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ained it should be sufficient。 It is not especially valuable there； but is in another place。 Fair enough？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said。 〃It does make a kind of sense。〃
〃Then answer my question。 Do you think I murdered them？〃
〃No；〃 he said。 〃I believe you。〃
〃What about Benedict； now？ What does he think？〃
〃He would not attack you again without talking first。 There is doubt in his mind； I know that。〃
〃Good。 That's something； anyway。 Thank you； Gerard。 I am going away now。〃 I moved to break the contact。
〃Wait； Corwin！ Wait！〃
〃What is it？〃
〃How did you cut the black road？ You destroyed a section of it at the place you crossed over。 How did you do it？〃
〃The Pattern；〃 I said。 〃If you ever get in trouble with that thing； hit it with the Pattern。 You know how you have to sometimes hold it in your mind if shadows begin to run away from you and things start going wild？〃
〃Yes。 I tried that and it didn't work。 All I got was a headache。 It is not of Shadow。〃
〃Yes and no；〃 I said。 〃I know what it is。 You did not try hard enough。 I used the Pattern until my head felt as if it were being torn apart； until I was half blind from the pain and about ready to pass out。 Then the road came apart about me instead。 It was no fun； but it did work。〃
〃I will remember；〃 he said。 〃Are you going to talk to Benedict now？〃
〃No；〃 I said。 〃He already has everything we've gone over。 Now that he is cooling off； he will begin pushing the facts around some more。 I would just as soon he do it on his own … and I do not want to risk another fight。 When I close this time I will be silent for a long while。 I will resist all efforts to municate with me； also。〃
〃What of Amber； Corwin？ What of Amber？〃
I dropped my eyes。
〃Don't get in my way when I e back； Gerard。 Believe me； it will be no contest。〃
〃Corwin。。。 Wait。 I'd like to ask you to reconsider。 Do not hit Amber now。 She is weak in all the wrong ways。〃
〃I am sorry； Gerard。 But I am certain I have given the matter more thought during the past five years than all the rest of you put together。〃
〃I am sorry； too； then。〃
〃I guess I had better be going now。〃
He nodded。
〃Good…by； Corwin。〃
〃Good…by； Gerard。〃
After waiting several hours for the sun to disappear behind the hill； leaving the house in a premature twilight； I mashed a final cigarette； shook out my jacket and donned it； rose to my feet。 There had been no signs of life about the place； no movement behind the dirty windows； the broken window。 Slowly； I descended the hill。
Flora's place out in Westchester had been sold some years before； which came as no surprise to me。 I had checked merely as a matter of curiosity； since I was back in town。 Had even driven past the place once。 There was no reason for her to remain on this shadow Earth。 Her long wardenship having ended successfully； she was being rewarded in Amber the last time I had seen her。 To have been so near for as long as I had without even realizing her presence was a thing I found somewhat galling。
I had debated contacting Random； decided against it。 The only way he could possibly benefit me would be with information as to current affairs in Amber。 While this would be nice to have； it was not absolutely essential。 I was fairly certain that I could trust him。 After all； he had been of some assistance to me in the past。 Admitted； it was hardly altruism … but still； he had gone a bit further than he had had to。 It was five years ago； though； and a lot had happened since。 He was being tolerated around Amber again； and he had a wife now。 He might be eager to gain a little standing。 I just did not know。 But weighing the possible benefits against the possible losses； I thought it better to wait and see him personally the next time I was in town。
I had kept my word and resisted all attempts to make contact with me。 They had e almost daily during my first two weeks back on the shadow Earth。 Several weeks had passed； though； and I had not been troubled since。 Why should I give anyone a free shot at my thinking machinery？ No thanks； brothers。
I advanced upon the rear of the house； sidled up to a window； wiped it with my elbow。 I had been watching the place for three days； and it struck me as very unlikely that anyone was inside。 Still。。。
I peered in。
It was a mess； of course； and a lot of my stuff was missing。 But some of it was still there。 I moved to my right and tried the door。 Locked。 I chuckled。
I walked around to the patio。 Ninth brick in； fourth brick up。 The key was still beneath it。 I wiped it on my jacket as I walked back。 I let myself in。
There was dust on everything； but it had been disturbed in some places。 There were coffee containers； sandwich wrappers； and the remains of a petrified hamburger in the fireplace。 A lot of weather had found its way down that chimney in my absence。 I crossed over and closed the damper。
I saw that the front door had been broken about the lock。 I tried it。 It seemed to be nailed shut。 There was an obscenity scrawled on the wall in the foyer。 I walked on into the kitchen。 It was a total mess。 Anything that had survived plunder was on the floor。 The stove and the refrigerator were gone； the floor scarred where they had been pushed along。
I backed away； went and checked my workshop。 Yes； it had been stripped。 pletely。 Passing on； I was surprised to find my bed； still unmade； and two expensive chairs all intact in my bedroom。
My study was a more pleasant surprise。 The big desk was covered with the litter and muss； but then it always had been。 Lighting a cigarette； I went and sat behind it。 I guess it was just too heavy and bulky for anyone to make off with。 My books were all on their shelves。 Nobody steals books but your friends。 And there …
I could not believe it。 I got to my feet again and crossed the room to stare at close range。
Yoshitoshi Mori's beautiful woodcut hung right where it had always been； clean； stark； elegant； violent。 To think that no one had made off with one of my most prized possessions。。。
Clean？
I scrutinized it。 I ran my finger along the frame。
Too clean。 It bore none of the dust and grit which covered everything else in the house。
I checked it for trip wires； found none； removed it from its hook； lowered it。
No； the wall was no lighter behind it。 It matched the rest of the wall perfectly。
I put Mori's work on the window seat and returned to my desk。 I was troubled； as someone doubtless intended me to be。 Someone had obviously removed it and taken good care of it … a thing for which I was not ungrateful … and then only just recently restored it。 It was as if my return had been anticipated。
Which should be adequate reason for immediate flight； I suppose。 But that was silly。 If it was part of some trap； it had already been sprung。 I jerked the automatic from my jacket pocket and tucked it behind my belt。 I had not even known that I would be ing back myself。 It was just something I had decided to do since I had had some time on my hands。 I was not even certain as to why I had wanted to see the place again。
So this was some sort of contingency arrangement。 If I should e by the old homestead； it might be to obtain the only thing in the place worth having。 So preserve it and display it so that I will have to take notice。 All right； I had。 I had not been attacked yet； so it did not seem a trap。 What then？ A message。 Some sort of a message。 What？ How？ And who？
The safest place in the house； had it remained unravaged； should still be the safe。 It was not beyond any of my siblings' skill。 I moved to the rear wall； pressed the panel loose； and swung it out。 I spun the dial through its bination； stepped back； opened the door with my old swagger stick。
No explosion。 Good。 Not that I had expected any。
There had been nothing of any great value inside … a few hundred dollars in cash； some bonds； receipts； correspondence。
An envelope。 A fresh； white envelope lay in plain sight。 I did not remember it。
My name upon it； written in an elegant hand。 Not with ballpoint either。
It contained a letter and a card。
Brother Corwin； the letter said； If you are reading this； then we still think enough alike for me to be able to anticipate you somewhat。 I t