"De Noux, O'Neil -Lucien Caye - Friscoville" - читать интересную книгу автора (De Noux O'Neil)

avenue was lined with oaks and magnolias and pecan trees all the way
down to the levee. I spotted a pasture on the left with a
black-and-white cow. Some of the houses had white picket fences in
front. The two-story ones had wrought iron fences and front
galleries with gingerbread overhang and front porch swings.
.......I couldn't read my own handwriting. When Marty called back,
I'd jotted it down too quickly. Gumm lived either at 542 or 342
Friscoville. I ran into 542 first, along the uptown side of the
street. A shotgun single in dire need of paint, it was recessed a
little off the avenue behind a large magnolia whose dead leaves
covered the front yard.
.......I avoided the hole in the front porch and knocked on the
screen door. The bottom half of the screen was ripped and dangled. I
heard someone move around and knocked again, louder.
......."Yeah," a voice called out.
......."Are you Frank Gumm?"
......."No, who the hell are you?" The voice was rough and sounded
like a Yankee.
......."The name's Caye. Did you just move in here?"
.......The front door opened and a man looked at me through the
screen. In a soiled white undershirt and blue pants, his angry face
was half-hidden in darkness. He gave me the once-over and said, "You
got the wrong house, stupid." Then he slammed the door.
.......On my way back to the DeSoto, I realized his face was
familiar too. That's the problem being an ex-cop. I see faces from
mug shots all the time, like the babe on the streetcar.
.......The single story bungalow with the cement steps and wide
front porch at 342 Friscoville looked more promising. I rang the
doorbell and shaded my eyes with my left hand to peek in through the
screen door. A woman stepped into the living room, straightening her
pink shirtwaist dress. I like to watch women do that.
.......She touched the sides of her shoulder-length brown hair, worn
in a swirl, and smiled when she saw me.
......."Are you Nettie Gumm?"
......."Why, yes." She had green eyes and a nice figure.
.......I pulled a business card out of my wallet and pressed it
against the screen and introduced myself. A little boy with crew-cut
hair moved up behind her. He looked to be about Vivian's age. He
wore a red striped shirt and jeans.
.......As Mrs. Gumm looked at my card, I pulled out the picture of
Amy and pressed it against the screen and she said, "That looks like
Amy."
.......The boy started crying. Nettie went down on her knees and
asked him what was wrong. It took a minute to get the story out. Her
son, Frank Jr., had told her the Hartleys gave Amy to him.
.......When Mrs. Gumm stood back up, her lips were shaking. I told
her if she'd just give me the cat, then everything would be all
right.
......."Go get her," she told Frank, Jr. who hustled back through
the front room.