"P. N. Elrod - Vampire Files 08 - The Dark Sleep" - читать интересную книгу автора (Elrod P N)

"Nothing short of an earthquake would have scared that bruiser off."

"True, but I didn't know that until I saw him. Next timeyou set up the appointment, then you can make
the negotiations."

"Not fair, you know I'm out of things during business hours. How about we take turns?"

He didn't say no right away, but pulled his pipe out and took his time getting it stoked and smoking. "I'll
think it over," he finally said.

"Bullshit, Charles."

"I beg your pardon?"

"That's another way of saying no."

He gave a mild scowl. "I'm discovered, then. Very well, I concede that you have a valid point about
raising the success and efficiency of this firm by making use of your abilities, but I was under the
impression you were reluctant to do so. After the incident with that womanтАФ"

"I was stupid and made a mistake. I'm past that now." Stupid and greedy and out of control with my
appetite. The woman he referred to had recovered from my feeding, thank God, with no memory of what
I'd nearly done to her, but the whole thing was burned forever into my mind. It would never happen
again.

"Right, then. We'll take turns, providing your involvement is appropriate to the situation."

"What d'you mean by that?"

"Should the next case be the mere delivery of an item, such as the last time, I should think you'd feel
rather wasted. It required a cross-country train journey, which for you is a rather complicated."

"What complication? I just lock myself into my trunk and have it shipped to the right city."

"Really, Jack." He sounded pained.

"Yeah, I know, the porters could load me onto the wrong train and I end up in Cucamonga instead of
Boise. Okay, I'll concede some as well, but if we get in another like this one, you put me on the front
lines."

"Done and done, but the final decision is mine."

I wanted to argue him out of that one, but held off. It was his agency, after all. I could count myself lucky
to have gotten this much from him and quit while I was ahead. "Okay. What else do you have planned for
tonight?"

"Writing out a report on what happened for the files, then I'll probably go home." He opened a panel in
his desk and drew out a portable typewriter.
"Have you eaten lately?" Sometimes he needed reminding.