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

himself.

The woman stared at her companion, her breath gently ruffling the veil.
Her voice was pitched low, but even at that distance I had no trouble
hearing the conversation.

"Do you have it?"

The man cocked his head to one side, favoring her with the stronger lens
of the pince-nez. "I might ask you the same question." His voice was
flat and breathy, as though he were afraid the let the words out.

She didn't like him or his answer, but eventually lifted the purse from
her lap to the table. With her left hand she pulled out a slim leather
case and opened it for his inspection. It was no larger than a pack of
cigarettes, and she held it ready to pull back if he grabbed it. He
peered at the contents a moment, then drew a jeweler's loupe from his
pocket.

"May I?" He extended a manicured hand. She hesitated. "I have to verify
that it is genuine. MissтАж erтАж Green. Mr. Swafford was very clear on
that point."

She put the case on the table, her right hand lingering inside the big
purse. "Just as long as you know that this is genuine," she told him,
and turned the bag to let him see inside.

He stiffened, his eyes frozen on her hidden hand. He licked his lower
lip. "V-very well." Slowly he picked up the leather case, removing the
pince-nez and screwing the loupe into one eye. He examined what was in
the case for ten seconds and reversed the motions, replacing it back
onto the scarred tabletop.

"Well?" she said.

"It is genuine." He settled the pince-nez back on his nose.

"I knew that, let's get on with it."

"Y-yes, certainly." From his coat pocket he produced an envelope and
gave it to her. She opened it and examined the contents in turn, pulling
out one of the hundred-dollar bills from the center. A second later she
looked up and grabbed the leather case.

"You can tell Swafford it's in the fire," she said in a voice like
ground glass.

His eyes darted unhappily from the empty spot on the table to her veil.
"But why?"