Part Forty-Two, Chapter Eight - Gris Threatens to Shoot the Messenger

Having decided upon his course of action and been freed from his closety prison, Gris immediately gets distracted by "one thing and then the other and then the first thing again" as per his arrangement with the women he raped the heterosexuality back into.  But he eventually gets around to writing his letter.

Dear Miss Simmons,

I herewith return your glasses so you will know I am a friend.

I have to inform you that a dastardly deed has been perpetrated upon you.

You were hypnotized and lied to by the foulest fiend who ever existed between Hells and Heavens.  You were told a pack of lies while in hypnotic trance.  DON'T BELIEVE THEM!

The things you were told were utter hogwash and you should cast them utterly from your mind.  You have been absolutely right all along about him.

Just realize that your future and that of this planet depend utterly upon your exposing that (bleepard) for what he is.

Don't let the firm hue of resolution be sickled o'er by the pale cast of hypnotism.  ACT.  ACT.  ACT!

Your true friend,

X

Why, it doesn't look like Gris went into specifics over which of the foulest fiends who ever existed between Hells and Heavens told Miss Simmons that pack of lies, or even which pack of lies he's warning her about.   Gee.  I wonder how that could possibly go wrong?

Yes, he put his signature in the center of the letter.  Yes, that's a premeditated use of an "o'er" in contemporary correspondence. 

Come Saturday morning Gris calls up Raht and tells him to deliver the letter (and Simmons' glasses), then meet him in a park instead of Miss Pinch's apartment, even though Raht knows that's where Gris is staying.  Gris goes to the park, grabs a hot dog and a coffee for lunch, and relaxes for one hour, then grows increasingly worried over the next four hours.  Raht finally returns, explaining that some workers were putting in a new window and he didn't want to give the letter to them, so he waited an hour and a half for Simmons to wake up  Gris threatens to shoot him if he doesn't get to the point.

That got to him.  "I bet you would," he said.  "And cops would instantly be all over the place."  He gave me a glaring look.  But he got down to business.  "So she got up.  She was wearing a housecoat that was pretty wrinkled and she didn't seem to be bothering to keep it closed.  She sure is built.  Breasts nice and firm.  Brown pubic hair.  Nice legs . . ."

I made a threatening gesture with my hand in my pocket.

Er... he's got a gun in his pocket, under the table, aimed at Raht.  He's aiming a pistol.  That's what he's doing.

Anyway, Raht relates how he gave Miss Simmons her glasses back, but she put them down before reading the letter.  Gris protests that Simmons can't read without her glasses.  Hello, minor plot point that will be explained in a couple of chapters.  Once Miss Simmons finished the letter she turned colors and started screaming, then bid Raht stay at her house while she stormed out to talk to the police.  This would imply that after getting fear bombed Grafferty and his officers ran back to the station and hid under their desks instead of returning to the crime scene, but Gris is thrilled because he knows that between Simmons, Kutzbrain and the cops, they should be able to put together an I.D. on the Countess Krak.  Because the Countess Krak is good at using hypno-helmets to make people think they're rape victims, but not so much when it comes to covering her tracks.

Raht trailed Miss Simmons as far as the Downtown Express, then went back to her apartment and waited until she finally returned, no police in sight, "smug beyond relief.  These Earth women are that way.  They're happiest when they've got something on somebody, and that's the way she looked."  So Raht reported back to Gris to pass on Simmons' thanks for saving her life.

I was so enthralled, I didn't even notice when he left.

I could hardly wait for Sunday.  Wow, was this going in the most unexpected direction Krak could ever imagine.  (Bleep) her!  Her and all her fancy, stupid tricks!

Miss Simmons says nothing about Sunday.  There is no indication that whatever action she's taken with the police will come to fruition on Sunday.  There is no reason for the police to delay their search for the culprit until Sunday.  But Gris is somehow under the impression that nothing is scheduled for the rest of Saturday afternoon and evening, and the plot will advance the following morning.

In an amazing coincidence, the next chapter begins late Sunday morning.  Wonder how Gris knew that?


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