rock of
silvercloth. Her golden hair shone. Her large, dark eyes looked deep,
moist, alive. She looked at him questioningly? and he read the silent
question: _Now can you spare a little time?_

"Baby," he said softly, and kissed her.

"Mm," he said when he had finished kissing her.

The voice-phone rang.

He said, "Damn it."

It was Kronski, in his own room next door. "Did Wilcox leave yet?" he
asked.

"Wilcox?"

"Yeah. The Doc. Is he still there?"

"I didn't know he was here at all."

Kronski said, "Huh?"

Pell said, "Maybe we better back up and start all over again."

"Wilcox, the Resident Surgeon Doc Wilcox," said Kronski, not too
patiently. "He was in my room a little while ago. Said he'd drop by on
his way out and see if you were in."

Pell glanced at Ciel. She was busy lighting a cigarette at the other end
of the room. Or pretending to be busy. Pell said, "I just got here. Just
this minute. I didn't see any Wilcox. What'd he want?"

"I don't know exactly. He was kind of vague about it. Wanted to know if
he could answer any more questions for us, or anything like that."

"Sounds screwy."

"Yeah. It sure does, now that I think it over."

"Let me call you back," said Pell and hung up. He turned to Ciel. "Was
Doc Wilcox here?"

"Why, yes. He stopped in." Nothing but blank innocence on her face.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Hm?" She raised her eyebrows. "He just stopped in to see if you were
here, that was all. I told him you weren't and he went out again."

"But you didn't mention it."

"Well, why should I?"

"I don't know. I'd think you'd say something about it."

"Now, listen, Dick--I'm not some suspect you're grilling. What's the
matter with you, anyway?"

"It just strikes me as funny that Wilcox should drop in here and you
shouldn't say one word about it, that's all."

"Well, I like that." She folded her arms. "You're getting to be so much
of a cop you're starting to be suspicious of your own wife."

"Now, you know it's not that at all."

"What else is it? Dick, I'm sick of it. I'm sick of this whole stupid
business you're in. The first time we get a few minutes alone together
you start giving me the third degree. I won't stand for it, that's all!"

"Now, baby," he said and took a step toward her.

The deeper tone of the viewer sounded.

* * * * *

"Agh, for Pete's sake," he said disgustedly and answered the call. The
image of Chief Larkin's