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The Lunatic Cafe :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 221 из 234"
"We've got all night, gentlemen. He won't resist this luscious tidbit forever," Kaspar said.
I didn't like being called a tidbit. Luscious or otherwise. "I called Garroway before we drove up here. I told him about his deputies getting ambushed. I told him it was Aikensen."
"Liar."
I looked straight at Titus. "You think I'm lying."
"Maybe we'll just shoot all of you now, and flee, Ms. Blake."
"You going to give these gentlemen their money back?"
"We want a hunt, Titus." The three armed men didn't look like leaving before the fun was an option. "The police don't know about the birdman's involvement," Carmichael of the.22 said. "He can stay upstairs. If they come asking questions, he can answer them."
Titus wiped his palms against his pants. Sweating palms, nerves? I hoped so.
"She didn't call. She's just bluffing," Aikensen said.
"Make him change," Carmichael said.
"He's not paying any attention to her," Grey Hair said.
"Give it time, gentlemen."
"You said we don't have time."
"You're the expert, Kaspar. Thinka something."
Kaspar smiled, staring at something behind me. "I don't think we'll have to wait much longer."
I turned around slowly, looking behind me. Jason was still huddled on the ground but his face was turned to me. He rolled onto all fours in one easy motion.
His eyes flicked to me, then stared at the men on the outside of the cage. "I won't do it. I won't change for you." His voice was strained but normal. Human sounding.
"You've held out a long time, Jason," Kaspar said, "but the moon is rising. Smell her fear, Jason. Smell her body. You know you want her."
"No!" He bowed his head to the ground, hands and arms flat to the floor, knees drawn up. He shook his head, face pressed into the rock. "No." He raised his face up. "I won't do it like some sideshow freak."
"Do you think giving Jason and Ms. Blake here a little privacy would help matters along?" Titus asked.
"It might," Kaspar said. "He doesn't seem to like an audience."
"We'll just give you a little breathin' space, Ms. Blake. If you aren't alive when we get back, well, it's been nice meetin' ya."
"I can't say the same, Titus," I said.
"Well, now that is the God's honest truth. Good-bye, Ms. Blake."
"Rot in hell, bitch," was Aikensen's parting shot.
"You'll remember me every time you look in a mirror, Aikensen."
His hand went to his nose. Even that touch hurt.
"We've got all night, gentlemen. He won't resist this luscious tidbit forever," Kaspar said.
I didn't like being called a tidbit. Luscious or otherwise. "I called Garroway before we drove up here. I told him about his deputies getting ambushed. I told him it was Aikensen."
"Liar."
I looked straight at Titus. "You think I'm lying."
"Maybe we'll just shoot all of you now, and flee, Ms. Blake."
"You going to give these gentlemen their money back?"
"We want a hunt, Titus." The three armed men didn't look like leaving before the fun was an option. "The police don't know about the birdman's involvement," Carmichael of the.22 said. "He can stay upstairs. If they come asking questions, he can answer them."
Titus wiped his palms against his pants. Sweating palms, nerves? I hoped so.
"She didn't call. She's just bluffing," Aikensen said.
"Make him change," Carmichael said.
"He's not paying any attention to her," Grey Hair said.
"Give it time, gentlemen."
"You said we don't have time."
"You're the expert, Kaspar. Thinka something."
Kaspar smiled, staring at something behind me. "I don't think we'll have to wait much longer."
I turned around slowly, looking behind me. Jason was still huddled on the ground but his face was turned to me. He rolled onto all fours in one easy motion.
His eyes flicked to me, then stared at the men on the outside of the cage. "I won't do it. I won't change for you." His voice was strained but normal. Human sounding.
"You've held out a long time, Jason," Kaspar said, "but the moon is rising. Smell her fear, Jason. Smell her body. You know you want her."
"No!" He bowed his head to the ground, hands and arms flat to the floor, knees drawn up. He shook his head, face pressed into the rock. "No." He raised his face up. "I won't do it like some sideshow freak."
"Do you think giving Jason and Ms. Blake here a little privacy would help matters along?" Titus asked.
"It might," Kaspar said. "He doesn't seem to like an audience."
"We'll just give you a little breathin' space, Ms. Blake. If you aren't alive when we get back, well, it's been nice meetin' ya."
"I can't say the same, Titus," I said.
"Well, now that is the God's honest truth. Good-bye, Ms. Blake."
"Rot in hell, bitch," was Aikensen's parting shot.
"You'll remember me every time you look in a mirror, Aikensen."
His hand went to his nose. Even that touch hurt.