Чужой
XII
’AllIknowisthatyou’reaskingustostayandgetpickedoffonebyone.’
’Ipromiseyou.Ifitlookslikeitwon’tworkout,I’llbailusoutofherefast.I’llbethefirstoneontheboat.’
Shehadasuddenthought.Itwasapeculiarone,oddlyoutofplaceandyetstrangelyrelevantinsomeinexplicablewaytoallherpresentconcerns.SheglancedoveratLambert.Hercompanionhadtoanswertruthfullyorthere’dbenopointinaskingthequestion.ShedecidedthatwhileLambertmightbequeasywhereothermatterswereinvolved,onthisparticularsubjectRipleycouldtrustherreply.
Ofcourse,anansweronewayoranotherprobablywouldn’tmeanathing.Itwasjustaperverselittlemindbubblethatwouldgrowandcontinuetodominateherthoughtsuntilshepoppedit.Norealmeaning.
’Lambert,didyoueversleepwithAsh?’
’No.’Herreplywasimmediate,leavingnoroomforhesitationorsecondthoughts.’Whataboutyou?’
’No.’BothwentquietforafewminutesbeforeLambertspokeupvoluntarily.
’Inevergottheimpression,’shesaidcasually,’hewasparticularlyinterested.’
Thatwastheendofitasfarasthenavigatorwasconcerned.ItwasalmosttheendofitasfarasRipleywasconcerned.Shecouldnothavesaidwhyshecontinuedtomulloverthethought.Butithungmaddeninglyinhermind,tormentingher,andforherlife’sbloodshecouldn’timaginewhy.
Parkercheckedthelevelonthefirstmethanecylinder,madesurethebottleofhighlycompressedgaswasfull.
