"He stopped by my office this morning. He's looking into the Christmas shooting." In his dry fashion, he went on, "I'm terrified by the fact that the man actually happens to agree with me that there had be somebody else there, and that the old man didn't suddenly decide that he was going to attempt to beat off an armed attacker, clean himself off, and then quietly expire."
    That earned him a warning look. "You haven't talked to the press about this, have you? You know that the captain'd have kittens if you told that to the press."
    "Of course not. I filed my report. It was promptly buried by my superiors. You know how it works."
    "Yeah, I know how it works. I just don't know who else was there. And whoever it was...."
    "Was apparently smart enough to sneak out while Christmas was getting himself shot in the street, so it doesn't have to be a brain surgeon."
    "I don't know, man. We gotten more weird superheroes...."
    "I went out last night, went out to take a look where they'd dropped the body, before it got street swept and rained on and all the rest of it. Some kids down there said they saw the body get dropped off."
    "That's where you got the bowler hat and the—"
    "That's the description of the two people," he nodded. "Tire prints, gave me a good description of the car." He repeated most of what Stevie had told him.
    "We get the kids' names?"
    "Nah, I could spot 'em again if I needed to. Hanging out on the street corner at night, I doubt they travel very far."
    Vance sighed. "All right. I assume you're looking into this on your own time, you're not supposed to be doing fieldwork like that."
    "I know."
    "I gotta get back on duty, you take care of yourself."
    "Let me know if you hear about anybody who matches those."
    "Will do."
    
    
    Astro-Man flew down to the roof of the Turnbull home for his hoped-for rendezvous; there was no one in sight, nothing to hear to suggest he was other than alone. A moment later, in a puff of smoke, Horus appeared.
    "Astro-Man, I assume," he greeted the visiting hero.
    "Horus. Nice to meet you."
    "A pleasure. So, you're investigating a murder case, I hear?"
    "Yes, a murder that happened in this very house. Come with me." He led the way toward the roof entrance.
    "Please, tell me more about your suspicions," Horus invited.
    "Are you familiar with the case?"
    "I am."
    "You see, if you'll follow me...." He stopped in the foyer. "The furniture that was destroyed here was very heavy, I don't think a normal person could have destroyed it, certainly not Dr. Turnbull or Mr. Christmas."
    "Mr. Christmas? Oh, the killer," he recalled. Astro-Man was right; this was big, old-fashioned furniture that would normally require the efforts of several people to move, and it had been smashed to flinders. After a month, the only mental residue was from Astro-Man's visit the previous night.
    "If you'll continue with me." They went down to the basement, where he showed Horus the workrooms and the big cage.
    "This does not seem to be an ordinary home accoutrement, at least for most physicists of my acquaintance," Horus observed.
    "No. And you see the other Dr. Turnbull, Hazel, was studying ways to make linguistic contact in a complete absence of any understanding. Note the books here, from missionaries."
    "I don't follow you?"
    "She was a linguist. She was studying ways to talk to someone that you had nothing in common with whatsoever. I believe that they... somehow got something of another species, which they were attempting to establish communication with, and that they actually managed to successfully do that, if you'll notice the cage does not appear to have been inhabited recently. If you'll come upstairs with me, I'll show you."
    Fascinated, Horus followed.
    "Look at these clothes." They were made for someone with a chest that went well beyond barrel-sized. "And also these." He showed the mage the scribblings. "I believe that they managed to develop intelligence in something that does not normally have intelligence, some sort of animal species, maybe even an alien."
    "Fascinating."
    "That they had actually taken this in."
    "An alien being?"
    "Possibly... possibly even as an adopted child," he said in a soft, thoughtful voice. "Their daughter you see was kidnapped ten years ago and never found."
    Horus nodded. "I recall."
    "I can easily see them doing this. What I think may have happened was that Christmas did indeed break in here stupidly. Now the... thing tried to defend the Turnbulls. That caused the struggle. In the midst of it, Peter and Hazel were indeed killed, Christmas was attacked and fled, and Mr. Bow showed up."
    "And the... creature remains at large, then."
    "And possibly dangerous."
    "I see."
    "So. Do you know of any incidents recently, in the past month, that might be a lead on where this thing, about which I can't be give any more specifics since I don't know, could be? Any sightings?"
    "There has been a string of crimes committed by someone or something of extraordinary strength."
    "Judging by the state of the table and the suit's width, that could possibly be it. It may, judging by the scribbles, have a childlike mind and no knowledge of right and wrong."
    "That would perhaps explain some things," he nodded thoughtfully.
    "Could you give me more information?" Astro-Man prodded as Horus pondered the middle-distance.
    "There is a local criminal running a protection racket, who appears to have recently acquired a new enforcer. This man or creature, whichever he may be, has exercised considerable violence."
    "What is the name of this monster?"
    "His name is the Ray. He has been in operation here for a number of years. He has a helmet that shoots static electricity blasts. Stay out of its way," he added dryly.
    Astro-Man nodded. "That would get through even some of my planetary defenses. Dangerous situation, but I'm sure that both of us combined can defeat this man."
    "Unfortunately, I have not been able to determine very much about these recent crimes."
    "Do we have any of lead on where the Ray's hideout is? Where his minions are known to gather?"
    Horus was not averse to the notion of cooperation. "He's been very careful. These past six, nine months he has apparently gotten some very good advice, which he is possibly no longer taking. Or, it's possible that one of his underlings is challenging him. There have been reports of a woman, who was seen with the creature or person, who appeared to have been acting on her orders. But unless they move again, I am at something of a loss as to where we might pick up their trail."
    
    

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