thillerman.theblessingway-第31部分

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　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　arrest　on　suspicion　of　conspiracy　to　rob　a　bank；　some　East　Coast　Mafia　associations；　but　no　convictions。　Jackson　was　another　story。　He　was　also　known　as　Amos　Raven；　and　Big　Raven　and　George　Thomas；　with　a　long　and　violent　juvenile　record　dating　back　into　the　late　thirties　in　Los　Angeles；　and　one　adult　conviction　for　armed　robbery；　and　a　half…dozen　arrests　for　questioning　in　an　assortment　of　crimes　of　violence…all　Mafia…connected。
　〃A　Relocation　Indian。　Jackson　seems　to　have　been　born　in　Los　Angeles。〃　Leaphorn　laughed。　〃California　Navajo。　That's　what　had　me　hung　up。　I　was　expecting　him　to　act　like　The　People　and　all　he　knew　about　The　People　he　must　have　got　out　of　a　book。〃
　〃Case　Studies　in　Navajo　Ethnic　Aberrations；　for　one；〃　McKee　said；　〃by　John　Greersen。〃
　〃Anyway；〃　Leaphorn　continued；　〃Jackson　had　apparently　been　picked　for　this　assignment　simply　because　he　was　a　Navajo　and　looked　like　one。　His　job　must　have　been　to　help　Hall　set　up　his　equipment　and　make　sure　that　nobody　knew　what　was　going　on。　It　wouldn't　have　seemed　difficult；　for　the　very　reason　the　military　chose　this　route　for　its　overland　missile。　The　country　was　almost　pletely　deserted。　Hall　set　up　in　Many　Ruins　Canyon　plex；　which　The　People　avoid　because　of　the　Anasazi　ghosts；　and　Jackson　scared　the　few　stragglers　out　by　pretending　to　be　a　witch。〃
　〃Except　Horseman；〃　McKee　said。
　〃Yeah。　Except　Horseman。〃　Leaphorn's　voice　was　flat。
　〃It　wasn't　your　fault；〃　McKee　said。
　〃Remember　what　I　said　to　Jackson　at　the　trading　post？　I　said　if　Horseman　don't　e　out　we'll　e　in　looking　for　him。　So　Jackson　brought　him　out　for　us　and　laid　him　out　where　we　couldn't　miss　him。〃
　〃Use　your　head；　Joe。　There　was　no　way　you　could　have　stopped　it　from　happening。〃
　〃I　was　slow　figuring　it　out；〃　Leaphorn　said。　〃I　smelled　something　about　Jackson。　But　I　figured　him　to　act　like　a　Navajo　and　he　was　acting　like　a　white　man。〃
　〃Thanks　a　lot；〃　McKee　said。
　〃If　he　was　a　Navajo；　no　matter　what　he　was　doing　in　there；　killing　Horseman　would　have　screwed　it　up　for　him。　He　would　have　gone　off　somewhere　and　had　a　sweat　bath；　and　then　he　would　have　found　himself　a　Singer　and　got　himself　cured　and　forgot　about　it。〃
　Leaphorn　told　McKee　about　the　Enemy　Way　and　about　finding　the　place　where　Jackson　had　built　the　road　up　Ceniza　Mesa。
　〃He　had　put　one　of　the　radar　sets　up　there　and　then　he　was　improving　his　road　so　he　could　get　it　down　fast；　without　using　the　winch。　When　he　missed　his　hat；　he　knew　someone　had　seen　him；　so　he　moved　the　radar　back　over　to　the　plateau。　I　didn't　know　about　the　radar　but　it　was　beginning　to　be　clear　by　then　that　there　had　to　be　a　lot　of　money　involved　somewhere。　You　put　it　together…a　lot。　of　money　and　a　killing。　It's　not　natural；　and　it's　not　Navajo。〃
　〃All　right；〃　McKee　said。　〃I'll　buy　that。　But　how　did　Hall　get　into　it？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Leaphorn　said。　〃I　hear　the　federals　are　looking　into　a　little　West　Coast　electronics　pany　with　Mafia　ownership。　I　think　Hall　did　some　work　for　them　before…something　legitimate。〃　He　looked　at　McKee　pensively。　〃Didn't　that　business　about　Jackson　wanting　you　to　write　the　letter　tell　you　something？〃
　〃It　told　me　he　didn't　want　anybody　ing　in　there　looking　for　us；〃　McKee　said。　〃What　else？〃
　〃Think　about　it；〃　Leaphorn　said。　〃If　you　have　a　bunch　of　puter　tapes　giving　you　the　exact　performance　of　the　other　guy's　ballistic　missile　system；　it's　worth　a　bunch　of　money。　But　it's　worth　a　lot　more　if　the　other　side　doesn't　suspect　you've　got　it。　Right？〃
　〃Because　if　he　suspects　he　changes　the　system；〃　McKee　said。　〃Eddie　said　something　about　that。　About　the　letter　being　worth　a　lot　of　money。〃
　A　nurse　came　in　then；　a　Navajo　girl；　in　the　uniform　of　the　Indian　Service　Hospital。　She　scolded　Leaphorn　for　staying　too　long；　took　McKee's　temperature　and　gave　him　a　capsule　and　a　drink　of　water。
　When　McKee　awoke　again；　there　was　a　tray　beside　his　bed　with　a　covered　dish　of　food　on　it；　and　beside　the　dish　was　an　envelope。
　He　turned　the　envelope　in　his　good　ha