"James Patrick Kelly - Big Guy" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kelly James Patrick)

Big Guy

James Patrick Kelly
 A DF Books NERDтАЩs Release

Copyright (C)1994 James Patrick Kelly

First published in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, June 1995
The last time he linked to Way Out, Murph had deleted his nipples. He was certain Cat had noticed,
even though he had kept his shirt on while they were doing it. Shealways kept something onтАФone of her
kinks. He had almost fainted the time with the hat. But Murph was ready for more than just another haunt
fuck. He wanted to tell her his name, have her invite him back to her cabin. He imagined himself opening
her medicine cabinet, looking under her bed. Had she taken the hint? Could be he'd been too subtle. She
hadn't said anything about his edited chest, but of course she wouldn't. Cat loved mystery. To her, it was
part of foreplay.

His twenty-seven icon started flashing. Something had set off intrusion detectors in Dr. Bertrand's office.
Murph was Bertrand's security op.

тАЬExpand,тАЭ said Murph. He yawned and tilted his workseat. The chair's hydraulics sighed under Murph's
two hundred and seventy-eight pounds. The ceiling screen of the cabin showed three views of the
psychologist's darkened suite on the quarterdeck. A woman he had never seen before giggled as she
entered Bertrand's tiny waiting room. Bertrand reached around her and waved on the lights.

тАЬHi, Murph.тАЭ He nodded at the camera. тАЬCouldn't sleep so I thought I'd get some work done.тАЭ

The woman stared as if she expected to see someone in the room. Then she spotted the camera and
leered. тАЬGotta pee first.тАЭ She had a whiskey voice, dark as smoke. Bertrand pointed at the head. She
wobbled over, closed the door behind her. Bertrand's wife had left him in January and moved off the ship
into town. He'd been up late a lot since then, looking for something to do. Could be he'd found it.

тАЬHear about Noonan?тАЭ Bertrand was pretending there was no woman.

тАЬThey say there wasn't a mark on her,тАЭ Murph said, тАЬbut I still don't believe it was suicide. Talked to her
Friday and she was as sane as I am.тАЭ

тАЬWho was supposed to be watching her?тАЭ

тАЬNobody. She dropped Tumey just last week.тАЭ

The toilet flushed.

тАЬSorry Doc, got to go. Off in ten minutes and I'm in the middle of my last round.тАЭ If Bertrand had been
alone, Murph would have given him a few minutes to gripe about his life. Fat men were supposed to be
good listeners. тАЬBumpus is covering my sites after 23:00. Don't forget to reset the system when you
leave.тАЭ He shrank Bertrand's office back to an icon and IDed the woman.

She was Carree Gates, a licensed pro who had commuted all the way from Lawrence. Her most recent
gynecologic workup had been just last month. Murph wondered if poor Bertrand had even bothered to
check. He could've watched the old guy stretch his safegirl across the couch. Bend her over his desk.