thillerman.theblessingway-第23节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃Nothing　to　be　sorry　for。〃
　〃If　I　hadn't　been　so　stupid；〃　she　whispered。　〃I　thought　it　was　because　you　had　hurt　your　head。〃
　〃What　else　could　you　think？　It　still　seems　crazy。〃
　〃I'm　sorry。　You　could　have　gotten　away。〃
　〃I　should　have　been　able　to　manage　it　anyway；〃　McKee　said。　His　voice　was　bitter。
　〃How　did　he　know　our　names？〃
　〃He　looked　through　the　papers　in　our　tent；〃　McKee　said。　〃I　guess　he　saw　them　there。〃
　〃No　talking；〃　the　Navajo　said。　〃Save　your　breath。〃
　They　walked　in　silence　up　the　sand　and　around　the　outcropping　where　Canfield's　camper　was　parked。
　〃We'll　stop　here　a　moment；〃　the　man　said。
　McKee　saw　Miss　Leon　looking　at　the　truck。　He　was　glad　he　had　had　sense　enough　to　close　the　tailgate。
　I　noticed　you　looked　in　it；〃　the　man　said。　〃I　wish　you　hadn't　broken　that　window。　What　did　you　think　that　would　acplish？　It's　going　to　look　funny。〃
　The　Navajo　moved　toward　the　pickup；　watching　them　as　he　did。　He　glanced　inside　and　then　briefly　inspected　the　broken　window。
　〃This　Canfield　seemed　like　a　nice　fella；〃　he　said。　〃Full　of　jokes。〃
　〃Then　why　did　you　kill　him？〃　McKee　asked　fiercely。　He　spoke　in　Navajo。
　The　big　man　looked　at　him；　as　if　trying　to　understand　the　question。　He　answered　in　English。　〃Just　bad　luck。　There　wasn't　any　other　way　to　handle　it。〃　He　looked　at　McKee　solemnly　and　pursed　his　lips。　The　expression　was　rueful。　〃Have　to　go　on　now；〃　he　said。　〃It's　more　than　a　mile　to　my　car　and　a　lot　of　climbing。〃
　Within　a　few　hundred　yards；　the　going　became　increasingly　difficult。　The　canyon　floor　rose　sharply　now　and　was　choked　by　brush　and　tumbled　boulders。　McKee　climbed　stolidly；　helping　Miss　Leon　when　he　could　and　trying　to　think。　What　kind　of　a　monster　was　this？　He　seemed　perfectly　sane；　as　if　this　crazy　episode　were　simply　business。　He　had　apparently　killed　Jeremy　as　unemotionally　as　he　would　swat　a　fly。　McKee　was　absolutely　certain　he　would　kill　Miss　Leon　and　him　with　the　same　coolness。　And；　as　usual；　he　could　do　nothing　about　it。　He　had　thought　about　turning　suddenly　and　trying　to　hit　the　man　with　a　rock。　But　his　right　hand　was　almost　useless　and　the　Navajo　kept　a　cautious　distance　behind　them。
　It　didn't　seem　likely　the　man　would　leave　them　alive；　not　with　the　knowledge　that　he　was　a　murderer。　But　why　hadn't　he　simply　shot　them　by　the　camper？　McKee　had　sensed　that　the　man　had　considered　this；　at　least　for　a　moment；　after　he　had　confirmed　that　Canfield's　body　was　still　in　the　truck。　But　he　had　dropped　the　idea。　He　must　have　some　use　for　us　alive；　McKee　thought。　Either　that；　or　he　wants　our　bodies　somewhere　else；　and　it's　easier　to　have　us　walk。　But　why？　The　man　seemed　sane　but　there　was　no　conceivable　sanity　in　any　of　this。
　〃We'll　climb　out　here；〃　the　Navajo　said。　He　indicated　a　gap　in　a　rockslide　which　had　broken　out　of　the　south　wall　of　the　canyon。　〃You　go　first；　Dr。　McKee。　When　you　reach　the　top　you　will　lie　down　with　your　feet　sticking　out　over　the　rim　where　I　can　see　them。　Ellen　will　be　just　ahead　of　me　and　if　you　try　anything　foolish　I　will　have　to　shoot　her　so　I　can　e　after　you。　Do　you　understand　how　it　will　work？〃
　He　studied　McKee's　face。
　〃You　may　think　I'm　bluffing。　I'm　not。　I　don't　really　think　I'll　need　Miss　Leon。〃
　McKee　looked　at　her。　She　stood　just　below　him；　breathing　heavily　from　the　exertion；　her　face　damp　with　perspiration。　She　attempted　a　smile。
　Somehow；　McKee　thought；　I'm　going　to　get　her　out　of　this。　Even　if　it　kills　me。
　He　began　climbing。　It　was　slow　because　of　his　right　hand；　and　by　the　time　he　reached　the　top　he　was　drained　with　exhaustion。　He　lowered　himself　onto　the　rimrock；　with　his　feet　jutting　out。
　〃Stay　on　your　stomach；〃　the　voice　from　below　ordered。
　The　position　left　him　pletely　helpless。　He　couldn't　move　without　the　Navajo　seeing　him　and　he　had　no　doubt　at　all　that　the　man　would　kill　Miss　Leon　the　moment　he　did。　He　wondered　what　the　man　had　meant　about　probably　not　needing　her。　Why　would　he　need　her？　And　why　did　he　need　him？
　The　Navajo　reached　the　top　before　Miss　Leon　and　stood　well　aside　while　she　finished　the　climb。
　〃Walk　right　over　there　to　the　truck；〃　he　said。　McKee　saw　the　Land…Rover　almost　hidden　behind　a　growth　of　juniper。
　〃But　first　hold　that　hand　out　so　I　can　see　it。〃
　McKee　held　out　his　left　hand；　palm　open。
　〃Are　you　left…handed；　Dr。　McKee？〃
　〃No。　I'm　right…handed。〃
　〃I　was　afraid　you　would　be。　Let　me　see　it。〃
　McKee　slowly　raised　his　injured　hand。　He　suppressed　a　wince　as　motion　renewed　the　pain。　The　sun　was　directly　south　now　and　that　might　explain　some　of　the　weakness　in　his　legs。　It　was　noon　and　he　hadn't　eaten　anything　since　yesterday　afternoon。
　〃That　looks　bad；〃　the　Navajo　said。　〃We　may　have　to　soak　it　to　get　that　swelling　down。〃
　McKee　saw　that　Miss　Leon　was　also　staring　at　his　hand。　He　dropped　it；　flinched　again；　and　the　blood　drained　into　it。
　〃I'm　touched　by　your　sympathy；〃　McKee　said。
　The　Navajo　chuckled。　〃It's　not　really　that；〃　he　said；　grinning　at　McKee。　〃It's　just　that　I　have　to　have　you　write　a　letter　for　us。〃
　
　Chapter　14
　
　There　is　no　fortable　way；　McKee　found；　to　lie　face　down　on　the　back　seat　of　a　moving　vehicle　with　his　wrists　tied　together　and　roped　to　his　ankles。　The　best　he　could　arrange　involved　staring　directly　at　the　back　of　the　front　seat。　By　looking　out　of　the　right　corner　of　his　eye；　he　could　see　the　back　of　the　Big　Navajo's　neck。　The　man　had　his　hat　pushed　forward　on　his　forehead。　That　would　be　because　they　were　driving　west　and　the　sun　was　low　through　the　windshield。　By　looking　down　his　cheek；　he　could　see　Miss　Leon；　sitting　stiffly　against　the　right　door　of　the　Land…Rover；　as　far　as　she　could　get　from　the　Indian。
　The　Land…Rover　lurched　over　something　and　McKee　spread　his　knees　to　keep　from　shifting　on　the　seat。　Making　the　move　started　the　throbbing　again　in　his　right　hand。　The　Navajo　was　saying　something　but　it　was　lost　in　dizziness。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Miss　Leon　said。
　〃How　about　you？　How　long　were　you　planning　to　stay？〃
　The　question　sounded　so　ordinary　and　social　that　McKee　had　an　impulse　to　laugh。　But　when　Miss　Leon　had　answered　two　or　three　days；　the　Navajo　had　turned　his　head　toward　her。　There　was　a　long　silence　then；　and　when　the　Navajo　spoke　again；　McKee　realized　the　question　had　not　been　casual　at　all。
　〃Did　anyone　know　where　you　were　going？〃
　〃Everyone　knew。〃
　〃This　Dr。　Green　at　Albuquerque　knew；〃　the　Navajo　said。　〃Who　else？　What　about　your　husband？　Did　he　know　you　were　ing　to　this　canyon？〃
　〃I　don't　have　a　husband。〃
　There　was　another　silence　then。
　〃Who　else　knew　then？〃　the　Navajo　asked。
　〃Some　other　friends　of　mine；　of　course；　and　my　family。　Why？　What　difference　does　it　make？〃
　〃Another　thing。　Why　did　McKee　sit　around　in　the　canyon　and　let　me　cut　him　off？〃
　〃Ask　him；〃　Miss　Leon　said。
　〃You　tell　me；〃　the　Navajo　said。
　〃Because　I　was　a　fool；〃　Miss　Leon　said。
　〃You　slow　him　down？〃　The　Navajo　chuckled。　〃Didn't　you　believe　there　was　a　Navajo　Wolf？〃
　〃He　had　that　horrible　bruise　on　his　forehead；〃　Miss　Leon　said；　〃I　thought　it　was　that。〃
　〃Well；　I　would　have　got　him　anyway。〃
　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃If　it　hadn't　been　for　me；　Dr。　McKee　would　have　gotten　away。〃
　〃Maybe　you　don't　know　about　us　Navajo　Wolves。　We　turn　ourselves　into　coyotes；　and　dogs；　bears；　foxes；　owls；　and　crows。〃
　McKee　stared　at　the　back　of　the　Navajo's　head。　He　had　ticked　off　the　litany　of　were…animals　in　a　voice　heavy　with　sarcasm。　And　he　listed　bears；　and　owls；　and　crows。　There　had　been　a　scholarly　argument　about　that　when　Greersen　first　published　his　book　about　witchcraft　beliefs　in　the　1920's。　Greer…sen　had　listed　only　one　account　of　each。　The　bear　story　had　e　out　of　the　Navajo　Mountain　district　and　the　owl　and　crow　incidents　were　both　far　to　the　east…over　on　the　Checkerboard　Reservation　in　New　Mexico。　McKee　had　never　found　a　source　who　knew　of　more　than　were…dogs；　werewolves；　and　were…coyotes。　The　big　man　must　have　read　Greersen；　and　that　had　to　mean　he　had　researched　somewhere　with　an　anthropological　library。　But　why；　and　where？
　〃And　we　fly　through　the　air　when　it's　dark　and　we　need　to；〃　the　Navajo　was　saying。　〃McKee　wouldn't　have　got　away。〃
　〃He'd　already　gotten　away　once。〃　Miss　Leon's　voice　was　angry　and　insistent。　〃He　outsmarted　you　last　night。　And　today　he　outsmarted　you　again。　He。。。〃
　〃Lady。　Drop　it。　You　don't　know　who　I　am。　Nobody　gets　away。〃
　That　had　ended　the　conversation。　The　Land…Rover　had　turned　sharply　and　tilted　downward…moving　mostly　in　first　gear　down　the　narrow　bottom　of　a　dry　wash。　And　after　what　McKee　guessed　must　have　been　three　or　four　miles　there　was　the　feel　of　smooth　flat　sand　under　the　wheels　and　the　Navajo　drove　much　faster。　There　was　no　sun　on　the　Land…Rover　now　and　McKee　was　sure　they　were　back　on　the　floor　of　Many　Ruins　but　he　wasn't　sure　of　directions。
　A　dull　pain　from　the　bruise　on　his　forehead　and　the　throbbing　of　his　hand　made　it　difficult　to　concentrate。　Who　was　the　Navajo？　In　this　part　of　the　Reservation；　The　People　linked　owls　with　ghosts；　but　not　with　witches；　and　gave　crows　and　ravens　no　supernatural　significance　at　all。　Obviously；　the　man's　tone　was　heavily　ironic　when　he　listed　the　birds　and　animals。　McKee　could　think　of　no　source　for　such　a　list　except　Greersen's　Case　Studies　in　Navajo　Ethnog