"Robert Tine - The Astronaut's Wife" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tine Robert)

the kitchen. It was here that Reese found her, gazing at the television set while Nan wrapped
JillianтАЩs sliced opened finger.
тАЬMrs. Armacost,тАЭ said Reese, тАЬthe Director wants...тАЭ
тАЬShush,тАЭ said Jillian. She did not even so much as glance in his direction.
There was a reporter on the television set, microphone in hand, standing in front of the chain-
link gate at the security checkpoint at the entrance to the Cape. It was odd that the reporter would
be doing his standup from outside the complex; there was an elaborate press room inside the
space administration building. It could only mean that there had been a complete press lockdown
on the story.
The television correspondent more or less confirmed the suspicion. тАЬAll we know for sureтАФ
and
we donтАЩt know muchтАФis that both men were outside the orbiter, performing repairs on a
communication satellite. The condition of Armacost and Streck, as well as the well-being of the
rest of the shuttle crew, is unknown at this time...


While the reporter signed off and threw the story back to the network, Jillian turned to Reese
and looked him square in the eye. Her voice was eerily calm.
тАЬIs my husband dead?тАЭ she asked.
Reese shook his head apologetically. тАЬMaтАЩam, IтАЩm afraid I donтАЩt know anything about the
condition of your husband. I have been sent here by the Director toтАФтАЭ
тАЬIs my husband dead?тАЭ July asked again, her voice edged with a tinge of hysteria, as if the
false calm was melting away and she was just barely holding on to her feelings.
Reese shrugged. тАЬTo be honest, maтАЩam, I just donтАЩt know. Details are very sketchy.тАЭ
тАЬIf you donтАЩt know,тАЭ Jillian said coldly, тАЬtake me to someone who does. Now.тАЭ
She looked at the manтАЩs starched shirt, as stiff and as spotless an officerтАЩs whites, his crisp
perfectly cut suit, that smooth shave, and the shine on his shoes and felt contempt for him. He
was down here whole and healthy while her husband was deep in space, far beyond rescue, dead
in the silence of space.
Reese shrugged. тАЬThatтАЩs what IтАЩm here to do, Mrs. Armacost. Captain StreckтАЩs wife is already
there.тАЭ
Nan grabbed her sister roughly by the sleeve and tugged her toward the door. тАЬCome on, July,
letтАЩs get over and there and find out what the hell is going on.тАЭ
Sherman Reese stepped between then. тАЬIтАЩm sorry,тАЭ he said, sounding as if he were genuinely
sorry. тАЬI only have security clearance for Mrs. Armacost.тАЭ
тАЬThen you better get security clearance for Mrs. ArmacostтАЩs sister, mister, becauseтАФтАЭ
 Reese looked beseechingly at Jillian. тАЬPlease, Mrs. Armacost, could you tell your sisterтАФтАЭ
Jillian nodded and tried to stand straight. It was odd; she did not feel the desire to cryтАФnot
yet, anyway. She turned to Nan.
тАЬItтАЩll be okay, Nan,тАЭ she said, keeping her voice as steady as possible. тАЬIтАЩll be okay.тАЭ
тАЬYou sure?тАЭ NanтАЩs eyes narrowed.
тАЬIтАЩm sure . . .тАЬ


The radio was on in the no-frills government car that carried them through the quiet suburb.
тАЬNASA is now officially confirming that Commander Spencer Armacost and Captain Alex
Streck were outside of the space shuttle Victory when there was an explosion on the
communication satellite on which they were doing repairs . . .тАЬ