"Henry Kuttner (as Lewis Padgett) - Time Locker UC" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kuttner Henry)

УExactly. Hatton figured I might spring you, and had this paper ready. You bit. You led the police right to the evidence, and a swell spot youТve put me in.Ф
УB-butЧФ
Vanning grimaced. УWhy do you suppose you saw that cop at Finance Unity? They could have nabbed you any time. But they
wanted to scare you into heading for my office, so they could catch both of us on the same hook. Prison for you, disbarment for me. Oh, hell!Ф
Macllson licked his lips. УCanТt I get out a back door?Ф
УThrough the cordon thatТs undoubtedly waiting? Orbs! DonТt be more of a sap than you can help.Ф
УCanТt youЧhide the stuff?Ф
УWhere? TheyТll ransack this office with X rays. No, IТll justЧФ Vanning stopped. УOh. Hide it, you said. Hide itЧФ
He whirled to the dictograph. УMiss Horton? IТm in conference. DonТt disturb me for anything. If anybody hands you a search warrant, insist on verifying it through headquarters. Got me? 0. K.Ф
Hope had returned to MacllsonТs face. УIs it all right?Ф
УOh, shut up!Ф Vanning snapped. УWait here for me. Be back directly.Ф He headed for a side door and vanished. In a surprisingly short time he returned, awkardly lugging a metal cabinet.
УHelp me . . . oh! . . . here. In this corner. Now get out.Ф
УButЧФ
УFlash,Ф Vanning ordered. УEverythingТs under control. DonТt talk. YouТll be arrested, but they canТt hold you without evidence. Come back as soon as youТre sprung.Ф He urged Macllson to the door, unlocked it, and thrust the man through. After that, he returned to the cabinet, swung open the door, and peered in. Em~ty. Sure.
The suedette suitcaseЧ -
Vanning worked it into the locker, breathing hard. It took a little time, since the valise was larger than the metal cabinet. But at last he relaxed, watching the brown case shrink and alter its outline till it was tiny and distorted, the shape of an elongated egg, the color of a copper cent piece.
УWhew!Ф Vanning said.
Then he leaned closer, staring. Inside the locker, something was moving. A grotesque little creature less than four inches tall was visible. It was a shocking object, all cubes and angles, a bright green in tint, and it was obvious~y alive.
Someone knocked on Ahe door.
The tinyЧthingЧwas busy with the copper-colored egg. Like an ant, it was lifting the egg and trying to pull it away. Vanning gasped and reached into the locker. The fourth-dimensional creature dodged. It wasnТt quick enough. VanningТs hand descended, and he felt wriggling movement against his palm.
He squeezed.
The movement stopped. He let go of the dead thing and pulled his hand back swiftly.
The door shook under the impact of fists.
Vanning closed the locker and called, УJust a minute.Ф
УBreak it down,Ф somebody ordered.

But that wasnТt necessary. Vanning put a painful smile on his face and turned the key. Counsel Hatton came in, accompanied by bulky policemen. УWeТve got Macllson,Ф he said.
УOh? Why?Ф
For answer Hatton jerked his hand. The officers began to search the room, Vanning shrugged.
УYouТve jumped the gun,Ф he said. УBreaking and enteringЧФ
УWeТve got a warrant.Ф -
УCharge?Ф -
УThe bonds, of course.Ф HattonТs voice was weary. УI donТt know where youТve hid that suitcase, but weТll find it.Ф
УWhat suitcase?Ф Vanning wanted to know.
УThe one Macllson had when he came in. The one he didnТt have when he went out.Ф
УThe game,Ф Vanning said sadly, Уis up. You win.Ф
УEh?Ф
УIf I tell you what I did with the suitcase, will you put in a good word for me?Ф
УWhy. . . yeah. WhereЧФ
УI ate it,Ф Vanning said, and retired to the couch, where he settled himself for a nap. Hatton gave him a long, hating look. The officers tore inЧ They passed by the locker, after a casual glance inside. The X rays
revealed nothing, in walls, floor, ceiling, or articles of furniture. The other offices were searched, too. Vanning applauded the painstaking job.
In the end, Hatton gave up. There was nothing else he could do.
УIТll clap suit on you tomorrow,Ф Vanning promised. УSame time I get a habeas corpus on Macllson.Ф
УStep to hell,Ф Hatton growled.
УСBy now.Ф
Vanning waited till his unwanted guests had departed. Then, chuckling quietly, he went to the locker and opened it.
The copper-colored egg that represented the suedette suitcase had vanished. Vanning groped inside the locker, finding nothing.
The significance of this didnТt strike Vanning at first. He swung the cabinet around so that it faced the window. He looked again, with identical results.
The locker was empty.
Twenty-five thousand credits in negotiable ore bonds had disappeared.