"Destroyer - 009 - Murderers Shield" - читать интересную книгу автора (Murphy Warren)

"So what do you think?" asked Duffy.

"I think you're right. What do you have to do with this?"

"I'm going to be on the list for hits soon. I don't want to die."

McGurk looked puzzled. "Frankie, you're a congressman. An honest congressman. We've been talking about the scum of the earth. Pimps. Heroin financiers. Whore recruiters. Crooked judges. Mafiosi button men. Where does that come up to you? Where does that even come close to you? What the hell is the matter with you, Frankie?" McGurk's voice became throbbing angry, a pleading disgust. "Look at the facts, dammit. You're not some cocka-doodle-doo broad out of a consciousness-raising session where they come in looking to jerk themselves off. You're a liberal but you think. You deal in facts. But this time, you've got nothing. No facts. You might as well be out in a street screaming slogans. Stop the killing. Stop the killing. Stop the killing." McGurk's voice hit the rhythm of the streets, the mindless chanting of demonstrators. But there was no smile on Duffy's face, as McGurk had expected when he made a good point. Suddenly, surprisingly, there were tears and Frank Duffy was crying for the first time in McGurk's memory.

"Oh, Jesus," said Frank Duffy and lowered his head to his hands.

"Hey, Frank, what's wrong? C'mon, stop that. Stop that, will you? C'mon," said McGurk. He comforted his friend with his arm.

"Oh, Jesus, Bill," said Duffy.

"What's the matter, dammit? What's the matter?"

"Mafiosi button man is the matter."

"Yeah?"

"I never mentioned Mafiosi button men. I never mentioned one. So you killed him, too. You had your people kill him too."

McGurk threw his mug across the room where it shattered against the pine wall with a splat. He rose in anger, punching the palm of his hand.

"Why do you have to be so smart? Why do you Fordham guys have to be so frigging smart? Frankie, why do you have to be so smart?"

Duffy saw the ice cubes and water begin to stain the wooden floor. He rose and tapped McGurk on the back.

McGurk jumped, then said, "Oh," when he saw the offer of Duffy's mug.

"What are we going to do?" asked Duffy.

"I'll tell you what we're going to do, smart Fordham guy. You stop your investigation and if any of the people come near you, I'll powder them like sugar cubes is what we're gonna do."

"You knew about the investigation?"

"And other things. We're good and we're growing. We're gonna give this country back to the decent people. The hard-working people. The honest people. This country has been turning into a cesspool long enough. We're just gonna get rid of the crap."

"Impossible, Bill, you can't do it. Because you start with crap and then you move onto anyone else who gets in your way. What's going to be the check on you? What happens when your people start taking money to miss? Or start free-lancing?"

"We'll take care of them too."

"It's the we who'll be doing it, and who's to stop them?"

"If that happens, I'll turn on them."

"No, you won't. You'll be too happy doing what you love best."

"And you might even be president then. Did you ever think of that?"