"Woods, Stuart - Imperfect Strangers" - читать интересную книгу автора (Woods Stuart)

"Thanks. I'd better get dressed. Do you mind break-
at home? I have to go to New York."
"Certainly, dear," she said, rising and heading for
I'll just get a quick shower."
"Thanks." Sandy stared at his ceiling and tried to put
good face on all this. Jock wasn't dead, yet; that was
. at least.

Sandy took the lift down at eight o'clock and let him-
into Cornwall & Company, the wine shop on the
floor. He stood for a moment and watched the
cut little swaths through the dust in the air,
in the process of gathering on the hundreds
f bottles that lined the wallsf the large shop.
He walked to the rear of the shop and climbed the
circular staircase to the offices above. He set his
on the desk in his lit[le office and sat down
As he did, the door from the first-floor landing
' :.opened and Maeve O'Brien stepped into the offices.
"Maeve,' he called out.
She came to his office door. "Yes, Mr. Kinsolving?'
"Would you get me a seat on a flight to New York?
,...The earlier the better."
. "Of course. I thought you were staying until next
week, though."
"Old Mr. Bailley has had a stroke."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear it. I'll call the airlines." She
hung up her coat and went to her desk.
A few minutes later, Maeve was back. "You're on the
eleven o'clock; it was the earliest. I'll pick up your ticket
. -from American Express."
. . Sandy suddenly couldn't tolerate the office anymore.
' "I'll pick it up myself; I could use a walk."



"As you wish."

He let himself out the front door of the shop, locking
it behind him, and walked slowly past the Connaught
Hotel and toward Berkeley Square. Even if Jock was
still alive, at his age he couldn't come out of this whole.
What would happen if he couldn't communicate,
couldn't make his wishes known? Oh, Jesus.

Sandy circumnavigated Berkeley Square and started