crack
about my noble ancestors in the past five minutes. I've always
wondered about the surgical techniques my great-great-great grandpop
used when he lifted a paleface's hair. One more word, Clay Ferguson,
and I'll have your scalp flying from Beulah's antenna like a coontail
on a kid's scooter."

Ben bellowed and nearly choked. "Hey, kid," he spluttered at Clay,
"ever notice how the wrong one of her ancestors keeps coming to the
surface? That was the Irish."

Clay polished off the last of his steak and reached for the individual
frozen pies Kelly had put in the oven with the steaks. "Now that's
another point," he said, waving his fork at Kelly. "The Irish lived so
long on potatoes and prayers that when they get a piece of meat on
their menu, they don't know how to do anything but boil it."

"That tears it," the girl exploded. She pushed back from the table and
stood up. "I've cooked the last meal this big, dumb Canuck will ever
get from me. I hope you get chronic indigestion and then come crawling
to me for help. I've got something back there I've been wanting to
dose you with for a long time."

She stormed out of the galley and slammed the door behind her. Ben
grinned at the stunned look on Clay's face. "Now what got her on the
warpath?" Clay asked. Before Ben could answer the radio speaker in the
ceiling came to life.

"Car 56 this is Pitt Control."

Martin reached for the transmit switch beside the galley table. "This
is Five Six, go ahead."

"Relay from Philly Control," the speaker blared. "Reference the
accident at Marker 92 at 1648 hours this date; Philly Control reports
a third vehicle definitely involved."

Ben pulled out a pencil and Clay shoved a message pad across the
table.

"James J. Newhall, address 3409 Glen Cove Drive, New York City,
license number BHT 4591 dash 747 dash 1609, was witness to the initial
impact. He reports that a white over green, late model Travelaire,
with two men in it, sideswiped one of the two vehicles involved in the
fatal accident. The Travelaire did not stop but accelerated after the
impact. Newhall was unable to get the full license number but the
first six units were QABR dash 46 ... rest of numerals unknown."

Ben cut in. "Have we got identification on our fatalities yet?"

"Affirmative, Five Six," the radio replied. "The driver of the car
struck by the hit-and-run vehicle was a Herman Lawrence Hanover, age
forty-two, of 13460 One Hundred Eighty-First Street So