thillerman.theblessingway-第34节

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avajo。　〃I　am　not　a　witch。　I　am　one　who　teaches　in　school。〃
　The　boy　was　looking　at　him；　his　face　expressionless。
　〃There　is　a　truck　a　little　ways　up　here；〃　McKee　said。　〃You　must　let　me　get　to　that　truck　and　the　man　there　will　help　me。〃
　〃All　right。〃　The　boy　hesitated；　thinking。　〃You　walk。　I　will　walk　behind　you。〃
　He　was　within　thirty　yards　of　the　truck　before　he　saw　it…parked　in　a　thicket　of　tamarisk　and　willow　just　off　the　canyon　floor。　Beside　it　a　gasoline　generator　was　running。　The　back　door　of　the　van　stood　open；　a　padlock　dangling　in　the　hasp。　Through　the　doorway　McKee　heard　the　faint　sound　of　someone　whistling　and　then　of　metal　tapping　on　metal。
　McKee　stopped。
　〃Hello；〃　he　shouted。　It　didn't　sound　like　his　voice。
　McKee　took　two　more　steps　toward　the　truck；　conscious　the　whistling　had　stopped。
　A　man　appeared　in　the　doorway　of　the　van；　blond；　in　a　denim　jacket；　taller　than　McKee　and　younger；　with　a　hearing　aid　behind　his　left　ear。　His　blue　eyes　rested　for　a　second　on　McKee；　registering　surprise　and　shock。
　〃What　the　hell　happened？〃　he　said。　And　then　he　was　out　of　the　truck；　ing　toward　McKee。
　〃Got　shot；〃　McKee　said。　〃Somebody　shot　me。〃　His　voice　sounded　thick。　〃Get　the　bleeding　stopped。〃　He　sat　down　abruptly　on　the　sand。
　The　blond　man　was　saying　something。
　〃Don't　talk；〃　McKee　said。　〃Listen。　Are　you　Jim　Hall？〃
　〃How　did　you　know　that？〃
　〃Listen；〃　McKee　said。　〃Tell　this　boy　here　that　I'm　not　a　witch　and　he　will　help　you。〃　He　paused　now　and　started　again；　trying　to　pronounce　the　words。
　〃Ellen　Leon　was　shot；　too。　Ellen　Leon。　She's　up　at　that　big　cliff　dwelling　in　a　canyon。。。〃　McKee　tried　to　think。　〃In　that　canyon　that　runs　into　Many　Ruins　south　and　west　of　here。〃
　The　man　was　squatting　beside　McKee　now；　his　face　close。　McKee　had　trouble　focusing　on　the　face。　The　face　was　surprised；　amazed；　excited；　maybe　frightened。
　〃You　said　Ellen？〃　the　man　said。　〃What　the　devil　is　she　doing　out　here？　What　happened　to　her？〃
　〃Man　shot　her。　Needs　help。〃　McKee　said。　〃Go　help　her。〃
　〃Who　shot　her？〃　the　man　asked。
　〃Man　named　Eddie。〃　McKee　said。　He　was　very　tired。　Why　didn't　this　fool　go？　〃Don't　worry；〃　he　said；　〃Eddie's　dead　now。〃　He　heard　the　man　asking　him　something　but　he　couldn't　think　of　an　answer。　And　then　the　man's　hands　were　on　his　face；　the　man　was　talking　right　into　his　face。
　〃Listen。　Tell　me。　What　happened　to　Eddie？　What　happened　to　Eddie？　And　was　there　a　man　with　him？　Where's　the　man　who　was　with　him？〃
　McKee　couldn't　think　of　how　to　answer。　Something　was　wrong。
　He　tried　to　say；　〃Dead；〃　but　Jim　Hall　was　talking　again。
　〃Answer　me；　damn　you；〃　Hall　said；　his　voice　fierce。　〃Do　the　police　know　about　this？　Has　anybody　told　the　police？〃
　McKee　thought　he　would　answer　in　a　moment。　Now　he　was　concentrating　on　not　falling　over　on　his　side。
　Hall　stood　up。　He　was　talking　to　the　boy　with　the　red　baseball　cap；　and　then　the　boy　was　talking。　McKee　could　hear　part　of　it。
　〃Did　you　see　the　witch　he　killed？〃
　He　couldn't　hear　what　the　boy　answered。
　〃You　were　right　when　you　guessed　that；〃　Hall　was　saying。　This　man　here　is　a　Navajo　Wolf。　Give　me　your　rifle。〃
　McKee　stopped　listening。　He　was　asking　himself　how　Jim　Hall　knew　about　the　man　with　Eddie；　asking　himself　why　Hall　was　acting　the　way　he　was　acting。　Almost　immediately；　with　sick；　despairing　clarity；　he　saw　the　answer。　Hall　was　the　Big　Navajo's　other　man。
　The　boy　hadn't　given　Hall　the　rifle。　He　was　standing　there；　looking　doubtful。
　〃Put　the　rifle　in　the　truck　then；〃　Hall　said。　〃We'll　leave　the　witch　here。　Tie　him　up　first。　And　then　we'll　drive　to　Chinle　and　tell　the　police　about　him。〃　Hall　paused。　〃Hand　me　the　rifle　and　I'll　put　it　in　the　truck。〃
　〃Don't；〃　McKee　said。　〃Don't　give　him　the　rifle。〃
　Hall　turned　to　look　at　him。　McKee　focused　on　the　face。　It　looked　angry。　And　then　it　didn't　look　angry　any　more。　Another　voice　had　said　something；　something　in　Navajo。
　It　said；　〃That's　right；　Billy　Nez；　don't　give　him　your　rifle。〃　And　the　anger　left　Jim　Hall's　face　as　McKee　looked　at　it；　and　it　looked　shocked　and　sick。　Then　it　was　gone。
　McKee　gave　up。　He　fell　over　on　his　side。　Much　better。
　The　metallic　sound　of　the　door　in　the　van　slamming　and　then　a　voice；　the　voice　of　Joe　Leaphorn；　and　a　little　later　a　single　loud　pop。
　I　can't　faint　now；　McKee　told　himself；　because　I　have　to　tell　him　about　Ellen。　But　he　fainted。
　
　Chapter　18
　
　He　was　aware　first　of　the　vague　sick　smell　of　ether；　of　the　feel　of　hospital　sheets；　of　the　cast　on　his　chest；　and　of　the　splint　bandaged　tightly　on　his　right　hand。　The　room　was　dark。　There　was　the　shape　of　a　man　standing　looking　out　the　window　into　the　sunlight。　The　man　was　Joe　Leaphorn。
　〃Did　you　find　her？〃　McKee　asked。
　〃Sure；〃　Leaphorn　said。　He　sat　beside　the　bed。　〃We　found　her　before　we　found　you；　as　a　matter　of　fact。〃　He　interrupted　McKee's　question。　〃She's　right　down　the　hall。　Broken　cheekbone　and　a　broken　shoulder　and　some　lost　blood。〃
　He　looked　down　at　McKee；　grinning。　〃They　had　to　put　about　ten　gallons　in　you。　You　were　dry。〃
　〃She's　going　to　be　all　right？〃
　〃She's　already　all　right。　You've　been　in　here　two　days。〃
　McKee　thought　for　a　while。
　〃Her　boyfriend；〃　he　said。　〃How'd　it　all　e　out　in　the　canyon？〃
　〃Son　of　a　bitch　shot　himself；〃　Leaphorn　said。　〃Walked　right　away　from　me　into　the　truck；　and　slammed　the　door　and　locked　it　and　got　out　a　little　。22　he　had　in　there　and　shot　himself　right　through　the　forehead。〃　Leaphorn's　expression　was　sour。　〃Walked　right　in　with　me　just　standing　there；〃　he　added。　He　didn't　sound　like　he　could　make　himself　believe　it。
　McKee　felt　sick。　Maybe　it　was　the　ether。
　〃You've　got　more　Navajo　blood　in　you　now　than　I　do；〃　Leaphorn　said。　〃The　doc　said　you　had　a　busted　oil　pan。　Took　ten　gallons。〃
　〃I　guess　you　had　to　tell　her　about　Hall。〃
　〃She　knows。〃
　〃He　must　have　been　crazy；〃　McKee　said。
　〃Crazy　to　get　rich；〃　Leaphorn　said。　〃You　call　it　ambition。　Sometimes　we　call　it　witchcraft。　You　remember　the　Origin　Myth；　when　First　Woman　sent　the　Heron　diving　back　into　the　Fourth　World　to　get　the　witchcraft　bundle。　She　told　him　to　swim　down　and　bring　back　'the　way　to　make　money。'〃
　〃Knock　off　the　philosophy；〃　McKee　said。　〃What　happened？　How　did　you　find　her？〃
　〃I've　noticed　this　before；〃　Leaphorn　said。　〃Belacani　women　are　smarter　than　you　Belacani　men。　Miss　Leon　got　herself　over　to　that　camp　stove　on　that　cliff。　She　poured　out　the　kerosene　and　made　herself　a　smoky　little　smudge　fire。　You　could　see　it　for　miles。〃
　He　grinned　at　McKee。
　〃Something　else　she　figured　out　that　you　might　like　to　know　about。　She　was　having　her　doubts　about　Hall　when　I　got　there。　All　excited。　Said　you'd　gone　to　find　him　and　she　was　afraid　something　might　happen　to　you。　Miss　Leon　wanted　me　to　climb　up　that　split　in　the　cliff　and　go　chasing　across　that　plateau　to　rescue　you。〃
　McKee　felt　better。　He　was；　in　fact；　feeling　wonderful。
　〃Why　didn't　you　think　of　something　simple；　like　making　a　big　smoke？〃　Leaphorn　asked。　〃Climbing　up　that　crack　in　the　rock　was　showing　off。〃
　〃How　was　I　going　to　know　you'd　be　wandering　around　out　there？〃　McKee　asked。　〃It's　supposed　to　be　the　cavalry　that　arrives　in　the　nick　of　time；　not　the　blanket…ass　Indians。〃
　McKee　had　a　sobering　thought。　〃I　guess　you　know　I　killed　those　two　men？〃
　〃Not　officially；　you　didn't；〃　Leaphorn　said。　〃Officially；　we've　got　just　two　dead　people。　Officially；　Dr。　Canfield　and　Jim　Hall　were　killed　in　a　truck　accident。　Miss　Leon　and　you　were　hurt　in　the　crash。　And　officially　Eddie　Poher　and　George　Jackson　never　existed。〃
　〃Was　that　their　names？　And　what　was　going　on　in　there；　anyway？　What　was　Hall　doing？〃
　〃It's　a　secret；〃　Leaphorn　said。
　〃Like　hell　it's　a　secret；〃　McKee　said。　〃If　you　want　me　to　tell　some　phony　story　about　Canfield　getting　killed　in　a　truck　wreck；　you　don't　have　secrets。〃
　〃I'm　not　really　supposed　to　know　all　of　it　myself。〃
　〃But　you　do；〃　McKee　said。
　Leaphorn　looked　at　him　a　long　moment。
　〃Well；〃　he　said。　〃You　cut　one　of　his　cables　so　I　guess　you　know　Hall　had　portable　radar　sets　staked　out　on　that　plateau。　And　you　know　that　plateau　is　under　the　route　from　the　Tonepah　Range　up　in　Utah　down　to　White　Sands　Proving　Grounds。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　McKee　said。　〃I　knew　that　much。〃　He　wondered　why　he　hadn't　thought　of　radar。
　〃Hall　was　sitting　with　his　radar　right　under　what　the　military　calls　its　'Bird　Path；'　and　when　the　birds　flew　from　Tonepah　the　radar　was　feeding　information　into　a　puter　in　the　van。　Hall　was　putting　it　into　tapes。〃
　〃What　were　they　testing？〃
　〃The　military　intelligence　people　don't　tell　a　Navajo　cop　things　like　that。〃
　〃I'll　bet　you　can　guess。〃
　Leaphorn　looked　at　him　again。　〃Maybe　the　MIRV。　The　Multiple　Intercontinental　Re…entry　Vehicle。　Read　about　it　in　Newsweek。　One　missile；　but　it　drops　off　five　or　six　warheads　and　some　decoys。　I'd　guess　that　if　I　was　guessing。〃
　〃It　still　doesn't　make　sense。　What　was　he　doing　with　the　information　and　how'd　a　guy　like　Hall　get　tied　up　with　that　bunch？〃
　〃If　you'll　shut　up　and　listen；　I'll　tell　you。〃
　From　what　they　now　knew；　Leaphorn　explained；　Hall；　Poher；　and　Jackson　had　arrived　on　the　Reservation　separately　almost　two　months　ago。　A　fingerprint　check　had　been　enlightening。　Poher　was　relatively　unknown。　One　arr