"Katherine Kurtz - Adept 01 - The Adept" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kurtz Katherine)

"Unfortunately, I doubt any of this will come to anything. We're not even certain when the theft occurred,
because our boy left a sign in the case: Display Removed for Conservation. Oh, he was clever, this one.
Needless to say, we didn't find any prints."
"In other words," said Adam, "you haven't any leads."
"Not one worth a wooden ha'penny," came the tart reply. "We'll just have to keep our eyes open, and hope for
a break. It's possible the sword will turn up eventually in one of the auction rooms or arms fairs - though I
doubt it. The case has all the earmarks of a contract acquisition for some collector who fancies items with
odd provenances."
"Hmmm, as a collector with similar proclivities, I would tend to agree," Adam said, " - though you can rest
easy, Noel," he hastened to add, smiling. "I haven't got your sword!"
McLeod's easy chuckle left no doubt that the inspector had never even considered such a notion.
"It would help if we had some idea what kind of person might go after an item like the Hepburn Sword,"
McLeod said. "As a psychiatrist as well as a collector, would you care to speculate?"
It was an unofficial way of inviting Adam to tender an opinion - and to articulate an idea that probably had
already occurred to the canny McLeod, though he would never dare to admit it in any official capacity.
"Well," Adam said, again choosing his words carefully, "I believe we can rule out a simple profit motive. A
┬г2000 sword simply isn't worth the effort and expertise it took to evade the security system and steal it. The
fact that nothing else is missing would tend to support that theory. This means that the thief was after this
specific sword."
"Aye," McLeod agreed.
"So we must ask ourselves, what sort of a person would want this particular sword?" Adam went on. "It isn't
especially unique for its kind; I have several similar blades in my collection, some of them previously owned
by men far more historically important than the Earl of Bothwell.
"So it has to be something else about the sword's past. What else do we know? It belonged to the Wizard
Earl of Bothwell. I shouldn't want this to be taken wrong, Noel, but it is not inconceivable that the thief - or
someone for whom he is acting - is someone who believes that the sword is imbued with some measure of
the powers ascribed to its former owner."
"Now there's an interesting thought," McLeod said. The tone of this noncommittal reply made it quite clear to
Adam that the other man was well aware of the Wizard Earl's legendary fame as a necromancer.
"Assuming less esoteric motives, however," McLeod continued blandly, "I think I'll still have my chaps keep
an eye on the auction rooms and arms fairs."
"That's what I would do," Adam agreed.
McLeod snorted. "Somehow I figured you would! Meanwhile, if some poor sod turns up impaled on Francis
Hepburn's blade, in culmination of some satanic rite, I'll be sure to let you know before the press get wind of
it."
"Thank you," Adam said drily. "I'd appreciate that." He pushed the newspaper aside thoughtfully. "Oh, there
was one other item I wanted to ask you about, since I've got you on the line. I don't suppose you've
formulated any personal theories concerning that American serviceman who turned up dead in Glasgow?"
"No. I was just relieved that he didn't turn up dead in my jurisdiction," McLeod said baldly. "The Glasgow
police have been getting a hell of a row from the people at the Home Office, who have been getting a hell of a
row from the American embassy - " He broke off abruptly. "Do you think there might be some connection
between the two cases?"
"I don't know," said Adam. "I was merely wondering."
"That," said McLeod, "is anything but reassuring.
Whenever you start wondering, I know it's only a matter of time before something happens that I'm going to
have trouble explaining to the satisfaction of the media."
Adam allowed himself a companionable chuckle. "I am sorry, Noel. If this case produces any unusual
complications, you know you can count on my help."
"Oh, aye," came the gruff reply. "But as they say somewhere or other: I knew the job was dangerous.
Anyway, I've got another bloody phone ringing. Call me if anything else occurs to you, all right?" "You know I