"Kate Wilhelm - Deepest Water" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wilhelm Kate)

тАЬLet me wait on you for just a little while. You donтАЩt know how IтАЩve felt, wanting to do something,
anything. I watched you sleeping,тАЭ he said, pouring the coffee, тАЬand I wanted to sit there and not even
breathe, just watch you.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩmтАж IтАЩm sorry,тАЭ she whispered, not looking up at him.

тАЬOh, Christ! I didnтАЩt mean to dump a guilt trip on you. IтАЩve just been so goddamn helpless.тАЭ

тАЬI know.тАЭ

She did know. They had been married for four years, and it was a good marriage; he was a tender and
passionate lover; he brought her unexpected presents, listened attentively when she talked about the
museum, her work there, her dissertation that was going nowhere; he, in turn, talked about his clients, the
others in the office, his plans. They were lucky, she knew, especially when her friends talked about this
couple or that, or their own failed marriages or affairs, or when she remembered her first marriage, she
realized again how lucky they were. She understood and cherished what they had, but this week she had
not wanted anyone to touch her, not her mother, not friends, not relatives, and not him.

He touched her hair now, a fairy touch, light and tentative; although she willed herself not to flinch, not to
stiffen, something was communicated, and he drew back. тАЬWell,тАЭ he said in a strained voice, тАЬthat cop is
due any minute now. After he leaves, I have to check in at the office for a few hours. Will you be okay?тАЭ

She nodded, aware only then that he had on a suit and tie, dressed for the office. She couldnтАЩt remember
if he had gone in at all that week. Had he gone in to report on the weekend meeting? He must have, she
thought miserably; his world hadnтАЩt caved in the way hers had. She simply hadnтАЩt paid any attention, like
now, not noticing that he was dressed for clients, dressed for business in a good gray suit, maroon silk
tie, shirt dazzling white. At thirty-four, he was even more handsome than when they married. Marriage
agreed with him, he sometimes said jokingly. She wondered if his folks had left town yet, if they were
driving home to Idaho, the potato farm. His fatherтАЩs hands had been spotlessly clean, she thought, and
her mind skittered off in yet another direction.

That was how she had been all week, unable to focus on any one thing for more than a few seconds and
left with no memory of what she had been thinking. A persistent thought recurred: if he had had a fight
with his father, he had to make amends now, before it was too late.

Just then the doorbell rang. She had forgotten that the policeman had said he would come at ten, and she
glanced down at herself in dismay; she was in jeans and an old sweater.

тАЬFinish your coffee,тАЭ Brice said. тАЬIтАЩll take him to the living room.тАЭ

She left the coffee and followed him to the front door, where he was admitting the policeman and a
woman with short brown hair so curly, it was almost too frizzy.

тАЬLieutenant Caldwell, and this is Detective Varney,тАЭ the policeman said politely, as if aware that she had
no memory of their names.

She nodded, and Brice said briskly, тАЬWell, come on in. Do you want to take off your jacket and coat?тАЭ

Caldwell was wearing a windbreaker; Detective Varney had a long dark green raincoat. She pulled it off,
then held it, but he shook his head. тАЬItтАЩs okay. Beautiful day out there, just right, not too hot, not too