"To be frank with you," Hawkes said, as he eased his lank body into
the chair Johnson offered, "I had planned to learn more about your
local activities before I introduced myself. However, I've found in
the past that my first judgment of a man is usually right, so I think
I'll get down to business immediately." He drew a set of papers from
an inside pocket and tossed them on the desk in front of Johnson. "I'm
a Company Secret Service man," he said.
* * * * *
Johnson raised his eyebrows, but looked at the papers without comment.
He glanced up at Hawkes.
"Do you recognize either of the men in the pictures?" Hawkes asked,
when he saw that Johnson had no intention of speaking.
Unhurriedly Johnson picked up the papers and removed a rubber binder.
He pulled out two photos and laid them on the desk in front of him.
"The bearded one is the man who waylaid me," he said. "Of course."
"Look at both a little closer," Hawkes suggested, "and see if you
don't notice something else."
Johnson studied the pictures. "There's no doubt about the first," he
murmured. "Evidently I'm supposed to recognize the other also."
Abruptly he sat erect. "They're both the same man," he exclaimed.
"Only in the second picture he's clean-shaven."
Hawkes nodded. "There's a story about those two pictures," he said.
"But first, let me fill you in on some background. You know that
Interplanets has branches on more than a thousand worlds. Because of
this widespread operation it's particularly vulnerable to robbery. But
it would cost more than the Company's earnings to post adequate guards
on every station. And it would be impractical to depend on the
protection of the local governments, many of which are extremely
primitive. On the other hand, allowing themselves to be robbed with
impunity would be financial suicide."