"D. W. StJohn - Sisters of Glass" - читать интересную книгу автора (St. John D. W)

With a look that leaves no doubt in his mind how long she will treasure the memory of their first
encounter, she wipes away the residue of lovemaking, "Well, what now?"

Tired, as close to throwing in the towel as he's ever been, he hauls himself erect with a groan. It's been
nearly twenty years since he's been this foolish, letting a client sucker him into compromising himself. His
age, slipping into her dress she looks half his sixty years. Still, there is something about her that turns men
to fools.

"Now? I'm going to send somebody else, that's what I'm going to do."

Hands on hips, she looks at him, appalled, "God, but you're hopeless! I thought you were competent!
Don't you get it? They're not cutting it! We're no closer now than we were a month ago."

He gets it.

Stepping into trousers, he pours himself a dose of scotch, offers her one. She waves it away. Oh, yes, he
gets it. If he doesn't do something right now, he might as well buy some razors and draw himself a good,
hot bath. Maybe he should anyway. He's never liked sending men and women to die. "They tried, and
they paid for their failure."

"You said they were good."

The pleasant burn of Chivas dulls the edge of panic. He thinks of the dead. For the hundredth time he
sees their faces. He won't have her dirtying them. The look he gives her is easy to understand. "They
were good."

"Then what good will another one do?" She grabs her bag, heading for the door and out of his life. "I'm
out of time."

Desperate, Tate watches her go, and with her his career, his agency. Fear burrows in his stomach. In
this instant he understands how a man will betray a friend. "There is someone...."

"Oh, don't bother." Hand on the door she hesitates, "You've had your chance, I'll try somewhere else."

Another second and she'll be gone. He can't let her go. God help him, he can't. Of course she knew he
would react this way. If she knows anything, she knows men. Half a century she's spent them like tokens.

"If anyone can do it, Karl can."

Bored, she sighs, "All right, who is he, and why haven't you mentioned him before?"

"He's been...out of circulation."

She sighs, annoyed. "Retirees, now?"

"He's forty, best man ever worked for me. Unconventional...."

She cocks an eyebrow, "What's that supposed to mean?"