"Quintin, Jardine - Autographs in the Rain" - читать интересную книгу автора (Quintin Jardine)

relationship might have ... moved up a gear, shall we say.'

'You can say it if you like, Detective Sergeant Pye. But can you tell me
why it should? Do you think you're God's gift or something?'

'No,' he protested, 'but it's not as if you . . .' He stopped himself short,
and bit his lip. Fortunately, she laughed.

' ... as if I haven't been round the block a few times? Was that it?'

'No! I wouldn't be that crude, Ruthie. But you've had other relationships,
okay: that's all I was going to say.'

'I didn't jump into bed with any of them either, no one long-term, at
least. Sammy, the first time I screwed someone on a first date I was nineteen.
Two days later I realised that I didn't really fancy him that much, but it
took me six months and a lot of hassle to get shot of him. Ever since then,
I've been careful to distinguish between short- and long-term things.

'There was a time when I had the hots for Andy Martin; given the chance
I'd have shagged his brains out, but that's all he'd have wanted anyway. If
I'd slept with you right at the start, then most probably it would have been
all over by now. The fact that I'm still making up my mind; well, that's got
to be good hasn't it? Unless, of course you're only after a quick legover
yourself?'

'Which I'm not, as you well know.'

'In that case, trust me for a bit longer; being friends is more important
than the other, believe me.'

'I know that,' he conceded. 'Karen and I were only ever pals, for all that
half the force seemed to think.'

She laughed. 'Which is maybe just as well, given that you work for DCS
Martin and that she's Mrs Martin now.'

He capitulated. 'Okay, I apologise,' he said. 'You are not a tease, and
you have our best interests at heart . . . but you still led me on with that
remark back there about stress in the Command corridor. Come on; I'm no
security risk. Has Big Bob got another crisis on?'

'No,' she answered quietly. 'In both the operational and domestic senses,

DCC Skinner is going along relatively quietly at the moment, thanks. But
remember. I don't just work for him.'

Sammy Pye's eyebrows rose, as he grasped her meaning. 'Ah, Mr
Theodore Chase, our new ACC Ops. Is he stirring things up, then?'