Page 196 - The Perpetrations of Captain Kaga

Investigating the Mystery of the Talking Plant
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Farnitt cannot account for his whereabouts, either. If you will not tell
us where you were, I’ll have no choice but to turn this evidence over
to the Pontenga police.”
The woman grimaced and wrung her hands violently. Her eyes
darted back and forth between the two men. Lugo took pity on her.
“Oh, Miss Woswoot,” he said earnestly, “we don’t want any harm to
come to you or Mr. Farnitt. We know what the scandal would do to
his career. If we can get the full story of what happened last night,
we’ll keep anything you say confidential. Isn’t that right, Captain
Kaga?”
“Yes, but it must be the truth.”
Miss Woswoot came to a decision. She sat up straight and folded
her hands in her lap. “Very well,” she said. “I see no other course but
to trust you. Mr. Farnitt and I have been secretly engaged for two
weeks. You understand the customs here on Pontenga, Lieutenant
Lugo: maybe you’d better explain to the captain what that means.”
“Indeed!” exclaimed Lugo, amazed by the revelation. “On this
planet, Captain Kaga, there is a strict caste system among bureaucrats.
Intermarriage is strongly frowned upon, although the barriers have
begun to break down since Pontenga became the galactic PKU center.
Miss Woswoot’s family are Senior Clerks; Mr. Farnitt belongs to the
Middle Managers.”
“So you see,” the woman said pleadingly, “we couldn’t meet in
public. Our families would disown us.”
“Last night,” said Captain Kaga. “What about last night?”
“After it looked like I wouldn’t be needed for a while, I left the
reception desk and went through the exhibition hall to the staff
commissary. Mr. Farnitt was waiting there for me.”
“Can you tell us exactly what time it was when you left the alien
quarters, and then when you returned?”
“Oh, let me think,” she said, closing her eyes and concentrating. “I
left just before midnight, and I’m sure I was back by 0230. Mr. Farnitt
left the Center at the same time. That’s the best I can do.”
“Thank you,” said Kaga. “You have our word that none of this will
be made public. Now, I’d like to ask if you were present in the Tzigian
gallery last night when Bulakko and Reverend Emenoy were talking
about the sonopor plant.”

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