“A fresh start! How devastating it sounds—to start over after eight years. It can’t be done, and the soul still live. As if one were told, after a terrible day of sled-pulling in an Arctic storm, that one had to retrace one’s steps without rest or food. It couldn’t be done, and the body live. That’s how I feel.”
“Sydney, quiet. Quiet, dear, you must stop. And help me plan. I must find Giordano. I see it clearly. I must find him tonight. He will deal with Whittaker.”
“Oh no, no, no, no. You mustn’t get in touch with those men again. You are finished forever if you try that. Neil, don’t do anything rash. I’ll talk to Bertrand the minute I have a chance. He will listen to reason. You know we have always said the day might come, and we promised to keep our heads. Our promises again! She said the rain where she was made her remember your night rains. Neil, Neil! what does that do to our rains, our trains, our meteorites, our—our—.” She was sobbing now with a desperate tearless exhaustion.
“Nothing. Nothing. It doesn’t do anything to them, dearest one. We have our love. With Romany, as we agreed, it was all just a symbol. Do you hear me, Sydney? Stop crying. Stop it. I have something that has to be done. Stop it.”
He went to the telephone on the stand between the beds. She screamed.
“Keep away from that telephone, Neil. Can’t you see what frightful things may be going to happen in this house tonight. A call can be traced—you mustn’t touch a telephone.”
She sprang toward him; but he had lifted the receiver and she couldn’t struggle or argue with him against the ear of the operator. The number he gave was AUdubon 2-1801. It answered.
“Hello. Crawford speaking.” Then he never had been out of touch with them. “Pick up Disuno if you can find him. If not, one of the others. The address is Bertrand Whittaker’s, Blue Acres. Outside the park gates at three.”
Neil hung up.
“You have made the mistake of your life, Neil Crawford. If a breath of what you have just done reaches the police it’s all over but the shouting, Bertrand or no Bertrand.”