thillerman.theblessingway-第6部分

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ing　for　a　flaw。　The　Gallup　police　had　reported　the　car　Horseman　had　taken　after　the　knifing　was　last　seen　heading　north　on　U。S。　666；　the　right　direction。　It　had　been　found　later；　abandoned　near　Greasewood。　The　right　place；　if　he　was　returning　to　the　west…slope　canyon　country　of　his　mother's　clan。　And　there　was　every　reason　to　think　he　would。　Horseman　was　scared。　The　territory　was　empty；　and　a　fugitive's　dream　for　hiding　out。　His　kinsmen　would　feed　him　and　keep　their　mouths　shut。　And　at　Shoemaker's　Leaphorn　was　certain　that　at　least　two　of　those　he　had　talked　to　had　known　about　Horseman。　There　was　the　old　man　with　the　witch　story　and　it　was　even　more　obvious　with　the　boy　who　had　e　in　late。　He　had　clearly　been　relieved　to　hear　the　Mexican　hadn't　died　and　clearly　was　in　a　hurry　to　end　the　conversation　and　go　tell　someone　about　it。　And　then　there　was　the　Big　Navajo。　〃He　was　interested；〃　Leaphorn　said。　〃Remember　he　asked　me　to　describe　Horseman。　And　Shoemaker　said　he　was　new　around　there。　Why　would　he　be　interested　if　he　hadn't　seen　him？〃
　〃You're　hung　up　on　the　hat　thing；〃　McKee　said。
　〃All　right；〃　Leaphorn　said。　〃You　explain　the　hat。〃
　〃Sure。　He　took　the　hatband　off　and　while　it　was　off；　somebody　stole　the　hat。〃
　〃When's　the　last　time　you　took　off　your　hatband？〃
　〃I　don't　wear　silver　conchos　on　my　hat；〃　McKee　said。
　They　picked　up　the　coroner…justice　of　the　peace　at　a　Conoco　station　in　Ganado；　a　man　named　Rudolph　Bitsi。　Bitsi　told　them　to　drive　south。
　The　late　morning　sun　was　hot　by　the　time　they　arrived　at　the　edge　of　Teastah　Wash　and　the　Navajo　policeman　who　had　been　left　with　the　body　had　retreated　into　the　shade　of　the　arroyo　wall。　He　climbed　into　the　sunlight；　blinking；　as　the　carryall　stopped。　He　looked　very　young；　and　a　little　nervous。　Leaphorn　said　the　policeman　was　Dick　Roanhorse；　just　out　of　recruit　school。
　〃Find　anything　interesting？〃　Leaphorn　asked。
　〃No；　sir。　Just　this　bottle。　The　only　tracks　are　the　ones　made　by　Begay's　pickup。　Rain　washed　everything　else　out。〃
　〃The　body　was　here　before　the　rain；　then；〃　Leaphorn　said。　It　was　more　a　statement　than　a　question；　and　the　policeman　only　nodded。
　Leaphorn　pulled　the　blanket　off　the　body。　They　looked　at　what　had　been　Luis　Horseman。
　〃Well；〃　Bitsi　said；　〃looks　like　he　might　have　had　some　sort　of　seizure。〃
　〃Looks　like　it；〃　Leaphorn　said。
　Bitsi　squatted；　examining　the　face。　He　was　a　short；　middle…aged　man；　tending　to　fat；　and　he　grunted　as　he　lowered　himself。　He　sniffed　at　Horseman's　nose　and　lips。
　〃Alcohol。　You　can　just　barely　get　a　whiff　of　it。〃
　Leaphorn　was　looking　at　Horseman's　legs。　McKee　noticed　they　were　rigidly　straight…as　if　he　had　died　erect　and　tumbled　backward；　which　wasn't　likely。
　Bitsi　was　still　examining　the　face。　〃I　saw　one　that　looked　like　that　two；　three　years　ago。　Crazy　bastard　had　made　him　a　brew　out　of　jimson　weed　to　get　more　potent　and　it　poisoned　him。〃
　Leaphorn　was　looking　at　Horseman's　left　arm。　The　watch　on　his　wrist　was　running；　which　would　mean　he　had　wound　it　the　previous　day…probably　less　than　twenty…four　hours　earlier。　It　was　a　cheap　watch；　the　kind　that　cost　about　8　or　10；　with　a　stainless…steel　expansion　band。　Leaphorn　stared　at　the　left　hand。　The　arm　lay　across　Horseman's　chest　with　the　wrist　and　hand　extended；　unsupported。
　〃Pretty　fair　booze；〃　Bitsi　said；　holding　up　the　bottle。　The　label　was　red　and　proclaimed　the　contents　to　be　sour…mash　whiskey。　About　a　half　ounce　of　amber　liquid　remained　in　the　bottle。
　〃Looks　like　he　overdid　it；〃　Bitsi　said。　〃Looks　like　he　strangled。　Fell　down　while　he　was　throwing　up；　and　passed　out　and　strangled。〃
　〃That's　what　it　looks　like；〃　Leaphorn　said。
　〃Might　as　well　haul　him　in；〃　Bitsi　said。　He　rose　from　his　squat；　grunting　again。
　〃No　tracks　at　all？〃　Leaphorn　asked　the　policeman。
　〃Just　Begay's。　Where　he　got　out　of　his　pickup　and　came　over　to　look　at　the　body。　Nothing　but　that。〃；
　There　were　plenty　of　tracks　now。　Mostly　Roanhorse's；　Leaphorn　guessed。
　〃Where　was　the　bottle？〃
　〃Four　or　five　feet　from　the　body；〃　Roanhorse　said。　〃Like　he　dropped　it。〃
　〃O。K。；〃　Leaphorn　said。　He　was　looking　across　the　flat　through　which　Teastah　Wash　had　eroded；　an　expanse　of　scrubby　creosote　bush　with　a　scattering　of　sage。　At　the　lip　of　the　wash　bank；　a　few　yards　upstream　from　the　road；　two　small　junipers　had　managed　to　get　roots　deep　enough　to　live。　Leaphorn　walked　suddenly　to　the　nearest　bush　and　examined　it。　He　motioned　to　Roanhorse；　and　McKee　followed。
　〃You　pull　a　limb　off　this　for　anything？〃
　Roanhorse　shook　his　head。
　There　was　a　raw　wound　on　the　lower　trunk　where　a　limb　had　been　broken　away。　Leaphorn　put　his　thumb　against　the　exposed　cambium　layer　and　showed　it　to　McKee。　It　was　sticky　with　fresh　sap。
　〃What　do　you　think　of　that？〃
　〃Nothing；〃　McKee　said。　〃How　about　you？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Probably　nothing。〃
　He　started　walking　back　toward　the　body；　through　the　creosote　bush；　searching。　Bitsi；　McKee　noticed；　had　climbed　back　into　the　carryall。
　〃Look　around　across　the　road　there；〃　Leaphorn　said；　〃and　see　if　you　can　find　that　juniper　branch。〃
　But　he　found　it　himself。　The　frail　needles　were　dirty　and　broken。　McKee　guessed　it　had　been　used　as　a　broom　even　before　Leaphorn　told　him。
　〃That　looked　pretty　smart；　Joe；〃　McKee　said。　〃Where　does　it　take　you？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃　Leaphorn　was　looking　intently　at　the　body。　〃Notice　how　his　legs　are　stretched　out　straight。　He　could　have　pushed　'em　out　that　way　after　he　fell　down；　but　if　you　do　that　laying　on　the　ground；　looks　like　it　would　push　your　pants　cuffs　away　from　your　ankles。〃　He　stood　silently；　surveying　the　body。　〃Maybe　that's　all　right　though。　It　could　happen。〃　He　looked　at　McKee。　〃That　wrist　couldn't　happen；　though。〃
　He　squatted　beside　the　body；　looking　up。
　〃Ever　try　to　pick　up　an　unconscious　man？　He's　limp。　Absolutely　limp。　After　he's　dead　two…three　hours；　he　starts　getting　stiff。〃
　That's　why　I　noticed　the　arm；　McKee　thought。　It　doesn't　look　natural。
　〃You　think　he　was　dead；　and　somebody　put　him　here？〃
　〃Maybe；〃　Leaphorn　said。　〃And　whoever　did　it　didn't　know　it　was　going　to　rain　so　they　brushed　out　their　tracks。〃
　〃But　why？〃　McKee　asked。　He　looked　around。　Here　the　body　was　sure　to　be　found　and　down　in　the　wash　it　could　have　been　buried；　probably　forever。
　〃I've　got　better　questions　than　that；〃　Leaphorn　said。　〃Like　how　did　he　die？　We　can　find　that　out。　And　then　maybe　it　will　be　who　did　it；　and　why。　Why　would　anyone　want　to　kill　the　poor　bastard？〃
　
　Chapter　7
　
　Old　Woman　Gray　Rocks　leaned　back　against　the　cedar　pole　supporting　one　corner　of　the　brush　hogan　and　took　a　long　pull　on　the　cigarette　McKee　had　lit　for　her。　She　blew　the　smoke　out　her　nostrils。　Behind　her；　the　foothills　of　the　Lukachukais　shimmered　under　the　blinding　sun…gray　mesquite　and　creosote　bush；　gray…green　scrub　cedar；　and　the　paler　gray　of　the　eroded　gullies；　and　above　the　grayness　the　blue…green　of　the　higher　slopes　shaded　now　by　an　embryo　early…afternoon　thundercloud。　By　sundown；　McKee　thought；　the　cloud　would　be　producing　lightning　and　those　frail　curtains　of　rain　which　would；　in　arid…country　fashion；　evaporate　high　above　the　ground。　He　wondered　idly　if　Leaphorn　had　been　right…if　Horseman　had　been　hiding　back　in　that　broken　canyon　country。
　He　refocused　his　eyes　to　the　dimmer　light　under　the　brush　and　saw　that　Old　Woman　Gray　Rocks　was　smiling　at　him。
　〃The　way　they　do　it；〃　she　said；　〃is　catch　the　Wolf　and　tie　him　down。　Not　give　him　anything　to　eat　or　any　water　and　not　let　him　take　his　pants　down　for　anything　until　he　tells　that　he's　the　one　that's　doing　the　witching。　Once　they　tell　it；　it's　all　right　after　that。　Then　the　witching　turns　around　and　the　man　he　did　it　to　gets　all　right　and　the　witch　gets　sick　and　dies。〃
　Old　Woman　Gray　Rocks　removed　the　cigarette　and　held　it　between　thumb　and　first　finger。　It　occurred　to　McKee　that　every　Navajo　he　had　ever　seen　smoking…including　children…used　the　same　unorthodox　grip。
　〃I　don't　think　they're　going　to　catch　this　one；〃　she　said。
　〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃　McKee　was　feeling　good　that　his　mand　of　Navajo　had　returned。　Two　days　ago　he　would　only　have　said　〃Why？〃　which　required　a　single　monosyllabic　guttural。　He　had　only　had　time　for　one　afternoon　in　the　language　lab　listening　to　tapes　and　his　pronunciation　had　been　rough　at　first。　Now　he　was　almost　as　fluent　as　he　had　been　at　twenty…seven。　〃Kintahgoo'　bil　i　noolhtah？〃　he　said；　repeating　the　question　and　relishing　the　sound。
　They　don't　think　he　lives　around　here。　He's　a　stranger。〃
　McKee　was　suddenly　mildly　interested。　He　had　been　feeling　drowsy；　the　effect　of　an　unusually　heavy　meal　（lamb　stew；　floating　in　fat；　boiled　corn；　fried　cornbread；　and　canned　peaches）　and　of　a　certainty；　established　not　long　after　Canfield　had　dropped　him　off　at　the　hogan；　that　the　woman　would　tell　him　nothing　useful。　He　had　hoped　he　would　learn　something　of　the　motivation　behind　the　witchcraft　gossip；　detect　the　sickness；　or　the　intra…family　tensions；　or　the　jealousies；　or　whatever　trouble　had　produced　a　need　for　a　scapegoat　witch。　This　hope　had　grown　when　Old　Woman　Gray　Rocks　had　proved　friendly　and　weled　him　warmly。　All　morning　long　it　had　faded。　But　there　was　nothing　to　do　now　but　wait　for　Canfield　to　stop　on　his　way　back　from　buying　supplies　to　pick　him　up。　If　there　was　serious　trouble　in　the　clan；　natural　or　human；　Old　Woman　Gray　Rocks　seemed　genuinely　unaware　of　it。　She　gossiped　cheerfully　about　minor　affairs。　The　nephew　of　an　uncle　by　marriage　had　left　his　wife　and　taken　up　with　a　woman　in　the　Peach　Tree　Clan　at　Moenkopi。　He　had　stolen　one　of　his　wife's　horses。　One　of　the　sons　of　Hosteen　Tom　had　gone　to　Farmington　to　join　the　Marine　Corps　but　they　said　now　that　he　was　working　at　the　place　where　they　mined　the　coal　near　Four　Corners。　They　said　the　Marines　didn't　take　him　because　he　didn't　do　right　on　the　papers。
　There　had　been　much　other　information。　The　winter　had　been　wet　and　early　grazing　was　pretty　good。　The　price　of　wool　was　down　a　little　but　the　price　of　mutton　was　up。　Some　of　the　nephews　had　found　jobs　at　the　new　sawmill　the　Tribal　Council　had　opened。　George　Charley　had　seen　trucks　way　over　by　Los　Gigantes　Buttes　and　the　men　told　him　they　belonged　to　an　oil　pany　and　that　Hosteen　Charley　had　better　move　his　sheep　out　of　the