Deep Water

by Patricia Highsmith

She was heading for the car with the undeterrable thrust of a horse getting back to stable.

Love the highly descriptive feel of this sentence.

he tried to draw her out at the restaurant, tried to get a smile from her by describing twelve methods of summoning a waiter.

Perfect. Just the right amount of humor to disarm a tense scene

"There're names for people like you, Ralph. Do you want me to call you a few of them?"

Again, perfect. I hope my wife doesn't adopt this retort.

cleared his throat and the small, rational sound was as noisy as a foot over gravel.

I can hear it. Hell, I can do it. Hell, I've done it!