The Werewolf Principle

20

The steady beeping of the phone finally beat its way into the illusion-world bounded by dimensino. Elaine Horton roused herself, came out of the booth in which she had been sitting with the shadow-world of ancient days going on about her.

The phone kept up its beeping, the vision panel flashing in impatient pulses. She made her way to it and switched it to receive. A face looked out at her, faintly lighted by a defective light bulb in the ceiling of a public phone booth.

'Andrew Blake? she cried, surprised.

'Yes, it's me. You see…

'Is there something wrong? The senator was called down to the…

'I seem to be in a bit of trouble, Blake told her. 'You probably heard what happened.

'At the hospital, you mean. I watched it for a while, but there wasn't much to see. Something about a wolf and they said one of the patients seems to have disappeared…

She drew her breath in sharply. 'One of the patients disappeared! Did they mean you, Andrew?

'I'm afraid they did. And I need some help. And you're the only one I know, the only one that I could ask…

'What kind of help? she asked.

'I need some clothes, he told her.

'You mean you left the hospital without any clothes? And it's cold out there…

'It's a long story, he said. 'If you don't want to help me, go ahead, say so. I will understand. I don't want you to get involved, but I am slowly freezing and I am on the lam…

'You mean you're running away from the hospital?

'You could call it that.

'What kind of clothes?

'Any kind at all. I haven't got a stitch.

She hesitated for a moment. Maybe she should ask the senator. But the senator wasn't home. He hadn't returned from the hospital and there was no telling when he would.

When she spoke again, she made her voice calm and hard. 'Let me get this straight. You were the one who disappeared from the hospital, and without your clothes. And you say you aren't going back. You're on the lam, you say. You mean someone's hunting you?

'For a while, he said, 'the police were after me.

'But they aren't now?

'No. Not for the moment. We gave them the slip.

'We?

'I misspoke. I mean I got away from them.

She took a deep breath, committing herself. 'Where are you?

'I'm not absolutely sure. The city's changed since I knew it. I figure I'm out at the south end of the old Taft bridge.

'Stay there, she said. 'Watch for my car. I'll slow down and be looking for you.

'Thanks…

'Just a moment. Something occurred to me. You're calling from a public booth?

'That's right.

'You need a coin to operate that kind of phone. Without any clothes, where did you get that coin?

A sour grin split his face. 'The coins drop into little boxes. I'm afraid I used a stone.

'You broke open the box to get a coin to use the phone?

'Just a natural criminal, he said.

'I see. You'd better give me the number of the phone and stick close to it so I can call you if I can't find you — if you aren't where you think you are.

'Just a moment. He looked at the plate above the phone and read off the number. She found a pencil and copied the number on a newspaper margin.

'You realize, she said, 'you're taking a chance on me. I've got you nailed to that phone and the number can be traced.

He made awry face. 'I realize that. But I've got to take the chance. You're the only one I have.