"Kristine Kathryn Rusch - Remodeling" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rusch Kristine Kathryn)

off the tirade, then swung her legs over the side of the bed.

тАЬDo you hear that?тАЭ he asked.
 Her right foot found the shag carpet that they couldn't afford to replace.

тАЬI've half a mind to write to the city and demand they do something about that bus stop. Can't they stop the damn th
an intersection? Does it...тАЭ

Ada leaned backwards, put a gentle finger on his lips, and then kissed him, more to shut him up than to start anythin
wouldn't be interested anyway. He was already too tense.

тАЬI'm going to the shower,тАЭ she said. тАЬCare to join me?тАЭ

He threw his own covers back. тАЬI'll put on coffee. Maybe it's quieter in the kitchen.тАЭ

But Ada knew it wouldn't be. It never was.

***

Rick had a meeting downtown with the accountant. For the first time in weeks, Ada had no morning appointments a
could take her time to get to the shop. Usually she left at nine A.M. sharp, either to meet with clients or to talk to the sto
that recommended her interior decorating skills.

She took her coffee into the home office. It was on the tree side of their property. Spruce, maples, a few oaks. Thro
the window, it looked like they lived in a forest. The walls were thickтАФa bathroom and their bedroom between the nea
wall and the street.

She wanted to put their bed in here, but Rick had overruled her. He needed silence when he worked more than he
needed anything else. And since he handled the books, the promotion, and all the other little details of her interior design
business, he got what he wanted.

The doorbell rang, making her jump. No one rang the bell. No one came to the door, not even the mailman, who lef
their packages in the large mailbox at the foot of the driveway.

Ada pressed a hand to her heart. It was racing. She made herself get up and head downstairs, wondering what had
wrong this time.

She was nearly to the living room when the doorbell rang again.

тАЬComing!тАЭ she yelled.

She arrived at the front door slightly breathless, and pulled it open without looking through the spyhole Rick had put

A balding man with a football player's neck and a sagging belly stood on her stoop. He looked familiar, but it took h
moment to place him.

Muff ler Man, the neighbor. Ada had only seen him through a window, from a distance, or inside his car. She hadn't
realized how solid he was up close.

тАЬYour husband in?тАЭ Muff ler Man asked, and there was nothing friendly in his tone.