Chapter 22 Chapter Twenty Two

The dermatologist shook his head. "I have seen many cases like yours, but I have never seen such a serious one." Hal Baker scratched his hand and nodded. "You know, Mr. Baker, we are faced with three possibilities. Your disease may be caused by fungus, allergies, or neurodermatitis. I have examined samples taken from the surface of your skin under a microscope, and the results show that this is the case. Not mold. You said you were not exposed to chemicals at work...” "yes." "Then we are left with only one possibility, that you have a single chronic lichen, or localized neurodermatitis."

"Sounds terrible. Can you cure it?" "It's a coincidence, there is a cure." The doctor took out a plaster from a cabinet in the corner of the office, and opened the cap. "Are your hands still itchy?" Hal Baker grabbed again. "Yes. It feels like it's on fire." "Put this ointment on your hands." Hal Baker squeezed out some ointment and began rubbing it on his hands.This drug feels like a miracle. "It's gone!" Baker said. "Okay, then use this medicine, and you will never have pain again." "Thank you, doctor. I can't express how much relief I feel right now."

"I've got you a prescription. You can take this ointment with you." "thanks." On the drive home, Hal Baker sang loudly.For the first time since meeting Judge Taylor Stanford, his hands weren't itchy.He felt free and happy.Whistling, he pulled the car into the garage and walked into the kitchen.Helen is waiting for him. "There's your phone," she said. "It's a Mr. Jones calling. He said he was in a hurry for you." His hands were itching again. ※※※ He once hurt some people, but it was out of helplessness, because he loved his children too much.He also committed some crimes, but it was also for the sake of the family.Hal Baker didn't think he was really at fault.But this time the situation is different.This is brutal murder.

He demurred when he called back. "I can't do it, Judge. You'll have to find someone else." He was silent for a while, and then said another sentence: "What about my family?" ※※※ Nothing came up on the flight to Kansas City.Judge Stanford had made that very clear to him.Her name is Julia Stanford.You have her address and apartment number.She didn't expect you to go.All you have to do is go out there and kill her. He took a taxi from the Kansas City Municipal Airport to downtown Kansas City. "What a beautiful day," said the taxi driver. "yes."

"Where are you from?" "New York. My house is there." "It's a nice place to live." "Who's to say no. My house needs some repairs. Drop me off at a hardware store, okay?" "Row." Five minutes later, Hal Baker said to a salesperson in the store, "I want to buy a hunting knife." "We happen to have that, sir. Come over here, please?" It was a handsome knife, about six inches long, with a sharp point and serrated edge. "Is this okay?" "Sure," said Hal Baker. "Cash or credit?"

"Cash." His next stop was a stationery store. ※※※ For five minutes Hal Baker inspected the apartment complex at 1425 Metcalfe Avenue.He checked the entrance and exit of the building, and then left.But when it got dark at seven o'clock in the evening, he came back again.He wanted to know that if Julia Stanford had a job, she would have come home from it.He had noticed that the apartment complex had no doorman.Although there was an elevator, he went up the stairs.Never put yourself in a small enclosed space; these are the places where you are the easiest to get stuck in and out of.He came to the third floor.Room B on the third floor of the apartment building is on the left of the corridor of the building.He stuck the hunting knife in the inner pocket of his jacket.He rang the doorbell.After a while, the door opened, and a charming woman was in front of him.

"Hi." She smiled beautifully. "Is there a problem?" She was younger than he expected.For a moment, he wondered: Why did Judge Stanford kill her?Hey, that's none of my business.He took out a business card and handed it to her. "I'm from Nelson Sports Club," he said flatly. "We don't have any families watching Nelson's show in the area. We're looking for people who might be interested in our show." She shook her head. "I'm not interested, thanks!" She was about to close the door. "We pay a hundred dollars a week."

The door was ajar. "A hundred dollars a week?" "Yes, ma'am." The door is now open. "You just write the title of the show you watch. We will sign you with a one-year contract." It adds up to five thousand dollars! "Come in," she said. He went into the apartment. "Sit down. Your name, sir..." "Alan. Jim Allen." "...Mr. Allen, why did you choose me?" "Our company is conducting sample surveys. In order for our surveys to be accurate, we need to make sure that no one involved with the TV show participates. You have nothing to do with the production of the TV show or the network?"

She laughed out loud. "Oh, what a coincidence, no. How exactly do I have to do it?" "It's actually very simple. We give you a table with all the TV shows listed on it. Every time you watch a show, you just put a survey mark on it. In this way, our computer can calculate that each show has How many viewers. The Nelson family is spread all over the United States, so we can clearly know which shows are popular in which regions. Are you interested?" "Oh, yes." He produced some printed forms and a pen. "How many hours of TV do you watch every day?"

"Not a lot. I work all day." "But you gotta watch some TV show, right?" "Oh, of course. I watch the news at night and sometimes old movies. I like Larry King." He wrote it down. "Do you watch a lot of teaching programs?" "I watch what's on PBS on Sundays." "By the way, do you live here alone?" "I have a roommate, but she's not here right now." So it seems that the two of them live here. His hands were itching again.He reached into his inner pocket and was about to draw out the knife when he heard footsteps coming from the corridor outside.He stopped.

"You mean I'll get five thousand dollars a year just for doing this?" "Yes. Oh, I forgot to mention. We also got you a new color TV." "awesome!" The footsteps left.He reached into his pocket again and found the handle of the knife. "Pour me a glass of water, please? I haven't had a sip of water all day." "Of course." He watched her stand up and go to the small cupboard in the corner.He quietly pulled the knife out of its sheath and moved behind her. "My roommate watches more PBS than I do," she said. He raised his knife and was about to strike. "Julia's brains are better than mine, though." Baker's hand stopped in mid-air. "Julia?" "It's my roommate, or used to be. She's gone. When I got home, I found a note saying she's gone. I don't know when she..." She turned around, holding a With a glass of water, he saw the knife raised high in his hand. "What are you going to do...?" she screamed. Hal Baker turned and fled. ※※※ Hal Baker called Tyler Stanford. "I'm in Kansas City, but the girl's gone." "What did you say - gone?" "Her roommate said she had left." He was silent for a while. "I have a hunch she's gone to Boston. I want you to come here at once." "Yes, sir." Tyler Stanford put down the receiver with a bang and started pacing.Everything has been going flawlessly!The girl must be found and killed.She is a cannon without insurance.Taylor knew that even if he gained control of the estate, he would not be safe as long as she was alive.I must find her, Tyler said to himself.Make sure to find her!But where is she? Clark walked into the room. "Excuse me, Judge Stanford, but a Miss Julia Stanford wants to see you."