"Hebbler, Lois - The Alley" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hebbler Lois)

Thunderbird, his poison of choice. He doesn't like to share so I knew
he'd be way into the next block within a matter of seconds.
"Gone already," Herbie murmured in my ear. I don't know how he does that
since he was still propped against the other wall. "And no one else is
around, Spider. You know everybody already has a place picked out to
flop for the night."
I shifted from foot to foot, but kept my eyes glued to Lottie and
watched her take a few uncertain steps farther in, then hesitate. She
stretched her arms wide, laying her palms flat against both walls as if
she were trying to keep them from closing in on her. That's another plus
about the place where I live. When the warehouses were being built the
land was at a premium, so alleys wound up being narrower than usual. Fat
cops hardly fit. And it's for certain no policemen can go buzzing down
them in their cars, chasing innocent people, arresting anybody in order
to meet their quotas.
"I need to warn you about something." Lottie lowered her voice, like she
did when she passed on some gossip.
Then in the sudden flash of brilliance that sometimes happens to me, I
could hear what she was really thinking. "I know what you did. I figure
you got a couple of extra bucks on you because of it. I want some of
it. Or I'm telling. If I tell, you might get the chance to run or
maybe they might catch you first, either way you're going to have to
leave your precious alley. So I got you on this one, Spider. You have
to give me what I want."
The words were so clear in my head that I had to check to see if her
lips were moving. They weren't.
My heart started thumping fast as panic rolled in like garbage trucks
the day after Mardi Gras. I couldn't leave my home. It was the best one
I'd ever had.
"Stay calm and focused," Herbie whispered. "We can deal with this."
As always, Herbie was right. I took a couple of breaths, paid attention
to a few bars of "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow" from "Annie", and got
myself under control.
Herbie began mumbling faster, the words all spilling together, mixing
with the music. I couldn't make out most of it, but I could guess. I
kept silent. And hidden. I waited, trying to stay as still as a stiff in
the morgue.
Lottie took a couple more steps down the alley. The air became rank with
the odor of cheap alcohol that was seeping out of her pores.
"Spider, I can hear you back there breathing fast. Gotta tell you, you
don't need to feel threatened by me. I can feel the DTs starting, but I
don't want much. Maybe you could give me a swig or two of booze in
exchange for what I know. If I had me some extra, I'd share with you."
Now that was an outright lie and Herbie and I both knew it.
"Keep silent," Herbie murmured, the growl of displeasure rumbling forth
from deep in his throat, "let her come to you."
The sun began to dip below the horizon, and shadows lengthened into
night. Lottie dropped her arms to her sides, sucked in a lungful of
air like maybe she was gathering false courage and took ten quick steps
closer to where Herbie and I waited.