〃So she caught you too； Mr。 Wise…cop； poor little Angelina with the soft eyes。〃 He broke down again； shaking with laughter。
〃What do you mean；〃 I growled。
〃Don't you catch yet？ The story she told you was true…except she twisted it around a bit。 The whole plan； building the battleship； then stealing it； was hers。 She pulled me into it； played me like an accordion。 I fell in love with her； hating myself and happy at the same time。 Well…I'm glad now it's over。 At least I gave her a chance to get away； I owe her that much。 Though I thought I would explode when she went into that innocence act！〃
The cold feeling was now a ball of ice that threatened to paralyze me。 〃You're lying；〃 I said hoarsely； and even I didn't believe it。
〃Sorry。 That's the way it is。 Your brain…boys will pick my skull to pieces and find out the truth anyway。 There's no point in lying now。〃
〃We'll search the ship； she can't hide for long。〃
〃She won't have to；〃 Pepe said。 〃There's a fast scout we picked up； stowed in one of the holds。 That must be it leaving now。〃 We could feel the vibration； distantly through the floor。
〃The Navy will get her；〃 I told him； with far more conviction than I felt。
〃Maybe；〃 he said； suddenly slumped and tired； no longer laughing。 〃Maybe they will。 But I gave her her chance。 It is all over for me now； but she knows that I loved her to the end。〃 He bared his teeth in sudden pain。 〃Not that she will care in the slightest。〃
I kept the gun on him and neither of us moved while the Navy ships pulled up and their boots stamped outside。 I had captured my battleship and the raids were over。 And I couldn't be blamed if the girl had slipped away。 If she evaded the Navy ships； that was their fault； not mine。
I had my victory all right。
Bit I wasn't too happy about it。 I had a premonition that I wasn't finished with Angelina yet。
Chapter 8
Life would have been much sweeter if my uneasy hunch hadn't proven to be true。 You can't blame the Navy for being taken in by Angelina…they were neither the first nor the last to underestimate the mind that lay behind those melting eyes。 And I try not to blame myself either。 After my first mistake in letting Angelina slip out I tried not to make a second。 I wasn't pletely convinced yet that Pepe was telling the truth about her。 The entire story might be a plicated lie to confuse and throw me off guard。 I have a very suspicious mind。 Playing it safe； I kept the muzzle of my gun aimed exactly between his eyes with my fingers resting lightly on the trigger。 I kept it there until a squad of space marines thundered in and took over。 As soon as they put the grab on Pepe I sent out an all…ships alarm about Angelina； with a special take…all…precautions priority。 Even before all the ships had acknowledged receipt her scout rocket was sighted on the detector screen。
I sighed with a great deal of relief。 If she did turn out to be the brains of the operation I didn't want her slipping away。 She； Pepe and the battleship made a nice package to turn over to Inskipp。 There was no chance of her escaping now； with ships closing in on her from every direction。 They were experienced at this sort of thing and it was only a matter of time before they had her。 Turning over the battleship to the navy； I went back to the luxury yacht and tapped the stores for a large glass of Scotch whisky （that had never been within twenty light…years of Earth） and a long cigar。 Sitting fortably in front of the screen I monitored the chase。
Angelina wriggled painfully on the hook； making high…G turns to avoid capture。 She'd be black and blue from head to foot after some of those 15…G accelerations。 It was all for nothing because in the end they still caught her in a tractor web and closed in。 All the thrashing around had just gained her a little time。 None of us realized how important this time really was until the boarding party cracked into the ship。
It was empty of course。
Fully ten days went by before we pieced together what had really happened。 It was ruthless and ugly； and even if the psych docs hadn't assured me that Pepe had told the truth； I would have recognized the manner in which the escape was carried out。 Angelina was one step ahead of us all the way。 When she had escaped from the battleship in the scout rocket she had made no attempt to flee。 Instead she must have gone at full blast to the nearest navy ship； a twelve…man pocket cruiser。 They of course had no idea what had really happened aboard the battleship； as I hadn't put out the general alarm yet。 I should have done that as soon as she had escaped。 If I had； twelve good men might still be alive。 We'll never know what story she told them； but it was obvious they weren't on their guard。 Probably something about being a prisoner and escaping during the fighting。 In any case she took the ship。 Five of the men were dead of gas poisoning the others shot。 We discovered this when the cruiser was later found drifting and inert； parsecs away。 After capturing the cruiser she had set the controls on the scout ship for evasion tactics and launched it。 While we were all merrily chasing it she simply let her ship drop behind the chase and vanished from the fleet。 Her trail blurs there； though it is obvious she must have captured another ship。 What this ship was； and where she went in it； was a plete mystery。
Back in Corps headquarters I found myself trying to explain this all to Inskipp。 He had a cold eye and hardened manner and I found myself trying to justify my actions。
〃You can't win them all；〃 I said。 〃I brought home…your battleship and Pepe…may his personality rest in peace now that it has been erased。 Angelina tricked me and got away； I'll admit that。 But she did a much better job of fooling the boys in the navy！〃
〃Why so much venom？〃 Inskipp asked in an arid voice。 〃No one's accusing you of dereliction of duty。 You sound like a man with a guilty conscience。 You did a good job。 A fine job。 A great job 。 。 。 for a first assignment 。 。 。〃
〃You're doing it again！〃 I howled。 〃Prodding my conscience to see how soft it is。 Like keeping him around。〃 I pointed to Pepe Nero who was sitting near us in the restaurant eating slowly； mumbling to himself with vacant…eyed dullness。 His old personality had been stripped from his mind and a new one implanted。 Only the body remained of the old Pepe who had loved Angelina and stolen a battleship。
〃The psychs are working on a new theory of body…personality；〃 Inskipp said blandly； 〃so why not keep him around here under observation？ If any of his criminal tendencies should develop in the new personality we'll be in a wonderful spot to recruit him for the Corps。 Does he bother you？〃
〃Not him；〃 I snorted。 〃After the massacres he pulled for his psychotic girlfriend you could grind him into hamburger for all I care。 But he does remind me that she is still out there somewhere。 Free and planning new mischief。 I want to go after her。〃
〃Well you're not；〃 Inskipp said。 〃You've asked me before and I have refused before。 The topic is now closed。〃
〃But I could 。 。 。〃
〃You could what？〃 He gave me a nasty chuckle。 〃Every law officer in the galaxy has a pie of her and there is a continual search going on。 How could you possibly do more than they are already doing？〃
〃I couldn't； I guess；〃 I grumbled。 〃So the hell with it； as you say。〃 I pushed my plate away and stood and stretched as naturally as I could。 〃I'm going to get a large jug of liquid refreshment and go to my quarters and nurse my sorrows。〃
〃You do that。 And forget Angelina。 e to my office at 0900 hours tomorrow and you better be sober。〃
〃Slave driver；〃 I moaned； going out the door and turning down the hall towards the residence wing。 As soon as I was out of sight I took a side ramp that led to the spaceport。
That's one lesson I had already learned from Angelina。 When you have a plan put it into action instantly。 Don't let it lie around and get stale and have other people start thinking about it themselves。 I was putting myself up against the shrewdest man in the business right now； and the thought alone w