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glare of the lights； the distortion of image caused by the glass itself。 He accepted all of these and made allowances。
It was not good to stay here too long。 He glanced at his watch。 He still had fifteen minutes and he had no reason to sit for that time on the waiting train。 Especially not now。
He walked away from the bookstore window； moving diagonally across the station。 An old woman； her suitcase on wheels； crossed his path and two sailors in crisp whites passed him； one spinning the tail end of a lewd joke to the other。 The young woman at the pillar was no longer there； either she had met her date or had given it up； three dark…haired children squired by a dour…looking woman scampered along； laughing and teasing each other。 A man in a dark windbreaker stood by the bank of lockers； a lit cigarette dangling from one corner of his mouth。 Opposite； a man in a camel…coloured suit flipped through the pages of the current Hustler； putting it down as a man with a tan briefcase came up to him。 They shook hands and walked off。
Nicholas entered a Nedicks； wedged himself in next to a fat man devouring a slice of coconut cream pie。 A dollar bill and some change were on the counter before him； his lips were dotted with pie crust and flecks of ersatz cream。 The man ignored Nicholas as he sat down on a stool。 He ordered a frank and an orange drink。 The columns of the place were mirrored and Nicholas used these to continue his covert surveillance while he ate。 He got his food； paid for it。
The feeling was still there； unmistakable。 There was only one explanation。 He was being observed by a haragei adept。 The receiver was also a transmitter； there was no way to damp the two…way effect。 This one had just e too close； that was all。 Careless。 And foolish。
Nicholas wiped his lips with the stiff napkin； took one last look in the mirror and went out。 He had just over five minutes before the train left and in that time he would have to flush the adept。 He had no thoughts now about missing the train； his overriding concern was for Justine。 She was most assuredly in danger and he felt totally impotent being so far from her。 It was one thing asking Doc Deerforth to look in on her once a day； quite another for him to be there when an emergency arose。 Nicholas； rightly； trusted no one but himself in such a situation。
He had one more thing to do。 He went to the phones again； called Lieutenant Croaker。
'Yeah。' The voice was harsh and rushed。
'Nicholas Linnear； Lieutenant。'
'What's up？'
Tm on my way back out to the Island。 Justine's had some kind of accident。'
There was some silence。 Nicholas was still checking the vicinity。
'Croaker； there's someone following me。'
'Seeing shadows or just too much TV？'
'I haven't seen anyone … yet。'
The singing along the line seemed like a live thing； the only thing to make a sound。
'How do you know there's anyone there？' Croaker asked finally。
'You might not believe me if I told you。'
'Try me。'
'It's haragei。 Bujutsu training。 It's a kind of ESP。 A way of looking at the world； sensing things … you might even call it an enlarged sixth sense。'
Nicholas half expected a joke but none seemed forthing from the other end of the line。
'Who do you think it is？'
'The ninja。'
There was an indrawn breath。 'Stay there； Linnear； I'll be right over。'
'No good。 He'd never stay put that long。 Besides； he'd smell you a block away。'
'We can't just sit tight。'
'Believe me； it's the only way。 Leave him to me。'
'To you？ Where the hell do you e into it？'
'I think he's after Tomkin； Justine； too。 That's why I'm going back out。'
'Since when did you get interested in Tomkin's life？' The voice held a hard edge to it now。
'Since I'm working for him。 Today。'
He heard the indrawn breath in his ear。 'Shit！ Listen； you motherfucker …'
'No； you listen； Croaker。 You have no idea of what you are up against。 No idea at all。 I tried to give you a taste of it today at the dojo but I guess it's true what they say about Westerners： they're too thick…headed ever to be educated。'
He slammed the phone down and went to join the crowd moving down the stairs to Track 17。 His scalp tingled all the while。 Just as he left the lower level； he thought he caught a glimpse of a face。 It was only a glimpse。 A ghostly flash； the pale crescent of a face in semi…profile。 Something about it stuck with him。 He thought fleetingly of reversing his course but the crush of people was enormous。
Then he was on the train； in a window seat。 The feeling was gone。 Had it ever been there？ He knew better than to ask that question of himself。 But why would the ninja be following him？
There had to be an answer but he was unable to e up with a satisfactory one。
There was some jostling in the aisles as last…minute passengers squeezed on board。 The air…conditioning cut out for a moment and someone moaned。 The lights blinked and then full power came on。 Everything appeared as it should be。
The bell rang and the doors slid shut with a sigh； sealing them in。 A moment later； the train had started up and the platform began to slide away。 He looked out of the window。 A black man was sweeping up at the end of the platform。 Nothing but patterns of light and shadow dictated by the controlled speed of the train。
Then the city was behind him and he was thinking about Justine。 He began to doze； his head against the windowpane。
'Tickets； please。'
He started awake； his mind filled with that pale crescent of face； the features oddly indistinct as if he were staring up at the moon through a summer night's mist。
Gelda was laughing。 When she laughed her breasts shook； and when her breasts shook； Dare said； she was at her most sensual。
Dare could always make Gelda laugh； which was one of the reasons Gelda enjoyed her。 Her body was the other reason。
Dare's skin was a golden brown all over； deeply tanned with no bikini lines。 Perhaps it was the natural colour； Gelda never inquired。 She was tall； taller at least than Gelda； who was not a small woman。 She was long and lean without being thin or over muscular。 She had kinky blonde hair which she wore long。 It was quite natural。
Dare's legs were even longer than Gelda's。 More slender； to be sure； but exquisite just the same。 She had small； perfectly round breasts high on her chest； a narrow waist； slender hips。 She was boyish and feminine at the same time； there was no touch of the bull in her or in how she dressed。 She loved the Old West： the sun…browned masculinity； the fluid musculature of the galloping horse； but most of all she loved the lawlessness。
As Pear had said； this was more pleasure than business。
'I almost found one this time； G；' she was saying now。 She lay back languidly in the tub； the strong scent of violets was
in the air。 Gelda knelt by the side of the tub； working the crystal faucets。 Water crashed onto the white porcelain； between Dare's spread legs； against the thick tangled bush of hair now darkened to the colour of caramel by the moisture。 Behind them； on the wall； the stained chaps hung like an effigy waiting for the fire to consume it。
'But； you know；' she continued； 'even when it was about to happen； I d