"Archer, Geoffrey - Sam Packer 02 - The Lucifer Network" - читать интересную книгу автора (Archer Geoffrey)

Jackman's gaze became a tunnel with no light at its end. He wiped his
mouth -with a napkin.

"Can't imagine," he murmured with a contrived mysteriousness.

"But there's people out there who'll dream something up. You boyos
have found me useful over the years, but I don't kid myself you're my
friends."

"So. Let me get this right," Sam persisted, spreading his fingers
across the edge of the table.

"You want HMG to promise that you'll never be prosecuted, whatever
crimes you've committed. Is that it?"

Jackman swallowed.

"Yes, essentially." He paused for a moment.

"Odd word crime, don't you think? The definition of it seems to depend
on who's carried it out."

Sam folded his arms. Time for some home truths.

"They'll never buy it, Harry. Not a blanket immunity. You'll need to
be specific. Have to spell it out in black and white."

The gun-runner's shoulders sagged as if the wind had been knocked from
him. He shook his head.

"No can do."

The soup plates were cleared away and the steaks set before them.

"Best beef in southern Africa .. ." said Jackman listlessly. The
words sounded like a mantra he'd grown rather tired of.

"You'll miss it," Sam goaded.

"We're all getting brain disease from the stuff back home."

The gun-runner fired a glance towards the door. Sam recognised the
look and empathised with it. Fear of enemies closing in.

"Expecting someone?"

Jackman grimaced.

"Look. I do want to go home, Simon. Back to England. Don't make it