"John Dalmas - The Second Coming" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dalmas John)

The last half mile was blacktopped, and the village streets had traffic stripes. Bar
Stool pulled up before one of the houses. "This is it," he said. "You're home. The
water should be hot by now, so you can shower if you want." He paused. "Sorry for
all the dust. Ordinarily I'd have flown you here in the Mescalero."


Lor Lu got out and went around to the rear of the ungainly vehicle, while Ben held
the door for Lee and the girls. Becca popped out quickly, Raquel close behind. Lee
got out almost reluctantly, as if not wanting to see what the house was like inside.
Ben and Lor Lu began taking luggage out of the yardbags, which were gray with dust.
Bar Stool led Lee and the girls onto the front porch, unlocked and opened the door,
and handed the key ring to Lee.


"There's four keys," he said, "all the same. Far as I know, no one here locks their
doors, but I suppose some do at first. Force of habit."


Then he turned back to the eight-pack to help carry up the luggage. Lee went inside
more slowly than her curious daughters, and scanned the living room. Even with all
the basic furniture, the place felt empty. Foreign. There was no dining room; the
living room had an extendable drop-leaf table. The kitchen was well equipped, and
had not only a breakfast nook, but a pantry and freezer. It should have, she told
herself grimly, as far as it is to the nearest supermarket. Henrys Hat barely had a
general store.


She'd never been good with maps, but she'd put a highway map of Colorado in her
shoulder bag. Before looking through the rest of the house, she took it out and spread
it on the dining table. Ben had drawn a thick red circle around Henrys Hat, whose
population wasn't listed. The next nearest town was Lauenbruck, population 567,
fifteen miles the other side of Henrys Hat. Even Lauenbruck wouldn't have a mall, she
told herself, and wondered how people lived there. The school couldn't be much
either, and it was twenty-seven miles away.


Looking for the basement stairway, she found instead a small utility room with
washer, dryer, and water heater. There was no basement, she realized.


She was aware now that Ben was behind her. "Not bad, eh?" he said. "It's even been
dusted."


Not bad? she thought. She found a three-quarter bathтАФwith only a single washbowl.
Something was building inside her, something between dismay and anger. Ben was
leading now. They peered into one of the three bedrooms, not very big, with two
narrow beds. The girls', she wondered, or are we supposed to sleep separately? A
second bedroom was even smaller, and unfurnished. She wondered what possible
good it could be without furniture. Then, from behind her, Ben said, "Ah! Our