"Asprin, Robert - Myth 09 - M.Y.T.H Inc. In Action" - читать интересную книгу автора (Asprin Robert)

the crowd what has been ou tside the room was nothin' compared to what was waitin' for us in the bar. Everybody in the place is crowdin' around to see what is goin' on... Well, crowdin' at a distance like folks do when they Don't want to be right up close to the action. Toward the back, I can see the uniforms of some of the local constabulary, though they are havin' trouble reachin' us through the heavy traffic. Of the Military police there is no sign... So I figure we will just have to start without them.

"What's going on up there?" Frumple dema nds, appearin' at my side.

"Here," I sez out of the side of my mouth, pushin' some money in to his hand. "Take this."

"What's this for?" he sez, scowlin' at my offerin'.

"That should cover the bar bill for our table since this afternoon."

"Your bar bill?" he frowns."I Don't get it. We had a deal. I give you free drinks, and you Don't bust up my place or tell anyone... My secret."

"Don't worry," I sez, showin' him a few teeth. "Your secret is safe."

"Then what... Hey!wait a minute! You aren't going to..."

Just then, the police reach us. Now, earlier Nunzio and me was commentin' how there wasn't anyone in the bar who could give us a run for our money. This situational ch anges when these cops roll in. There are fo ur of them, and while no ne of them looks particularly tough physically bein' uniformly soft around the middle, there is a steadiness in their eyes that anyone in the business can spot as the mark of someone what Don't get particularly rattled when trouble down.

"All right!" the biggest one of 'em says, steppin' up to us. "What's going on here?"

As you might guess, people of Nunzio's and my profession are not overly fond of the authorities of the law, particularly the street variety, and we usually give them wide berth. So in actual confrontation such as this, it is not too difficult for us to act unpleasant.

"What kind of town is this?" Nunzio bellows, glarin' around at the crowd. "A man in uniform tries to have a quiet drink... And the next thing you know, some bimbo is trying to set him up for a bum rap!!"

"Just take it easy, soldier," the cop sez, friendly-like. "You're among friends now. There are a couple of us who were in the service ourselves once."

This is somethin' we hadn't counted on. The last thing we need right now is for the cops to act reasonable. I figure it is about time I take a hand in the proceedin's personally.

"Oh, yeah?" I sneers. "What happen ed? You chicken out when it looked like there might actually be some fightin' to be Done? Figured it was safer hasslin' drunks than gettin' shot at?"

"Cool down, soldier," the cop smiles, but I can see his lips are real tight. "Let's just step ou tside and discuss this."

"You hear that?" Nunzio shouts to the Flie brothers who are still holdin' down our table. "They Don't mind taking our money for drinks... But when we catch 'em tryin' to roll one of our boys, THEN they try to send us packing!"

"Oh yeah?" Shu Flie bristles and stands up, crowdin' toward us followed close by his brother. "Well if they want us out of here, they're gonna have to throw us out!" Caught between us on one side and the Flie brothers on the other, the cops start gettin' nervous, swivelin' their heads back and forth tryin' to keep an eye on all of us.

"Now hold on a minute!" the cop we was talkin' to sez. "Who are you saying was trying to roll you?"

"That floozie upstairs!" Nunzio sna rls, jerkin' a thumb back over his shoulder. "She gave our buddy the big come on... crawlin' all over him, you know? Then when we go up to see if he's all right'cause he's been drinkin', she's goin' through his pockets!"

"That's right!" Hy Flie sez. "We were sittin' right over there when this bo mbs hell down playing up to Junebug here!"

"Of course, they st ick up for each other!" one of the guys in the front of the crowd snorts to the fellow next to him.

I Don't think he meant to be heard, but Shu Flie was standin' right beside him and ca ught it.

"Are you callin' my brother a liar?" he sez, startin' for the loudmouth.

I'm thinking we got the fight in the bag, but one of the cops gets between 'em holdin' them apart with a hand on each of their chests.