"Charles L. Grant - Raven" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Charles L)

"Oh, Christ, now what?"
"The other manтАФNester?тАФhe said something to your bartender and the cookтАФ"
"Jesus!"
He ran for the steps, taking her arm as he passed her, and scrambled up, slipped once, nearly fell onto the floor
when he reached the top. He looked around anxiously, but noth-ing seemed out of place. Davies and the others were
still in their corner booth, Julia was at the register, and BrandtтАФ where the hell was Nester?
Dry-mouthed, he charged into the kitchen, and Willie jumped away from the island, wide-eyed, mouth open, a wood
salad fork in one hand.
"Where is he?"
"Who, Mr. Maclaren?"
"Nester. I thought..." He put his hands on his hips and bent forward, took a breath. "I thought there was trouble."
"No trouble, Mr. Maclaren. I'm making a spinach salad to take home. That's all right, isn't it? You said I could, when
I wanted to."
Neil wiped his face with three fingers. "It's okay, Willie, don't worry about it." And hating himself for it, he tried to
spot the cleaver, found it on the counter beside the sink, dry, gleaming, and lying on its side.
A look behind him, but Mandy wasn't there.
"You all right, Mr. Maclaren?"
"Old age, Willie, just old age," he said with a self-mocking smile. "I feel like I've run a million miles." He plucked a
spinach leaf from its wood bowl and nibbled at it. He would rather have lettuce. "Willie, you don't much like Nester, do
you."
Willie sprinkled dressing over his salad. "He swears at Julia all the time. It isn't right. You're never supposed to
swear at a lady."
"Amen," he agreed solemnly. "But Nester's a drunk, and you know it as much as anyone. He's also a good six
inches taller than you, and outweighs you by a good fifty pounds. If there's any trouble, just tell me about it, all right?
Don't . . . never mind. Just tell me first."
Willie said, "Julia hit him, though."
"That was different. She's entitled."
 Ennin lifted the fork as if it were a dagger, turned his head, smiled. "I have to clean up before I go. Will you tell them
the kitchen is closed?"
Neil nodded. "But before you leave, come out and have some champagne before it's gone. No reason why you
shouldn't be part of the party."
Ennin laughed. "Part of the party. That's pretty good, Mr. Maclaren. That's pretty clever." He shooed Neil out with
both hands, still laughing. "In a few minutes. I'll be out in a few minutes."
And Neil found himself back by the trapdoor, staring at the steps and wondering what had happened. Mandy sat
on the end stool.
"I thought you saidтАФ"
"That's what Ken, or Kenny, or whatever he is told me."
He lowered the door carefully, was working on some-thing to tell Havvick when Trish, standing by the wall, said,
"That creep's back, i think."




He stood on the far side of the creek-Black against black.
Snow streaked at angles.
A gust of wind rattled the pane.
A birch partially hid him; a bough of pine bobbed and swayed lazily in front of his face.
He just stood there.
Watching.
They drifted to the glass wall, one by one, not speak-ing, forming a line in front of the pane, holding glasses,