Carefully, he kept away from the minds of the four people there. There was an added lift when he perceived Gail, small and defiant, facing Commander Lansfer.
It was Barnard's first experience in extra-sensory perception. With all the power of his will, he focussed his thoughts on the scene. Gail was speaking.
"I tell you," she said, "the reporter is on Earth. He said something about having a big lead. I took the ship into Earth's atmosphere and he bailed out in a parachute. I was glad to be rid of him."
Barnard hoped that what she said was entirely untrue.
"You say—" Lansfer's face was without expression—"that he forced you to do this?"
"I said no such thing," Gail told him. "And if you're going to twist my statements, I'll say nothing more."
Lansfer's palm flicked out and Gail's head reeled. A vivid patch of red appeared on her cheek. Barnard's fingers tightened around the spongy arms of his chair.
The commander turned swiftly to Remish and Grady. None of the officers noticed—but Barnard did—that Gail's fingers were sliding along the control board.
"Barnard is aboard that ship," Lansfer snapped. "You two couldn't have searched very thoroughly. This girl is lying—she couldn't possibly have slowed down enough to let Barnard 'chute to Earth, and still have come this far."