sorry, Mandy, but what’s done is done. Still, it seems like a lot of fuss over some dirty hubcaps and beer. I wish I knew more about how I make things slipt. I know you’ve tried to explain what you think it is.” He rolled over in the bed. “I just don’t—”