JК
Crashlander :: Нивен Ларри
Страница: 196 из 199She was a dark, pretty woman guarded by hands-off body language and by the circle ofdesk that enclosed her like a fortress.
I was glad to see her. She knew me by sight. Her fingers were dancing over her keyboard even as she greeted me. «Mr. Graynor! You've had a busy year and a half.»
«Nice and quiet, actually,» I said. «Are Milcenta and Jeena all right?»
«Cooled down and ready for shipment. I take it Adelaide never appeared.»
«No. Went her own way, I guess.»
«Just as well, perhaps,» she said primly. I don't think she approved of Mart Graynor having two wives, let alone bent ones. «Well, we have a few formalities to cover, and then you can join them. Did you know that your specs list you at six feet eleven inches?»
My shock must have showed. Who would have seen that listing?
I managed a credible laugh. «Did you have an oversized box laid out for me?»
«No, that's not a problem; it was only a matter of rewriting the specs. But we couldn't do that. Ms. Graynor doesn't seem to know your exact height. We'll have to measure you.
«Stet.»
«So.» She waved in a counterclockwise circle. Waving me around the desk? I walked that way and saw the sliding staircase leading down.
Of course. Most of Outbound must be underground.
I started down. Ms. Machti called, «Mr. Graynor? You've a call from a Mr. Ausfaller. He says you can't take off yet.»
Ausfaller! How could he know … What did he know? «He asked for Martin Wallace Graynor?»
«No, he wanted the red-haired man at the desk, and I said, 'Mister Graynor? and he —»
«Stet. Can you — «I did not want the call transferred to my pocket phone. «May I take it on one of those?» I waved at the booths.
«Certainly.»
It was half a phone booth, just two black walls and a projection table. It would give me privacy, but I could still see out. I tapped the receiver, and a life-sized bust of Sigmund Ausfaller popped into view.
His rather vicious smile faded a little. He hadn't expected me at eye level. I thought, Sigmund, you're bothering a total stranger, sandy-haired, tanned, a foot shorter than your albino quarry. Could I get away with that?
I didn't feel lucky. I said, «Long story. Ask Ander.»
«So your name is Graynor now?»
«Braynard,» I said distinctly. «Where are you?» He'd only heard the name over a phone. «Graynor» would give the bastard Sharrol and Jeena, too.
«Where should I be?»
I saw nothing of background, just the head and torso solid projection. He could be anywhere.
I was glad to see her. She knew me by sight. Her fingers were dancing over her keyboard even as she greeted me. «Mr. Graynor! You've had a busy year and a half.»
«Nice and quiet, actually,» I said. «Are Milcenta and Jeena all right?»
«Cooled down and ready for shipment. I take it Adelaide never appeared.»
«No. Went her own way, I guess.»
«Just as well, perhaps,» she said primly. I don't think she approved of Mart Graynor having two wives, let alone bent ones. «Well, we have a few formalities to cover, and then you can join them. Did you know that your specs list you at six feet eleven inches?»
My shock must have showed. Who would have seen that listing?
I managed a credible laugh. «Did you have an oversized box laid out for me?»
«No, that's not a problem; it was only a matter of rewriting the specs. But we couldn't do that. Ms. Graynor doesn't seem to know your exact height. We'll have to measure you.
«Stet.»
«So.» She waved in a counterclockwise circle. Waving me around the desk? I walked that way and saw the sliding staircase leading down.
Of course. Most of Outbound must be underground.
I started down. Ms. Machti called, «Mr. Graynor? You've a call from a Mr. Ausfaller. He says you can't take off yet.»
Ausfaller! How could he know … What did he know? «He asked for Martin Wallace Graynor?»
«No, he wanted the red-haired man at the desk, and I said, 'Mister Graynor? and he —»
«Stet. Can you — «I did not want the call transferred to my pocket phone. «May I take it on one of those?» I waved at the booths.
«Certainly.»
It was half a phone booth, just two black walls and a projection table. It would give me privacy, but I could still see out. I tapped the receiver, and a life-sized bust of Sigmund Ausfaller popped into view.
His rather vicious smile faded a little. He hadn't expected me at eye level. I thought, Sigmund, you're bothering a total stranger, sandy-haired, tanned, a foot shorter than your albino quarry. Could I get away with that?
I didn't feel lucky. I said, «Long story. Ask Ander.»
«So your name is Graynor now?»
«Braynard,» I said distinctly. «Where are you?» He'd only heard the name over a phone. «Graynor» would give the bastard Sharrol and Jeena, too.
«Where should I be?»
I saw nothing of background, just the head and torso solid projection. He could be anywhere.