that's all."

"What do you do?"

"Office work, mostly. I'm a junior executive in an insurance company."

"Any enemies?"

"No ... Oh, I suppose I have a few people I don't get along with, like
anybody else. Nobody who'd do anything like this, though."

The sergeant flipped his notebook closed. "You'd better keep your dog
inside and around the kid as much as possible. Keep your doors and
windows locked. I'll see that the prowl car keeps an eye on the house.
Call us if anything seems unusual or out of the way."

Nancy had taken a sedative and was asleep by the time Martin finished
cleaning the .30-.30 rifle he used for deer hunting. He put it by the
stairs, ready for use, fully loaded, leaning it against the wall next
to the telephone stand.

* * * * *

The front door bell rang. He answered it. It was Dr. Stuart and
another man.

"I came as soon as I could, Martin," the young doctor said, stepping
inside with the other man. "This is my new assistant, Dr. Tompkins."

Martin and Tompkins shook hands.

"The baby--?" Dr. Stuart asked.

"Upstairs," Martin said.

"You'd better get him, Dr. Tompkins, if we're to take him to the
hospital. I'll stay here with Mr. Laughton. How've you been, Martin?"

"Fine."

"How's everything at the office?"

"Fine."

"And your wife?"

"She's fine, too."

"Glad to hear it, Martin. Mighty glad. Say, by the way, there's that
bill you owe me. I think it's $32, isn't that right?"

"Yes, I'd almost forgotten about it."

"Why don't you be a good fellow and write a check for it? It's been
over a year, you know."

"That's right. I'll get right at it." Martin went over to his desk,
opened it and started looking for his checkbook. Dr. Stuart stood by
him, making idle comment until Dr. Tompkins came down the stairs with
the sleeping baby cuddled against his shoulder.

"Never mind the check, now, Martin. I see we're ready to go." He went
over to his assistant and took the baby. Together they walked out the
front door.

"Good-bye," Martin said, going to the door.

Then he was nearly bowled over by the discharge of the .30-.30. Dr.
Stuart crumpled to the ground, the baby falling to the lawn. Dr.
Tompkins whirled and there was a second shot. Dr. Tompkins pitched
forward on his face.

The figure of a woman ran from the house, retrieved the now squalling
infant and ran back into the house. Once inside, Nancy slammed the
door, gave the baby to the s