Someone was watching him.

She was at the head of the stairs, kneeling and peeping through the bannisters like a child. She was dressed like a child in tight little leotards with her hair drawn back and tied with ribbon. She looked at him with the droll, mischievous expression of a child. Barbara D’Courtney.

“Hello,” she said.

Reich began to shake.

“I’m Baba,” she said.

Reich motioned to her faintly.

She arose at once and came down the stairs, holding on to the bannister carefully. “I’m not s’posed to,” she said. “Are you Papa’s friend?”

Reich took a deep breath. “I… I…” he croaked.

“Papa had to go away,” she prattled. “But he’s coming back right away. He told me. If I’m a good girl, he’ll bring me a present. I’m trying, but it’s awful hard. Are you good?”

“Your father? Coming b-back? Your father?”

She nodded. “Was you playing games with Aunt Mary? You kissed her. I saw it. Papa kisses me. I like it. Does Aunt Mary like it?” She took his hand confidently. “When I grow up I’m going to marry Papa and be his girl for always. Do you have a girl?”

Reich pulled Barbara around and stared into her face. “Are you rocketing?” he said hoarsely. “Do you think I’ll fall into that orbit? How much did you tell Powell?”

“That’s my papa,” she said. “When I ask him why his name is different from my name he looks funny. What’s your name?”

“I asked you!” Reich shouted. “How much did you tell him? Who do you think you’re fooling with that act? Answer me!”

She looked at him doubtfully, then began to cry, trying to pull away from him. He held on to her.

“Go ’way!” she sobbed. “Let me go!”

“Will you answer me!”

“Let me go!”

He dragged her from the foot of the stairs to the lounge where Mary Noyes still sat paralyzed. He threw the girl alongside her and stepped back again, with the scrambler raised. Suddenly, the girl whipped upright in the chair in a listening attitude. Her face lost its childishness and became drawn and taut. She thrust out her legs, leaped from the lounge, ran, stopped abruptly, then appeared to open a door. She ran forward, yellow hair flying, dark eyes wide with alarm… a lightning flash of wild beauty.

“Father!” she screamed. “For God’s sake! Father!”

Reich’s heart constricted. The girl ran toward him. He stepped forward to catch her. She stopped short, backed away, then darted to the left and ran in a half circle, screaming wildly, her eyes fixed.

“No!” she cried. “No! For the love of Christ! Father!”

Reich pivoted and clutched at the girl. This time he caught her while she fought and screamed. Reich was shouting too. The girl suddenly stiffened and clutched her ears. Reich was back in the Orchid Suite. He heard the explosion and saw the blood and brains gout out of the back of D’Courtney’s head. He shook with galvanic spasms that forced him to release the girl. She fell forward to her knees and crawled across the floor. He saw her crouch over the waxen body.