II

Old Pete appeared somewhat shaken when he entered Jo’s office a few days later.

“I just saw a man,” he said, “walking down the hall with what looked like a space rat on his shoulder.”

Jo smiled. “That’s just what it was. His name is Sam Orzechowski and it seems he’s tamed the space rat. I’m trying to help him work up some commercial uses.” She pointed to a chair. “Sit down. We’ve got some information on Haas and deBloise.”

Old Pete leaned forward. “What have you found?”

“I don’t know just yet,” Jo replied. “I put one of the best investigators in the sector on the job. He just called to say that he’s got some interesting information.”

“Why didn’t he tell you when he called?”

“Larry Easly rarely says anything of interest when there’s a possibility that the wrong ears might hear it.”

“Well, then, when does he arrive?” Pete asked.

Jo shook her head. “He doesn’t. He never comes to this building. IBA uses his services quite often and frequent visits would give away the relationship. We’re to meet him tonight at the Casino.”

“Why there?”

“Because it’s a perfect meeting place. I make it a practice to visit the Casino once a week and he stops in whenever he’s on Ragna; that way no one thinks it’s strange when we run into each other now and then-especially since we’re both avid pokochess players.”

“I hope you’ve included me in your plans tonight,” Old Pete said. “I haven’t had a really good game of pokochess in years.”

“Of course you’re included,” Jo told him. “I want you along to question him on his information since you seem to have made a private study of deBloise and his activities.”

“Just his public life. I know nothing of his private affairs.”

“That’s a start,” Jo said.

Later that night, as they flittered toward the Casino, Jo turned to Old Pete. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you for a long time,” she said.