The annual faculty party at Professor Long's on June 12th was something they could not evade. Not to have gone would have been almost tantamount to a resignation from the university.
"Besides," Alice had said when they discussed the matter in May, "isn't it about time to do a little hinting that you have something up your sleeve?"
"I don't know, Alice," Dr. MacNare had said. Then a smile quirked his lips and he said, "I wouldn't mind telling off Veerhof. I've never gotten over his deciding something was impossible without enough data to pass judgment." He frowned. "We are going to have to let the world know about Adam pretty soon, aren't we? That's something I haven't thought about. But not yet. Next fall will be time enough."
"Don't forget, Joe," Alice said at dinner. "Tonight's the party at Professor Long's."
"How can I forget with you reminding me?" Dr. MacNare said, winking at his son.
"And you, Paul," Alice said. "I don't want you leaving the house. You understand? You can watch TV, and I want you in bed by nine thirty."
"Ah, Mom!" Paul protested. "Nine thirty?" He suppressed a grin. He had a party of his own planned.
"And you can wipe the dishes for me. We have to be at Professor Long's by eight o'clock."
"No, you have to get ready. Besides don't you have to look up something for one of the faculty?"
"I'd forgotten," said Dr. MacNare. "Thanks for reminding me."
After dinner he went directly to the study. Adam was sitting on the floor playing with his wooden blocks. They were alphabet blocks, but he didn't know that yet. The summer project was going to be teaching him the alphabet. Already, though, he preferred placing them in straight rows rather than stacking them up.
At seven o'clock Alice rapped on the door to the study.
"You'll be all right while we're gone, Adam?" Dr. MacNare said.
"I be all right, papa," Adam said. "I sleep."
"That's good," Dr. MacNare said. "I'll turn out the light."
At the door he waited until Adam had sat down in the chair he always slept on, and settled himself. Then he pushed the switch just to the right of the door and went out.
"I'm hurrying," Dr. MacNare protested--and, for the first time, he forgot to lock the study door.
The bathroom was next to the study, the wall between them soundproofed by a ceiling-high bookshelf in the study filled with thousands of books. On the other side was the master bedroom, with a closet with sliding panels that opened both on the bedroom and the bathroom. These sliding panels were partly open, so that Dr. MacNare and Alice could talk.