Free Madball by Fredric Brown Page B

take it living with a man who did things that dangerous and-"
    "And you left him and came with the carney. But you believed him when he came here later and told you he was changed. And you shouldn't have, Maybelle."
    "Doc, you mean he was lying to me?"
    "Lying to you and lying low, Maybelle. Think, think hard, and see it for yourself."
    "You mean - damn you, Doc, I tried not to see it. Not that it matters now, but it did then. I think he was planning something, maybe Mack with him. That week in Glenrock just before the accident, it rained a lot that week, remember, we played only I think three days out of the week, and two of the days we didn't play Charlie was gone all day and then one day Charlie and Mack were both gone all day, that was Thursday I think, the day before he got killed. Doc, did they pull a job or were they just still casing one?"
    "You tried hard not to see, didn't you, Maybelle?"
    "I - I guess I did. They were tense, keyed up. I guess I knew they were going to do something and tried not to see. Did they do it, Doc?"
    "I can't - the crystal doesn't show because it's you, things that happened to you, that I'm seeing there, Maybelle. Charlie's lying to you, his still being a criminal and your knowing it and still loving him, that is here because it affected you. But not-" He looked up at her. "But Maybelle, you ought to be able to answer that yourself. Think back about Monday night, the time you spent with Mack."
    "You mean I should be able to tell from the way he acted whether or not they'd already – I - I don't know, Doc. We didn't talk much, I guess, in those two hours. He did say he wanted me to go somewhere with him for the winter and that he had a big stake, but he must have meant just that money from the insurance. And he acted - well, kind of like he was tight inside and happy as hell at the same time, but I thought that was natural, just getting back from the hospital and everything."
    "Of course it was, Maybelle. Yes, I imagine the accident stopped them in whatever they planned to do." He looked down again at the crystal. "It's changing now. Yes, the shadows of the past are dispersing and I am seeing-" He looked long and in silence again. Then he sighed deeply and as though with relief.
    "The future is good for you, Maybelle. I see no trouble. And yes, I can definitely tell you no more will come of your questioning by the police about Monday night."
    "Gee, thanks, Doc."
    "There is a good life ahead for you. But there is a warning. Beware not only of breaking the law yourself - in serious ways - but of loving any man who does."
    He pushed the crystal aside and sighed even more deeply. He got up and brought back the bottle. "And since the word was good, my dear, a drink to celebrate?"
    She drank, a bit more deeply this time, and handed the bottle back. "Thanks, Doc, thanks a million. I guess I just realized how much I still was worried about Monday night and the cops and all. But I'm not any more."
    She leaned forward and put her hand on his. "And listen, Doc, any time you want to give me another alibi like you did Monday night just say the word."
    Dr. Magus smiled. "Thank you, my dear. I will say the word because I know the word, the perfect word, the word that ends unnecessary words. The word is Now."
     

 

     
     

    CHAPTER TEN
    BY THREE O'CLOCK the rain had completely stopped. The Murderer leaned against the bally platform of the freak show and watched the cat men putting shavings on the midway. He'd been here half an hour now, since he'd seen Quintana and Linder leave the lot together. He hoped Dolly would come out of her own accord so he could talk to her without having to go in looking for her. But if she didn't come out within a few minutes he'd go on in the freak show top.
    He saw Wiggins, the owner, standing over by the ferris wheel watching the cat men too. He strolled over.
    Wiggins saw him coming and nodded. Wiggins, he saw, had mud splashes on his suit and his shoes and the cuffs of