"Just what happened?"
Paul explained, carefully, completely. He would have preferred to answer Haedaecker with nods or grunts or shakes of the head on the theory that opening the mouth is the first step towards spilling the whole tale, or at least enough of it to give a man as cagey as Haedaecker to think that there was more equipment in the BurAst spacecraft than radio beacon checking gear. Haedaecker was not the kind of man to come forth to console a man; especially one that apparently came out of the deal with nothing lost. Haedaecker's principle was to get 'em off balance and keep 'em off balance, because when they're off balance they cannot get set to swing. Paul knew that he would have to play this interview with the same finesse that a mouse should use to escape the cat's corner.
"Have any ideas about this?" asked Haedaecker.
Paul's ideas were all confused ones but he did not say so. "The police accept it as a plain case of attempted theft," he said.
"And you?"
Paul spread his hands in a universal gesture. "I can't make more out of it than the police," he said.
Haedaecker speared Paul Grayson with those piercing eyes. "You're not mixed up in anything, are you?"
"Lord no!"
Haedaecker's glare lessened. "I don't mean anything lawless or underhanded."
Paul looked at Haedaecker coldly. "Then what else?"