"P. N. Elrod - Vampire Files 07 - A Chill In The Blood" - читать интересную книгу автора (Elrod P N)

This came not from Sal, but from a slim black woman in her thirties who suddenly burst in on us like a
cavalry charge. She wore a sober, dark blue dress and a no-nonsense, God-help-you expression as she
halted in the front of the group, hands on her hips and disgruntlement in every line of her well-shaped
body. She treated the whole room to a piercing once-over, then came forward to stand nose to nose
with Coldfield. She wasn't nearly his match in height, but made up for it with force of temper.

"Clarence, just what the hell do you think you're doing here?" she snapped.

Clarence? I thought. I caught Escott's eye. He made a small, hasty cutting motion with one hand.

Coldfield offered her a winning smile, holding his palms up. "Just bringing you a couple of strays. It's only
for a day or so until weтАФ"

"You know I don't want anything to do with your crapтАФ no offense," she said in an aside to Escott.
Brows high, he pursed his lips and gave a minute shake of his head. "You damn well know I run a clean
place here and I'm not about toтАФ"

"Please, Tru, this is serious. I wouldn't have come if it wasn't."

She crossed her arms and glared. "Uh-huh. I'm sure you'll have a good sob story all ready for me."

"And you know you'll do what I ask if I ask nice enough, so how 'bout we pretend you've heard it all
and I go straight to the please-pretty-please-with-sugar-on-top part?"

My eyes were ready to pop.This was Shoe Coldfield?

Tru saw and slapped his arm. "Oh, stop embarrassing yourself in front of the bum. No offense," she
added, nodding at me.

"None taken," I whispered.

"He's no bum, he's just had a hard time tonight, and Charles, too. You remember Charles Escott, don't
you?"

She rounded on him. "I remember, but he's sure changed. Is that really you under those bruises?"

"Indeed it is, Miss Coldfield. I do apologize for not being in a more presentable state, but as your
brother was about to say, this is a rather serious occasion andтАФ"

"It's you all right. Still using ten words when one will do, huh? Well, don't stop, I like that English accent.
Come on and sit by the stove. Sal, got any stew ready? Okay, then pour him a cup and get it into him."
Sal, a very large man, topping even Coldfield's size by a few inches, instantly stepped forward to carry
out this order. "Now, who are you?" She looked at me again. I'd heard a little about her from Escott, and
by a roundabout way she'd once sent a case in our direction. Don't know what I expected her to be like,
but whatever it was fell short of the reality.

"My name's Fleming, I work with CharlesтАФ"

Coldfield interrupted. "Tru, this can wait, the man took a dive in the lake and he's half froze to death."