thillerman.theblessingway-第21节

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　〃Now　get　this　straight；〃　McKee　said。　His　voice　was　angry　and　he　spaced　the　words　for　emphasis。　〃I　had　a　hard　day　yesterday。　I　was　up　all　night。　I'm　tired　and　my　hand　hurts。　I'm　worried　about　Jeremy。　You're　going　to　behave　and　do　what　you're　told。　And　I'm　telling　you　again　that　we're　going　to　climb　out　of　this　canyon。〃
　〃All　right；　then；〃　Miss　Leon　said。　〃Have　it　your　way。〃
　There　was　a　long；　strained　silence。
　〃If　I'm　wrong　about　that　guy；　I'll　apologize；〃　McKee　said。　〃But　really　I　can't　take　a　chance　on　being　wrong。　Not　if　he's　as　crazy　as　I　think　he　is。〃
　Miss　Leon　was　silent。　He　glanced　at　her。　She　looked　away。　McKee　suddenly　realized　she　was　crying　and　the　thought　dismayed　him。　He　slumped　down　in　the　seat；　baffled。
　〃Is　this　where　we　turn？〃
　〃Right；　up　that　side　canyon。〃
　The　tributary　seemed　narrower　now　than　it　had　when　he　and　Canfield　had　poked　into　it　earlier。　Just　day　before　yesterday。　It　seemed　like　a　week。
　McKee　wondered　what　he　could　say。　What　did　you　say　when　you　made　a　woman　cry？　〃Getting　pretty　narrow；〃　he　said。
　〃Yes。〃
　The　canyon　bent　abruptly　and　the　stream　bed　here　was　too　narrow　for　all　four　wheels。　The　Volks　tilted　sharply　as　the　right　wheels　rolled　over　a　slab　of　exposed　sandstone。　It　jolted　down；　slamming　the　rear　bumper　against　the　stone。
　McKee　suddenly　noticed　tire　tracks　on　the　bank　ahead　of　them。　A　truck　had　been　in　here　recently；　but　before　yesterday's　rain。　Runoff　had　wiped　out　the　tracks　on　the　sandy　bottom　but　the　rain　had　only　softened　the　imprint　where　the　stream　hadn't　reached。
　McKee　was　suddenly　alert　and　nervous。
　Miss　Leon　slowed　the　Volkswagen。
　〃Do　you　want　me　to　try　to　drive　over　that？〃　she　asked。　Just　ahead　the　canyon　walls　pinched　together　and　water…worn　rocks　upthrust　through　the　sand。
　〃Ill　take　a　look；〃　McKee　said。　He　climbed　stiffly　from　the　Volks。　The　rocks　were　partly　obscured　by　brush　and　didn't　look　too　formidable。　A　few　yards　upstream　they　gave　way　to　another　stretch　of　sand。　Beyond；　the　canyon　rose　sharply　and　was　crowded　with　boulders　from　a　rock　slide。　It　was　probably　impassable　for　a　vehicle。
　〃Put　it　in　low　and　angle　to　the　left；〃　McKee　directed。　〃We　can　get　it　past　that　brush　and　leave　it　there　out　of　sight。〃
　The　Volks　jolted　over　the　rocks　more　easily　than　McKee　had　expected。　He　showed　Miss　Leon　where　to　park　it　out　of　the　water　course　behind　the　brush　and　then　collected　the　canteen　and　cracker　box。
　〃We　can　lock　the　car；〃　he　said。　〃You　can　take　anything　you　think　you'll　need；　but　I'd　keep　it　light。〃
　〃I　have　a　box　of　things　I　was　taking　to　Dr。　Hall；〃　Miss　Leon　said。　〃I　couldn't　replace　those。〃
　〃We　can　take　it；〃　McKee　said。　It　was　then　he　noticed　she　was　wearing　an　engagement　ring…a　ring　with　an　impressive　diamond。　Why　be　surprised？　he　thought。　Why　be　disappointed？　Of　course　she　was　engaged。　Not　that　it　could　possibly　matter。
　Walking　was　easy　for　the　first　fifty　yards　across　the　hard…packed　sand；　but　then　it　became　a　matter　of　climbing　carefully　over　the　rocks。　McKee　noticed　with　surprise　that　the　truck　had　apparently　made　it　across　this　barrier。　Its　path　was　marked　by　broken　brush。　He　glanced　back。　Miss　Leon　was　sitting　on　a　rock；　holding　her　ankle。　He　noticed　she　hadn't　brought　the　box。
　〃What　happened？〃
　〃I　twisted　it。〃　She　looked　frightened。
　He　looked　at　her　wordlessly；　feeling　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　absolutely　helpless。　He　walked　back　down　the　rocks　toward　her。
　〃How　bad　is　it？〃　He　squatted　beside　her；　looking　at　the　ankle。　It　was　a　very　trim　ankle；　with　no　sign　yet　of　swelling。
　〃I　don't　know。　It　hurts。〃
　〃Can　you　put　your　weight　on　it？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
　McKee　sat　down　and　rubbed　the　back　of　his　hand　across　his　forehead。　His　head　ached。
　〃We'll　wait　awhile；〃　he　said　finally。　〃When　it　feels　better；　well　go　on。〃
　He　tried　to　think。　If　her　ankle　was　sprained；　it　would　swell　soon。　And　if　it　was　sprained　it　would　be　almost　impossible　for　her　to　make　the　climb　out。　The　long　walk　across　rough　country　to　Shoemaker's　would　be　even　more　impossible。　At　least　twenty…five　miles；　he　calculated。　Perhaps　farther　from　here。　What　if　they　simply　waited　here？　Would　the　man　in　the　Land…Rover　follow　them？
　And　what　if　he　did？　McKee　tried　to　retrace　all　that　had　happened　since　yesterday。　The　rams　with　their　throats　slashed。　The　note　from　Canfield。　The　man　who　came　in　the　darkness。　What　had　that　been　in　his　hand　there　in　the　moonlight？　Had　it　really　been　a　pistol？　The　feeling　of　being　hunted　down　the　canyon。　That　seemed　unreal　now。　Incredible。　But　the　tree　being　winched　across　the　canyon　had　been　real。　He　tried　to　think　of　an　explanation　for　it。　There　was　none。　It　must　have　been　intended　to　close　the　canyon　behind　Miss　Leon's　Volkswagen。　To　pen　them　in。　He　rubbed　his　forehead　again；　and　pulled　out　his　cigarettes。　Miss　Leon　was　sitting　motionless　just　below　him；　resting　her　head　on　her　hand。
　She's　not　very　big；　he　thought。　Maybe　110　pounds。　If　it　wasn't　for　this　damned　hand　he　could　carry　her。　Miss　Leon's　short…cut　hair　had　fallen　around　her　face。　Her　neck　was　very　slender　and　very　smooth。　He　felt　a　sharp；　poignant　sadness。
　〃Would　you　like　a　cigarette？〃
　〃No　thank　you；〃　Miss　Leon　said。　She　didn't　look　up。
　〃I　can't　tell　you　how　sorry　I　am；〃　McKee　said　slowly。　〃I　know　you　must　think　I'm　out　of　my　mind。　But　that　man。。。〃　He　stopped。　There　was　nothing　to　be　gained　by　going　over　it　again。
　She　looked　at　him　then。
　There's　no　reason　for　you　to　be　sorry；〃　she　said。　〃I　know　you're　just　trying　to　protect　me。〃
　McKee　had　thought　her　eyes　were　black　or　brown。　They　were　dark　blue。　He　looked　away。　If　he　was　wrong　about　this　she　would　forever　think　of　him　as　the　ultimate　in　idiots。　And　even　if　he　was　right；　and　she　knew　he　was　right；　there　was　her　fiancé；　the　man　she　was　trying　so　hard　to　find。　And；　he　realized　bleakly；　it　wouldn't　matter　anyway。
　〃But　I　think　we　should　go　back　now。　We　have　to　go　back。〃
　〃Maybe　so；〃　he　said。　If　she　couldn't　walk　there　were　no　happy　alternatives。　He　would　simply　have　to　gamble　that　he　had　been　insanely　wrong　about　it　all。　It　occurred　to　him　then　that　Miss　Leon　might　be　faking　the　injured　ankle。　He　didn't　think　that　would　be　like　her。　And　then　he　thought　about　the　tire　tracks。　There　had　only　been　one　set；　which　meant　the　truck　had　either　e　out　of　this　canyon　before　yesterday's　rain；　or　had　driven　in　and　parked。　A　round　trip　would　have　left　two　sets　of　tracks。　He　walked　up　the　canyon　a　few　yards　to　where　the　brush　closed　in　over　the　rocks。　The　branches　had　obviously　been　broken　by　something　tearing　its　way　upward。　And　unless　the　canyon　bottom　widened　suddenly；　and　flattened…which　looked　impossible　from　here…it　couldn't　have　gone　much　farther。　〃I'll　be　right　back；〃　McKee　said。　〃I'm　going　to　see　where　that　truck　went。〃
　It　proved　easy　enough　to　follow。　Beyond　the　barrier　of　brush；　its　wheels　had　straddled　the　now…narrow　stream　bed；　leaving　two　deep　tracks　in　the　loamy　soil…tracks　which　disappeared　behind　a　brush…covered　outcropping　of　rock　a　hundred　feet　upstream。　McKee　walked　slowly　toward　this　screen；　feeling　a　growing　tenseness。　Behind　it　he　would　find　some　sort　of　vehicle。　It　couldn't　possibly　be　the　Land…Rover。　It　might　be；　he　realized；　Canfield's　camper。　Or　the　pickup　of　some　Navajo　sheepherder。　If　it　was　Canfield's　truck；　where　was　Jeremy？
　Canfield's　camper　was　parked　just　behind　the　outcropping；　its　front　wheels　pulled　up　on　a　rock　slope；　tilting　it　at　a　sharp　angle。　McKee　stood　a　moment　looking　at　it。　Then　he　looked　up　the　canyon　and　stared　up　at　the　rimrock　above。　Nothing　was　in　sight。
　〃Jeremy？〃　He　kept　his　voice　low。
　There　was　no　answer。
　The　truck　was　locked。　He　looked　through　the　side　window。　No　keys　in　the　ignition。　But　Canfield's　hat　was　on　the　floorboards。　It　was　a　plaid　canvas　fishing　hat；　with　an　oversized　feather。　A　ridiculous　hat；　but　why　had　Canfield　left　it　behind？
　McKee　walked　to　the　back　of　the　pickup　and　peered　through　the　small　back　window　of　the　camper　partment。　Canfield　had　stripped　the　interior　and　used　it　primarily　for　weather…proof　storage。　It　was　dark　inside　and　McKee　could　see　nothing　at　first。　He　pressed　his　face　against　the　glass　and　used　his　left　hand　as　a　shield　against　the　reflecting　sunlight。　He　saw；　first；　a　khaki　shirt　front　and　then　the　legs　of　a　man。　One　was　bent　sharply　at　the　knee　and　the　other；　extended；　crossed　it　at　the　ankle。　The　man's　head　was　out　of　sight；　against　the　tailgate　of　the　camper　and　directly　below　the　window；　outside　McKee's　line　of　vision。
　He　knew　instantly　that　the　form　was　that　of　Jeremy　Canfield　and　the　civilized　instincts　of　his　consciousness　proclaimed　that　Canfield　was　asleep。　But　some　infinitesimal　fraction　of　a　second　later　his　reason　told　him　that　Jeremy　was　not　asleep。　Men　did　not　sleep；　head　down；　on　such　a　steep　slope。
　McKee　tried　the　handle　on　the　camper　again。　It　was　locked。　He　looked　around　him　for　a　rock；　wrapped　his　left　hand　in　his　handkerchief；　and　smashed　at　the　glass。　It　took　five　blows　to　force　his　way　through　the　laminated　safety　window。　He　picked　out　the　shards　of　glass　still　in　the　way　and　reached　through；　unsnapped　the　catchlock　on　the　inside；　raised　the　top　panel　on　its　hinges　and　dropped　the　tailgate。　There　was　an　outflow　of　warmer　air　escaping　from　the　camper　partment