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

softening to become one of awe. тАЬYou all have that choice,тАЭ she said. тАЬYou
could have killed me.тАЭ

I couldnтАЩt tell if she was going to cooperate, go catatonic, or
self-destruct. Just then I felt something brush my leg. I looked down and it
was Val. тАЬI hate to interrupt while youтАЩre working, Harry,тАЭ she said, тАЬbut the
low charge alarm on WalterтАЩs electric is beeping.тАЭ She looked at Alice Blue.
тАЬHarry, are you going to introduce us?тАЭ

I bent over, picked up Val, and held her in my arms. тАЬAlice, this is my
wife, Valerie Jaggers. Val, this is Miss Alice Blue.тАЭ

тАЬPleased to meet you, Alice.тАЭ

Alice walked over and stopped before me, her hand out to pet Val. тАЬIs
it all right?тАЭ she asked.

тАЬOf course, dear,тАЭ said Val as she climbed out of my arms and into
AliceтАЩs. It frightened me, but I knew why Val did it. She was protecting me,
and itтАЩs harder to kill someone while holding a big, warm, purring bundle of
fur. As Alice stroked ValтАЩs back, my wife said quietly, тАЬI couldnтАЩt help
hearing what you were saying, Alice. May I offer a bit of advice?тАЭ

Alice nodded, her gaze fixed on Val.

тАЬDoing the right thing is often a difficult choice to make. Even more
difficult is accepting help when itтАЩs offered. Choices have consequences
and not choosing is also making a choice. There are a lot of things to be
made right, Alice, but there is also a great deal of help available. Harry,
Guy, and Walter can assist you in getting that help.тАЭ

Alice Blue looked down and Nadine was rubbing against her leg. She
bent over, picked up Nadine, held both of them in her arms, and looked at
me. тАЬMy first choice,тАЭ she said.

тАЬActually, miss,тАЭ said Walter, тАЬyouтАЩve already made several choices.
WeтАЩre all, after all, still alive.тАЭ

She held the cats for a long time looking at a point somewhere
outside the shack. She looked at Walter and said, тАЬIтАЩve never been lost
before. I think I am now. IтАЩll take your therapistтАЩs number.тАЭ

тАЬVery good, miss.тАЭ
 To Shad she said, тАЬIn my opinion John Quinn is insane. He talks
about you almost as though you were a constant presence. I gather he tried
killing you before.тАЭ

тАЬYes.тАЭ

тАЬItтАЩs twisted his head.тАЭ