CHAPTER TWELVE
Carl grabbed the phone before its second ring. “Tri-bune.”“Carl?”His heart began to hammer. “How’s it going, Lace?”“So far, so good. He hasn’t found me yet. Any activity on your end?”“Nope. There haven’t been any incidents since you left.”“Damn. I almost wish…At least I’d know he’s still there.”“Well, maybe he’s just lying low. Or maybe your knife did the trick.”“Don’t I wish.”“So, how are you feeling?”“Scared. Other than that, I guess I’m all right. Recuperating.”“That’s good. Look, you’d better let me know where you’re staying. If something breaks, up this way, I’ll want to let you know.”“Sure. I’m at the Desert Wind, room three sixtytwo.”Carl wrote it down.“I meant to call you yesterday, but…couldn’t get myself to do anything. Felt like crawling under a rock.”“That’s all right, Lace. Perfectly understandable.”“Anyway, I’m better now.”“Glad to hear it. Look, is there anything I can do for you?”“Just keep me posted, is all.”“Sure thing. Take care of yourself, now.”“I’ll try. So long, Carl.”He hung up. Across the room, one of his reporters hunched over a typewriter working on the lead story for tomorrow’s edition. Otherwise, the office was deserted. “Jack?”The reporter looked up, raising his eyebrows.“See if you can’t hunt down Chief Barrett. Try to talk him into letting us release the details of the Hoffman and Peterson murders.”“He’s already refused, Carl.”“Try him again. Tell him a blow by blow description would be in the public interest, make them more aware of the danger. Maybe he’ll go for it.”“Okay,” Jack said, sounding reluctant. He pushed his chair back, stood up, and stretched. Then he headed for the door.The moment he was gone, Carl dialed the telephone.“Spiritual Development Foundation.”He gave his name, number and level.“Very good, Mr. Williams.”“Let me talk to Farris. It’s urgent.”Farris’s voice came over the phone. “We’ve been waiting for your call,” he said.“Sorry. I just received the information. Miss Allen’s at the Desert Wind Hotel in Tucson. Room number three six two.”“Excellent. I’ll notify our personnel in the area. Your next step is to join her.”“Right.”“Do that at once.”“I’ll leave right away.”As he hung up, a voice from behind asked, “What was that all about?”Carl swiveled around. Alfred, standing in front of the restroom door, looked at him with suspicion. “You told where Lacey is. Who’d you tell?”“Chief Barrett.”“What’d you want to do that for?”“She asked me to.” Turning back to his desk, Carl pulled open the top drawer and removed a letter opener. “Bring me Jack’s story,” he said.Alfred walked toward Jack’s desk, his head low and shaking. “I don’t think you should’ve done that,” he said.“You’re not paid to think.”“Well…” He gathered two pages from the desktop, and walked slowly back toward Carl.Carl got up from his chair. With the letter opener behind his back, he reached out his left hand for the papers.“Here they…”Carl grabbed Alfred’s wrist, jerked him forward, and plunged the slim blade into his belly.