thillerman.theblessingway-第25节

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n　and　going　somewhere　else…somewhere　it　would　be　natural　for　you　to　go。　You　and　Dr。　Canfield　and　Miss　Leon。　And　it　has　to　be　written　so　that　Dr。　Green　won't　suspect　anything。〃
　The　Big　Navajo　paused；　staring　at　McKee。
　〃You　can　see　that；　can't　you？　If　someone　gets　worried　and　es　in　here　looking　for　you；　we　would　simply　have　to　kill　you。〃
　I　have　to　do　this　exactly　right；　McKee　thought。
　〃I　don't　think　I　can　believe　you；〃　he　said。　〃You　killed　John　after　he　wrote　the　letter。〃
　〃Your　Dr。　Canfield　was　very　foolish。　He　wrote　you　the　note；　and　then　he　tried　to　escape。　He　jumped　me。〃
　〃I　see；〃　McKee　said。
　〃And　I　think　that　Dr。　Canfield　warned　you　somehow　in　that　note　of　his。　What　was　it？　Why　were　you　expecting　me？〃
　McKee　grinned。　〃You're　right；　of　course。　It　was　the　name。　His　name's　Jeremy。　When　I　saw　that　signature　I　knew　something　was　wrong。　I'd　been　over　to　the　Yazzie　hogan　and　found　those　rams　you　killed　and　I　was　nervous　about　that　anyway。〃
　McKee　was　satisfied　that　his　voice　had　sounded　natural。　He　hoped　desperately　that　his　timing　had　been　right。　Maybe　he　should　have　waited　longer；　but　he　saw　a　slight　relaxation　in　the　Navajo's　face。　It's　like　poker；　he　thought；　and　this　man's　weakness；　if　he　has　one；　is　his　vanity。
　〃You　shouldn't　try　anything　like　that。〃
　〃I　don't　have　any　reason　to　trust　you；〃　McKee　said。　〃Just　one　thing。　You　kill　one　man　and　they　hunt　for　you　awhile　but　it　is　not　so　very　unusual。　You　kill　two　men　and　a　woman　and　it's　something　nobody　forgets　and　they　keep　looking　for　you。〃
　He　was　watching　the　Navajo's　face。　It　relaxed　a　little　more。　〃You've　been　thinking　of　that；　haven't　you？〃　McKee　asked。
　〃This　is　just　business　with　me；　Dr。　McKee；〃　the　Navajo　said。　〃A　way　to　make　a　lot　of　money。　You're　right。　The　more　people　who　get　hurt；　the　harder　they　hunt。〃
　。　With　an　effort；　McKee　avoided　looking　at　the　blond　man。　From　the　corner　of　his　eye；　he　had　seen　a　faint　smile　on　Eddie's　face。
　〃All　right；〃　McKee　said。　〃What　do　you　think　we　should　say？〃
　〃Well。　You'll　have　to　say　you're　leaving　here。　All　of　you。〃　He　paused。　〃Say　you　are　leaving　day　after　tomorrow。　A　day　after　we　mail　this　at　Shoemaker's。〃
　McKee　tried　to　seem　thoughtful。　〃Canfield　was　looking　for　Folsom　Man　artifacts　in　the　Anasazi　ruins；〃　he　said；　aware　that　the　Navajo　must　already　know　that。　〃We'll　say　he　wasn't　finding　any　around　here　and　that　I　haven't　had　much　luck　finding　anyone　willing　to　talk　about　witchcraft　incidents。〃
　He　glanced　up　at　the　Navajo's　face。
　〃If　you　don't　believe　that's　true；　you　can　send　somebody　back　to　get　my　notes。　That　really　is　what　I'm　working　on。〃
　〃I　believe　you；〃　the　Navajo　said。　〃Write　it　here　on　the　hood　of　the　truck。〃
　The　son　of　a　bitch　read　my　notes；　McKee　thought。　He　felt　elated。　Then　he　saw　Ellen　Leon　watching　him；　her　face　without　expression。　The　elation　died。　She　thinks　I'm　a　coward　or　a　fool；　he　thought。　Maybe　that　was　best。
　〃I'll　tell　Green　that　we're　moving　on　up　into　the　Monument　Valley　country　in　Utah…where　the　Navajos　are　less　exposed　to　outside　influences　and　less　accultured。　That　would　make　sense　for　both　of　us。　Canfield　is。。。〃　He　hesitated　a　second；　sickened　at　this　play…acting。　〃Canfield　was　trying　to　establish　some　pattern　of　Folsom　Man　hunting　camps　in　this　area。　The　early　pueblo　builders　collected　Folsom　lance　points　and　kept　them　as　totems。　That　would　be　a　good　place　for　him　to　be　looking。〃
　He　was　fairly　confident　that　the　big　man　knew　all　about　what　both　of　them　were　doing；　and　he　tried　to　make　his　voice　sound　persuasive。　He　doubted　if　the　man　knew　about　Ellen　Leon。　There　was　nothing　mentioning　her　in　the　tent。　Just　her　brief　note。
　〃And　it　would　be　a　natural　place　for　me　to　work。　In　the　back　country　is　where　you　find　people　still　believing　in　the　Navajo　Wolves。〃
　〃How　about　Miss　Leon？〃
　〃I　told　him　I　was　just　your　graduate　assistant；〃　Miss　Leon　interrupted；　〃but　I　don't　think　he　believes　me。〃
　〃Green　would　naturally　expect　her　to　go　along　with　us；〃　McKee　said。　〃That's　what　she　gets　paid　for。　To　help。〃
　He　paused　again；　thinking　of　the　sand　on　Canfield's　lips　and　that　something　might　go　wrong　with　this　plan。
　〃That　sound　all　right？〃　he　asked。
　The　Big　Navajo　moved　his　thumb　absently　back　and　forth　over　his　finger　tips；　studying　McKee's　face。
　〃Does　Green　have　any　schedule　of　where　you're　supposed　to　go　next？〃
　〃We　didn't　have　any　definite　plans。〃
　〃Would　Green　be　writing　you　anywhere？　Anywhere　set　up　to　pick　up　letters？〃
　〃Just　Shoemaker's　while　we　were　here。〃　He　noticed　Miss　Leon　was　still　looking　at　him　and　he　felt　himself　flush。　〃We　tell　him　where　to　forward　to　if　we　move。　He'd　get　this　letter　from　me　saying　where　we　were　going　and　telling　him　to　send　our　mail　to　the　store　at　Mexican　Water。　It　seems　natural。　You　think　he'd　check　on　it？〃
　〃Let's　see　how　it　looks　on　paper；〃　the　Navajo　said。
　McKee　had　been　holding　his　right　hand　straight　down。　It　had　hurt；　but　the　increased　blood　pressure　should；　he　thought；　build　up　the　swelling。　He　raised　it　now；　intending　to　feign　pain。　No　pretense　was　necessary。　The　hurt　was　so　far　beyond　what　he　had　expected　that　his　gasp　was　involuntary。　He　felt　sweat　on　his　face　and　nausea　in　his　throat。　When　he　finally　rested　his　right　forearm　on　the　hood；　he　slumped　against　the　truck；　breathing　hard；　too　dizzy　to　notice　whether　the　Navajo　had　registered　all　this。　I　can't　spoil　this　now；　he　thought。　He　has　to　believe　I'm　really　trying。
　〃I'll　start　it；　'Dear　Dr。　Green；'〃　he　said。　His　voice　was　thick。
　He　moved　his　right　hand　slowly　and　took　the　pen　between　his　thumb　and　forefinger。　In　a　moment　he　had　one　more　gamble　to　make。　He　would　suggest　that　he　try　to　write　the　letter　with　his　left　hand；　explaining　to　Dr。　Green　that　he　had　injured　his　right　one。　He　didn't　think　the　big　man　would　call　this　bluff。　If　the　man　was　as　smart　as　he　seemed　to　be；　he　would　see　the　objections。　Green　would　wonder　why　Canfield　hadn't　written　instead。　And　he　would　wonder　why　McKee　wasn't　ing　in　for　medical　attention。　And　the　handwriting　would　be　unidentifiable　anyway…and　that　obviously　was　important。　But；　if　he　didn't　see　the　objections；　this　whole　desperate　play　for　time　might　collapse。
　He　shifted　the　pen　into　the　proper　position；　lowered　the　point　and　started　the　〃D。〃　The　Navajo　was　watching　him　intently。
　Again；　a　fresh　wave　of　pain　helped　his　performance。　The　flinch　was　pletely　Involuntary；　the　spasm　of　a　tortured　nerve。
　〃Don't　write　it；〃　Miss　Leon　said　suddenly。　T　don't　trust　him。〃
　The　Navajo　turned　toward　her。
　〃Ellen；〃　McKee　said　hurriedly；　〃if　you　had　shown　a　little　sense　earlier　we　wouldn't　be　here。　If　you'd　use　what　little　brains　you　have；　you'd　see　that　this　letter　is　our　only　way　out　of　this　mess。　Now　shut　up。〃
　He　hoped；　as　he　said　it；　that　the　anger　would　sound　sincere　to　the　Navajo　and　insincere　to　Miss　Leon　and　thought　bitterly　that　the　reverse　would　probably　be　true。　The　hurt　in　Miss　Leon's　face　looked　genuine　and　the　Navajo's　expression　was　unreadable。
　He　tried　again　with　the　pen；　finishing　the　〃Dear〃　this　time；　and　inspected　the　wavering　scrawl　with　satisfaction。
　〃That's　fairly　close；〃　he　said。　It　looked　nothing　at　all　like　his　handwriting　and　the　Navajo　had　plenty　of　samples　in　his　field　notes　to　make　the　parison。
　〃It's　not　close　enough；〃　the　Navajo　said。
　〃How　about　writing　it　with　my　left　hand？〃　McKee　said　suddenly。　〃We　could　say　I'd　hurt　my　right　one。〃　He　tried　to　make　his　glance　at　the　Indian　seem　natural；　and　held　his　breath。
　〃Dr。　McKee。　Think　about　it。　That　wouldn't　look　like　your　handwriting。　If　it　doesn't　look　like　your　handwriting；　it　won't　work　no　matter　what　you　say。〃　The　Navajo　was　looking　at　McKee　curiously。　〃Why　would　you　write　Dr。　Green　a　lefthanded　letter　with　Dr。　Canfield　around　to　write　letters？〃
　〃Just　a　thought；〃　McKee　mumbled。
　The　Navajo　looked　at　his　watch　and　then；　for　a　long　moment；　at　the　man　called　Eddie。　Eddie　shrugged。　〃Whatever　you　think；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　know　the　odds。〃
　McKee　was　suddenly　chillingly　aware　that　his　life　was　being　decided。　The　Navajo　looked　at　him；　his　face　bland；　with　no　trace　of　malice　or　anger。　McKee　was　conscious　of　the　ragged　line　rimming　the　iris　of　the　Indian's　eyes；　of　the　blackness　of　the　pupils；　conscious　that　behind　that　blackness　an　intelligence　was　balancing　whatever　considerations　it　gave　weight　and　deciding　whether　he　would　die。
　〃The　hell　of　it　is；〃　the　Big　Navajo　said；　〃we　don't　know　how　long　we're　stuck　here。〃
　〃Whatever　you　think；〃　Eddie　said　again。　〃Lot　of　money　involved。〃
　〃Let's　see　that　hand　again；〃　the　Indian　ordered。
　McKee　raised　it　slowly；　palm　upward；　toward　the　Navajo。
　He　leaned　slightly　forward；　scrutinizing　the　twisted　finger。　Like；　McKee　thought；　a　housewife　inspecting　a　slightly　off…color　roast。
　〃Maybe　soaking　it　will　get　that　swelling　down；〃　the　Indian　said。　〃Soak　it　in　hot　water　and　get　the　swelling　out。　We'll　take　'em　up　to　the　cliff　place；　Eddie。〃
　From　behind　him；　McKee　heard　a　faint　click。
　Eddie　had　slipped　the　safety　catch　on　his　automatic　back　into　place。
　〃It's　almost　four　o'clock；〃　the　Navajo　said。　〃The　hell　of　it　is　with　this　job　we　never　know　how　much　time　we　have。〃
　
　Chapter　15
　
　At　approximately　four　o'clock　Joe　Leaphorn；　sweating　profusely；　led　his　borr