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.Harrow Station couldn't come soon enough.As he stepped onto the platform, her hand settled on his shoulder."Graham," she said, "there's something I've got to ask you."He closed his eyes and swallowed.She sounded serious, embarrassed even.This was not a conversation he wanted to have."You've spent time with Annalise Fifteen," she said as they walked slowly along the platform."Is she.is she liable to do anything stupid?"Graham stopped dead."Has something happened to Fifteen?"She told him everything.How Fifteen had hijacked a car at gunpoint, her plan to bring down ParaDim, her involvement with the press, her use of ParaDim data to solve crime, the reward money.Graham listened, no longer caring about Six's proximity."So, what do you think?" she asked."Has she lost it?"He shook his head.Annalise Fifteen hadn't lost anything.That was her.She did what she had to do and used what she had at hand.He could feel his eyes filling up.He'd only been away a day and already she was taking the fight to ParaDim."She hasn't lost a thing," he told her."Whatever Gary or Howard says, ParaDim has got to be destroyed.On this world and every world." His voice quivered."And if anyone can find a way, it's Fifteen."* * *He said goodbye to Annalise at the front step, closed the door and slumped back against it.He was home.The world of ParaDim, resonance and the unattainable was on the other side of the door.He clothed himself in routine; his Thursday meal, his after-dinner vacuum, a game of cards.He didn't even feel tired any more.Ritual had given him a second wind.He could even put his feelings towards Annalise in perspective.It was obvious now.He'd misinterpreted excitement as love.Annalise Fifteen was an exciting person to be around.They'd been thrown together, chased, threatened, shot at.No one could have gone through that without feeling something for the other person involved.But love?What did he know about love? He'd been dazzled by the attentions of a beautiful, young girl, that's all.He'd allowed himself to believe that maybe—just maybe—he was the same as other people.When all along he was just plain Graham Smith, weird but harmless, and hopelessly out of his depth.He went to bed happy, secure in his own unimportance.He'd take a back seat from now on.Gary and Howard could work far quicker without having to look after him all the time.He only got in people's way.* * *Graham's happiness lasted until nine o'clock the next morning when Ray arrived with the early morning van.Graham felt like banging his head on the desk.He should have checked the roster! He'd assumed Ray was on midmorning delivery."Hiya, Sharmy," said Ray.Graham had his back to him but he could still see Ray sauntering through the delivery bay door.He didn't need eyes—it was an image etched into memory.The swagger, the darting eyes, the hands-in-pocket naughty schoolboy charm.And the nasty schoolboy humor."On a flying visit are you, Graham?" Ray said in the loud voice he reserved for long-distance repartee."The doctors found your brain, did they?"Ray laughed, Sharmila tried to shush him and Graham hunched deeper over his desk.He could have been fifteen again.He could have been any age from his childhood—any age, any playground.The same taunts, the same baiting, the same juvenile humiliation.Why did he put up with it? He was thirty-three! He wasn't a kid any more."Ray, don't," hissed Sharmila.Graham heard footsteps behind him and braced himself."Don't what? Me and Graham are old mates, ain't we, Graham?"Ray ruffled Graham's hair—hard.Graham's head shook under the pressure.He could feel Ray's nails digging into his scalp.He could imagine the smug, mocking look on his face.The ruffling stopped.Ray rapped on Graham's head twice."Anyone home?""Ray!" snapped Sharmila."Come and move these boxes!""Anything for you, princess," said Ray, turning away.Graham closed his eyes and let out a deep breath.He'd wait ten seconds then leave.He glanced towards the door and immediately stopped counting.Annalise stood in the doorway.She looked stunned.Graham looked down and turned away.She was waiting for him outside.The moment Graham emerged from the Post Room, Annalise grabbed his arm and pulled him along the back corridor.She didn't say a word.Neither did Graham.When they reached the back stairs, she turned on him."Why did you let him get away with that shit?" She was angry.Her hands clawed at the air.Graham shrugged."It's what you do," he said in a quiet voice."It's what you do?" She sounded incredulous."I've met hundreds of Rays," he said."If you react, it makes it worse.If you ignore them, they go away.""Has this Ray gone away?""No," he said quietly, looking down at his feet."Doesn't that tell you something?"Graham shrugged and fingered the stair handrail."I'll sort him out," she said, turning towards the door.Graham reached out, caught her arm and swung her back."It'll only make things worse.""How?" she said, jerking her arm free."He might be dangerous.He.I think." The words wouldn't come."You think what?"Graham took a deep breath."I think he might have attacked some little girls on another world."Annalise was shocked."He's a pedophile?""I don't know.I heard rumors that he attacked a girl in his van.Someone said there were others.The police were involved but I never heard any more about it.It might have been a mistake.""I'll find out [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]