jherbert.sepulchre-第54部分
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time he would find a way inside。 Before leaving Magma； he had discussed the vulnerability of the Neath estate with Charles Mather； and the Planner had promised to raise the matter with Gerald Snaith； after which an ultimatum would be delivered to Sir Victor Penlock： either adequate defences were installed around the house and grounds； or Shield would be forced to relinquish the contract。 The enormous sums of insurance money involved would ensure the alliance of the Lloyd's underwriters。 Mather had been horrified to learn there were jackals roaming the estate； and perplexed when Halloran had told him that he had not yet met the lodge…keeper to discuss any emergency measures。 Arum business altogether； Mather had voiced in his dry manner。 Time to lay down stricter ground rules。
Halloran waved the Mercedes through； then closed the gates。 There was a solid permanence about the thudded dunk as they locked together。
He climbed back to the car and as it pulled away； Palusinski said cheerfully： 'No dogs to bite you today。' Halloran frowned。 'Where are they kept？'
'Kept？'came the reply。 'You mean caged？ Hah！These beasts wander freely； they go where they please。'
'They're not much in evidence。'
'We are not hostile。'
'Yesterday 。 。 。 ？〃 'You were alone。 And perhaps they sensed 。 。 。' Halloran wondered why the Pole did not plete the sentence。
'They tend to keep under cover in the daytime；' said Cora； twisting in her seat。 'They dislike people； they keep away from them。 But at night they prowl。'
'And search out intruders；' Palusinski finished。
'Have there been any？' asked Halloran。 'Intruders？' Palusinski giggled。 Cora said； 'There have been one or two trespassers； but they've always been frightened off。'
'They were lucky they weren't savaged；' Halloran mented。
'No； the jackals didn't touch them。 They were frightened off by 。 。 。 other things。'
'I don't understand。 What things？' Palusinski giggled again。 'Wood devils； Pan Halloran。 You have not heard of the wood devils？' The house； its walls a deeper and duller red under the overcast day； came into view。 Cora turned away from Halloran； as if unwilling to continue the conversation； but he leaned forward and grasped her shoulder。
'What does he mean； wood devils'？ What's he talking about'？'
'ft's nothing； Liam。 Really it's nothing。'
'But explain to him；' said Palusinski； his tone bantering。 He ；notched a quick look at Halloran； eyes small and squinted behind his wire…framed spectacles。
'They're only images； no more than that；' Cora said quickly。 …Felix can project mental images； make a person see what isn't really there。' Oh yes； Halloran knew that。 He had seen such visions far himself in the lake。
'Felix senses when the dogs are alerted。 I don't know how it's as if there's some kind of telepathic link between himself and the animals。 He doesn't even have to hear the jackals to know there are trespassers in the grounds。' Halloran started to understand why Kline felt so secure within his own territory。 The man had his own inbuilt alarm system； according to Cora； and his own defence weapon。 With such power； no wonder his subordinates feared him。
The car drew up outside the house and Cora leaned aver the back of her seat to rouse Kline。 'Felix。' she said〃 quietly at first； then again； louder； when there was no response。
'Felix； we're here。' Cora reached dawn and tapped his knee。 The dark…haired man； curled up into the corner of the Mercedes； twitched but did not awaken。 She shook his leg this time 。and repeated his name more sharply。
Kline stirred； his legs stretched。 He mumbled something and began to push himself up in the seat。
'We're home？' he asked； voice slurred with tiredness。
'Yes； Felix； we're at Neatly' Cora told him。
'Good；' he said； 'good。' He turned； sitting upright； one hand touching the door lever。
Cam's gasp stopped him。 Her eyes were wide as she stared。
Halloran had bee still。
Puzzled； Kline looked from one to the other and； as he did so； flakes of skin shed from his face。 A face that was bubbled and broken； thin tissue hanging loose in layered scales。
As he frowned； more pieces fell away； falling lightly onto his chest and lap。 He began to tremble。
32 A SHEDDING OF SKIN
The gun was in Halloran's hand before the bedroom door was fully open。
Cora stood in the doorway； frightened by the weapon。 'I'm sorry；' she said。 'I should have knocked。' He waved her in； swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and sitting up。 He put the Browning back on the bedside cabinet。
'How's Kline？' he asked。
Cora closed the door and leaned against it； her hands behind her。 'He hasn't left his room since we got back。'
'Have you sent for a doctor？' She shook her head。 'Felix won't allow that。 He told me he suffers from psoriasis； a rare type of skin plaint that recurs every few years； but it's nothing to bee。 alarmed about。'
'Some plaint。 And he wasn't too relaxed about it when Palusinski helped him into the house。 Have you seen him like this before？'
'No。'
'We really ought to get a doctor to take a look at him。'
'He insists that we shouldn't。 His orders are that we let him rest and send Khayed and Daoud to him as soon as they return from London。 They have special lotions that can help。' She seemed uncertain。 'I didn't want to disturb you。 You must be very tired。'
'A clean…up and a change of clothes helped。 I even managed to grab a sandwich。' fie extended a hand。 'Cora； I need to talk to you。 Please e over。' For a moment he thought she might leave。 But then she walked to the bed。 'Sit by me；' he said。
She obeyed； and immediately leaned into him； her head against his chest。 He held onto her； surprised； but glad her reserve had broken。
'Liam；' she whispered； 'I have such strange feelings； such a sense of dread 。 。 。'
'I can understand why。 I get the same feeling about this dace。' She looked up at him。 'You too？'
'Maybe it's a neurosis we're catching from Kline。 You know he's mad； don't you？' …In a way I wish that were true…insanity would be easier to deal with。 Felix is unstable and； as you say； neurotic； but not mad； Liam； not totally mad。'
'He thinks you've been giving away pany secrets。' Halloran had been deliberately blunt； the unexpectedness of the remark meant to throw her off balance so that lie could judge her reaction。
'You're not serious；' she said incredulously。
lie took her hand； now having no doubts about her loyalty to Kline。 'I'm afraid so。 That's why all the fuss at Magma this morning。 New locations of untapped resources have been leaked to one of your rival panies。'
'It's happened again？' He nodded。 'Kline put the finger on you。'
'But why？ I wouldn't …' Halloran shrugged。 'You're closest to him。' She seemed to shrink within herself。 'How could he even think that？ Liam； I …' He pulled her to him again。 'I know it isn't true； and maybe Kline will see reason。 Who can tell with someone so unpredictable？
'I still don't understand why he should accuse me。'
'I don't understand what makes you so loyal to such a bastard。' She didn't answer riight away。 Then she said。； almost sorrowfully： 'I depend on him。。 He 。 。 。 Vs like a drug to me。 I need him； Liam。'
'Then you're as crazy as he is。'
'No； don't say that； you don't know 。 。 。'
'What is there to know； Cora？' he said angryily 'Just what the hell goes on between you and Kline？' She began to weep。 'Help me； Liam；' she said quietly。 'Please help me。
'How can I when you won't tell me what's wrong：〃 Cora began to fumble with the buttons of per blouse。 'Make love to me。 Hold me and make love to me； but gently； like last night； after you 。 。 。 Let me feel how good it can be again。' Baffled； Halloran stood up and crossed to the door。 He locked it。
The room's thick curtains were drawn against outside light； so that scattered artefacts of another age stood as dark shapes in the gloom。 The smell of burning incense came from one corner； filling the air with a heavy and faintly acrid musk。 Zodiac signs and symbols； drawings of horned beasts； of winged creatures； of single eyes； were roug
