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

тАЬYes, sir. Former police commissioner Quinn is frequently invited to
appear on American news programs to reflect upon various law
enforcement issues. Polls place him at least twenty points above his
closest rivals in the coming primaries. There is also speculation that after
capturing the state governorship his goal is the White House.тАЭ

тАЬWhat do you think of the cheese-eater recording?тАЭ

Walter turned toward Shad. тАЬMay I hear it again, sergeant?тАЭ

Shad played the recording.

тАЬSir,тАЭ said Walter, тАЬthat sounds very much like John Quinn doing his
impression of Mickey Mouse imitating Bluto with a New York accent.тАЭ

тАЬBluto?тАЭ asked Nadine looking up from her mouse morsels at Shad.

тАЬPopeyeтАЩs rival for the hand of the fair Olive Oyl,тАЭ said Shad. He
repeated the cheese eater recording, then played the mysterious
transmission he had picked up from Gidleigh: тАЬтАШFinish it.тАЩтАЭ

тАЬIs that Quinn?тАЭ I asked Shad.

тАЬYeah. I think so.тАЭ The micro faced me. тАЬJohn Montgomery Quinn. I
donтАЩt get it, man. I was even going to vote for the guy.тАЭ Shad flew in slow,
measured circles. тАЬDamned near kills my partner when he blows me up with
a bogus rat. Two years ago he shoots me in the ass with a shotgun. Twelve
years ago...тАЭ ShadтАЩs micro stopped moving, hovered motionless for an
instant, then streaked out from beneath the shelter. I had Walter help me up
and serve as a crutch as I followed. The rain had stopped leaving a dank
heaviness to the air. When I found Shad he was down at the original
position of the hanging stone, his lens aimed at the pool at the bottom of
the crater.

тАЬWhat is it, Shad?тАЭ

He was silent for a long moment. When he spoke his voice sounded
strangely vulnerable. тАЬJaggs, are you familiar with an old Al Pacino cop flick
titled Serpico?тАЭ

тАЬA cop classic. What law enforcement officer hasnтАЩt...тАЭ My voice
trailed off as I realized to what Shad was alluding. The real Serpico wouldnтАЩt
go along with the other cops in bribe taking. His fellow cops, uncomfortable
with such reckless behavior, set up young Serpico to be killed. Back in the
NYPD, I-never-took-a-bribe Detective Donald Lipper was asked to back up
some other cops in taking down a fugitive. Detective Lipper was first one
through the door. As Shad put it the day I met him, тАЬThe next thing I knew all
the bullets in the world were headed in my direction, and I was fricassee.тАЭ