"Yeah, that too," she said.
"And tomorrow we'll be rich."
A small frown crossed Leen Forth's face. "Even when we're rich, Pop, things are going to be the same, aren't they? I mean, it's you and me against the world?"
"It always was."
"Good," she said. "Good night. He looks like a nice man." She nodded her head toward the bedroom door.
"Yes, he does." Wooley kissed her good night, and went back into the living room.
Massello was still standing where Wooley had left him but when the professor returned Massello sank back into his seat on the couch.
"You don't remember me, Professor, do you?" he said.
Wooley looked hopelessly lost.
"We met, perhaps two years ago, at a dinner for Indochina refugees. I wouldn't expect you to remember just another businessman. There were many people there that night."
"Of course. Now I remember," Wooley lied.
"At any rate, I am a businessman and I'll get down to business. I was at the university tonight and I saw the demonstration of your…"
"Dreamocizer," Wooley filled in.
"Yes, of course. I want to buy all rights from you to manufacture and sell it-and of course you would be paid a generous percentage on the sale of each unit."
"I really don't think I'm up to talking business tonight," Wooley started.
"I understand. I'm sure it's been a long day for you. And before that, long years, perfecting your device. It is patented, isn't it?"
"Yes. A string of patents."
"Good," said Massello, making a mental note to have a search done the next day for all patents in Wooley's name. "Just so that you are not, as your daughter might say, ripped off."
"Not much chance of that. But as I said, I really didn't want to talk business tonight."
"There's just one problem, Professor. As I said, I'm in many businesses around the area and consequently hear many things. I understand that men have come here from out of state, whose only interest is in stealing your invention."
"They'd have to find it first," said Wooley.
"Of course. You would put it away safely." Massello shook his head. "But these are the kind of men who would not stop at anything to get from you your invention. From you… or from your daughter. They would stop at nothing."
"I'll just have to be careful."
"One cannot be careful enough. I hope this won't offend you, Professor, but I know that at times you entertained a visitor in this place. A Miss Hawley?"
"Yes?"
"You have not seen her in some time?"
"No, I haven't."
"You will not. Ever again."
Wooley sank back into the chair.
"I'm sorry, Professor. But I wanted you to know the type of men you are dealing with. These men from New York will stop at nothing."
Massello saw the pained look on Wooley's face and rose from the couch. He came to Wooley's seat and clapped a strong hand on the man's shoulders.
"Come, Professor. It is not as bad as all that. Forewarned is forearmed."
"But I know nothing of violence. I can't expose Leen Forth to those kinds of…"
"You won't have to," Massello said. "I have friends. They will know how to protect you and yours."
The warming clasp of Massello's hand on Wooley's shoulder gave the professor a surge of confidence, a feeling of power.
"You really think so?" he said.
"I swear it. On my mother's sacred heart," Massello said.
The two men Grassione had sent to stake out Professor Wooley's house had only started to phone in their report about the middle-aged man and the Oriental and…
"That's them," Grassione interrupted. "That's them. Now look, the old guy's invented some kind of a television gadget. I want you to get it."
"And what about him?"
"Do anything you want with him," Grassione said.
While the two men were in the telephone booth around the corner from Wooley's house, Doctor Smith had gone, leaving Remo and Chiun behind.
The two men walked back toward Wooley's small house.
"What kind of a television gadget?" the bigger man said.
"Who knows? We'll find out from this professor, before we pop him."
The two men were surprised to find the front door to Wooley's house open and even more surprised to find two men lying on the living-room floor.
The bigger man flicked on the light switch inside the door.
"All right, which one of you is Wooley?"
Remo rolled over and looked toward the two men. "Actually," he said, "Chiun's more woolly. I'm kind of wash-and-wear myself." He turned over again.