"E. C. Tubb - Dumarest 15 - Spectrum of a Forgotten Sun" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tubb E. C)

HoghanтАФsurely that is good enough."

A precaution and an elementary one. Kan Lofoten had to be involved
but, if questioned, Dumarest couldn't implicate him. All blame must rest
on the woman but, if there was trouble, she at least would have a
powerful friend. And, if taken, he would be interrogated by the very man
with most to hide. Dumarest could appreciate the irony of the situation
even while trying to think of a way out.

"There is no way," she said, almost as if she had read his mind. "You
help or you go back to your cell. You know what will happen then."
Death, quickly administered to shut his mouth. "But why hesitate, Earl?
The thing is foolproof."

"Then why do you need me?"

"To take care of the unknown." She was frank. "A man could be in the
wrong place at the wrong time. It's a remote possibility but it exists. If so
and killing has to be done then you will do it. It's your life at stake," she
reminded. "Think of it."

Dumarest looked past her, at the pedestrians and soldiers moving
along the street; at the men he had noticed before who moved only to
return to their original positions. Men dressed as civilians but who
carried themselves with a military bearing.

"Earl?" She was impatient. "You will help?"

He said, quietly, "You realize that the penalty for looting is a
particularly unpleasant form of death?"
 "So?"

"One applied to both men and women without distinction?"

"That bothers you?"

"Not unless I am among those sentenced."

"You won't be," she assured. "No one will. As I told you everything has
been arranged and nothing can go wrong. Earl, this is the chance of a
lifetime. You will help?"

"Yes." The bottle stood between them and he poured, handing her a
glass and lifting his own as if in a toast, looking past it into the green
reflection of her eyes. "It seems, my lady, that I have little choice."

*****
The room was as he had left it, the open window now framing a
sleeping city. Even the noise of construction was eased except in those
areas of greatest damage which, naturally, were those of greatest