"That's why I have told you the truth, Mr. Elshawe," Skinner said
earnestly. "I want you to destroy that evidence. I would deny flatly
that I had anything to do with the Polarizer, in any case. And that
would put an end to any inquiry because no one would believe that I
would deny inventing something like that. But I would just as soon that
the question never came up. I would rather that there be no whisper
whatever of anything like that."
He paused for a moment, then, very carefully, he said: "Mr. Elshawe, you
have intimated that the inventor of the Polarizer deserves some kind of
reward. I assure you that the greatest reward you could give me would be
to help me destroy all traces of any connection with the device. Will
you do that, Mr. Elshawe?"
Elshawe just sat silently in the chair for long minutes, thinking.
Skinner didn't interrupt; he simply waited patiently.
After about ten minutes, Elshawe put his pipe carefully on a nearby
table and reached down to pick up his briefcase. He handed it to
Skinner.
"Here. It contains all the evidence I have. Including, I might say, the
recording of our conversation here. Just take the tape out of the
minirecorder. A man like you deserves whatever reward he wants. Take it,
Mr. Skinner."
"Thanks," said Skinner softly, taking the briefcase.
* * * * *
And, on the plane winging back to New York from the Congressional
investigation, Mr. Terrence Elshawe sighed softly. He was glad none of
the senators had asked anything about Skinner, because he knew he would
certainly have had to tell the truth.
And he knew, just as certainly, that he would have been in a great deal
more hot water than Porter had been. Because Malcom Porter was going to
become American Hero Number One, and Terry Elshawe would have ended up
as the lying little sneak who had tried to destroy the reputation of the
great Malcom Porter.
Which, all things considered, would have been a hell of a note.