“Yes,” Kemp said after a moment of thought. “Ivan came right out and said, in more than one way, that he would consider his death a fair trade for his family’s future. But it galls me that Moore will be getting away with it.”

Jennings grunted an acknowledgement. “I can be Earthside by tomorrow morning, Doctor. Would you care to accompany me?”

* * *

Kemp examined the house in front of him. The traxi had already left—any act of cowardice on his part now would require him to call another traxi and stand waiting for it to arrive. He turned to look at Captain Jennings, who seemed no more enthusiastic about the upcoming ordeal.

Finally, sighing in sync, the two men started for the front door. The house, in an earlier day, would have been lower-middle-class. In the modern era, you would need to be at least moderately wealthy to afford it.

The address was, as Kemp understood it, temporary. The family had moved out of their apartment the moment Ivan’s share had cleared. Kemp remembered Ivan mentioning that the family hadn’t even bothered trying to break the lease—they’d simply paid the balance remaining, and walked out. This house was intended to be an intermediate step, pending Ivan and Judy deciding what to do on a more permanent basis.

Kemp shook his head. Mrs. Pritchard would have to make that decision on her own now.

Judy Pritchard opened the door as they stepped up to the porch. The grey, drawn complexion and red-rimmed eyes confirmed that she knew the purpose of the visit.

“The kids are at their grandma’s. We’ll be able to speak freely.”

The captain nodded and introduced himself and Dr. Kemp.

They sat in the living room, Kemp and Jennings on one side, Mrs. Pritchard across from them. Kemp remembered Ivan mentioning that Judy was an actuary. She didn’t fit the accountant stereotype, being a strikingly attractive woman; but her posture, dress, and attention to personal detail screamed professional. Kemp compared it to the captain’s habit of always looking freshly pressed.

“I’d prefer,” she said without preamble, “if we could skip straight to the point.”

Captain Jennings cleared his throat, gave Dr. Kemp a quick glance, and began.

Judy Pritchard wept softly as the captain finished his prepared speech. Kemp privately admitted that the captain had done a magnificent job of touching all the major points without implicating anyone or implying any kind of wrongdoing. He knew that being forced to do that galled the man.

Kemp leaned forward. “I talked to Ivan several times during his ordeal, Mrs. Pritchard. He was scared, but mostly about how it would affect you. He told me that he considered it a reasonable trade to make sure his family was taken care of.”

Judy turned a tear-stained face to him. “I’d trade it all—every last penny—to have my Ivan back.”