"Gene Wolfe - Copperhead" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wolfe Gene)

"You know."

"I need to see the letter."
"Then do." He murmured comforting words, his friendship with Boone and Marsha, the great contribution
Boone had made to his administration. After a time that seemed long, the silent TV showed him with
Boone, with Boone and Marsha, with Boone at the convention. Eventually he hung up.

The phone rang again at once. He picked it up and said, "I ought to get call waiting on this thing."

"Yes, Mr. President, you should." There was no humor in Rance's voice, none at all.

"I was about to call you. Boone's hung himself."

"I was calling to tell you. This phone was busy."

"There's a suicide note. Do you have it?"

"No, sir."

"Get it. Don't let the press get it, and don't let Marsha see it. The cops will have it. Find out if they've
made copies. If they have, destroy them."

"Do you want to see it, Mr. President?"

He did not. He knew what would be in it, and knew that it would sicken him. "No," he said. Elsewhere in
the house another phone was ringing. He got up from his chair and kicked the door shut. Peggy would
get it, and Peggy, seeing the closed door, would stall them. Or stall them anyway, door closed or not.
"Maybe I'll want to see it later. Not now. I want you to find her and bring her here."

"Find who, Mr. President?"

"Who the hell do you think?"

"Jane Doe?"

"You're watching her, or you're damned well supposed to be."

"We are." Rance said.

"A hell of a lot of good it did. Bring her here. Now!"

"Won't you be going back to Washington, Mr. President?"

Rage would help nothing. He had told the general to leave the Changer with him. He had done that. He
himself had pressed the button. It had pressed very easily. He made his voice calm, and was gratified to
hear it. He did not sound like a man who was controlling his voice at all. "I'm going to stay here, George,
until this blows over a little. First the murder, then this. Washington will be a zoo."

"I'm sure you're right, Mr. President."