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him that he was wrong about Flinx without giving away her friend s
secrets? Telling the truth was out of the question. For one thing, it
would cause him to realize that Flinx could read his emotions. She
knew Bill Ormann well enough to know how he would react to that.
The longer she remained silent, the grimmer his expression be-
came. Finally he rose, looming over her. Scrap was now thrashing
around violently, beating his wings and tail against the transparent
barrier, frantic to get out. Clarity tensed. But Ormann intended her
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ALAN DEAN FOSTER
no harm. He loved her. All he wanted to do, since she was so obvi-
ously sick, was to make her well again. To remove the poison the in-
terloper had somehow planted in her mind.
 I could simply report him to the local authorities and let them
deal with him, he murmured.  I m sure they d be delighted to
know that there s an important fugitive in their midst.
 What do you mean, important? Anything, she thought, to get
his mind off such a course of action.  Philip has never harmed any-
one. He s not a murderer, or an extortionist, or an embezzler.
 Are you sure? You ve told me yourself that he bemuses and
puzzles you. Who knows what this Philip Lynx may really be or
what he may be capable of?
Not Flinx, she told herself. He s as much in the dark as anyone.
That s the reason he s here talking to me.
 Turning him over to the authorities won t help anybody, she
insisted desperately. To her surprise, Ormann agreed with her.
 You re absolutely right, my dear. I know from personal
experience how our purportedly sophisticated legal system works,
and someone with Lynx s resources might easily buy his way out of
trouble. Since I would dislike seeing that happen, I ve decided
not to inform the authorities. I ll continue to deal with the situation
myself.
She tensed.  What does that mean?
He frowned as he started for the door.  Why, I d think it pretty
straightforward. Unusual problems require unusual solutions. Rest
assured I ll come up with one and that no harm will come to you.
 You don t know what you re getting into, Bill. You don t have
any idea what you re dealing with. There s more to Flinx than what
you see on the surface.
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FLINX S FOLLY
The door opened, framing her former paramour and it was
now definitely  former, she had already decided against the blue
sky and scudding white clouds.
 Wasn t that what I was just saying? Which is why I ve decided
to be very, very careful when next I move against him. I didn t get to
be where I am, Clarity, without learning how to deal with excessive
pride. I m not afraid to learn from my lessons, and where this Lynx
person is concerned, I ve already had to absorb a few. I think I know
what to do now. I ll deal appropriately with him. His gaze wan-
dered to the container on the kitchen table.  And his lethal pet.
 Don t worry, Clarity. This will all be over soon. And when it is,
you and I can pick up right where we left off. It ll be just like before.
I ll be back soon. Meanwhile, just sit tight. He could not resist
laughing at his own wit.
 You re going to die, Bill Ormann! She didn t say how because
she didn t know. Though this morning s events had left her emotion-
ally divorced from him, she still didn t want to see him dead. Chas-
tised, maybe, but not dead. Though Ormann was smart, experienced
in his own way, ruthless in pursuit of a goal, that would not help him
against Flinx.
As she knew, those who went hunting for Flinx all too often
found themselves dead.
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C H A P T E R
12
The message that arrived at the hotel was rambling but unambigu-
ous. William Ormann did not like Flinx. He especially did not like
what Flinx had done to Ormann s relationship with Clarity Held.
She was not to blame, but it had become clear to Ormann that Flinx,
through unknown means, had twisted the vulnerable mind of Or-
mann s beloved. This was a condition that could with time and ap-
propriate therapy doubtless be cured. Meanwhile, the message
warned Flinx to keep away from them both and that it would be bet-
ter for his health if he were to leave New Riviera as quietly and as
soon as possible.
As a warning, it had no effect. Flinx had been threatened by
and had subsequently dealt with perils rather more extensive than
those posed by a single aggravated, jealous executive. Even so, he
did not underestimate Ormann. Not after having already found him-
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FLINX S FOLLY
self abducted once. He never underestimated anyone, or any danger.
It was the hallmark of, among other things, a successful thief. His
real concern was for Clarity. To Flinx s practiced eye, the tone of
Ormann s communication suggested a mind increasingly clouded by
envy and fear: a combination that, despite Ormann s protestations of
love, could pose as much a danger to her as to him.
Flinx left the hotel in a hurry. Not to flee New Riviera and
Sphene, as the message demanded, but to find Clarity. What might
have seemed a daunting task to anyone else proved surprisingly easy
for Flinx. Buried in the communication was a supposedly secure
electronic signature that identified the location from which it had [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]