p&c.thunderhead-第45节

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t　and　apprehension　was　palpable　even　through　the　wash　of　static。　
　Nora　paused。　She　hadn't　quite　prepared　herself　for　what　to　say。　〃We　found　the　city；　Dr。　Goddard。〃　
　There　was　a　sound　that　might　have　been　a　gasp　or　an　electronic　artifact。　〃You　found　Quivira？　Is　that　what　I　just　heard？〃　
　Nora　paused；　wondering　just　where　to　begin。　〃Yes。　It's　a　large　city；　six　hundred　rooms　at　least。〃　
　〃Damn　this　static。　I　didn't　catch　that。　How　many　rooms？〃　
　〃Six　hundred。〃　
　There　was　a　faint　sound　of　wheezing　or　coughing；　Nora　couldn't　tell　which。　〃Good　lord。　What　kind　of　condition　is　the　ruin？〃　
　〃It's　in　beautiful　condition。〃　
　〃Is　it　intact？　Unlooted？〃　
　〃Yes。　Nothing's　been　touched。〃　
　〃Wonderful；　wonderful。〃　
　Nora's　excitement　grew　stronger。　〃Dr。　Goddard；　that's　not　the　most　important　thing。〃　
　〃Yes？〃　
　〃The　city　is　unlike　any　other。　It's　absolutely　filled　with　priceless；　priceless　artifacts。　The　Quivirans　took　nothing　with　them。　There　are　hundreds　of　rooms　filled　with　extraordinary　artifacts；　most　of　them　perfectly　preserved。〃　
　The　voice　took　on　a　new　tone。　〃What　do　you　mean；　extraordinary　artifacts？　Pots？〃　
　〃That　and　much　more。　The　city　was　amazingly　wealthy；　unlike　any　other　Anasazi　site。　Textiles；　carvings；　turquoise　jewelry；　painted　buffalo　hides；　stone　idols；　fetishes；　prayer　sticks；　palettes。　There　are　even　some　very　early　Kachina　Cult　masks。　All　in　a　remarkable　state　of　preservation。〃　
　Nora　fell　silent。　She　could　hear　another　brief　cough。　〃Nora；　what　can　I　say？　To　hear　all　this　。　。　。　Is　my　daughter　there？〃　
　〃Yes。〃　Nora　handed　the　microphone　to　Sloane。　
　〃Sloane？〃　came　the　voice　from　Santa　Fe。　
　〃Yes；　Father。〃　
　〃Is　all　this　really　true？〃　
　〃Yes；　Father；　it　is；　and　it's　no　exaggeration。　It's　the　greatest　archaeological　discovery　since　Simpson　found　Chaco　Canyon。〃　
　〃That's　a　pretty　tall　statement；　Sloane。〃　
　Sloane　did　not　answer。　
　〃What　are　the　plans　for　the　survey？〃　
　〃We've　decided　that　everything　should　be　left　in　situ；　undisturbed；　except　for　test　trenching　in　the　trash　mound。　There's　enough　here　for　a　year's　worth　of　surveying　and　cataloguing；　without　moving　anything。　Day　after　tomorrow　we　plan　to　enter　the　Great　Kiva。〃　
　〃Sloane；　listen　to　me：　be　very；　very　careful。　The　entire　academic　world　is　going　to　be　judging　your　every　move　after　the　fact；　second…guessing　you；　picking　apart　everything　you　did。　What　you　do　in　the　next　days　will　later　be　analyzed　to　death　by　the　self…appointed　experts。　And　because　of　the　magnitude　of　the　discovery；　there　will　be　jealousy　and　ill　will。　Many　of　your　colleagues　will　not　wish　you　well。　They　will　all　think　they　could　have　done　it　better。　Do　you　understand　what　I'm　saying？〃　
　〃Yes；〃　said　Sloane；　returning　the　mike。　Nora　thought　she　detected　a　momentary　edge　of　irritation；　even　anger；　in　the　woman's　voice。　
　〃So　what　you　do　has　to　be　perfect。　That　goes　for　everyone　else。　Nora；　too。〃　
　〃We　understand；〃　said　Nora。　
　〃The　greatest　discovery　since　Chaco；〃　Goddard　echoed。　Again；　there　was　a　long　period　of　static；　punctuated　by　electronic　pops　and　hisses。　
　〃Are　you　there？〃　Nora　finally　asked。　
　〃Very　much　so；〃　came　Goddard's　voice；　with　a　little　laugh；　〃although　I　have　to　admit　an　urge　to　pinch　myself　to　make　sure。　Nora；　I　can't　emphasize　how　much　you　are　to　be　mended。　And　that　goes　for　your　father。〃　
　〃Thank　you；　Dr。　Goddard。　And　thanks　for　your　faith　in　me。〃　
　〃Good　lady。　We'll　expect　your　transmission　tomorrow　morning；　at　the　same　time。　Perhaps　then　you　can　provide　some　more　concrete　details　about　the　city。〃　
　〃Yes。　Goodbye；　Dr。　Goddard。〃　
　She　handed　the　mike　back　to　Holroyd；　who　powered…down　the　transmitter　and　began　securing　a　lightweight　tarp　over　the　electronics。　Nora　turned　to　find　Sloane　gathering　her　climbing　gear；　a　dark　look　on　her　face。　
　〃Everything　all　right？〃　Nora　asked。　
　Sloane　slung　a　coiled　rope　over　her　shoulder。　〃I'm　fine。　It's　just　that　he　never　trusts　me　to　do　anything　right。　Even　from　eight　hundred　miles　away；　he　thinks　he　can　do　it　better。〃　
　She　began　to　walk　away；　but　Nora　put　a　restraining　hand　on　her　arm。　〃Don't　be　too　hard　on　him。　That　caution　was　as　much　to　me　as　it　was　to　you。　He　trusts　you；　Sloane。　And　so　do　I。〃　
　Sloane　looked　at　her　for　a　moment。　Then　the　darkness　passed　and　she　broke　into　her　lazy　smile。　
　〃Thanks；　Nora；〃　she　said。　
　
　
28
　
　SKIP　STOPPED　AT　THE　TOP　OF　THE　RISE；　THE　SUDDEN　dust　cloud　rolling　over　the　car　and　drifting　off　into　the　hot　afternoon　sky。　It　was　a　parched　June　day；　the　kind　that　only　occurred　before　the　onset　of　the　summer　rains。　A　single　cumulus　cloud　struggled　pathetically　over　the　Jemez　Mountains。　
　For　a　moment　he　decided　the　best　thing　would　be　to　simply　turn　around　and　go　back　into　town。　He'd　sat　up　in　bed　the　night　before　with　a　sudden　inspiration。　Thurber　was　still　missing；　and　Skip　still　felt　responsible；　in　some　formless　way；　for　the　disappearance。　So；　to　make　up；　he'd　take　Teresa's　dog；　Teddy　Bear；　under　his　wing。　After　all；　Teresa　had　been　killed　in　their　home。　And　who　better　to　take　care　of　her　dog　than　her　old　neighbor　and　friend；　Nora？　
　But　what　seemed　like　such　a　good　idea　last　night　didn't　seem　so　great　now。　Martinez　had　made　it　clear　that　the　investigation　was　still　active　and　that　he　wasn't　to　go　to　the　house。　Well；　he　wasn't　going　to　the　house：　he　was　going　to　Teresa's　place。　Still；　Skip　knew　he　could　get　in　a　lot　of　trouble　just　for　being　here。　
　He　put　the　old　car　into　gear；　eased　off　the　brakes；　and　coasted　down　the　hill。　He　drove　past　their　old　ranch　house　and　up　the　rise　to　Teresa's　place。　The　long；　low　structure　was　dark　and　silent；　the　livestock　all　taken　away。　This　was　stupid；　Skip　thought。　Whoever　took　the　animals　probably　took　Teddy　Bear；　as　well。　Still；　he'd　e　all　this　way。　
　Leaving　the　car　running　and　the　door　open；　he　got　out；　walked　around　to　the　front；　and　called　out。　There　was　no　answering　bark。　
　He　walked　up　to　the　front　of　the　house。　The　old　screen　door；　taped　in　countless　places　with　black　electrical　tape；　was　shut　tight。　His　hand　raised　automatically　to　knock；　then　he　stopped　himself。　
　〃Teddy　Bear！〃　he　called　out；　turning。　
　Silence。　
　He　found　himself　looking　down　in　the　direction　of　Las　Cabrillas。　Maybe　the　dog　had　wandered　down　toward　their　old　house。　He　started　forward　for　the　old　path；　then　stopped。　His　hand　slid　down　to　his　belt　and　rested　briefly　on　the　handle　of　his　father's　old　。357。　It　was　big　and　clumsy；　it　fired　like　a　cannon；　but　it　stopped　whatever　it　hit。　He'd　only　fired　it　once；　damn　near　fracturing　his　wrists　and　making　his　ears　ring　for　two　days。　Reassured；　he　continued　down　the　dirt　path；　then　circled　around　to　the　back　of　the　ranch　house。　〃Yo；　Teddy；　you　old　mutt！〃　he　called　in　a　softer　voice。　
　He　stepped　up　onto　the　portal；　through　the　doorless　frame　and　into　the　house。　The　kitchen　was　a　whirlwind　of　ruin；　the　floor　torn　apart；　holes　like　ragged　eye　sockets　staring　at　him　from　every　wall。　At　the　far　end　of　the　room；　he　could　see　a　yellow　band　of　crime…scene　tape　barring　entry　into　the　living　room。　Several　small　lines　of　small；　purplish…black　pawprints　ran　from　the　living　room　to　the　kitchen　door。　Avoiding　the　prints；　he　stepped　gingerly　forward。　
　The　smell　assailed　him　first；　followed　almost　instantly　by　the　roar　of　flies。　He　took　an　instinctive　step　backward；　gagging。　Then；　with　a　deep　breath；　he　moved　cautiously　up　to　the　tape　and　peered　into　the　living　room。　
　A　huge　pool　of　blood　had　congealed　in　the　center　of　the　room；　punctuated　here　and　there　by　the　blacker　holes　of　missing　floorboards。　Involuntarily；　Skip　gasped　with　revulsion。　Jesus；　I　didn't　know　a　human　body　held　that　much　blood。　It　seemed　to　spread　in　twisted；　eccentric　rivulets　almost　to　the　far　walls。　At　its　periphery；　countless　little　pawprints　could　be　seen。　He　could　make　out　blowfly　maggots　wriggling　in　the　places　where　the　blood　had　pooled　deeper。　
　Skip　swayed　slightly；　and　he　reached　for　the　doorframe　to　steady　himself。　The　flies；　disturbed；　rose　in　an　angry　curtain。　A　camera　tripod　stood　folded　in　one　corner；　SANTA　FE　P。D。　stenciled　in　white　along　one　leg。　
　〃Oh；　no；　no；〃　Skip　murmured。　〃Teresa；　I'm　so　sorry。〃　
　He　stared　hard　at　the　room　for　a　minute；　then　two。　Then　he　turned　and　walked　on　wooden　legs　back　through　the　kitchen。　
　Outside；　the　air　seemed　almost　cool　after　the　dark　oppressive　heat　of　the　house。　Skip　stood　on　the　portal；　breathing　slowly；　looking　around。　He　cupped　his　hands。　〃Teddy　Bear！〃　he　called　out　one　last　time。　
　He　knew　he　should　leave。　Some　cop；　maybe　even　Martinez；　could　e　by　at　any　time。　But　he　remained　another　minute；　looking　out　over　the　backyard　of　his　childhood。　Although　what　had　happened　to　Teresa　remained　a　mystery；　the　house　itself　felt　somehow　tired　and　empty　to　him。　It　was　almost　as　if　whatever　evil　might　have　lurked　here　had　dissipated。　Or；　perhaps；　gone　elsewhere。　
　Teddy　Bear　had　clearly　been　taken　away　with　the　livestock。　With　a　sigh；　he　stepped　down　into　the　dirt　and　walked　back　up　the　hill　toward　his　car。　It　was　an　old　'71　Plymouth　Fury；　his　mother's；　faded　olive　green　and　pocked　with　rust；　yet　it　was　one　of　his　most　treasured　possessions。　The　front　grille；　with　its　heavy　chrome　fangs；　listed　slightly　to　the　left；　giving　it　a　shambling；　men