"I'm not sad," the little old lady said, smiling up at her. "I'm just so very happy. I am about to get my reward, my well-deserved reward at last, from all of my loyal subjects. You'll see." She paused and Malone felt a faint stirring of stark, chill fear.
"Won't it be wonderful?" said the little old lady.
4
"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.