"Scott Mackay - Horse Friends" - читать интересную книгу автора (Mackay Scott)

HORSE FRIENDS
by Scott Mackay

****

EverettтАЩs horse friends were only ever whispered aboutтАФnow they were
playing hardball.

****

As Lance Tedrow walked to his bossтАЩs office through the Superior
Life bull pen, he knew Opal was watching him, trying to figure out why he
was going to see Patrick when Patrick customarily caught up on his e-mails
after lunch. Was this it, then, he wondered? Lance peered at Patrick
through the glass. Was Patrick going to end their suspense? His bald head
was bowed over his work. Had Minneapolis Corporate finally given Patrick
word on the promotion? Was Lance going to win out over Opal?

He entered PatrickтАЩs office. His boss looked up. тАЬShut the door.тАЭ

тАЬSure.тАЭ Lance closed the door.

тАЬHave a seat.тАЭ

Lance obeyed.

Patrick said, тАЬMelvin Graham dropped by about the Osteen policy
while you were out at lunch.тАЭ

LanceтАЩs shoulders tightened. тАЬAnd?тАЭ

тАЬHe left some materials.тАЭ Patrick pushed a manila folder across his
desk. тАЬHave a look.тАЭ

So. It wasnтАЩt about the promotion after all.

Lance lifted the folder and opened it. He found photographsтАФviews
of charred wreckage.

тАЬHas he come to any conclusions, then?тАЭ

тАЬLook at photo three. ItтАЩs the employee lunchroom at the Osteen
Paper Plant. Or whatтАЩs left of it. See the charring in the corner? Those are
accelerant patterns. Photograph four shows a half-melted gas can. Graham
found it under the collapsed receiving bay next to the employee
lunchroom.тАЭ

The office felt suddenly warm. тАЬSo heтАЩs ruling arson?тАЭ

тАЬYes. And if I were you, IтАЩd make Everett understand pretty quickly