"Альфред Бестер. The Flowered Thundermug (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

and highlighted by a concealed pin spot.

"Vhere is Mr. Vebb now?" Miss Garbo asked.

"Having turned over his palatial mansion to us at your
request," Robinson answered, "he is presently on a pleasure
cruise of the Carib with his family and servants. As you very
well know, this is a closely guarded secret."

"And the Thundermug?" Horton asked nervously. "Where is
it?"

"Why, sir, in that safe."

You mean-you mean you actually brought it over from
Stratford? It's here? Oh, my God! Why? Why?"

"We had to have the art treasure transported, Mr. Horton.
How else could we have leaked the closely guarded secret to
Associated Press, United Television, Reuters News and the
Satellite Syndicate, thus enabling them to take sneak
photographs?"

"B-but ... But if it's actually stolen.... Oh, my God! This
is awful."

"Ladies and gents," Robinson said. "Me and my associates,
the best cops on the Hollywood East force, the Honorable Edmund
Kean, Commissioner, will be here, nominally going through the
duties of the household staff, actually keeping our eyes
peeled, leaving no stone unturned, up to every trick and dodge
known in the annals of crime. If anything's taken, it will not
be the Flowered Thundermug; it will be the Artsy-Craftsy Kid."

"The who?" De Sica asked.

"Your crooked connoisseur, sir. That's our nickname for him
on the Bunco Squad. And now, if you will be good enough to slip
out under cover of darkness, using a little-known door in the
back garden, me and my associates will begin our simulated
domestic duties. We have a hot tip from the underworld that the
Artsy-Craftsy Kid will strike-tonight."

The Little Group of Powerful Art Dealers departed under
cover of darkness; the Bunco Squad began the evening household
routine to reassure any suspicious observer that life was
proceeding normally in the Webb pleasance. Inspector Robinson
was to be seen, gravely pacing back and forth before the living
room windows, carrying a silver salver on which was glued a
wineglass, its interior ingeniously painted red to simulate