Read Mute for Free Online Page B

him. “Yes. I had intended to clarify the matter of the leadmuter, but fear I forgot.”
    Knot considered. “Leadmuter?” he asked as though perplexed.
    “I think it would be best if I could actually see this mutant. I realize that the name is more suggestive than the reality, but as long as there is any question—I’m sure you understand.”
    He certainly did! She had fallen into his trap, and all her clever exposure of his secrets had cone to nothing. Now, like the good scout she was, she was trying to remedy her seeming neglect. It would be easier to fool her the second time, now that he knew she was susceptible to his psi. “Oh, of course. We must have complete accuracy for CC! I’ll take you there now.”
    “That is most kind of you,” she said with a certain edge.
    How much did she suspect? Ordinary people could be fooled easily, but to a trained observer the discrepancies of memory and experience became upsetting.
    Soon they were outside, following the same trail as before. Finesse had not dressed properly this time, either, which was another encouraging evidence of her loss of memory. She wore a green jumper-dress that deepened the green of her eyes and showed her fine calves to advantage. Her shirt, however, fit more closely about her neck, permitting no “accidental” exposures there. Ah well, he thought; chance gave and chance took away; today was a leg-admiring day. Unless he managed to seduce her again; then he might get to see it all. Yet that was chancy; women had ways of remembering seductions when they forgot routine things. York was a good example; she had uncanny ability to fathom what he had or had not done with her the night before, and generally let him know. He would be safest to keep his hands off Finesse, despite considerable temptation.
    “I really should have done this the first time,” Finesse said, pausing to unhook her skirt from a tenacious bramble, in the process showing as nice a knee as Knot could recall. “I can’t think why I didn’t. I don’t recall raising the issue at all. “
    Yes, indeed. “Well, the leadmuter is only one of several hundred mutants here,” Knot said. “I dare say you overlooked him in the confusion. He’s just an old man who likes to work with old lead, trying to make things from it. Harmless hobby.”
    “I suppose so. Your literature does make that clear. But it still seems odd I didn’t check it out directly.”
    “By no means. You must be very busy.”
    He helped her negotiate a steep bank, bracing himself while she put one hand on his shoulder for steadiness as she climbed. Then she stood at the top, her feet at the level of his head, waiting for him to climb. Oh, my, those legs!
    “Even more confusing is the discrepancy between my memory of the occasion and the holo recording I made.”
    Oh, no! Knot thought, caught in mid admiration of her limbs. The utter bitch!
    He scrambled up the bank while he wrestled with it in his mind. How was he going to deal with this? His psi did not work on machines. Finesse had been playing with him all this time, letting him lie himself deeper into trouble, and now he was fairly trapped. Had he not been so absorbed by her anatomy, he might have caught on in time to prepare a countermove—as she surely was aware. Why did he keep having to bite at the bait she proffered?
    Well, at least he could survey the extent of the damage before proceeding further. Are you with us Hermine? he thought.
    There was a ripple of surprise. You know me?
    I think you’re the prettiest weasel I know, with wonderful psi power. How is Mit?
    How can you know me when I do not know you? Mit is fine.
    We met before. You forgot. You can read it in my memory. What is Finesse up to?
    She is very angry with you.
    “Are you all right, Knot?” Finesse inquired solicitously.
    “Uh, just startled. I’m not sure I know what you mean uh, by ‘recording.’”
    She is absolutely furious. She knows you’re lying.
    Finesse smiled angelically