"Kenneth Robeson - Doc Savage 173 - Once Over Lightly" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

until now.

The other object in the metal box was an envelope, and I put a hand in the way of Glacia's hand when
she reached for it. тАЬIt's still not too late to start using your head,тАЭ I said.

тАЬDamn you, Mote,тАЭ she said. And then she asked bitterly, тАЬWhat would you suggest?тАЭ I thought she was
going to take a swing at me, and I know she was considering it. тАЬIf it's another lecture about going to the
police, you can just chew it up and swallow it again. I haven't done anything the police can arrest me for.тАЭ
The police were out, I could see that. Glacia didn't want any part of them.

тАЬThe alternative,тАЭ I said, тАЬmight be to break loose and tell old Mote all. I can't say I'm anxious to be the
collection-plate for your troubles. But it might help.тАЭ

тАЬHelp what? Your curiosity?тАЭ

She had something there. тАЬHelp me decide whether I'm heading for jail by associating with you,тАЭ I said.

Glacia got angry again. She called me an impossible wench, and a damned fine travesty of a friend. It
didn't mean too much the way she said it, I decided. She was putting on and taking off her
emotionsтАФrage, sentiment, fear, hesitation, decisionтАФthe nervous way a man about to be married
probably tries different neckties.

тАЬWhat went wrong with you?тАЭ she demanded. тАЬWhere did you go right after the body was found? You
went somewhere, and something happened to jolt you. What was it?тАЭ

All right, you asked for it. I thought.

тАЬI went to ask Doc Savage to investigate the mysterious murder of your Uncle Waldo,тАЭ I said, and
waited for that to sink in and take effect.

She fooled me. She didn't show surprise, or not much of it. She even seemed interested. And she was
alert enough to guess what had happened.

тАЬHe turned you down,тАЭ she said.

тАЬThat's right, and with trimmings,тАЭ I agreed. тАЬIt wasn't just that I got turned down, either. It was being
exposed to their curiosity and then tossed aside that burns me. They opened me like a box, looked in,
didn't care for any, and pushed me out.тАЭ

Glacia's lips were parted a little, as if she was all set to blow out a candle. Her way of showing breathless
wonder. тАЬWhat was he like?тАЭ she gasped.

тАЬEh?тАЭ

тАЬDoc Savage . . . what was he like? Did you really get to talk with him, Mote? He must be a wonderful
person.

тАЬThat big bronze chew!тАЭ I said. тАЬI didn't see anything so wonderful about him.тАЭ

Glacia began to look as if I was putting verbal toads in the conversation. тАЬYour trouble is, you're not