Сумерки

           "Iorderedsomefoodforyou,it’sinthefrontroom.Edwardremindedmethatyouhavetoeatalotmorefrequentlythanwedo."

           Iwasinstantlymorealert."Hecalled?"

           "No,"shesaid,andwatchedasmyfacefell."Itwasbeforeweleft."

           Shetookmyhandcarefullyandledmethroughthedoorintothelivingroomofthehotelsuite.IcouldhearalowbuzzofvoicescomingfromtheTV.Jaspersatmotionlesslyatthedeskinthecorner,hiseyeswatchingthenewswithnoglimmerofinterest.

           Isatonthefloornexttothecoffeetable,whereatrayoffoodwaited,andbeganpickingatitwithoutnoticingwhatIwaseating.

           AliceperchedonthearmofthesofaandstaredblanklyattheTVlikeJasper.

           Iateslowly,watchingher,turningnowandthentoglancequicklyatJasper.Itbegantodawnonmethattheyweretoostill.Theyneverlookedawayfromthescreen,thoughcommercialswereplayingnow.Ipushedthetrayaway,mystomachabruptlyuneasy.Alicelookeddownatme.

           "What’swrong,Alice?"Iasked.

           "Nothing’swrong."Hereyeswerewide,honest...andIdidn’ttrustthem.

           "Whatdowedonow?"

           "WewaitforCarlisletocall."

           "Andshouldhehavecalledbynow?"IcouldseethatIwasnearthemark.

           Alice’seyesflittedfromminetothephoneontopofherleatherbagandback.

           "Whatdoesthatmean?"Myvoicequavered,andIfoughttocontrolit."Thathehasn’tcalledyet?"

           "Itjustmeansthattheydon’thaveanythingtotellus."

           Buthervoicewastooeven,andtheairwashardertobreathe.

           JasperwassuddenlybesideAlice,closertomethanusual.