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The Harlequin :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 23 из 330Couples holding hands, families with kids in tow: it all looked normal.
«What's in there?» Nathaniel asked.
«A mask,» I whispered.
«Can I see it?»
I nodded.
He moved the lid and tissue paper, while I kept searching the happy moviegoers for evil intent. There was a couple staring a little too hard at us, but that could be other things.
«It looks like someone started to make a mask and stopped before they finished,» he said.
«Yeah, it looks too blank.»
«Why would someone give you this?»
«Did you see someone carry this in?»
«It's a big box, Anita. I'd have noticed.»
«Did anyone carry in a bigger-than-average purse?»
«Not one big enough to hide this.»
«You were standing right there, Nathaniel. You had to see.»
We exchanged a look. «I didn't see this.»
«Shit,» I said low and with feeling.
«Someone was messing with you earlier, and they messed with me to get inside the bathroom,» he said.
«Did you sense anything?» I asked.
He thought about it, and finally shook his head. «No.»
«Double shit.»
«Call Jean-Claude, now,» he said.
I nodded and handed him the box so I could use my cell phone. Nathaniel wrapped the mask back up while I waited for Jean-Claude to pick up. This time he actually answered his office phone himself. «I got a present,» I said.
«What did our pussycat buy you?» he asked, not offended that I hadn't said hello first.
«Nathaniel didn't buy it.»
«It is not like you to speak in riddles, ma petite .»
«Ask me what it is,» I said.
«What is it?» and his voice was sliding into that blankness he did so well.
«A mask.»
«What color is it?»
«You don't sound surprised,» I said.
«What color is it, ma petite ?»
«What does that matter?»
«It matters.»
«White, why?»
He let out a breath I hadn't known he was holding, and spoke softly and heatedly in French for several minutes, until I could get him calmed down enough to speak English to me.
«It is good news, and bad, ma petite . White means they have come to observe us, not to harm us.»
I moved so that my hand covered my mouth as I talked. I wanted to keep an eye on the drifting crowd, but I didn't want some human to overhear what promised to be a tricky conversation. But I didn't want to go outside until I found out how much danger we were in. The crowd was both a danger and a help.
«What's in there?» Nathaniel asked.
«A mask,» I whispered.
«Can I see it?»
I nodded.
He moved the lid and tissue paper, while I kept searching the happy moviegoers for evil intent. There was a couple staring a little too hard at us, but that could be other things.
«It looks like someone started to make a mask and stopped before they finished,» he said.
«Yeah, it looks too blank.»
«Why would someone give you this?»
«Did you see someone carry this in?»
«It's a big box, Anita. I'd have noticed.»
«Did anyone carry in a bigger-than-average purse?»
«Not one big enough to hide this.»
«You were standing right there, Nathaniel. You had to see.»
We exchanged a look. «I didn't see this.»
«Shit,» I said low and with feeling.
«Someone was messing with you earlier, and they messed with me to get inside the bathroom,» he said.
«Did you sense anything?» I asked.
He thought about it, and finally shook his head. «No.»
«Double shit.»
«Call Jean-Claude, now,» he said.
I nodded and handed him the box so I could use my cell phone. Nathaniel wrapped the mask back up while I waited for Jean-Claude to pick up. This time he actually answered his office phone himself. «I got a present,» I said.
«What did our pussycat buy you?» he asked, not offended that I hadn't said hello first.
«Nathaniel didn't buy it.»
«It is not like you to speak in riddles, ma petite .»
«Ask me what it is,» I said.
«What is it?» and his voice was sliding into that blankness he did so well.
«A mask.»
«What color is it?»
«You don't sound surprised,» I said.
«What color is it, ma petite ?»
«What does that matter?»
«It matters.»
«White, why?»
He let out a breath I hadn't known he was holding, and spoke softly and heatedly in French for several minutes, until I could get him calmed down enough to speak English to me.
«It is good news, and bad, ma petite . White means they have come to observe us, not to harm us.»
I moved so that my hand covered my mouth as I talked. I wanted to keep an eye on the drifting crowd, but I didn't want some human to overhear what promised to be a tricky conversation. But I didn't want to go outside until I found out how much danger we were in. The crowd was both a danger and a help.