"Gordon Eklund - CrossRoad Blues" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eklund Gordon)

Sunny intones: "Captain Rathbone to this day continues to operate his command in
a totally individualistic and out of control manner contrary not only to the
Edicts and Ordinances of Separation but to the general good order of this city,
county, state, and nation."

"So you want me to kill him for you."

"You're an experienced officer, you know the terrain, and, most crucially, you
know Rathbone."

"None of which says why I'm going to do what you want."

She gives him another roiling dart with her eyes, smiles elliptically, lips like
jelly, and starts ticking off on her razor red fingernails: "Reinstatement in
the Department at your previous rank and grade. All due back pay and allowances
up to and including Zone rations. A Special Achievement Award and accompanying
official citation for valor above and beyond. And of course there's the oldest
motivation of all: revenge. Totally free and unpunishable too."

"What revenge? Rathbone was my best friend."

She laughs out loud, grabs his thigh, jerks him down on the floor next to her.
Her lips are inches from his. She whispers: "Now who's the dumb shit? Have a
brain, Leary. Billy Rathbone snitched you out. Haven't you fucking figured that
out yet?"

"He'd never --"

"He's the only one who could. Who else knew all the ragged shit you two were
pulling in the Zone? Rathbone knew and when it came down to him or you, somebody
to take the fall, he picked you."

"Prove it."

She pulls a micro from her waistcoat, flips it over. "Hit play and scan. It's
all there. The complete official shit. While you're doing that --" she bounces
lightly to her feet with the grace of a native dancer" --I'm going to piddle."

She leaves the door hanging open as she strides into the corridor. He can hear
heels rap-tapping like gunfire in the desert.

Leary scans the micro.

Of course it could be a fucking forgery, he thinks.
Chapter Three -- Shake, Rattle, and Roll (11/1)

Leary twists his head from side to one. "How do I know everything in here isn't
a fucking forgery?"