resham didn't retain me merely
to help him clear himself. I don't accept that kind of retainers. I was
retained to find the murderer of Arnold Rivers, and I intend to continue
working on this case until I do. I hope that the same friendly spirit of
mutual cooperation will exist between your office and my agency as exists
between me and the State Police. I certainly don't want to have to work
at cross purposes with any of the regular law-enforcement agencies."

"Oh, certainly; of course." Farnsworth didn't seem to like the idea, but
there was no apparent opening for objection. He and Rand exchanged
mendacious compliments, pledged close cooperation, and did practically
everything but draw up and sign a treaty of alliance. Then Farnsworth and
Corporal Kavaalen accompanied Rand and Pierre Jarrett to the front door.

Some of the reporters who were ravening outside must have spotted Rand as
he had entered; they were all waiting for him to come out, and set up a
monstrous ululation when he appeared in the doorway. With Farnsworth
beaming approval, Rand assured the Press that he was no more than a mere
spectator, that the State Police and the efficient District Attorney of
Scott County had the situation well in hand, and that an arrest was
expected within a matter of hours. Then he and Pierre hurried to his car
and drove away.

CHAPTER 14

Neither of them spoke for a moment or two. Then, after they had left the
criminological-journalistic uproar at the Rivers place behind and were
approaching the village of Rosemont, Pierre turned to Rand.

"You know," he said, "for a disciple of Korzybski, you came pretty close
to confusing orders of abstraction, a couple of times, back there. You
showed that Stephen was at home while Rivers was taking that phone call,
a little after ten. But when you talk about clearing him completely,
aren't you overlooking the possibility that he came back to Rivers's
after you and Philip Cabot left the Gresham place?"

Rand eased the foot-pressure on the gas and spared young Jarrett a
side-glance before returning his attention to the road ahead.

"Understand," Pierre hastened to add, "I don't believe that Stephen was
fool enough to kill Rivers over that fake North & Cheney, but weren't you
producing inferences that hadn't been abstracted from any descriptive
data?"

"Pierre, when I'm working on a case like this, any resemblance between
my opinions and the statements I may make is purely due