p&c.thunderhead-第48部分

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　Fe's　uncontrolled　growth。　
　Skip　set　the　expression　on　his　face　and　pushed　through　the　door；　pulling　Teddy　Bear　behind　him　on　a　short；　thick　leather　leash。　In　the　farthest　bay；　perched　high　atop　the　hydraulic　lift；　sat　his　Fury；　tires　drooping　mournfully。　It　was　a　great　deal　sandier　than　it　had　been　the　day　before。　
　Beneath　it　stood　the　proprietor　of　Elmo's　Auto　Shoppe；　a　tall；　gangly　man　in　faded　dungarees　and　torn　T…shirt。　The　shirt　was　liberally　stained　with　oil；　and　it　sported　an　oversized　Rolling　Stones　tongue；　jutting　salaciously　from　dewlap　lips。　The　shirt　formed　an　appropriate　reflection　of　Elmo's　own　pendulous　lips　and　doleful　expression。　
　〃Why'd　you　have　to　bring　that　with　you？〃　Elmo　whined；　nodding　at　the　dog。　〃I'm　allergic　to　dog　hair。〃　
　Skip　opened　his　mouth　to　deliver　his　speech　and　Elmo　raised　his　clipboard　in　protest。　〃Broken　rocker　assembly；〃　he　began　quickly；　licking　a　long；　grease…sodden　finger　and　folding　the　pages　on　his　clipboard　back　as　he　spoke。　〃Emergency　brake　trashed。　Hub　bent。　You're　looking　at；　oh；　five；　six　hundred　at　least。　Plus　the　tow　from　the　third　fairway。〃　
　〃Like　hell　I　am！〃　Skip　dragged　Teddy　Bear　forward　and　paced　angrily　in　the　shadow　of　his　car；　forgetting　his　carefully　crafted　speech。　〃I　had　this　in　here　for　an　oil　change　and　tuneup　just　three　weeks　ago。　Why　the　hell　didn't　you　tell　me　the　brakes　were　going？〃　
　Elmo　turned　his　lachrymose　face　toward　Skip。　His　droopy　eyes　always　looked　on　the　verge　of　weeping。　〃I　checked　that　invoice　already。　There　was　nothing　wrong　with　the　brakes。〃　
　〃That's　bullshit。〃　Skip　glanced　at　the　mechanic　in　disbelief。　He　so　rarely　bothered　to　pay　for　car　servicing　that　now；　having　shelled　out　fifty…seven　dollars　just　a　few　weeks　before；　his　righteous　indignation　knew　no　bounds。　〃I　tell　you；　I　had　zero　brakes　left。　Zero。　I　might　as　well　have　tried　to　use　a　kickstand。　I　could　have　been　killed。　And　now　you　want　me　to　pay　for　the　privilege？　Yeah；　right。〃　
　〃The　brake　system　was　dry　as　a　bone；〃　said　Elmo；　doggedly；　looking　at　the　floor。　
　〃See？〃　Skip　slapped　a　balled　fist　against　his　palm。　〃That　proves　it。　You　should　have　seen　that　leak　when　the　car　was　here　before。　I'm　not　going　to　pay　for…〃　
　〃But　there　ain't　no　leak。〃　
　Skip　halted　in　mid…rant。　〃Huh？〃　
　Elmo　shrugged；　his　eyes　rolling　toward　Skip。　〃We　pressure…tested　the　brake　system。　There's　no　leak；　no　sprung　seal；　nothing。〃　
　Skip　stared　at　Elmo。　〃That　doesn't　make　sense。〃　
　Elmo　shrugged　again。　〃Besides；　there　would　have　been　signs　of　a　leak。　Look　at　that。〃　He　grabbed　a　basket　lamp　and　pointed　it　up　at　the　Fury。　
　〃It's　the　underside　of　a　car。　It's　sandy　and　greasy。　So　what？〃　
　〃But　none　of　that's　brake　fluid。　No　drips；　no　spray　marks。　Nothing　to　show　any　leak　at　all。　Where　do　you　park　it　regularly？〃　
　〃In　my　driveway；　of　course…〃　
　〃You　see　a　big　stain　on　the　ground　lately？〃　
　〃Nothing　I　noticed。〃　
　Elmo　looked　down　again；　nodding　sagely；　his　big　ears　wagging。　
　Skip　started　to　retort；　then　stopped；　mouth　open。　〃What　are　you　saying？〃　he　said　at　last。　
　〃I　ain't　saying　nothing。　Your　brakes　were　drained　clean。〃　Elmo's　rubbery　lips　twisted　into　what　might　have　been　a　smile；　and　he　licked　at　them　with　a　red　tongue。　〃Got　any　enemies？〃　
　Skip　scoffed。　〃That's　crazy。　No；　I　。　。　。〃　He　paused　a　moment　thinking。　〃You　mean；　somebody　could've　drained　them？　Deliberately？〃　
　Elmo　nodded　again；　and　inserted　a　finger　into　one　ear；　giving　it　a　few　hard　twists。　〃Only　problem　is　the　brake　fluid　cap　was　rusted　shut；　so's　how　it　got　drained　is　kind　of　problematical。〃　
　But　Skip　was　still　thinking。　〃No；〃　he　repeated　at　last　in　a　softer　voice。　〃The　brakes　were　working　fine　one　minute；　gone　the　next。〃　He　glanced　at　his　watch；　irritation　once　again　welling　up　within　him。　〃I'm　late　for　work。　I've　got　this　boss　who　rips　the　balls　off　people　who　are　late。　And　on　top　of　everything　else；　you　give　me　this…〃　He　gestured　at　Elmo's　loaner　car；　an　ancient　Volkswagen　Beetle　with　a　crumpled　rear　fender　and　doors　of　mismatched　colors。　〃I'd　rather　drive　my　own；　even　without　brakes。〃　
　Elmo　worked　his　shoulders　through　their　perpetual　shrug。　〃It'll　be　ready　by　five　P。M。　Friday。〃　
　〃And　rework　that　bill　while　you're　reworking　the　car；〃　Skip　replied。　〃There's　no　way　I'm　paying　six　hundred　for　somebody　else's　negligence。〃　With　effort；　he　stuffed　Teddy　Bear　into　the　Beetle；　then　lowered　himself　gingerly　into　the　driver's　seat　and　cranked　the　engine。　
　He　eased　into　first　and　chugged　noisily　out　into　traffic；　pointing　the　car's　snout　down　the　strip　that　eventually　would　bring　him　back　to　town；　the　Institute；　and　the　waiting　Sonya　Rowling。　He　could　feel　a　headache　ing　on；　faint　for　the　moment　but　getting　stronger。　It　seemed　to　encircle　his　temples；　like　a　headband。　Despite　his　bluster；　he　felt　profoundly　disturbed；　and　his　heart　raced　as　he　worked　his　way　up　through　the　gears。　For　a　minute；　he　thought　of　heading　back　out　to　Teresa's；　checking　the　ground　where　he'd　parked　the　car　for　a　puddle　of　fluid。　But　even　as　the　thought　came　to　him；　he　knew　he　never　wanted　to　see　the　place　again。　
　Then；　on　impulse；　he　pulled　the　car　onto　the　shoulder　and　slipped　the　gearshift　into　neutral。　Something　about　this　didn't　seem　right；　at　all。　And　it　wasn't　just　the　bizarre　circumstances；　either；　the　moment　Elmo　had　mentioned　enemies；　a　sudden　chill　had　enveloped　Skip。　
　He　sat　on　the　shoulder；　thinking。　Vaguely；　very　vaguely；　he　remembered　his　father；　sitting　at　the　dinner　table；　drinking　coffee　and　telling　him　a　story。　For　some　reason；　Skip　couldn't　remember　the　story。　But　he　remembered　his　mother　frowning；　telling　Skip's　dad　to　talk　about　something　else。　
　Something　else　。　。　。　there　was　something　else　that　had　happened　recently；　something　that　dovetailed　with　all　this　in　a　strange　and　awful　way。　
　Suddenly；　Skip　put　the　Volkswagen　into　gear　and；　with　a　quick　glance　over　his　shoulder；　urged　the　car　back　into　traffic。　But　instead　of　heading　toward　the　Institute；　he　peeled　off　at　the　next　corner　and　began　threading　his　way　through　a　maze　of　seedy　side　streets；　urging　the　old　car　forward；　cursing　it；　his　fingers　drumming　impatiently　on　the　wheel。　
　Pulling　up　at　last　in　front　of　his　apartment；　he　half　ran；　half　leaped　up　the　flight　of　stairs；　dragging　Teddy　Bear　behind　him；　fumbling　with　his　keychain　and　unlocking　both　locks　as　quickly　as　he　could。　
　Inside；　the　apartment　smelled　of　unwashed　socks　and　ancient　half…eaten　meals。　Jerking　the　chain　of　an　overhead　light；　Skip　made　a　beeline　to　the　cinderblock…and…plywood　bookshelf　that　leaned　precariously　against　a　far　wall。　Kneeling　in　front　of　the　lowest　row；　his　finger　traced　across　the　old　spines　of　the　books　that　had　been　his　father's；　the　faded　titles　etched　faintly　in　lines　of　dust。　
　Then　his　finger　stopped　on　a　thin；　battered　gray　book。　〃Skinwalkers；　Witches；　and　Curanderas：　Witchcraft　and　Sorcery　Practices　of　the　Southwest；〃　Skip　softly　breathed　the　title　aloud。　
　The　urgent　rush　that　had　propelled　him　back　to　the　apartment　was　now　replaced　by　hesitation　and　uncertainty。　There　was　terrible　and　hideous　knowledge　in　this　book；　he　recalled。　More　than　anything；　Skip　did　not　want　to　have　that　knowledge　confirm　the　fear　that　was　now　growing　inside　him。　
　He　knelt　there；　by　the　old　books；　for　what　seemed　a　long　time。　Then　at　last　he　gripped　the　volume　in　both　hands；　carried　it　to　the　orange　couch；　opened　it　carefully；　and　began　to　read。　
　
　
34
　
　AS　THEY　EMERGED　FROM　THE　GLOOM　OF　the　slot　canyon　into　the　cottonwood　valley；　Nora　could　tell　at　a　glance　something　was　wrong。　Rather　than　being　scattered　indolently　across　the　sparse　grass；　the　horses　were　bunched　together　by　the　stream；　snorting　and　tossing　their　heads。　She　quickly　scanned　the　valley　floor；　the　stone　ramparts；　the　ragged　form　of　the　Devil's　Backbone。　There　was　nobody。　
　Swire　snugged　the　revolver　into　his　belt　and　led　the　way　to　the　horses。　〃You　take　pa？ero；〃　he　said　to　Smithback；　reaching　for　a　saddle。　〃He's　too　dumb　to　be　scared。〃　
　Nora　found　her　own　saddle　from　among　the　pile；　located　Arbuckles；　and　threw　it　over　his　back。　Then　she　held　the　horses　still　while　Swire　knelt　to　remove　the　shoes。　He　worked　in　silence；　using　a　chisel　to　get　underneath　the　clinched　end　of　each　nail　and　bending　it　straight；　taking　great　pains　not　to　clip　or　crack　the　nailhole。　Once　all　the　nails　were　straight；　he　pried　the　shoe　from　the　hoof　with　a　clinch　cutter。　Nora　found　herself　impressed　by　his　skill：　shoeing　and　unshoeing　a　horse　in　the　field　without　an　anvil　was　neither　a　mon　nor　desirable　practice。　
　At　last　he　stood　up；　wordlessly　handing　Nora　fresh　nails　along　with　the　shoes；　hammer；　and　clincher。　〃Sure　you　can　do　this？〃　he　asked。　Nora　nodded；　and　the　wrangler　gestured　for　Smithback　to　mount。　
　〃There　was　a　lot　of　wind　in　the　valley　last　night；〃　Swire　said；　cinching　the　saddle　tight　and　handing　the　reins　to　Smithback。　〃Maybe　that's　why　there　ain't　no　tracks　down　here　in　all　this　loose　sand。　Might　have　better　luck　on　top；　or　down　the　far　side。〃　
　Nora　secured　the　saddlebags；　tested　the　saddle's　fit；　then　swung　up。　〃Smithback's　going　to　need　a　gun；〃　she　said。　
　After　a　moment；　the　wrangler　silently　handed　over　his　pistol；　along　with　a　handful　of　bullets。　
　〃I'd　rather　have　the　rifle；〃　the　writer　said。　
　Swire　shook　his　head。　〃If　anybody　es　over　that　ridge；　I　want　to　have　a　good　bead　on　him；〃　he　replied。　
　〃Just　make　sure　it　isn't　us；〃　Smithback　said　as　he　mounted　pa？ero。　
　Nora　looked　around　for　a　final　time；　then　turned　to　Swire。　〃Thanks　for　the　horses。〃　She　nosed　Arbuckles　away　from　the　group。　
　〃Just　a　minute。〃　Nora　turned　back　to　see　Swire　looking　at　her　evenly。　
　〃Good　luck；〃　he　said　at　last。　
　They　rode　away　from　the　stream；　angling　across　the　uneven　land　toward　the　heavy　bulk　of　the　ridge　ahead；　in　shadow　despite　the　bright　morning　sun。　Over　the　thin　murmur　of　the　stream　and　the　call　of　the　canyon　wrens；　Nora　could　now　hear　a　different　sound：　a　low；　steady　drone；　like　the　hum　of　a　magneto。　Then　they　topped　a　small　rise　and　two　low　forms　came　into　view：　the　remains　of　Hoosegow　and　Crow　Bait。　A　black　cloud　of　flies　hung　over　them。　
　〃Jesus；〃　Smithback　muttered。　
　Arbuckles　began　to　prance　and　whinny　beneath　her；　and　Nora　veered　left；　giving　the　carcasses　a　wide　berth　on