"Eddings, David - High Hunt" - читать интересную книгу автора (High Hunt)

"Well ЧФ I said doubtfully. I wasn't really sure I wanted to be that close to my brother.

"It'll give you a base of operations and you'll be right here close. We'll be able to get together for some elbow-bendin' now and then."

"OK," I said, laughing. "Who do I talk to?" It was easier than arguing with him. I hadn't really made any plans anyway. It was almost as if we were kids again, Jack making the arrangements and me going along with him because I really didn't care one way or the other. It felt kind of good.

"You just leave everything to me," Jack said importantly. He'd always liked to take over Ч to manage things for people Ч and he'd always make a big deal out of everything. He hadn't really changed at all. "I'll check it over from stem to stern and make old Clem give you some decent furniture from the lot Ч He owns the place where I work as well as this court. We've got a whole warehouse full of furniture. We'll put in a good bed and a halfway decent couch Ч we might even be able to scrounge up a TV set from someplace."

"Look, Jack," I said, "it's only going to be a month or so. Don't go to any special trouble." I didn't want to owe him too much. Owing people is a bum trip.

"Trouble? Hell, it's no special trouble. After all, you're my brother, ain't you. No brother of mine is going to live in some broken-down junker. Besides, if you've got some tomato lined up, you'll want to make a favorable impression. That counts for a lot, doesn't it, Marg?"

"You really will want some new stuff in there," she agreed. "Nelsons lived in there before, and Eileen wasn't the neatest person in the world." Now that I wasn't going to move in with them Margaret seemed to think better of me. I could see her point though.

"Neat?" Jack snorted, lighting a cigarette. "She was a slob. Not only was she a boozer, she was the court punchboard besides. Old Nels used to slap her around every night just on general principles Ч he figured she probably laid three guys a day just to keep in practice, and usually he was guessin' on the low side."

"How would you know about that, Mister Alders?" Margaret demanded.

"Just hearsay, sweetie, just hearsay. You know me."

"That's just it," she said, "I do know you."

"Now, sweetie ЧФ

There was a heavy pounding on the side of the trailer. I jumped. "OK, in there," a voice bellowed from outside, "this is a raid."

"Hey," Jack said, "that's Sloane." He raised his voice. "You'll never take us alive, Copper!" It sounded like a game that had been going on for a long time.

A huge, balding man of about forty came in, laughing in a high-pitched giggle. His face was red, and he wore a slightly rumpled suit. He looked heavy, but it wasn't really fat. He seemed to fill up the whole trailer. His grin sprawled all over his face and he seemed to be just a little drunk. He had a half-case of beer under one arm.

"Hi, Margaret, honey," he said, putting down the beer and folding her in a bear hug. "How's my girlfriend?"

"Sloane, you drunken son of a bitch," Jack said, grinning, "quit pawin' my wife and shake hands with my brother Dan. Dan, Cal Sloane."

"Dan?" Sloane asked, turning to me. "Aren't you Alders' college-man brother?"

"He went in the Army after he got out of college," Jack said. "He's out at the separation center now."

"You on leave?" Sloane asked, shaking my hand.

"I told you, Cal," Jack said, "he's at the separation center.

He's gettin' out. Why don't you listen, you dumb shit?" The insults had the ring of an established ritual, so I didn't butt in.

"Hey, that's a reason for a party, isn't it?" Sloane said.

"Isn't everything reason enough for you?" Jack demanded, still grinning.

"Not everything. I didn't drink more than a case or two at my Old Lady's funeral."