"You're _where_?" Andrew J. Burris said.
Malone looked at the surprised face on the screen and wished he hadn't
called. He had to report in, of course--but, if he'd had any sense, he'd
have ordered Boyd to do the job for him.
Oh, well, it was too late for that now. "I'm in Las Vegas," he said. "I
tried to get you last night, but I couldn't, so I--"
"Las Vegas," Burris said. "Well, well. Las Vegas." His face darkened and
his voice became very loud. "Why aren't you in Yucca Flats?" he
screamed.
"Because she insisted on it," Malone said. "The old lady. Miss Thompson.
She says there's another telepath here."
Burris closed his eyes. "Well, that's a relief," he said at last.
"Somebody in one of the gambling houses, I suppose. Fine, Malone." He
went right on without a pause: "The boys have uncovered two more in
various parts of the nation. Not one of them is even close to sane." He
opened his eyes. "Where's this one?" he said.
Malone sighed. "In the looney bin," he said.
Burris' eyes closed again. Malone waited in silence. At last Burris
said: "All right. Get him out."
"Right," Malone said.
"Tell me," Burris said. "Why did Miss Thompson insist that you go to Las
Vegas? Somebody else could have done the job. You could have sent Boyd,
couldn't you?"
"Chief," Malone said slowly, "what sort of mental condition are those
other telepaths in?"
"Pretty bad," Burris said. "As a matter of fact, very bad. Miss Thompson
may be off her trolley, but the others haven't even got any tracks." He
paused. "What's that got to do with it?" he said.
"Well," Malone said, "I figured we'd better handle Miss Thompson with
kid gloves--at least until we find a better telepath to work with." He
didn't mention Barbara Wilson. The chief, he told himself, didn't want
to be bothered with details.
[Illustration]
"Doggone right you'd better," Burris said. "You treat that old lady as
if she were the Queen herself, understand?"
"Don't worry," Malone said unhappily. "We are." He hesitated. "She says
she'll help us find our spy, all right, but we've got to do it her
way--or else she won't co-operate."
"Do it her way, then," Burris said. "That spy--"
"Chief, are you sure?"