"Barry B. Longyear - The Hangingstone Rat" - читать интересную книгу автора (Longyear Barry)

тАЬWho is out at the scene?тАЭ

тАЬParker was out there today alongside Constabulary Scientific and
Technical. What they picked up out there seems to confirm what Storel
said.тАЭ

With my left hand I grabbed MathesonтАЩs uniform lapel and pulled him
close. Amidst the fumes of his peculiar cologne, I whispered into his ear,
тАЬTell Parker to watch his back. When heтАЩs out there, tell him to watch his
back.тАЭ

тАЬWhatтАЩs going on, Jaggers?тАЭ

тАЬIt was a trap. We were set up.тАЭ

I released his lapel, he leaned back, and studied me for a moment.
тАЬArmy ordinance, the bomb unit, and Scenes of Crime officers all seem to
think the explosion was an old dud artillery shell. ThereтАЩs evidenceтАФтАЭ

тАЬIt hasnтАЩt been used as a firing range of any kind for over eighty years,
sir. The last of the ballistic artillery shells used there landed twelve decades
ago.тАЭ My thoughts swam reluctantly through my headache. тАЬThere was an
observation post on top of Hangingstone Hill. Third highest spot on the
moor. Makes sense to put an observation post there. Why then would the
army shell Hangingstone Hill? The observation shack? Get the army to
check their records. On top of that hill is where observers used to stand
and see where artillery shells landed elsewhere.тАЭ

He studied me for a long time, then stood. тАЬGet some rest, Jaggers.
The doctor says youтАЩll be back home tomorrow or the day after. Fit for duty
in a couple of weeks.тАЭ

тАЬI can go back to work now, Superintendent. Copied into a walking
mech, I can function perfectly well.тАЭ

тАЬYour body needs to heal, Jaggers, which means you need to be in it
moving it around, doing physical therapy or whatever.тАЭ He gave me that
rather startling John Dillinger frown, which was his expression of gentle
concern. тАЬThereтАЩs some head work you need to do, as well. I insist you see
that counselor.тАЭ

I looked up at him. тАЬSuperintendent, has anyone notified Val?тАЭ

тАЬOf course. As soon as we got the word from Okehampton I sent
someone to fetch her. Val and a friend of hersтАФanother catтАФare waiting
outside the room.тАЭ

тАЬNadine Fisher.тАЭ I felt my heart sink. тАЬShe and Shad have been
dating.тАЭ