"Ian Watson - Converts" - читать интересную книгу автора (Watson Ian)

Converts

PART ONE
Geneva

Chapter 1
тАШJean Sandwich?тАЩ

Frank Caldero struck a casual pose in front of the surveillance camera. Mounted over the elevator door,
this was the only camera in the whole lobby. Nor was this the only shortcoming about the security system
of Paradise Apartments. A big black mark must equally be awarded to the tangle of Swiss Cheese plants
choking one wall. Doubtless, these plants helped to maintain the pretence of Paradise; but any human
snake could lurk in ambush there.

These minor observations merely served to confirm what Frank already knew in some detail about the
economic status of the woman he was visiting. She was on the borderline, between Eden and the jungle.

тАШJean Sandwich? Jean Sandra Norwich?тАЩ

тАШYes, who is that?тАЩ


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 Converts

The intercom box made the womanтАЩs voice blurred and crackly: defect number three.

тАШMy nameтАЩs Frank Caldero, Miz Sandwich.тАЩ He produced the bundle of money from his inside pocket and
flourished the banknotes at the camera, fanning them. тАШAs you can see, I donтАЩt intend to burgle you. Far
from it! I have a proposition of a rather private nature for you.тАЩ

Realizing the lewd possibilities of what he had just said, Frank burst out laughing.

тАШOh hell, that sounds completely wrong! What I want, Miz Sandwich, is to pay you тАФ and handsomely,
too: five thousand, to be exact тАФ just to listen to me for half an hour, then neither to say nor write nor
otherwise publicize nor even confide to a friend what I shall propose during the course of that half hour.
The moneyтАЩs yours, whether you say yes or no to my subsequent proposals.тАЩ

тАШYou sound like a walking legal contract, Mr Caldero тАж Hey, do my ears deceive me? Five thousand,
just for listening?тАЩ

тАШThatтАЩs the general idea. IтАЩm approaching you on behalf of someone whom we shall refer to between us as
the Sponsor. Though IтАЩd better point out right away that he doesnтАЩt sponsor chat shows or anything like
that.тАЩ

тАШWhy didnтАЩt you phone and tell me you were coming?тАЩ

тАШRandom phone-taps. Key word sampling by our friendly Government computers. This is a very private
affair.тАЩ