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

тАЬWhatтАЩs that?тАЭ he asked expectantly.
 тАЬInspector.тАЭ

His evilly peaked eyebrows arched, then lowered into grim mode. An
unfriendly edge crept into his voice. тАЬCan you tell me the year?тАЭ

тАЬI donтАЩt wish to be more rude than necessary, fellow, but who are
you?тАЭ

With the index finger of his right hand he tapped his nametag. тАЬDr.
Truscott.тАЭ

I had little time to consider the marketing possibilities in TruscottтАЩs
Terrific Trusses, as he had more to say. From what he said I was made
aware that I should consider myself a very lucky fellow. Aside from a few
lacerations, a broken ankle, four broken ribs, a sewn together carotid artery,
deafness, chronic headaches, slightly impaired vision, bruised organs, a
dozen or more badly pulled muscles, a dead partner, a crime scene blown
to bloody hell, and an unsolved case concerning a now missing corpse, I
was going to be just fine.

He apparently decided to make another try at being conversational. тАЬI
worked on your model cop replacement bio back in medical school,тАЭ he
said reminiscently. тАЬA piece of history. тАШBonesтАЩ we used to call themтАФfor
Basil Rathbone? The twentieth century movie actor?тАЭ

тАЬNever heard of him.тАЭ

тАЬReally? Well, your model bio is very durable, infection resistant, and
you look like a late-night Sherlock Holmes, eh?тАЭ

Mentally I almost expected Shad to be at my side remarking, тАЬI say,
Holmes, what medical school did this fellow attend?тАЭ to which I would
reply, тАЬElementary, my dear Watson. Elementary.тАЭ

Truscott was still there and he continued: My right ankle was set,
protected, and held in place with a balloon cast. The chip in the cast would
monitor the swelling and adjust the cast accordingly. The ankle would heal.
With assistance my hearing would be fully restored. Once my brain
recovered from being thoroughly sloshed around in my brainpan, the
headaches should subside and the fuzziness in my vision ought to clear. In
addition, a grief therapist was waiting in the wings simply keen to deal with
my roast duck problem, nudge nudge.
 There are times when one hears something so coarse, vile, or
outrageous one automatically assumes one has heard incorrectly. тАЬDid you
say тАШroast duckтАЩ?тАЭ

The man smugged up, apparently quite pleased at his little joke. тАЬWe
understand when they sent an ambulance for you they sent the chef from a