"Joe Haldeman - Blood Sisters" - читать интересную книгу автора (Haldeman Joe)

"No."
"You were up on the stern, folding sail. He was just at the slip for a second, to ask
directions. He seemed flusteredтАФ"
"I remember. Frenchman."
"I thought so too. He was Swiss, though."
"And that was no coincidence, either."
"No, it wasn't. He's on the board of directors of one of the banks we used to liquify our
credit. When the annual audit came up, they'd managed to put together all our separate
transactions тАФ"
"Bullshit. That's impossible."
She shook her head and laughed. "You're good, but they're good, too. They were curious
about what we were trying to hide, using their money, and traced us here. Found we'd started
a business with only one percent of our capital.
"Nothing wrong with that, but they were curious. This director was headed for a
Caribbean vacation anyhow; he said he'd come by and poke around."
I didn't know how much of this to believe. I gauged the distance between where the
Helmuths were sunning and the prow, where they had carefully stowed their guns against the
boat's heeling.
 "He'd been a lifelong friend of Werner Kraus. That's why he was so rattled. One look at
me and he had to rush to the phone."
"And we're supposed to believe," I said, "that the wealthiest woman in the world would
come down to see what sort of innocent game we were playing. With only two bodyguards."
"
Five. There are two other Helmuths, and Maria is . . . versatile."
"Still can't believe it. After a lifetime of being protected from her own shadowтАФ"
"That's just it. She's tired of it. She turned twenty-five last month, and came into full
control of the fortune. Now she wants to take control of her own life."
"Damned foolish. If it were me, I would've sent my giants down alone." I had to admit
that I essentially did believe the tale. We'd been alone in open water for more than an hour,
and would've long been shark bait if that had been their intent. Getting sloppy in your old
age, Loomis.
"I probably would have too," Belle said. "Maxine and I are the same woman in some
ways, but you and the Mafia taught me caution. She's been in a cage all her life, and just
wanted out. Wanted to sail someplace besides her own lake, too."
"It was still a crazy chance to take."
"So she's a little crazy. Romantic, too, in case you haven't noticed."
"Really? When I peeked in you were playing checkers."
"Bastard." She knew the one place I was ticklish. Trying to get away, I jerked the wheel
and nearly tipped us all into the drink.
We anchored in a small cove where I knew there was a good reef. Helmuth One stayed
aboard to guard while the rest of us went diving.
The fish and coral were beautiful as ever, but I could only watch Maxine and Belle. They
swam slowly hand-in-hand, kicking with unconscious synchrony, totally absorbed. Though
the breathers kept their hair wrapped up identically, it was easy to tell them apart, since
Maxine had an all-over tan. Still, it was an eerie kind of ballet, like a mirror that didn't quite
work. Maria and Helmuth Two were also hypnotized by the sight.
I went aboard early, to start lunch. I'd just finished slicing ham when I heard the drone of
a boat, rather far away. Large siphon jet, by the rushing sound of it.
The guard shouted, "ZweiтАФkomm' herauf!"
Hoisted myself up out of the galley. The boat was about two kilometers away, and coming