"Ty Drago - Shadowself" - читать интересную книгу автора (Drago Ty)

least a hope of privacy.

"Well, Liam," Abe said as he approached. "Haven't seen you here in a while!"
"Been busy," Liam replied. "Put a head on it, will you? And keep them coming."

Abe shoved a glass mug under the beer tap. "You still working over at Hanney's garage?"

Liam shook his head. "Got dropped last May. I'm up in Wildwood Crest now, beach
clean-up." It occurred to him suddenly that he'd have to call his boss and quit. Well, a phone
call from the road tomorrow morning would serve well enough.
"Tough times," Abe said.

"Yeah," Liam replied.

Abe left him to his silence.
It took several minutes before Liam felt the beer have its usual, calming effect on him. In
many respects, MARTY'S was the ideal place for him to come. Here there was enough
company to keep it at bay, and little enough light to hide that which needed hiding.
Five years, he thought. Five years since his life had changed. Ended, he corrected himself,
for what he'd endured since then could hardly be called living. Since that first dreadful night,
Liam Reese had been forced to walk a tightrope. Light...particularly sunlight...had become
both his rescue and his curse.

"You look like you could use a friend."
Liam looked up into the face of a young woman. "Just passing time," he replied evenly.
"Until morning."

The girl nodded. She wasn't beautiful, not in the classical sense. She wore too much
make-up and tried to carry herself with a sophistication beyond her years. To Liam, she
didn't look a day older than nineteen. "This is the place to do it," she said, gesturing at the
sleepy bar around them. "Not much happening tonight....just a good place to kill the clock."
After a moment, she sat down on the stool beside him. "My name's Brenda."
"Liam," he said. They shook hands. Her fingers were smooth and pale; her nails polished a
deep red. "Listen, Brenda," he said softly. "The truth of the matter is I don't have all that much
cash on me. And what I've got I need for traveling."

She frowned. "Is it that obvious?"

"Not really," he lied.
She bit her lip for a moment thoughtfully, and then shrugged. "So...you got no money. That's
fine with me. I saw you over here and thought: now there's a decent looking john. But the truth
is I wouldn't be here if I was seriously cruising. I mean...just look at the clientele." She
laughed softly. Liam liked the laugh. "I just got home from a weekend up in Atlantic City, you
know? There was a big convention of podiatrists there. Made enough money to last the
week at least."

"Maybe I ought to charge you," Liam quipped and she laughed again.

"I do like you. You need somebody to talk to?"
Liam regarded her for a several moments, disguising his inspection with a long swallow of