"Alexander Jablokov - Dead Man" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jablokov Alexander)

тАЬGod, you make more noise than a crashing space station.тАЭ It was the hunter
from the diner, the one whoтАЩd left the origami swan for the waitress. He still wore his
fluorescent orange cap. тАЬIтАЩve got to get you the hell off these slopes. Want a beer?тАЭ

****

Suburban Phoenix, Arizona

тАЬThat was after we sent up that Wilson woman.тАЭ Barnaby shuffled around his
house in one worn slipper and one new one with a price tag still dangling from its
heel. I followed. Slowly. We went aroundтАФkitchen, dining room, living room, entry,
kitchen againтАФtwice. тАЬWanted to send her dog up too. Had the cash, but ... just
what the universe needs, an immortalized little yapper in permanent psychosis
because there arenтАЩt any silicon butts to sniff....тАЭ

His voice was much lighter than I remembered, and he had a tremor in his
hands.

тАЬBarnabyтАФтАЭ

He glared at me. тАЬYou want to go up, eh? Want to get scooped out from
behind that pretty mug and sent right upstairs to transparent life eternal? Well, you
better have some cash, thatтАЩs all I can say.тАЭ

тАЬDo you always ask for cash up front?тАЭ

тАЬDo I look like an eleemosynary institution?тАЭ That was a favored phrase,
appearing in his speech now like a fossil. He chuckled, then coughed rattlingly.
тАЬDamn! ItтАЩs all fluids, you know, at my age. They collect everywhere.тАЭ A coughing
fit. It was a few minutes before he could draw breath. тАЬLike a head of lettuce
forgotten at the back of the crisper ... shuck that bod, sonny. Now, if you can. Or
youтАЩll get whatтАЩs left all over your hands.тАЭ

тАЬOh, Barnaby.тАЭ Not much of his mind was left. I was surprised by how much
that disturbed me.

тАЬDonтАЩt worry about Barnaby.тАЭ Only his crankiness was left. тАЬBarnabyтАЩs fine.тАЭ

тАЬDo you know who I am?тАЭ

тАЬNah.... тАЬHe sounded dubious. тАЬAll you clients ... think I can tell you apart?
Or remember a damn thing about any of you? You go, and allтАЩs I got left are the
smelly carcasses. You ever think of that? Nah, of course not. ItтАЩs just dirty
underwear to you. You donтАЩt even toss it in the hamper ... you want a drink?тАЭ
 I sighed. тАЬSure.тАЭ

тАЬYou still favor MakerтАЩs Mark?тАЭ I gave him a quick glance, but he still looked
like a senile oldster. A chance collision of neurons? Or was he making fun of me? тАЬI
canтАЩt taste a damn thing anymore, myself, but I can still get drunk. Just let me find