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

me, I don't come home."
Neil rubbed his hands for warmth, rubbed his forearms. "On the bike, right?"
"Sure." Brandt licked his lips. "You think I'd walk on a night like this?"
Mandy came up the steps.
Neil put his hands firmly on the gambler's shoulders, looked him in the eye. "You can't."
"Sure I can. 1 ain't old."
"Never said you were."
"You say you are, damnit, that means I'm practically ancient, for Christ's sake." He slapped the hands away. , "Leave
me alone, I want to go home."
"Nester, c'mon, I can't let you, you know that. You fall in a ditch and freeze to death, the crone'll skin me alive."
Brandt backed away, drew himself up. "Fuck you, cop."
"Hey, c'mon, Nes."
Brandt heard Mandy's approach and stumbled around to face her. "He was a cop, y'know. Fucking disgraced the
family, walked right out on his buddies."
"Damnit, Nester."
Brandt spat dryly at the floor. "You fuck him, lady, you'll probably die."
Before Neil could lose the rest of his temper, the gam-bler shoved him aside and kicked open the door. "I can ride in
any kind of damn weather I want to."
Snow blew on the floor, scuttling toward the tables.
Neil grabbed for him.
The wind caught the door and slammed it back against the outside wall. Startled, Brandt half-fell, half-ran down the
steps, threw out his hands and yelled wordlessly at the sky.
"Christ," Neil said, "i hope he doesn't want another bath."
Brandt yelled again and began to shamble across the lot toward the road.
"Neil," Mandy said, and pointed.
"Know him!" Brandt yelled, spun around, cupped his mouth. "Sonofabitch, I think I know him!"
Paying no heed to the cold, the snow, Neil stood on the threshold, Mandy right behind him, peering around his
shoulder.
The man was back, in fog behind the streetlamp.
Brandt reached the fence and fell against it, grabbed the top rail to keep from sliding to the ground. "Neil, I think I
know that bastard!" He lurched around and braced him-self on his elbows. "Hear me, cop? I know him! I know who he
looks like!"
The man in black reached into his long coat.
"Oh Jesus," Neil said, and plunged out of the room.
Something gleamed in the man's hands.
Brandt waved. "C'mon, Neil, I'll show you, I'll prove it."
Neil fell on his hands and knees, and the wind toppled him against Davies's car. He used it to pull himself up.
"Neil, you sorry bastard. 1 ain't drunk! He looks likeтАФ"
In the snow and wind, an explosion, fire and smoke.
Brandt screamed.
Mandy screamed.
Neil watched the gambler collapse, right arm wrapped around the top rail until his weight pulled it free and it flopped
twisted to his side.
"Nester!"
The shotgun fired again, and Brandt jumped, snow in a geyser.
Neil started forward, then ran back to get his rifle, knocking Mandy off her feet, barely hearing the shouts and cries
inside, raced back out and stood for a moment before leaping off the steps and running low to the fence.
He knew without looking that Nester Brandt was dead.
The ragged overcoat smoking, steaming, spilling dark onto the snow.
Neil looked up.