Jr. Lloyd Biggle

“ I called off my dinner date with Stella and prowled around Manhattan looking for a big man with a pronounced limp. One speck of dust among the millions. I noticed with satisfaction that I was not alone in my search. Aircars were swooping in low for a quick look at pedestrians. Foot patrolmen were scrutinizing every passerby. And detectives would be making the rounds of the rooming houses and hotels with photographs. Cab and bus drivers would be alerted.
For a man who had no reason to hide, Michael Rolland Gregory was doing an expert job of keeping out of sight. ”

“ I radioed police headquarters at 10:00 P.M., and the Captain's voice exploded at me. "Where the hell have you been? The stakeout at the girl's apartment got Gregory. They're bringing him in."
I cut off without any of the formalities, and sprinted. I tore down the corridor to the D. F. C. room, and burst in on what might have been a funeral celebration. Walker sat with his face in his hands, and the Captain was pacing in a tight circle.
"He got away," the Captain snarled. "Snapped the handcuffs like toothpicks, beat up his escort and ran. The man must have the strength of a utility robot." ”

“ As my dad used to say, there's nothing like mixing business with pleasure.
She suggested the place—a queer little restaurant in the basement of a nearby apartment building. There were lighted candles on the tables—the first candles I'd seen since I was a child. The waitresses wore odd costumes with handkerchiefs wrapped around their heads. An old man sat off in one corner scraping on a violin. It was almost weird.
But the food was good, and Stella Emerson was good company. Unfortunately, her mind was on Mike Gregory. ”

“ I saw, suddenly, that we had a double problem. We had to protect Stella from Gregory, but we also had to protect Gregory from himself. If we could find him.
"There's not much we can do," I said, "but keep on looking."
It was what Walker called the Critical Period. Something had to happen on this day or the next, or Cronus was a monkey's dutch uncle.
"If we could only pick Gregory up and hold him for a couple of days, maybe we could beat this," I told the Captain. "We've eliminated Stella Emerson, we've locked the apartment, and caging Gregory should snap the last thread." ”

“ I called Stella and asked her to stay home from work the next day. I got the stakeout on her aunt's apartment doubled.
I was up at dawn, prowling the streets, riding in patrolling aircars, and I suppose generally making a nuisance of myself with calls to headquarters. We put in a miserable day, and Gregory might have been hiding on Mars, for all the luck we had.
I had my evening meal at a little sandwich shop, and did a leisurely foot patrol along the street by Stella's apartment building. The stakeout was on the job, and the superintendent had Stella's lights on. ”

“ If we prevent the crime, it's not going to happen. Right?"
"Right."
"And if it's not going to happen, Cronus wouldn't show it to us. All you see on that screen is what will happen. As far as Cronus is concerned, it already has happened. Preventing it is like trying to change the past."
"We can try," I said.
"Yes, we can try. The regular force will help us on this one. A team of detectives is waiting outside. Tell them what you want done."
I wanted an apartment living room with a corner location and a door scanner. ”

“ With money and research facilities, we could produce one that would really work, but we can't get that kind of support by predicting a few piddling holdups. But a murder, now—that would make someone sit up and take notice."
"Stop worrying about your dratted Cronus," I snapped. "I don't give a damn about that pile of junk. There's a girl's life to be saved." ”

“ It isn't too critical, where the holdups are concerned. The criminal is caught immediately, the loot is recovered, and the victim goes his way thinking kind thoughts about the efficiency of the police force. But what about assault, or rape, or murder? Apprehending the criminal ten minutes later won't be much comfort to the victim. But now that you're here to follow up the leads given us by Cronus—well, we'll see what we can do. Come on. I want you to meet Walker. And Cronus! ”

“ But we can't deny the potential. We've been in operation for three weeks, and already we've seen half a dozen holdups days before they happened."
"At least it's an ideal we've always worked for," I offered. "I mean, to prevent crime, rather than just catch the criminal."
"Oh!" he said, and went to work on his pipe again. "Maybe I didn't make myself clear. We saw the holdups on that screen, but we couldn't prevent a single one. All we managed to do was catch the criminal a few minutes after he had committed the crime. So it raises an interesting question: Is it possible to change the future?" ”

“ His hand moved upward. Something glittered in it, and he brought it down. He struck twice, and the female crumpled to the floor. He whirled, ran toward us, and disappeared. The camera ground on, recording the image of that shapeless shadow on the floor.
Abruptly the scene changed. A restaurant, with crowded tables and jerkily moving robot-servers. Walker swore softly and turned off the camera.
"That's all I got before," he said. "If I could come on it from a different angle, maybe we could locate the place."
"When?" the Captain asked.
"Seven to twelve days." ”

“ It proved that he was somewhere in the vicinity of New York City, but I don't think any of us ever doubted that.
"One thing is interesting," the Captain said. "He's using his own name. No reason why he shouldn't, of course. He's not a criminal—but he is a potential criminal, and he doesn't know that." ”