"You looked good on the deal last night," Nolan said. "You and your
hammy ideas. I would have got out without all that."
Petersen was serious. "Not alive, no. When I saw those apes coming down
the street I was pretty sure something was up. So I got on a phone--I
got a friend works for Woller's company, and he reads the boss'
mail--and that's what he told me. Woller has to get back to the Inner
Planets in a hurry. He's sent a bunch of his company guards to pick up
some stuff at his apartment. The only thing I could think of was to
turn in the alarm and hope you'd get out in the confusion. You're a
smart boy, but you ain't Dead-eye Dick, friend. You couldn't of fought
it out with five of Woller's finest."
Nolan inclined his head. "Maybe you're right. You say something big
seems to be up?"
"What else? He gets a red-hot sealed teleflash from Aylette. Sealed,
mind you--my friend can't listen in. He cancels the orders of the
only ship his new company has in Avalon--cancels all the cargo
contracts--and takes off in it in the middle of the night for Aylette.
He'll be back here this morning, they say, to pick up those papers.
Then they're off again, deep space, this time. The clearance says Mars."
Nolan nodded. His face was impassive, but a slight crinkling of the
lines around his lean nose showed thought. What was Woller up to?
It was curiously difficult to concentrate on Woller. Absently, he found
himself saying. "And you don't know who the girl was?"
"My information don't go that far," Petersen admitted. "He has a
daughter some place, but she ain't supposed to be here now. But what's
your guess about this she?"
"My guess is you're right," Nolan agreed reluctantly. There was
something about soft blue eyes and silk-fine black hair that did not
fit in the same picture with Woller.
Petersen was looking at him shrewdly, with a dim light of understanding
glowing in his eyes and a hint of pity. As Nolan looked at him,
Petersen looked away, began fumbling inside his waist-band.
"What're you doing?" Nolan asked curiously.
"You'll need money," said Petersen. He finished unbuckling and dragged
out an oiled-silk money belt. Without opening it, he tossed it to
Nolan. "Here. You'll have to bid high to get passage on Woller's ship.
This'll help."