"Brooks, Terry - Landover 01 - Magic Kingdom for Sale - Sold" - читать интересную книгу автора (Brooks Terry)

he had to start somewhere, and this was as good a place as
any. One step at a time, as the saying went.

In his room, he took five minutes to unpack, then picked
up the Manhattan phone directory and looked up the number
to Rosen's. He found it in bold print, dialed and waited.
When the department store switchboard answered, he asked
for Customer Service and was transferred. He indicated to
the new voice that he was interested in an item in the Christ-
mas Wishbook and needed to make an appointment with Mr.

19

20 MAGIC KINGDOM FOR SALE - SOLD!

Meeks. There was a pause, a request for the item number,
and again he was transferred.

This time he was kept waiting for several minutes. Then
a third voice came on the line, a woman's also, this one soft
and graveled. Could he give her his name, address and the
number of a major credit card? He could. When did he wish
to see Mr. Meeks? Tomorrow morning, if possible. He was
visiting from Chicago for a few days only. Would tomorrow
morning at ten o'clock be satisfactory? That would be fine.
Ten o'clock sharp, then? Fine.

The line went dead. He stared at it for a moment, then
hung up.

He went down to the lobby, bought a Times, drank several
scotchesЧGlenlivet and water over ice, as usualЧand went
in to dinner. He ate with the paper before him, scanning its
sections without interest, his mind elsewhere. He was back
in his room by seven. He watched a news special on El Sal-
vador, and wondered how after so many years people could
continue to kill each other so casually. A variety hour special
followed, but he let it play without watching, distracted by
a sudden need to analyze the particulars of what he was
about. He had thought it through at least a dozen times al-
ready that day, but there was always the same nagging
uncertainty.

Did he really know what he was doing? Did he really ap-
preciate what he was getting into?

The answers this time were the same as they had been
each time before. Yes, he knew what he was doing. Yes, he
appreciated what he was getting into. At least, as far as he
was able to, he did. One step at a time, remember. He knew