p&c.thunderhead-第60部分

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lock　being　released；　and　the　old　gate　began　to　swing　open。　
　Skip　returned　to　the　car；　put　it　in　gear；　and　eased　past　the　fence。　The　winding　driveway　threaded　its　way　along　a　low　ridge。　After　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　it　dipped　down；　made　a　sharp　turn；　then　rose　again。　There；　on　the　next　crest；　Skip　saw　a　magnificent　estate　spread　along　the　ridgeline；　its　adobe　facade　brocaded　a　rich　evening　crimson　beneath　the　Sangre　de　Cristo　Mountains。　Despite　himself；　he　stopped　the　car　for　a　moment；　staring　through　the　windshield　in　admiration。　Then　he　drove　slowly　up　the　remainder　of　the　driveway；　parking　the　Beetle　between　a　battered　Chevy　truck　and　a　Mercedes　Gelaendewagen。　
　He　got　out　of　the　car　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。　〃Stay；〃　he　told　Teddy　Bear。　It　was　an　unnecessary　mand：　even　though　the　windows　were　rolled　all　the　way　down；　the　dog　would　never　have　been　able　to　squeeze　his　bulk　through　them。　
　The　entrance　to　the　house　was　a　huge　set　of　eighteenth…century　zaguan　doors。　Pulled　from　some　hacienda　in　Mexico；　I'll　bet；　Skip　thought　as　he　approached。　Clutching　a　book　under　one　arm；　he　searched　for　a　doorbell；　found　nothing；　and　knocked。　
　Almost　immediately　the　door　opened；　revealing　a　long　hallway；　grandly　appointed　but　dimly　lit。　Beyond　it　he　could　see　a　garden　with　a　stone　fountain。　In　front　of　him　stood　Ernest　Goddard　himself；　wearing　a　suit　whose　muted　colors　seemed　to　match　the　hallway　beyond　almost　exactly。　The　long　white　hair　and　closely　trimmed　beard　framed　a　pair　of　lively　but　rather　displeased　blue　eyes。　He　turned　without　a　word　and　Skip　followed　his　gaunt　frame　as　it　retreated　down　the　hall；　hearing　the　click　of　his　own　heels　on　the　marble。　
　Passing　several　doors；　Goddard　at　last　ushered　Skip　into　a　large；　two…story　library；　its　tall　rows　of　books　clad　in　dark　mahogany　shelves。　A　spiral　staircase　of　ornate　iron　led　to　a　second…story　catwalk；　and　to　more　books；　row　upon　row。　Goddard　closed　and　locked　a　small　door　on　the　far　side　of　the　room；　then　pointed　Skip　toward　an　old　leather　chair　beside　the　limestone　fireplace。　Taking　a　seat　opposite；　Goddard　crossed　his　legs；　coughed　lightly；　and　looked　enquiringly　at　Skip。　
　Now　that　he　was　here；　Skip　realized　he　had　no　idea　exactly　how　to　begin。　He　fidgeted　with　unaccustomed　nervousness。　Then；　remembering　the　book　beneath　his　arm；　he　brought　it　forward。　〃Have　you　heard　of　this　book？〃　he　asked。　
　〃Heard　of　it？〃　murmured　Goddard；　a　trace　of　irritation　in　his　voice。　〃Who　hasn't？　It's　a　classic　anthropological　study。〃　
　Skip　paused。　Sitting　here；　in　the　quiet　confines　of　the　library；　what　he　thought　he　had　discovered　began　to　seem　faintly　ridiculous。　He　realized　the　best　thing　would　be　to　simply　relate　what　had　happened。　
　〃A　few　weeks　ago；〃　he　said；　〃my　sister　was　attacked　at　our　old　farmhouse　out　past　Buckman　Road。〃　
　〃Oh？〃　said　Goddard；　leaning　forward。　
　〃She　was　assaulted　by　two　people。　Two　people　wearing　wolfskins；　and　nothing　much　else。　It　was　dark；　and　she　didn't　get　a　very　good　look　at　them；　but　she　said　they　were　covered　with　white　spots。　They　wore　old　Indian　jewelry。〃　
　〃Skinwalkers；〃　Goddard　said。　〃Or；　at　least；　some　people　playing　as　skinwalkers。〃　
　〃Yes；〃　said　Skip；　relieved　to　hear　no　note　of　scorn　in　Goddard's　voice。　〃They　also　broke　into　Nora's　apartment　and　stole　her　hairbrush　to　get　samples　of　her　hair。〃　
　〃Hair。〃　Goddard　nodded。　〃That　would　fit　the　skinwalker　pattern。　They　need　bodily　material　from　an　enemy　in　order　to　acplish　their　witching。〃　
　〃That's　just　what　this　book　says；〃　Skip　replied。　Briefly；　he　recounted　how　it　had　been　his　own　hair　in　the　brush；　and　how　he　had　been　the　one　who　almost　died　when　his　brakes　failed　so　mysteriously。　
　Goddard　listened　silently。　〃What　do　you　suppose　they　wanted？〃　he　asked　when　Skip　had　finished。　
　Skip　licked　his　lips。　〃They　were　looking　for　the　letter　Nora　found。　The　one　written　by　my　father。〃　
　Goddard　suddenly　tensed；　his　entire　body　registering　surprise。　〃Why　didn't　Nora　tell　me　of　this？〃　The　voice　that　had　previously　expressed　mild　interest　was　now　razor…sharp　with　irritation。　
　〃She　didn't　want　to　derail　the　expedition。　She　figured　she　needed　the　letter　to　find　the　valley；　and　that　if　she　got　out　of　town　fast　and　quietly；　whoever　or　whatever　it　was　would　be　left　behind。〃　
　Goddard　sighed。　
　〃But　that's　not　all。　A　few　days　ago；　our　neighbor；　Teresa　Gonzales；　was　murdered　in　the　ranch　house。　Maybe　you　heard　about　it。〃　
　〃I　recall　reading　something　about　that。〃　
　〃And　did　you　read　that　the　body　was　mutilated？〃　
　Goddard　shook　his　head。　
　Skip　slapped　Witches；　Skinwalkers；　and　Curanderas　with　the　back　of　his　hand。　〃Mutilated　in　just　the　way　described　in　this　study。　Fingers　and　toes　sliced　off；　the　whorl　of　hair　on　the　back　of　the　head　scalped　off。　A　disk　of　skull　cut　out　underneath。　According　to　this　book；　that's　where　the　life　force　enters　the　body。〃　He　paused。　〃Nora's　dog　disappeared　while　she　was　in　California。　After　reading　this　book；　I　searched　the　woods　behind　her　townhouse。　I　found　Thurber's　body。　His　paws　had　been　cut　off。　Front　and　back。〃　
　Goddard's　blue　eyes　flashed。　〃The　police　must　have　questioned　you　about　the　murder。　Did　you　tell　them　any　of　this？〃　
　〃No；〃　Skip　said；　hesitating。　〃Not　exactly。　Well；　how　do　you　think　they'd　react　to　a　story　about　Indian　witches？〃　He　put　the　book　aside。　〃But　that's　what　they　were。　They　wanted　that　letter。　And　they　were　willing　to　kill　for　it。〃　
　Goddard's　look　had　suddenly　gone　far　away。　〃Yes；〃　he　murmured。　〃I　understand　why　you've　e。　They're　interested　in　the　ruins　of　Quivira。〃　
　〃They　vanished　just　about　the　time　the　expedition　left；　maybe　a　day　or　two　later。　Anyway；　I　haven't　seen　or　heard　any　sign　of　them　since。　And　I've　been　keeping　a　close　eye　on　Nora's　apartment。　I'm　worried　they　may　have　followed　the　expedition。〃　
　Goddard's　drawn　face　went　gray。　〃Yesterday　we　lost　radio　contact。〃　
　A　feeling　of　dread　suddenly　gripped　Skip's　heart。　This　had　been　the　one　thing　he　didn't　want　to　hear。　〃Could　it　be　equipment　trouble？〃　
　〃I　don't　think　so。　The　system　had　redundant　backups。　And　according　to　your　sister；　that　imaging　technician；　Holroyd；　could　have　rigged　a　transmitter　out　of　tin　cans　and　string。〃　
　The　older　man　rose　and　walked　to　a　small　window　set　among　the　bookshelves；　gazing　out　toward　the　mountains；　hands　in　his　pockets。　A　quietness　began　to　gather　in　the　library；　punctuated　by　the　steady　ticking　of　an　old　grandfather　clock。　
　〃Dr。　Goddard；〃　Skip　blurted　suddenly；　unable　to　contain　himself　any　longer。　〃Please。　Nora's　the　only　family　I've　got　left。〃　
　For　a　moment；　Goddard　seemed　not　to　have　heard。　Then　he　turned；　and　in　his　face　Skip　could　see　a　sudden；　iron　resolve。　
　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　striding　to　a　telephone　on　a　nearby　desk。　〃And　the　only　family　I've　got　left　is　out　there　with　her。〃　
　
　
44
　
　THAT　NIGHT；　A　SOFT　BUT　STEADY　RAIN　drummed　on　the　tents　of　the　Quivira　expedition；　but　when　morning　came　the　sky　was　a　clear；　clean；　washed　blue；　without　a　cloud　in　sight。　After　a　long　and　restless　night　during　which　she'd　split　the　guard　duty　with　Smithback；　Nora　was　grateful　to　step　out　into　the　cool　morning　world。　The　birds　filled　the　trees　with　their　calls；　and　the　leaves　dripped　with　water　that　caught　and　fractured　the　bright　rays　of　the　rising　sun。　
　As　she　emerged　from　her　tent；　her　boots　sunk　into　soft　wet　sand。　The　creek　had　risen；　she　could　see；　but　only　slightly…these　first　rains　had　been　soft　enough　to　soak　into　the　sand　without　running　off。　But　now　the　ground　was　saturated。　They　had　to　get　out　of　the　canyon　before　another　hard　rain；　if　they　didn't　want　to　be　trapped　by　rising　water　。　。　。　or；　God　forbid；　something　worse。　
　She　glanced　toward　the　row　of　packed　equipment；　arranged　the　night　before　for　transport　out　of　the　canyon。　They　were　only　taking　the　minimum　they　needed　to　get　back　to　Wahweap　Marina…food；　tents；　essential　equipment；　documentary　records。　The　rest　was　being　cached　in　an　empty　room　in　the　city。　
　Uncharacteristically；　Bonarotti　was　up　early；　tending　the　fire；　the　espresso　pot　just　signaling　its　pletion　with　a　brief　roar。　He　looked　up　as　Nora　came　over；　rubbing　the　sleep　out　of　her　eyes。　〃Caffé？〃　he　asked。　Nora　nodded　her　thanks　as　he　handed　her　a　steaming　cup。　
　〃Is　there　really　gold　in　that　kiva？〃　Bonarotti　asked　in　a　quiet　voice。　
　She　eased　herself　down　on　the　log　and　drank。　Then　she　shook　her　head。　〃No；　there　isn't。　The　Anasazi　didn't　have　any　gold。〃　
　〃How　can　you　be　so　sure？〃　
　Nora　sighed。　〃Trust　me。　In　a　century　and　a　half　of　excavations；　not　one　grain　of　gold　has　been　found。〃　
　〃But　what　about　Black？　What　he　said？〃　
　Nora　shook　her　head　again。　If　I　don't　get　them　out　of　there　today；　she　thought；　I'm　never　going　to　get　them　out。　〃All　I　can　tell　you　is；　Black's　wrong。〃　
　The　cook　refilled　her　cup；　then　turned　back　to　his　fire；　silent　and　dissatisfied。　As　she　sipped　her　coffee；　the　rest　of　the　camp　began　to　stir。　As　they　approached；　one　at　a　time；　it　was　clear　to　Nora　that　the　tension　of　the　previous　day　had　not　gone　away。　If　anything；　it　had　increased。　Black　took　a　seat　by　the　fire　and　hunched　over　his　coffee；　his　face　dark　and　inflamed。　Smithback　gave　Nora　a　tired　smile；　squeezed　her　shoulder；　then　retreated　to　a　rock　to　scratch　quietly　in　his　notebook。　Aragon　looked　distant　and　absorbed。　Sloane　was　the　last　to　appear。　When　she　did；　she　refused　to　meet　Nora's　eyes。　A　resolute　silence　gripped　the　camp。　Nobody　looked　like　they　had　slept。　
　Nora　realized　she　had　to　establish　a　momentum；　keep　things　moving　toward　departure；　not　allow　anyone　time　to　brood。　She　finished　her　cup；　swallowed；　cleared　her　throat。　〃This　is　how　it's　going　to　work；〃　she　said。　〃Enrique；　please　secure　the　medical　gear　we'll　need。　Luigi　will　pack　up　the　last　of　the　food。　Aaron；　I　want　you　to　climb　to　the　top　of　the　rim　and　get　a　weather　report。〃　
　〃But　the　sky　is　blue；〃　protested　Black；　with　a　distasteful　look　at　the　dangling　ladder。　
　〃Right　here；　it's　blue；〃　said　Nora。　〃But　the　rainy　season　has　started；　and　this　valley　drains　off　the　Kaiparowits。　If　it's　raining　there；　we　could　get　a　flash　flood　just　as　sure　as　if　it　were　raining　directly　on　top　of　us。　Nobody　goes　through　the　slot　canyon　until　we　get　the　weather　report。〃　
　She　looked　at　Sloane；　but　the　woman　hardly　registered　tha