Stacey came first. He looked, nodded, and said: "I was wondering when you'd show up."
"I'm here. But about you?"
"So very simple. The rooker rooked, the seeker sucked in. It's a long time ago, Paul but do you remember when I called you just before you went to lecture?"
"Yes. You'd been to the house on 7111 Bridge Street."
"I left the upright coffin labelled 'Telephone Booth' and walked right between two large determined characters who insisted that I continue walking in their direction. I gathered from their conversation that someone responsible for their movements was irked at one Paul Grayson, and anger at Grayson included anybody else who had been seen talking to him for the past eight years. I was then bundled aboard a spacecraft and brought here. When did you miss me?"
"That's all you know?"
"The Oberspinnenführer is not exactly loquacious. Nor am I an honored guest to be greeted with shouts and glee. These spiders close their trap doors when I am around."
"Oh, then you didn't know that a couple of burly policemen arrested me for your murder."
"They did?" blinked Stacey. "What did they use for corpus delectable?"
"They didn't have to. They were probably the same pair of large determined gents that corralled you. This time they were dressed in clothing that belonged to a couple of real cops."