“Looks as though someone’s trying to scare you off the project,” Burlow agreed.
“But if you suspect us, you’re barking up the wrong tree.”
“Who else would have any reason to try?”
“Search me,” Burlow said with a shrug. “I’ve heard there are rebellious groups in East Ngombia who don’t want the country linked up with a highway-but just rumors, no facts. Better ask the Afro-Metals people. They know more about what goes on in the eastern province than the government does.”
“Maybe I’ll do that,” Tom said, getting up to leave. “Meanwhile, thanks for your time.”
Still nettled over Burlow’s attitude, Tom flew back to Enterprises. Here he learned that re-VOODOO STEW 35
porters and news services had been phoning his office, asking for more details on the African project. Tom issued a statement denying the original story. Then he hurried to the security office to discuss the matter with Harlan Ames.
“I’ve just finished checking out that phony article,” Ames reported. “Your father heard about it just before he flew back to Fearing Island this morning, and he told me to run it down.”
“What did you find out?” Tom asked.
“The story came from a fake news release sent out last night-ostensibly by the Ngombian Embassy in Washington. When I called them, they claimed to know nothing about it. They said they were as surprised as we were.”
Tom frowned. “Harlan, this thing really has me baffled. Any leads yet on the devil doll or last night’s spear-thrower?”
“Not a thing, skipper,” Ames said ruefully. “The paper on which the warning message was printed turned out to be ordinary dime-store scratch paper. And there were no prints on either that or the spear. By the way, the spear itself is an authentic African weapon.”