"Lawrence Treat - M As in Mugged" - читать интересную книгу автора (Treat Lawrence)

She spoke to Gino. тАЬDad,тАЭ she said, тАЬweтАЩre going over to AlmaтАЩs. IтАЩll be
back for supper.тАЭ

Gino nodded. тАЬFine. See you later.тАЭ He was obviously re-lieved to see her go,
but he tensed up as she reached the door and Joe grabbed her companion by the
shoulder.

тАЬTake it easy, Benjy,тАЭ Joe said. тАЬLittle boys shouldnтАЩt run after girls.тАЭ

The girl faced Joe angrily. тАЬHeтАЩs coming with me and you have no right to
stop him.тАЭ

Benjy touched her shoulder. тАЬGo ahead, Louise, IтАЩll make out. Just go
aheadтАФgo!тАЭ

She hesitated and looked at her father for support, but he shook his head and
repeated BenjyтАЩs words. тАЬGo ahead.тАЭ She seemed to sag for a moment, then she
went out swiftly.

Benjy stepped back. There was a rash on his hand, covered with the kind of
white lotion used for poison ivy. Decker picked up his beer glass, took a leisurely
sip, and gave Duke his full attention. тАЬIf you want me to buy you a round,тАЭ he said,
тАЬmaybe youтАЩd better tell me who you are.тАЭ

Duke, still straddling the stool, bent forward and bowed in mockery. тАЬDuke
the Fluke,тАЭ he said. тАЬAnd who the hell are you?тАЭ

тАЬGot a last name?тАЭ Decker asked. Duke didnтАЩt bother answering, and Decker
went on. тАЬHow about your friendsтАФ who are they?тАЭ

тАЬYouтАЩre a nosey old guy, Grampa,тАЭ Duke said, and he reached out to tweak
DeckerтАЩs nose. Decker jerked back and Duke let out a roar of laughter. тАЬHow about
those beers, huh?тАЭ he said.

Gino, inching over, said in a low voice, тАЬBetter do what he says, Mister.
YouтАЩre in trouble.тАЭ

And that, Decker reflected, was the understatement of the year. He was in the
wrong place, under the wrong circum-stances, and he was trapped. If he tried to
walk out now, theyтАЩd block him off or trip him up or slug him. He was up against a
nasty situation, and he had to face it.

Staring at Duke and holding him with his eyes, Decker casually pulled back the
flap of his jacket. His badge showed briefly as he took his gun out of its holster and
leveled it.

тАЬCopper!тАЭ Duke exclaimed, jerking backward.

Decker nodded. тАЬThatтАЩs right. So why donтАЩt you boys just run along and