"James Herbert - The Survivor" - читать интересную книгу автора (Herbert James)

 Herbert, James - The Survivor UC FR


had taken the aircraft up in the hope that, once in the air, Keller's natural instinct
would take over. But it hadn't happened; his mind just would not concentrate,
wouldn't apply itself. He just didn't know how to fly any more.

His company, very sensitive to public opinion and aware they had a pilot on their
hands who, in their view, was liable to crack at any moment, decided to send him
on 'leave' for a long period. Dismissal, apart from being unjust, would only stir up
more public clamour, arouse more publicity, which could only damage their
reputation as a national airline. His record was excellent and they took great pains
to emphasise this in every public statement, but it was felt he deserved a long rest
after such a shocking and traumatic experience.

His brooding was interrupted by Harry Tewson's smiling face appearing before
him. 'What'll you have, Dave?'

'No, let meтАж'

Tewson stopped him with an upraised hand. 'Ill get some food, too,' he said, and
disappeared through the crowd in the direction of the bar.

Food, mused Keller. I've hardly eaten since the accident; just enough to keep
going. He doubted whether he'd ever have an appetite again. Tewson laid a mound
of sandwiches down on the table, disappeared again, then returned with the drinks.

'It's good to see you again, Dave,' he said, as he settled into a chair. He, too, had
been a pilot and gone through basic training at the same time as Keller, but
suddenly, and inexplicably, his vision had begun to fail and resulted in his need to
wear glasses full time. His experience and above average technical knowledge had
been too valuable to be wasted, so he had been drafted into the Board of Trade
Accidents Investigation Branch (AIB), a body of pilots and engineers set up to
probe all serious civil flying accidents in Britain, as well as overseas crashes
involving British aircraft. He had soon proved his worth by uncanny insight into
the causes of crashes; by making skilful guesses, then working backwards to prove
them correct, a method not wholly approved off by his peers. So far, however, he
had not often been wrong.
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 Herbert, James - The Survivor UC FR




He took a huge bite from a sandwich, then a gulp of his light ale. 'How can I help
you?' he asked, having swallowed both the food and the drink.

Keller smiled. No messing about with Harry. Straight to the point.

'I want to know what you've found out about the crash,' he said.