thillerman.theblessingway-第22部分

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't　moving。　McKee　heard　the　hand　brake　pulled　on。
　〃I　see　you　got　a　woman；　George。　Where's　the　man　you　were　after？〃
　The　voice　was　soft。　A　Virginia　accent；　McKee　thought；　or　maybe　Carolina　or　Maryland。
　〃In　the　back　seat；〃　the　Navajo　said。　〃Get　out；　Miss　Leon。〃
　The　door　by　McKee's　head　opened　and　he　saw　a　man　looking　down　at　him。　On　his　stomach；　with　his　head　turned　to　one　side；　McKee　could　see　only　out　of　the　corner　of　his　right　eye。　He　could　see　a　belt　buckle；　and　a　navy…blue　vest　with　black　buttons；　and　the　bottom　of　the　man's　chin　and　up　his　nostrils。
　〃He's　tied　up；〃　the　voice　above　him　said。　It　seemed　to　McKee　a　remarkably　stupid　thing　to　say。
　〃Move　a　little　bit　out　of　the　way；〃　the　Navajo　said。　Then　McKee　felt　the　Indian's　hands；　deftly　untying　the　knots。
　〃Get　any　calls　while　you　were　gone？〃　the　soft　voice　asked。　〃Do　they　know　when　we　can　haul　out　of　this　hole？〃
　〃No　calls；〃　the　Big　Navajo　said。　〃You　see　anything？〃
　〃No；〃　the　soft　voice　said。　〃Just　that　kid　on　the　horse　again。　Up　on　the　top。　Way　off　across　the　mesa。〃
　〃You　can　get　up　now；　Dr。　McKee。〃
　McKee　sat　up　and　examined　the　man　with　the　blue　vest。　He　was　a　tall　young　man　with　a　pale　face　shaded　by　a　light…blue　straw　hat。　He　looked　back　at　McKee　and　nodded　politely…blue　eyes　under　blond　eyebrows…and　then　turned　toward　Miss　Leon。
　〃How　do　you　do；〃　he　said。　Ellen　Leon　ignored　him。
　The　young　man　wore　a　harness　over　his　vest　supporting　a　shoulder　holster　with　a　semi…automatic　pistol　in　it。　McKee　didn't　recognize　the　type；　but　it　seemed　to　be　about　。38　caliber。　Miss　Leon　stood　stiffly　in　front　of　the　truck。　She　looked　frightened。
　〃e　on；〃　the　Big　Navajo　said。　〃Get　out　now。　I'm　in　a　hurry。〃
　McKee　climbed　out　of　the　Land…Rover；　his　muscles　stiff。　His　head　ached；　but　the　ache　was　lost　in　the　violent　throbbing　of　his　injured　hand。　He　held　it　stiffly　at　his　side　and　glanced　around。
　They　were　up　a　narrow　side　canyon。　Below；　not　more　than　two　hundred　yards；　McKee　could　see　the　broad　sandy　bed　of　Many　Ruins　bright　in　the　afternoon　sun。　Here　there　was　shadow　and　it　was　a　moment　before　he　noticed　the　cliff　dwelling　high　on　the　sandstone　wall　behind　the　blond　man。　It　was　large　for　an　Anasazi　ruin…built　in　a　long　horizontal　fault　cleft　some　forty　feet　above　the　talus　slope　and　protected　from　above　by　the　sloping　overhang　of　the　cliff。　He　wondered；　fleetingly；　if　it　was　one　of　those　excavated　by　the　Harvard…Smithsonian　teams。　It　would　be　hard　to　reach；　but　that　made　it　all　the　more　attractive　to　the　archaeologists。　Less　chance　it　had　been　disturbed。
　〃Dr。　McKee　is　going　to　write　that　letter　for　us；　Eddie；〃　the　Navajo　said。　〃It　may　take　some　time；　and　while　I'm　thinking　about　the　letter；　you　want　to　be　thinking　about　McKee。　He's　tricky。〃
　〃He　hasn't　written　it　yet？〃　the　blond　man　asked。　He　sounded　surprised。
　〃I　could　have　had　him　write　it　back　at　his　camp；〃　the　Indian　said。　〃I　think　I　could　handle　him。　Ninety…nine　chances　out　of　a　hundred。　But　why　take　chances　with　one　this　slippery？〃
　〃Too　much　money　involved；〃　Eddie　said。　〃Way　too　much　money　for　taking　chances。〃
　He　slipped　the　pistol　deftly　from　the　holster；　handling　it；　McKee　noticed　glumly；　as　naturally　as　a　pipe　smoker　handles　a　pipe。
　〃Don't　talk　so　much；〃　the　Big　Navajo　said。　〃We're　going　to　leave　these　two　behind　and　the　less　they　hear　the　better。〃
　Eddie　said；　〃Oh？〃　The　word　came　out　as　another　question。
　The　Navajo　reached　into　the　Land…Rover；　pulled　out　a　pile　of　papers；　stacked　them　on　the　hood；　sorted　swiftly　through　them；　extracted　a　letter；　and　skimmed　it。
　〃How　about　this　Dr。　Green？　Looks　like　he's　your　boss。　He'd　probably　be　the　one　to　write。〃
　〃Green's　chairman　of　the　department；〃　McKee　said。　〃We　usually　try　to　keep　in　touch　when　we're　in　the　field。〃
　How　long；　McKee　wondered；　had　Canfield　lived　after　he　wrote　his　note　for　this　man？　Just　long　enough　for　the　Navajo　to　kill　him　without　marks　of　violence。　Only　one　thing　was　clear　in　this　incredible　situation…the　Navajo's　need　for　this　letter　was　all　that　kept　Miss　Leon　and　himself　alive。　He　wouldn't　write　it；　but　it　had　to　be　handled　exactly　right。
　The　Big　Navajo　handed　him　Dr。　Canfield's　ballpoint　pen。　It　was　a　slim　silver　pen；　and　as　McKee　accepted　it　with　his　left　hand　he　felt　his　resolution　harden。　He　would　never；　under　any　circumstances；　write　this　letter。
　〃I　didn't　find　any　stationery　so　I　guess　you　use　your　notebook？〃
　〃That's　right；〃　McKee　said。
　〃We'll　make　it　to　Dr。　Green；〃　the　Navajo　said。　〃What　do　you　call　him？　Dr。　Green？　Or　his　first　name？〃
　〃Dr。　Green；〃　McKee　lied。　〃He's　pretty　stuffy。〃
　The　Navajo　looked　at　him　thoughtfully。　〃What　was　Dr。　Canfield's　first　name？　Was　it　John？〃
　〃John　Robert　Canfield；〃　McKee　said。
　The　Big　Navajo　studied　him。
　〃Dr。　McKee；〃　he　said　finally；　〃what　happened　to　Dr。　Canfield　was　too　bad。　It　couldn't　be　helped　because　Dr。　Canfield　tried　to　get　away　and　he　didn't　leave　me　any　alternative。　But　there　is　no　reason　at　all　for　you　and　Miss　Leon　to　die。　If　this　letter　is　written　properly　it　will　give　us　time　to　finish　what　we　are　doing　here。　And　then　we　will　leave　and　we　can　afford　to　leave　you　behind。〃　He　said　all　this　very　slowly；　watching　McKee　intently。　McKee　kept　his　expression　studiously　nonmittal。
　〃You　may　doubt　that；　but　it's　true。　When　we　are　finished　here；　there　will　be　no　way　at　all　to　trace　us。　If　you　cooperate；　we　can　leave　you　up　in　that　cliff　dwelling　with　food　and　water。　In　time；　perhaps　you　could　find　a　way　to　get　down。　If　not；　someone　will　e　in　here　sooner　or　later　and　find　you。〃
　〃What　happens　if　I　don't　write　the　letter？〃
　The　Navajo's　expression　remained　perfectly　pleasant。
　〃Then　I'll　have　to　kill　you　both。　Without　the　letter　we'd　have　to　hurry。　You　would　slow　us　down　some；　because　someone　will　have　to　watch　you。　Nothing　personal　about　it；　Dr。　McKee。　It's　simply　a　matter　of　money。〃　He　smiled。　〃You　know　our　Origin　Myth。　That's　what　witchcraft　is　all　about…the　way　to　make　money。〃
　〃What　do　you　want　me　to　write？〃　McKee　asked。
　〃That's　part　of　the　problem。　We　want　a　letter　to　Dr。　Green　telling　him　that　you're　leaving　this　canyon　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？