William Shatner Tek War 08 Tek Kill

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that I've subdued the shades of blue and added a--"
"You'll notice I'm standing over you, looking notably unsoothed."
She turned to face him. "Oh, I'm sorry as can be. I tend to get all
tangled up in my work and ignore the--excuse me." Her fingers went
flickering over the keyboard again. "But there. Doesn't that
number-five layout have increased appeal now with more yellow in it?"
She nodded to herself. "Where was I? Oh, yes, how can I help you,
Cardigan?"
He nodded at her desk. "Suppose you switch to the sofa and I sit
here?"
"Well, I feel uneasy when I'm not in my familiar--"
"Maybe you can use some--what the hell is it called?" He looked over
at the rough ad layouts on the wall. "Yeah, some Kalmz."
"Oh, hell, I'd never take that swill." Slowly, a bit reluctantly, she
left her desk to move to the polka dot couch. Jake began, "First off,
I don't believe Walt Bascom killed your
So can--"
"Former husband, erstwhile spouse," she quickly corrected.
Margo Lariar now."
"And you felt well rid of the guy?"
Margo smiled, nodding. "Dwight was an extremely unsatisfactory man. He
was violent, possessive, fastidious beyond belief. And he loved to do
those dreadful company reports of his, to burrow into all sorts of
places he shouldn't even have been, to bribe information out of--"
"We'll get to those reports," cut in Jake. "I take it you left him?"
"You bet your ass I did, yessir." She swung her right hand rapidly
through the air. "Fast as I could."
"Did he harass you after that?"
"Absolutely. Vidphone calls--some pleading, most of them threatening.
He'd attempt to break in to my place, he'd confront me in public
places," said the former Mrs. Grossman. "Finally I put the law on
Dwight and he subsided. A great many bullies are chickenshit
underneath. Have you noticed?"
Jake said, "He was doing all those tricks with Kay Norwood." "And
others, believe me." "At the same time?"
"Oh, no, Dwight was a one-woman psycho. Poor Kay Norwood simply the
latest target for his unrequited passion. Jesus, a schmuck he
was--rest his soul."
'. Jake said, "You're suggesting there might be a whole batch of who
didn't have much love for him?"
"Seven or eight at least that dear Dwight plagued, yes."
provide a list?"
partial one probably. I didn't keep up with his activities, [ heard
things now and then." "Grossman was doing research on several
SoCal pharmaceutical outfits," continued Jake, straddling her desk
chair. "One of them happened to be Stan Co Does your agency handle
that account?"
She pointed at the far wall. "No, that's Alch & Associates, one of our
neighbors here in Ad Village
"While he was doing these reports, did he contact you for any--"
"Dwight couldn't contact me for any reason," she put in. "I never
allowed him to communicate with me in any way," replied Margo, her
attention partially straying to the rough layouts on the wall.
"Although I did hear something about this pharmaceutical project of his
just recently."
"What?"
"Only that--and this came from a friend of a friend after they heard
he'd been killed--only that Dwight had seemed extremely uneasy the last
days before he died. I have no idea of the reason." "Who was the
source of this news?"
She shook her head. "I'll have to see if she wants to be part of your
investigation, Cardigan."
"Okay," he said. "Do you know Hermione Earnshaw?"
"Not as well as dear departed Dwight did," she replied, laughing.
"Hermione was his loyal assistant at Thelwell and, I'm fairly certain,
frequent bed mate. In spite of their political differences, they
remained extremely chummy and Dwight never apparently threatened her.
That was because, if you want my opinion, little skinny Hermione did a
hell of a lot of the work that Dwight took the credit for."
"She seems to have dropped from sight."
"Maybe she joined a convent and went into mourning." Jake said, "Tell
me about their political differences." "Hermione's very-excessively,
make that--onservative," answered. "She's a very active member of
that nutcake J. J. Bracken supports so enthusiastically. The Pure
Call-a Coalition. Christ, what a state this is." She started to get
up,,onsidered and sat, then hopped to her feet. "I really have to get
to work. But, I swear to God, I'll send you that list of the other
unfortunate ladies whose lives were blighted by Dwight since we split
up."
Jake studied the six comp screens again before heading for the way out.
"I'd go with the blue," he advised. adjusted his big red nose and
went, huge yellow shoes flapping, hurrying into the seventeenth level
of a Westwood Sector building. Just across the threshold, he set down
a sample case that had BUFFOON ELECTRONIC TOYS, [NC. emblazoned on its
bright green side.
"Pipe the getup on this dodo," commented a little goldenhaired doll
that rested on a low ivory pedestal.
"A rube from Hicksville if ever I saw one," added a large robot rag
doll who was slumped in a little plaz rocking chair.
A two-foot-high mechanical cowboy whipped off his Stetson. "Don't let
them impolite bimbos a-rile ya, pardner," he drawled. "What kin I do
ya fer?" "Is the lady of the house in?" Gomez scratched at his
frizzy wig.
The golden-haired blond doll suggested, "Why don't you take a
Zeke?"
"Yeah," seconded the rag doll, thumbing her nose in a floppy manner,
"hit the road, bozo."
"Little dears, for shame." A fat silver-haired woman in a flowered
tent dress had come jiggling out of the back office of the toy shop.
"Is this any way to treat a respected customer?"
"This do ink not a paying customer, Corky," said the rag doll
disdainfully. "He's just a schlep of a salesman."
Clearing his throat, Gomez said, "Chiquita, I have to communicate with
you, muypronto. For the usual fee, be it understood."
Blinking, Corky Keepnews took a jiggling step back. "Holy crow, is
that you, Gomez honey?"
"S, but cleverly disguised so as not to tip off the opposition." "Wow,
it's not especially safe for you to be seen in the open." "Hence the
mummery, boaita." He went flat-footing after her into her office.
Bidding the door to shut, Corky seated herself in an ample armchair. "I [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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