"Elrod, P N - Jack Fleming - The Vampire Files 02 - Lifeblood" - читать интересную книгу автора (Elrod P N)

"What are you talking about? Explain."

Escott gestured at the money. "That should be explanation enough. You
had it marked and rather clumsily marked at that. The thief spotted it
easily enough, realized I was not the philately expert, and gave me
this." He exhibited the new ventilation on his coat and vest. "You
should have trusted me: your money and the stamp would have been
returned as promised. Now you have only the money. You've forfeited the
stamp."

Swafford flushed a deep red that slowly faded to a muddy pink as he
thought things over. "All right, what do you want?"

"A telephone call to have the charges against Ruthie Mason dropped."

"What else?"

"First the phone call."

"But it's--"

"I know. Wake up your lawyer, that's what you pay him for. have him set
things in motion."

"If I do this, will the stamp be returned? Do you have it?"

Escott dropped the case on the desk. It thumped once against the thick
blotter before Swafford grabbed and opened it.

"Empty!" He froze. Escott held up a slip of paper folded into quarters.
He waved it dangerously close to one of the candles.

"For God's sake be careful. That's worth five thousand--"

"Get on with the call," he snapped.

Swafford got on with the call. Since he couldn't argue with Escott he
took it out on the lawyer, and before five minutes were gone another
Chicago citizen had had his night's sleep broken up. Knowing how fast
some cops liked to work, it was a good bet that the lawyer would be tied
up until well after breakfast. For that he would certainly gift Swafford
with a whopping fee. Escott knew the art of a properly administered low
blow. While Swafford was on the phone, Escott turned up some paper and a
carbon from the desk and wrote out several lines.

Swafford hung up. "There, I've done it. Ruthie will be out in the
morning."

"I doubt she'll wish to continue her employment here. Should that be the