“Ma’am, on my honor as an officer of the Federation I assure you. . .”
“Spare yourself, Mr. Greenberg. Now, if you will excuse me.. .”
“Mrs. Stuart, I beg you. If you will only. . .”
“Mr. Greenberg, do not force me to be rude to a guest. But I have nothing more to say.”
Greenberg left. He looked around, intending to bring the boy into the argument, but John Thomas had quietly left. Greenberg went back to his hotel, with no intention of returning to Capital with mission incomplete but judging it useless to argue until she had time to simmer down.
He had his taxi driver drop him on the hotel roof in order to avoid reporters, but a man was waiting there, armed with an interview phone. “Half a mo’, Mr. Commissioner. My name’s Hovey. How about a few words on Secretary MacClure’s announcement?”
“No comment.”
“In other words you agree with it?”
“No comment.”
“Then you disagree?”
“No comment. I’m in a hurry.” This was true; he was anxious to call in and find out what in the name of blue blazing galaxies had happened.
“Just a second, please. Westville has a big local angle. I’d like to get a story before the main office sends heavyweights here to push me aside.”
Greenberg relaxed a little. . . no sense in antagonizing the press and the fellow had a point; he knew how it felt to have someone senior sent to cope with a problem that had started as his. “Okay. But keep it brief; I really am in a hurry.” He took out cigarettes. Got a light on you?”
“Sure.” They lighted up, Hovey continued, “People are saying that this blast of the Secretary’s is just a smoke screen and that you have come here to get the Stuart boy and turn him over to the Hroshii people. How about it?”
“No com. . . No, don’t say that; say this and quote me. No citizen of the Federation ever has been or ever will be surrendered as a hostage to any power whatsoever.”
“That’s official?”
“That’s official,” Greenberg said firmly.
“Then what are you doing here? I understand you are trying to take the Stuart kid and his mother back to Capital. Capital Enclave isn’t legally part of the North American Union, is it? If you got him there, our local and national officials couldn’t protect him.”
Greenberg shook his head angrily. “Any citizen of the Federation is on his home grounds in the Enclave. He has all rights there that he has at home.”
“Why do you want him there?”
Greenberg lied fast and fluently. “John Thomas Stuart has knowledge of the psychology of the Hroshii held by no other human being. We want his help in dealing with them.”
“That’s more like it. ‘Westville Boy Recruited as Diplomatic Aide.’ How’s that for a lead?”
“Sounds good,” Greenberg agreed. “Got enough? I’m in a rush.”
“Sure,” agreed Hovey. ‘I can pad this to a couple of thousand words. Thanks, Commissioner. See you later.”
Greenberg went down and locked himself in, then turned to the phone, intending to call the department, but it came to life first. Chief Dreiser looked out at him. ‘Mr. Commissioner Greenberg.
“How do you do, Chief?”
‘Well enough, thank you. But Mr. Greenberg-I’ve just had a call from Mrs. Stuart.”
“Yes?” Greenberg had a sudden wish for one of those pills the boss ate.
“Mr. Greenberg, we always try to cooperate with you gentlemen.”
Greenberg attempted a stop thrust. “So? Were you cooperating when you attempted to kill the Hroshia without waiting for authority?”
Dreiser turned red. ‘That was a mistake. It has nothing to do with what I must say now.”
“Which is?”
“Mrs. Stuart’s son is missing. She thinks he might be with you.”
“So? She’s mistaken. I don’t know where he is.”
“Is that true, Mr. Commissioner?”
“Chief, I do not tolerate being called a liar.”
Dreiser went doggedly ahead. “Sorry. But I must add this. Mrs. Stuart does not want her son to leave town. The police department backs her up a hundred per cent.”
“Naturally.”
“Don’t mistake me, Mr. Commissioner. You are a very important. official-but you are just another citizen if you get out of line. I read that news story and I didn’t like it.”