Gavin regarded the girl somberly. "I'm not making fun of him." His voice was grim. "This girl he murdered—Paula—she might be a person to cultivate."
"My star, you're cold. You're not even human!" Nadia started off, but Gavin laid hold of her arm.
"What happened to Trev, that Martian who sold out to X?"
Nadia faced him again, biting her lip. "Cabot killed him," she replied in a whisper. "His body has been thrown out the disposal chute."
"Who is this mysterious Mr. X?"
"I don't know! I don't know, I tell you!" She wrenched away, fled down the passage.
Gavin watched her until she was out of sight. Nadia had accompanied Cabot that day in Trev's office. The record on Captain Cabot in the T.I.S. file was brief but illuminating. Antecedents unknown. Master of the slave ship, Nova, Venusian registry. Suspected in connection with disappearance of two women: Paula duBois, a Terran of French descent; Aastra, a Martian girl of the house of Cor.
Gavin whistled softly. It wasn't hard to imagine others. A modern bluebeard. Only Cabot didn't hang them in a closet; he threw them out a disposal chute.
Villanowski's face was gray with fatigue when Gavin finally relieved him. The chief was a slight homely man with the quick darting movements of an old maid. His hair was iron gray, untrimmed, rumpled.