The Devil's Sanctuary Read Online Free PDF Page A

Daniel’s beard and gave it a quick tug.
    “I like it,” Daniel said, taking a step back.
    “Really?” Max laughed. “And those glasses! Can you actually get secondhand frames? Where did you find those? Why don’t you have contact lenses like everyone with any sense?”
    “I really don’t like the idea of that. Sticking things in your eyes.”
    “You’re kidding! But it is a bit of a nuisance, sure. I’ve been wondering about laser surgery for years, but I haven’t found the right opportunity. You need to have two weeks free for everything to heal up again. And when would I have time for that? Okay, let’s get your stuff down to mine and then we can have dinner in the restaurant. They’ve got trout on the menu today, I checked. Where’s your luggage?”
    “The staff took it up to the guest room.”
    “Guest room? Nonsense! You’re my guest and no one else’s. So obviously you’re staying with me .”
    “So where do you live, then?”
    “I’ve got a little cabin nearby. Simple but comfortable. Guest room! Is that the key?”
    Max took the room key with the brass plate out of Daniel’s hand and disappeared off toward the elevator.
    “Wait here!” he ordered, impatiently pressing the button.
    After waiting three seconds he gave up and took the stairs instead, two steps at a time.
    Daniel stayed where he was, at something of a loss. Caught off guard already, dominated and overridden. How quickly it had happened.
    A few minutes later Max returned with his suitcase and headed off quickly and determinedly with it through the front door, down the ornate steps, and off across the park. Daniel trotted obediently after him. What else could he do?
    “This seems a reasonable place,” he said to make conversation when he had caught up with his brother. “The staff are nice. No white coats.”
    “No, why should they have white coats? As far as I know, no one’s ever been cured by a white coat. I like the outfits the hostesses wear. They’re quite stylish. And sexy. Don’t you think?”
    “Yes, maybe.”
    On the far side of the park was a cluster of little cabins built of rough timber, in the alpine style. Max opened the door to one of them and gestured to Daniel to go in.
    “This is where I live. What do you think?”
    The cabin consisted of a single room with rustic pine furniture and benches fixed to the walls, covered with throws in traditional patterns. There was an open fireplace, a basic kitchen, and a curtained alcove containing the bed.
    “You can live more grandly here if you like, but I prefer to live like this, simple and frugal,” Max said, putting Daniel’s bag down with a thump. “You can sleep on that bunk over there. That’ll do for one night, won’t it?”
    “Do you live here on your own?” Daniel asked in surprise.
    “Obviously. I don’t want to live with anyone else. Apart from you now, of course. No, I want my own space. That’s the advantage of a place like this. You have more choices. Let’s go and have dinner. I hope you didn’t eat anything at that terrible place the driver always stops at. I think he must have some sort of contract with them.”
    “No, we just had coffee.”
    “Good, then you’ll be hungry enough to appreciate the fresh trout and a chilled Riesling. Or whatever you’d rather have. But I’d recommend the trout.”
    Before they had dinner Max decided to show his brother round.
    The clinic was bigger than Daniel had realized at first. Besides the old main building, it consisted of several tall, modern, glass-fronted structures. The whole place was surrounded by the beautiful park, where people were walking about with a spring in their step. Most of them were dressed casually and looked more like healthy tourists than patients at a rehab clinic. Daniel guessed that their problems, like his brother’s, were mostly mental in nature.
    “By the way, do you play tennis?” Max asked. “We can book one of the courts and have a game first thing tomorrow