“What about that ray machine?”
Tom handed the metal case over for the chief’s inspection.
“Any idea how it works?”
“My hunch is it’s some sort of repulsion-ray device, like my own repelatron,”
Tom explained. “But this probably has a pulsating or sweep action. That would explain what caused my car to waver back and forth on the road.”
Chief Slater suggested that they test the device in the paved courtyard fronting the police garage. Tom stood some distance away while a policeman 70 MEGASCOPE SPACE PROBER
drove a car slowly toward him. By aiming the case and thumbing the lighter mechanism, Tom was able to move the car from side to side, regardless of how the officer steered.
“If the driver were outside the car, would the ray have any dangerous effect on him?” Ames asked.
Tom chuckled, shaking his head. “No, that’s a stunt I pulled to scare Dunstan. He probably doesn’t know beans about this machine, except how to trigger it.”
“Whoever designed this must be quite a scientist,” Ames remarked.
“I’m afraid you’re right, Harlan. And the same person may be the one who’s behind these attacks.”
Back in the chief’s office, the prisoners remained uncooperative. Dunstan insisted he had never used the ray machine and had never been in the woods bordering the road where Tom’s car had overturned. He had only been carrying the ray device, he said, as a favor for someone.
“Who?” Slater demanded.
Dunstan shrugged, his lips set tight.
“All right, book them both,” Chief Slater told the sergeant. “Maybe a spell behind bars will change their minds about talking.”
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