"Michael Swanwick - The Raggle Taggle Gypsy - O" - читать интересную книгу автора (Swanwick Michael)

a stone city he'd once been to, sunk in the shallow waters of the Caribbean. That had
been a dangerous place, but no more dangerous than this slim and lovely lady beside
him. After a minute, she simply said, "Ask if they do repairs."

****

Crow pulled up in front of the garage and honked the horn a few times. A
hound-lean mechanic came out, wiping his hands on a rag. "Yah?"

"Lissen, Ace, we got us a situation here with our steering column. Think you can fix
us up?"

The mechanic stared at him, unblinking, and said, "We're all out of fluid. I'll take a
look at your underside, though."

While the man was on a creeper under the truck, Crow went to the crapper. Then he
ambled around the back of the garage. There was a window there. He snapped the
latch, climbed in and poked around.

When he strolled up front again, the mechanic was out from under the truck and
Annie was leaning against one of the pumps, flirting with him. He liked it, Crow
could tell. Hell, even faggots liked it when Annie flirted at them.

Annie went off to the ladies' when he walked up, and by the time she came back the
mechanic was inside again. She raised her eyebrows and Crow said, "Bastard says
he can't fix the leak and ain't got no fluid. Only I boosted two cases out a window
and stashed 'em in a junker out back. Go in and distract him, while I get them into
the truck."

Annie thrust her hands deep into the pockets of her leather jacket and twisted slightly
from foot to foot. "I've got a better thought," she said quietly. "Kill him."

"Say what?"
'"He's one of Eric's people."

"You sure of that?"

"Ninety per cent sure. He's here. What else could he be?"

"Yeah, well, there's still that other ten per cent."

Her face was a mask. "Why take chances?"

"Jesus." Crow shook his head. "Babe, sometimes you give me the creeps. I don't
mind admitting that you do."

"Do you love me? Then kill him."

"Hey. Forget that bullshit. We been together long enough, you must know what I'm
like, OK? I ain't killing nobody today. Now go into the convenience there and buy us