The Robot Brains [with w_cat] - [6]

199 "And you? They won't forgive you for stopping them. You must be careful. They'll do something horrible."

200 "I can take care of myself," said the captain. "Do you feel all right now?"

Jo nodded.

"I'm fine... Good night, Sailor."

201 Christian went to his own trailer. He was sure that the Brains would not forget him.. When he was in the trailer, he took his automatic gun out of his bag and checked its mechanism. He thought a little, then he decided that he would not need it that night.

202 He put the gun under his pillow and went out. He went to the Cross Keys, a fine of old pub where he and Miller had agreed to meet.

- 13 -

203 When the captain came up to the old pub, he saw Miller's car standing at the entrance. It was late, and the door was locked. He went round the house to the back door which had been left open for him, and entered the house. It was dark and still inside. A light burned somewhere above.

204 He began climbing the stairs. Then, suddenly, breaking the silence of the house, came a gunshot. Christian jumped forward, to the top of the stairs. He found himself in a short corridor with a door at the end. The door was a little open, and light was coming from inside.

205 He ran to the door and went in. Miller lay on the carpet. On his shirt there was blood. An automatic gun lay beside him, and there was no one else in the room.

206 Christian bent over Miller. The man was dead. He looked at the gun... it was very much like his own. He took it to read the number - and did not believe his eyes: it was his own gun.

207 Christian stared at the gun and then at Miller. He could not understand it. He knew that he had left his gun -

208 The door behind him closed softly and a key turned on the outside. Christian jumped to the door and pulled it, but in vain. He was locked in.

209 By now the old pub was coming to life. He heard movement and voices and steps in the corridor.

210 Someone knocked on the door and shouted: "Mister Miller, are you all right?"

211 Christian answered: "Open this door - Miller is dead, and his murderer is running away!"

212 There was a pause; then the key turned and the door opened. The red-faced owner of the pub stood there with a heavy stick in his hand. He was looking at Christian who was still holding the gun, and at Miller's body.

213 "Let me go out," said Christian.

214 "Not so fast - you will have to explain something"

215 "Listen, I was working with Miller. He was waiting for me. Someone shot him and-"

216 "Maybe," said the red-faced man. He stepped back, quickly closed the door and locked it again. "You will stay here till I bring the police," he said.

217 For the first time Christian realized his own position. He had been found, alone, in a looked room, with a dead man, holding the gun - his own gun. It would be difficult to convince the police that he was not the murderer.

218 And how had his gun got here from the trailer?

219 But now, Christian understood, there was no time for thinking about that. He opened the window. Looking down, he saw Miller's car.

220 He jumped out of the window, ran to the car and got in. The red-faced owner of the pub came out, shouting and waving his stick. Christian started the car and drove away at full speed.

- 14 -

221 He drove back to the Fair. He was determined to find the Brains and speak to them. Instinct told him they were responsible; they knew, that Miller had been watching them, and so they killed him. And they killed Miller with Christian's gun because they wanted to take revenge on him: they had not forgotten that he had interfered when they were speaking with Jo.

222 When he came to the Fair, he parked the car and got out of it. It was dark. Only one light was seen in the distance - it came from the Brains' trailer. Christian walked towards it.

223 The door was locked. The captain took a piece of wire out of his pocket, worked with it a little, and the door opened. The captain stepped in, holding his gun ready.

224 He stopped, disappointed. The trailer was empty.

225 Christian looked angrily around. Where were the Brains now? He could not wait for them. He was sure that the owner of the Cross Keys had raised an alarm and the police were looking for him. And the first place where they would come would be the Fair.

226 He had to get away before the police came. It was absolutely necessary for him to remain in freedom until he could prove his innocence. There was nothing else to do, Christian decided: he must disappear.

He went quickly and silently to his own trailer and packed his bag. He looked under the pillow where he had left his gun: as he expected, there was nothing there. There was no doubt that the Brains had framed him for Miller's murder.

He was thinking where to go. He could not go to his yacht: he was sure that the police would visit it. He could not go to Fox - the police knew that they were friends, so, of course, they would come to Fox's place, too. He had friends who would be ready to hide him, but he wanted to remain near the Fair - that was his only chance to get at the Brains. And the Fair was leaving for Cambridge in the morning - Burkholder had decided to find a new place for it after the visit of Military Intelligence.