"Jerry Davis - Scuba (2)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Davis Jerry)

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SCUBA
┬й 1998 by Jerry J. Davis

Thirty stories up, sitting next to a wall-sized window
staring out at the dirty Chicago rain, Jack sat at a long table
with tense men and women who listened to each other with the
intensity of sharks smelling blood. The rain, the murky air . . .
it reminded Jack of the ocean at 85 fathoms; dark, grey, barren.
The animal life imitating plant life. Jack stared out the window
and tried to pretend he wasn't in a three piece Italian wool suit
that made him chafe and itch.
"Jack," a voice said.
He blinked, and turned toward the people in the room.
Everyone was staring at him. "Yes?" he said.
A few muttered in disgust, the rest looked bored. There were
business suits, long and short hair; blond, brown, black; some
faces had glasses, others had carefully trimmed beards and
mustaches. Eyes darted, roamed, stared un-focused. The man
conducting the meeting had gone prematurely gray, had sharp blue
eyes, glasses, sharp nose and chin. Wrinkles were beginning to
form along his hollow cheeks. "Your department's phone bill," he
said to Jack.
"What about it?"
"You haven't been listening. I would appreciate it if you'd
pay attention here."
"Sorry," Jack muttered. "I've been working late."
"Working late? On what?"
Jack didn't have an answer. It had been a spontaneous lie, he
had nothing to back it up. Long, silent seconds proclaimed his
guilt.
Neil Cromwell smiled. "Go get some coffee and when you're
awake I'll talk to you in my office. You've got . . ." he glanced
at his watch ". . . twenty-five minutes."
Jack felt his cheeks burning. It was like being sent out of
class for being a bad boy. "I'll be okay," he said. "What were you
asking me?"
"No. I'll talk to you later. Go on, you're dismissed."
Jack got up and walked around the table, ignoring the looks
he was being given. Pushing the door open, passing through,
letting it close itself behind him.

#

He stopped at the coffee machine and noticed the new girl,
the blonde, and realized she was smiling at him. What was her
name? Christie? Looked like a soap-opera princess, all T&A plus
make-up and mousse. "Pour you some coffee?" she asked.
"Yes, thank you." He took one of the company cups, held it