"Lee Edgar - Princess 04 - Checkmate for a Princess" - читать интересную книгу автора (Edgar Lee)

being honest with her? Two days ago, she would gladly have married him. But
Now...? Having suffered badly at the hands of French Security in the days
leading up to the destruction, she was now wary when things appeared not to
fit together perfectly. Was it her imagination? Nagging at her mind were the
words of Colonel Narovic. Trust was good but it could be misplaced and, when
it was, the results could be tragic.
Turning left at the top of the pass, Suzette paused for a moment and looked
down the valley. It looked little different to the last time she had done so,
before all this started. The Plain of Rousillon lay stretched out below her
into the far distance where the sea shone blue in the afternoon sun. With a
sigh, she pushed on until the low concrete building came into sight with the
giant helicopter gunship parked beside it, the only level ground for miles
around. The soldier sitting beside it jumped to his feet as she approached,
parked the car in the shade and then climbed out of the driver's door.
A low whistle greeted her. A month ago and she would have retorted angrily at
such a blatant advance. Today, she smiled. 'Hi, Martin. Is Al inside?'
'He is, Miss Blackman. Wow, you look swell, ma'am.'
'Less of the "ma'am", kid. I'm twenty-three, not fifty-three.'
'Yes, Miss Blackman, I mean no, Miss Blackman.'
She stood before the young rookie. 'Where did you sleep last night?'
He looked puzzled. 'On the 'copter, miss. Where else?'
'Come inside,' she said and turned to go.
'But I can't. My orders...'
Suzette returned and grabbed his collar. 'Inside, soldier,' she said cheekily.
'You're doing yourself no good at all out here in this hot sun.'
The air inside the concrete building was considerably cooler as Suzette closed
the door and ushered Corporal Fisher into the main control room of the
tracking station. Jim Marshal looked up from the console and smiled as Gillian
stood up and kissed her friend's cheek. Major Slazinski glowered at his junior
who looked as if he would rather be anywhere else than on that spot.
'I brought him in out of the sun,' clarified Suzette. 'He is achieving nothing
out there.'
'I ordered him to guard the helicopter,' mumbled the Major, his cigar still in
his mouth.
Suzette snatched it out and stuck it in his top pocket.
'You light up that thing in here, Al, and I'll throw you out,' she threatened,
pushing her shades onto the top of her head. 'Now why don't you open some of
those cool cokes you brought over from Columbia this morning and we'll have a
cosy chat.'
'Chat?' he queried, trying desperately to keep his eyes off her long legs and
low-buttoned blouse.
'Coke,' she commanded, prodding his chest with her long finger. He nodded and
returned in a few minutes with opened bottles for them all.
'Al,' Suzette said as he handed her a cool bottle. 'How often do you have to
report in about us?'
The black giant from the ghettos of Brooklyn spluttered on his coke and the
looked very guilty as Suzette faced him, demanding an answer.
'Twice a day,' he eventually admitted. 'How did you know?'
'I am slow sometimes, but not completely stupid. Commander Jakes was much too
quick to assign you to us. He could simply have waited for us to call him up