"Scott Nicholson - Must See to Appreciate" - читать интересную книгу автора (Nicholson Scott)

тАЬDavid, David, David,тАЭ Reynolds tutted, recovering somewhat now
that his face was hidden by the darkness again. тАЬIтАЩm not a high-pressure
kind of guy. If you donтАЩt want the house, thatтАЩs fine with me.тАЭ

Well, not all that fine, because then I might have to drape a rope
over the ductwork and twist a little noose and take myself a midnight
swing.

Not many buyers existed for a palace like this. While the layout was
great, the house was a little too angled. You stepped inside and you felt
uneasy. The walls listened and the electrical sockets were tiny black eyes
and every single nail and screw and chunk of spackle whispered and every
board groaned, even when the wind was still.

Surely David had sensed it, too. ThatтАЩs why heтАЩd asked the question.
ItтАЩs the kind of house youтАЩd expect to be occupied.

тАЬIтАЩll have to put some deadwood braces between those joists,тАЭ David
said. тАЬTheyтАЩre starting to bow a little.тАЭ

Reynolds smiled to himself. David had spoken possessively. The
deal was all but sealed. If only she would stay away long enough to get
David back up the stairs.

тАЬUh, David? DonтАЩt you have a plane to catch?тАЭ

тАЬHuh?тАЭ

тАЬYour wife. You said you were picking her up at the airport.тАЭ

тАЬOh, yeah. Guess IтАЩve seen enough, anyhow.тАЭ David headed for the
stairs.

ReynoldsтАЩ heart flipped for joy. He didnтАЩt even mind that David had left
him in darkness. He hurried after David.

ThatтАЩs when it came out, built itself from the bricks and mortar of
nightmare. Nailed itself together with the claw hammer of insanity.
Staple-gunned its mockery of flesh into form.

It was her.

She looked him in the face, her eyes deeply bright and strange, her
mouth curled into a smile. тАЬYouтАЩre real,тАЭ she whispered, no fear in her
voice.

Reynolds drew in a sharp breath, then swallowed the scream that
filled his lungs. The basement air tasted of fiberglass and tomb dust. David
paused on the stairs, then whipped the light around.