"Henry Kuttner - Gallegher Plus UC" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kuttner Henry)

"When was this?" Gallegher whispered.

"Three days ago."

"AndЧyou mentioned money?"

"A thousand credits, which he paid you on account."

"On account of what?"

"A commission you were to undertake for him. I was not acquainted with the exact details. In any case, you not only failed to fulfill the commission, but you refused to return the money."

"Oh. Who is Hopper, anyway?"

"Hopper Enterprises, Inc.ЧDell Hopper, entrepreneur and impresario. However, I think you know all this. I

will see you in court, Mr. Gallegher. And, if you'll forgive me, I'm rather busy. I have a case to prosecute today, and I rather think the defendant will get a long prison sentence."

f'What did he do?" Gallegher asked weakly.

"Simple case of assault and battery," Trench said. "Good-by."

His face faded from the screen. Gallegher clapped a hand to his forehead and screamed for beer. He went to his desk, sucking at the plastibulb with its built-in refrigerant, and thoughtfully examined his mail. Nothing there. No clue.

A thousand creditsЧ He had no recollection of getting them. But the cash book might showЧ

lit did. Under dates of several weeks back, it said:

Rec'd D. H.Чcom.Чon acc'tЧcl,000 Rec'd J. W.Чcom.Чon acc'tЧc 1,500 - Rec'd FattyЧcom.Чon acc'tЧc800.

Thirty-three hundred credits! And the bank book had no record of that sum. It showed merely a withdrawal of seven hundred credits, leaving about fifteen still on hand.

Gallegher moaned and searched his desk again. Under a blotter he found an envelope he had previously overlooked. It contained stock certificatesЧboth common and preferredЧfor something called Devices Unlimited. A covering letter acknowledged receipt of four thousand credits, in return for which payment stock had been issued to Mr. Galloway Gallegher, as orderedЧ

"Murder," Gallegher said. He gulped beer, his mind swirling. Trouble was piling up in triplicate D. H.ЧDell HopperЧhad paid him a thousand credits to do something or other. Someone whose initials were J. W. had given him fifteen hundred credits for a similar purpose. And Fatty, the cheapskate, had paid only eight hundred credits on account.

Why?

Only Gallegher's mad subconscious knew. That brainy personality had deftly arranged the deals, collected the dough, depleted Gallegher's personal bank accountЧ cleaning it outЧand bought stock in Devices Unlimited. Ha!

Gallegher used the televisor again. Presently he beamed his broker.

"Arnie?"

"Hi, Gallegher," Arnie said, looking up at the tele-plate over his desk. "What's up?"

"I am. At the end of a rope. Listen, did I buy some stock lately?"

"Sure. In DevicesЧDU."