"Elrod, P N - Vampire Files 09 - Lady Crymsyn E-Txt" - читать интересную книгу автора (Elrod P N)

"Yeah. Had too much sand in it, made it soft. Guess it's just as well, or we'd
still be taking it down."
"What else did you think of the workmanship?"
"It was okay, but I seen better. Whoever put it up knew enough about bricklaying
to get the job done, but I wouldn't want him working on no house of mine."
"Maybe he didn't have enough light to see by," I said speculatively.
Leon paused to glance uneasily at me. "There's that."
"Suppose whoever did it brought her down here and had only a flashlight or maybe
a lantern?"
"He'd have to. There weren't no electric lights strung so far back into the
basement until me and the boys put em in ourselves. You sure got some kind of
wicked thoughts on that, Mr. Fleming."
"Imagination isn't always a happy gift. He must have had her tied and gagged or
maybe she was unconscious. He carries her all the way to the back, to a place
where he's sure no one will bother to go. He puts her down next to the wall,
secures her bonds to a bolt he drives into the bricks there. Then he starts
laying the first course along that uneven floor."
"Yeah, I guess." Leon didn't seem comfortable with the picture I'd conjured.
"How long do you think a job like that would take?"
"I donno. Not a lot of time for someone who knows what he's doing. For this guy,
more than just a couple of hours, I'd say. I got a good chance to look at the
work while we was taking it apart, and I think he got better at it toward the
end. You know, as he got it built up to meet the ceiling."
"Practice makes perfect."
That snagged me another uneasy look. "The mortar was a little different, too.
Like he run out halfway up and had to mix another batch. Jeez, now you got me
thinking like you."
"Did you tell this to the cops?"
"Nah. They was too interested in us just getting the wall down. They didn't ask
us nothing except if we knew who she was and none of us could say yes to that."
"Before you leave I think you should mention what you've told me to Lieutenant
Blair."
"Okay, if you want me to." Leon didn't seem too cheered at the prospect.
"You think he won't listen?"
"Ah, he's a cop, they only listen to what they wanna hear."
"You just tell him I sent you over."
"Okay, I'll do it. There's just one thingЧabout taking the wall down? I didn't
want you thinking we was going slow so as to make overtime for ourselves."
"I never thought that," I said truthfully. "But I'm glad you mentioned it. I'll
make sure the cops pay for the overtime."
"Really? You think they will?"
"Yeah, I can try, anyway." And succeed, if I chose to.
"Believe me, none of us wanted to be back there any longer than we had to with
that thing."
"I don't blame you."
"It's creepy enough here without moreЧ" He shut himself up.
"More what?"
"Of thatЕ thing." He gestured helplessly to where the cops were still gathered.
"What's so creepy about this joint, Leon? Something else got you worried?"
"Nothing, boss. It's been a hell of a night, and I need to get home to my wife