"Michael Scott Rohan - Chase the Morning" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rohan Michael Scott)

strongest, and they weren't satisfying either one. You -
can you think of anything?'
'Not about my raid, Jyp - but about yours. And that reason for it you
couldn't figure out, remember? What if you were just meant to be
window-dressing?'
This time he did choke. But when he got his breath back and the beer out of
his nose I told him about my idea, and he began to nod as he listened, first
excitedly, then grimly. 'Dandy!' he said at last. 'Stage a burglary to cover
up dirty dealings - and leave a body to make it convincing. It could be, Steve
- it could well be! A bit smart for the Wolves, maybe - but even they get a
rush of blood to the brain once in a while ... h'mm. But if that's so, what's
so hot about it? Didn't come off, did it? Thanks to you. But here you've got
yourself lathered up like a trotter -'
'Don't you see?' I barked, so loud it momentarily halted the hubbub
outside. I lowered my voice. 'I'm only surprised they waited a night! Whatever
they came to do, it's still undone! Whatever was wrong with that cargo still
is wrong. Something's not there that should be, or is there when it shouldn't
be! And what's that mean? It means ten to one they'll come back -'
Jyp sat there a moment, silent. Then he slammed a palm against his temple
making his red hair fly. 'They had to wait a night,' he mumbled. 'To put the
hex on you.'
'What? But how'd they know anything about me?'
He snorted. 'They've ways. Maybe you were followed - though there's other
things might've done that. That's the way the Wolves'd think, okay. Couldn't
believe you'd just turned up out of the blue, no - not when you started pokin'
round after the Iskander. At least I got half a brain working - jehosaphat!'
He gulped at his beer, then straightened up.
'Thanks, Steve - though thanks still ain't enough. Chances are you just
saved my life one more time.' He grinned. 'Getting t'be a habit, ain't it? But
let's us both do some more thinking now, and quick - will they be back? Word
got around about that raid, y'know. Next morning half the folks with stuff
there showed up post-haste - and they checked through it all real careful on
the spot, with me there. Nothing funny there. Now lemme see, what's left? Not
much. Half the flamewood - but you can't hide things in loose planking. What
else's large enough to be hoaxed easily?'
He muttered to himself, then suddenly hissed "The roots! Damn great shapeless
bales of them - could get anything in there!' He began drumming again. 'Can't
just go tearing into them to look, though. Not without the consignee being
there. He's in Damballah Alley - and that's way the other side of the docks,
up behind Baltic Quay
Damballah Alley? We looked at each other. Even I'd heard that name
somewhere.
'Okay, so Damballah's a voodoo god,' protested Jyp uneasily, as if he
didn't like where this was leading. 'He's one of the good guys, the source of
life - couldn't be less like this Don P. character. And it's only natural the
Iskander would be carrying some stuff for those Alley fellas, sailing from
those waters. Doesn't prove anything. Still, sure, we ought to get the
consignee and go look -' His face hardened suddenly, as a wash of anger swept
away the uncertainty. 'The hell it doesn't prove anything! It's the best lead
we've got. It fits; it all fits, too goddam well! And if old Frederick's been