JК
Bag of Bones :: Кинг Стивен
Страница: 95 из 425” White lightsdanced in the sky—they could have been exploding spacecraft. Then, trailing after, the bangs. I’ve discovered the secret of time travel, I thought.
It’s an auditory phenomenon. My hand was holding the phone far too tightly, and I made it relax. Maxwell Devore. Half a billion dollars.
Not in Palm Springs, as I had supposed, but close—right here on the TR, if the characteristic under-hum on the line could be trusted. “I’m concerned for my granddaughter.” His voice was raspier than ever. He was angry, and it showed—this was a man who hadn’t had to conceal his emotions in a lot of years. “I understand my daughter-in-law’s attention wandered again. It wanders often.” Now half a dozen colored starbursts lit the night, blooming like flowers in an old Disney nature film. I could imagine the crowds gathered on Castle View sitting cross-legged on their blankets, eating ice cream cones and drinking beer and all going Oooooh at the same time. That’s what makes any successful work of art, I think-everybody goes Oooooh at the same time. “You’re scared of this guy, aren’t you? Jo asked. Okay, maybe you’re right to be scared. A man who feels he can be angry whenever he wants to at whoever he wants to…
that’s a man who can be dangerous. Then Mattie’s voice: Mr. Noonan, I’m not a bad mother. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. Of course that’s what most bad mothers say in such circumstances, I imagined… but I had believed her.
Also, goddammit, my number was unlisted. I had been sitting here with a soda, watching the fireworks, bothering nobody, and this guy had-“Mr. Devore, I don’t have any idea what—”
“Don’t give me that, with all due respect don’t give me that, Mr. Noonan, you were seen talking to them.”
He sounded as I imagine Joe Mccarthy sounded to those poor schmucks who ended up being branded dirty commies when they came before his committee. Be careful, Mike, Jo said. Beware of Maxwell’s silver hammer.
“I did see and speak to a woman and a little girl this morning,” I said.
“I presume they’re the ones you’re talking about.”
“No, you saw a toddler walking on the road alone,” he said. “And then you saw a woman chasing after her. My daughter-in-law, in that old thing she drives. The child could have been run down. Why are you protecting that young woman, Mr. Noonan? Did she promise you something? You’re certainly doing the child no favors, I can tell you that much.” She promised to take me back to her trailer and then take me around the world, I thought of saying.
It’s an auditory phenomenon. My hand was holding the phone far too tightly, and I made it relax. Maxwell Devore. Half a billion dollars.
Not in Palm Springs, as I had supposed, but close—right here on the TR, if the characteristic under-hum on the line could be trusted. “I’m concerned for my granddaughter.” His voice was raspier than ever. He was angry, and it showed—this was a man who hadn’t had to conceal his emotions in a lot of years. “I understand my daughter-in-law’s attention wandered again. It wanders often.” Now half a dozen colored starbursts lit the night, blooming like flowers in an old Disney nature film. I could imagine the crowds gathered on Castle View sitting cross-legged on their blankets, eating ice cream cones and drinking beer and all going Oooooh at the same time. That’s what makes any successful work of art, I think-everybody goes Oooooh at the same time. “You’re scared of this guy, aren’t you? Jo asked. Okay, maybe you’re right to be scared. A man who feels he can be angry whenever he wants to at whoever he wants to…
that’s a man who can be dangerous. Then Mattie’s voice: Mr. Noonan, I’m not a bad mother. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. Of course that’s what most bad mothers say in such circumstances, I imagined… but I had believed her.
Also, goddammit, my number was unlisted. I had been sitting here with a soda, watching the fireworks, bothering nobody, and this guy had-“Mr. Devore, I don’t have any idea what—”
“Don’t give me that, with all due respect don’t give me that, Mr. Noonan, you were seen talking to them.”
He sounded as I imagine Joe Mccarthy sounded to those poor schmucks who ended up being branded dirty commies when they came before his committee. Be careful, Mike, Jo said. Beware of Maxwell’s silver hammer.
“I did see and speak to a woman and a little girl this morning,” I said.
“I presume they’re the ones you’re talking about.”
“No, you saw a toddler walking on the road alone,” he said. “And then you saw a woman chasing after her. My daughter-in-law, in that old thing she drives. The child could have been run down. Why are you protecting that young woman, Mr. Noonan? Did she promise you something? You’re certainly doing the child no favors, I can tell you that much.” She promised to take me back to her trailer and then take me around the world, I thought of saying.