He moved his hand to take down the receiver. He stopped. He said: "You see, I've told you the truth. I could just as easily have said she was in my aero. Did you see my aero passing?"
"Yes," said Alan.
"I've sent it after your tower. With Bluntnose and Jonas." The Time-vision instrument was still operating; he gestured to the screen, which still showed our speeding phantom tower. The dials here were illegible to us. Turber added:
"Where has your tower been? I just picked up this image. Is your tower coming here?"
I realized he was again stalling. I said: "You take down that receiver—"
He took it down. He said: "Shall I open the circuit?"
"Yes," commanded Alan. "And speak quietly—if you say a wrong word I'll run this dagger in your throat."
This clever scoundrel! We realized afterward that he had drawn our attention to the screen and thus had turned our backs to the door of the room which he could see out of the tail of his eyes. As we bent alert while he reached for the audiphone a figure crept up behind us; launched full upon us.
We were taken wholly by surprise—knocked against the table. The woman Josefa! She had doubtless followed Turber to the roof, jealous of his every movement. He had seen her behind us in the doorway. She leaped upon us. Turber heaved upward. Alan's dagger grazed his arm.