"Ludlum, Robert - The Cry Of The Halidon" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ludlum Robert)

jovially.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Preston."

"Good afternoon, Ralph."

McAuliff followed Preston into the building, to a bank of three
elevators in the well-appointed hallway. "Is this Warfield's place?" he
asked, more to pass the moment than to inquire.

"No, actually. It's mine. Although I won't be joining you for lunch.
However, I trust cook implicitly; you'll be well taken care of."

"I won't try to follow that. 'Julian and God." Preston smiled
noncommittally as the elevator door opened.

Julian Warfield was talking on the telephone when Preston ushered
McAuliff into the tastefully-elegantly-decorated living room. The old
man was standing by an antique table in front of a tall window
overlooking Belgrave Square.

The size of the window, flanked by long white drapes, emphasized
Warfield's shortness. He is really quite a small man, thought Alex as
he acknowledged Warfield's wave with a nod and a smile.

"You'll send the accrual statistics on to Macintosh, then," said
Warfield deliberately into the telephone; he was not asking a question.
"I'm sure he'll disagree, and you can both hammer it out. Good-bye."
The diminutive old man replaced the receiver and looked over at Alex.
"Mr. McAuliff, is it?" Then he chuckled. "That was a prime lesson in
business. Employ experts who disagree on just about everything and take
the best arguments from both for a compromise."

"Good advice generally, I'd say," replied McAuliff. "As long as the
experts disagree on the subject matter and not just chemically."

"You're quick. I like that.... Good to see you." Warfield crossed to
Preston. His walk was like his speech: deliberate, paced slowly.
Mentally confident, physically unsure.

"Thank you for the use of your flat, Clive. And Virginia, of course.
From experience, I know the lunch will be splendid."

"Not at all, Julian. I'll be off."

McAuliff turned his head sharply, without subtlety, and looked at
Preston. The man's first-name familiarity with old Warfield was the
last thing he expected. Clive Preston smiled and walked rapidly out of
the room as Alex watched him, bewildered.