"Block, Lawrence - CMS - Collecting Ackermans" - читать интересную книгу автора (Block Lawrence)

"So you're divorced," he said.

"Uh-huh. You? I'll bet you're married, aren't you? It doesn't bother me if you are."

"I'm not. How long ago were you divorced?"

"It's almost five years now. It'll be exactly five years in January. That's since we split, but then it was another six months before the divorce went through. Why?"

"And Ackerman was your husband's name?"

"Yeah. Wallace Ackerman."

"No kids?"

"No, I wanted to but he didn't."

"A lot of women take their maiden names back after a divorce."

She laughed aloud. "They don't have a maiden name like I did. You wouldn't believe the name I was born with."

"Try me."

"Plonk. Millie Plonk. I think I married Wally just to get rid of it. I mean Mildred's bad enough, but Plonk? Like forget it. I don't think you even told me your last name."

"Didn't I?" The hand moved distractingly over Millie's abdomen. "So you decided to go on being an Ackerman, huh?"

"Sure. Why not?"

"Why not indeed."

"It's not a bad name."

"Mmmm," the man said. "This is a nice place you got here, incidentally. Been living here long?"

"Ever since the divorce. It's a little small. Just a studio."

"But it's a good-sized studio, and you must have a terrific view. Your window looks out on the river, doesn't it?"

"Oh, sure. And you know, eighteen flights up, it's gotta be a pretty decent view."

"It bothers some people to live that high up in the air."

"Never bothered me."

"Eighteen floors," the man said. "If a person went out that window there wouldn't be much left of her, would there?"

"Jeez, don't even talk like that."

"You couldn't have an autopsy, could you? Couldn't determine whether she was alive or dead when she went out the window."