Heinlein, Robert A – Friday

“Anyone can sleep here tonight but it’s not being encouraged. The managementÄthe new managementÄwants to get everything done today. Lunch will be the last meal served. If anyone is still here tonight at dinnertime, it’s cold sandwiches. Breakfast, nit.”

“Fer Gossake! That doesn’t sound like anything Boss would have planned.”

“It isn’t. This womanÄ The Master’s arrangements were with the senior partner, who died six weeks ago. But it doesn’t matter; we’ll just leave. Coming with us?”

“I suppose so. Yes. But I had better see these recruiters first; I’m going to need a job.”

“Don’t.”

“Why not, Goldie?”

“I’m looking for a job, too. But Anna warned me. The recruiters here today all have arrangements with La Wainwright. If any of them are any good, we can get in touch with them at Las Vegas Labor Mart . . . without handing this snapping turtle a commission. I know what I wantÄhead nurse in a field hospital of a crack

Goldie said, “We had to have her to sign those drafts.”mercenary outfit. All the best ones are represented in Las Vegas.”

“I guess that’s the place for me to look, too. Goldie, I’ve never had to hunt for a job before. I’m confused.”

“You’ll do all right.”

Three hours later, after a hasty lunch, we were in San Jose. Two APVs were shuttling between Pajaro Sands and the National Plaza; Wainwright was getting rid of us as fast as possibleÄI saw two flatbed trucks, big ones, each drawn by six horses, being loaded as we left, and Papa Perry looking harried. I wondered what was being done with Boss’s libraryÄand felt a little separate, selfish sadness that I might never again have such an unlimited chance to feed the Elephant’s Child. I’ll never be a big brain but I’m curious about everything and a terminal hooked directly to all the world’s best libraries is a luxury beyond price.

When I saw what they were loading I suddenly recalled something with near panic. “Anna, who was Boss’s secretary?”

“He didn’t have one. I sometimes helped him if he needed an extra hand. Seldom.”

“He had a contact address for my friends Ian and Janet Tormey. What would have become of it?”

“Unle~s it’s in this”Äshe took an envelope from her bag and handed it to meÄ”it’s gone. . . because I have had standing orders for a long time to go to his personal terminal as soon as he was pronounced dead and to punch in a certain program. It was a wipe order, I know, although he did not say so. Everything personal he had in the memory banks was erased. Would this item be personal?”

“Very personal.”

“Then it’s gone. Unless you have it there.”

I looked at what she had handed me: a sealed envelope with nothing but “Friday” on the outside. Anna added, “That should have been in your packet but I grabbed it and held it out. That nosy slitch was reading everything she could get her hands on. I knew that this was private from Mr. Two-CanesÄDr. Baldwin, I should say nowÄto you. I was not going to let her have it.” Anna sighed. “I worked with her all night. I didn’t kill her. I don’t know why I didn’t.”

Riding with us was one of the staff officers, Burton McNyeÄa quiet man who rarely expressed opinions. But now he spoke. “I’m sorry you restrained yourself. Look at me; I have no cash, I always used my credit card for everything. That snotty shyster wouldn’t give me my closing check until I handed over my credit card. What happens with a draft on Lunar bank? Can you cash it, or do they simply accept it for collection? I may be sleeping in the Plaza tonight.”

“Mr. McNyeÄ”

“Yes, Miss Friday?”

“I’m no longer `Miss’ Friday. Just Friday.”

“Then I’m Burt.”

“Okay, Burt. I’ve got some cash bruins and a credit card that Wainwright could not touch, although she tried. How much do you need?”

He smiled and reached over and patted my knee. “All the nice things I’ve heard about you are true. Thanks, dear, but I’ll handle it. First I’ll take this to the Bank of America. If they won’t cash it offhand, perhaps they will advance me some pending collection. If not, I shall go to her office in the CCC Building and stretch out on her desk and tell her that it is up to her to find me a bed. Damn it; the Chief would have seen to it that each of us got a few hundred in cash; she did it on purpose. Maybe to force us to sign up with her buddies; I wouldn’t put it past her. If she makes any fuss, I’m feeling just ornery enough to find out whether or not I remember any of the things they taught me in basic.”