rekindled(英文版)-第20部分

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〃He　didn't　sleep　at　my　place　Saturday　night；　Chloe。〃

She　helped　herself　to　coffee。　〃How　do　you　know　he　stayed　over　Saturday
night？　How　do　you　know　he　didn't　go　back　to　New　York？〃

〃His　car　was　here　Sunday　morning。〃

She　couldn't　begrudge　him　the　gentle　teasing。　He　was　a　dear　friend。
〃You're　getting　snoopy　in　your　old　age。〃

〃I　live　right　next　door。　How　could　I　miss　it？〃

〃You　could　have　looked　the　other　way。〃

〃And　pass　up　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you　blush？　You　don't　do　it　very
often；　you　know。〃

With　determined　steadiness　she　sipped　her　coffee。　〃I'm　not　doing　it　now。
What　you　see　is　the　freshness　of　morning…〃　；；…made　fresher　by　a
stimulating　weekend。〃

〃Stimulating；〃　she　said　with　a　grunt。　〃That's　one　word　for　it。〃

〃He's　a　good　man；　Chloe。　I　liked　him。〃

〃He　liked　you；　too。　The　two　of　you　aren't　all　that　different。〃

〃Maybe　because　we　care　about　you。〃

Chloe　smiled。　〃You're　sweet。〃　She　changed　the　subject。　〃When　do　you
leave　for　Washington？〃

〃Hold　on；　pretty　lady。　I'm　still　curious。　You　and　that　guy　had　a　thing
going　once。　Is　it　on　again？〃　Quietly；　she　said；　〃I　never　talked　about　'a
thing'　with　Ross。　I　said　I　knew　him　and　that　whatever　might　have　been
between　us　was　over。　Don't　read　something　into　it　that　isn't　there。〃

〃You　make　a　nice　pair。〃

〃It's　not　your　affair。〃

Lee　backed　off。　〃You're　right。　It's　not。　If　I　had　any　sense　I'd　marry
you　myself。〃

Chloe　was　suddenly　cross。　〃I　wouldn't　say　yes　to　you；　either！〃

〃So　he　did　ask　you。〃　Her　partner　smiled。　〃Fast　worker；　that　one。〃

Unable　to　e　up　with　a　suitably　indignant　retort；　she　stood　up　with
her　mug　and　made　to　flee　to　her　office。

〃What　about　breakfast？〃　Lee's　voice　trailed　after　her。

〃I'm　not　hungry！〃

〃You　shouldn't　work　on　an　empty　stomach。〃　Ross　had　said　the　same　thing
Saturday。

〃I'll　live！〃　she　shouted　over　her　shoulder　and　closed　the　office　door。

The　telephone　jangled；　a　merciful　reminder　of　the　workday　ahead。　It　was
Alabama。　Had　she　made　a　decision　on　handling　the　study　for　the　citizens'
group　in　Mobile？　No。　She　hadn't　even　thought　about　it　once　during　the
weekend。　It　would　mean　a　week　on　location　taking　samples　of　Gulf　water
and　testing　the　ocean　floor　position。　It　was　a　potentially
fascinating　project；　since　the　toxic　waste　burning　plan　was　so　new。

〃Yes；　Ms。　Farwell。　I'll　take　the　job。　What's　the　exact　status　of　the
waste　burning　now？〃

A　gentle　voice　responded　with　concern。　〃The　tanker　will　be　leaving
Mobile　two　weeks　from　tomorrow　loaded　with　oil　contaminated　with　PCBS。
Those　PCBS　are　cancer…causing。　The　pany　that　owns　the　freighter
claims　that　by　the　time　the　oil　is　pletely　burned；　any　toxic　acid
emitted　in　the　smoke　will　have　been　neutralized　by　the　seawater。　We
doubt　that。〃

Chloe　made　notes　as　the　woman　talked。　〃Where　do　they　plan　to　do　the
burning？〃

The　woman　knew　her　facts　and　offered　them　up；　along　with　a　detailed　list
of　the　equipment　Chloe　would　need。　She　also　advised　Chloe　on　making
arrangements　with　the　local　university　for　the　use　of　their　lab。

Hanging　up　the　phone；　Chloe　was　pleased。　With　the　use　of　a　lab；　she
would　be　able　to　spend　evenings　analyzing　the　samples　she　collected。
Four　or　five　days　out；　and　the　job　would　be　done。

The　project　was　exciting。　More　than　that；　the　escape　from　Little　pton
was　just　what　she　needed。　It　would　give　her　a　head　start　at　putting　Ross
out　of　her　mind。

Her　pencil　moved　over　the　paper；　making　further　notes　on　the　Alabama
project。　She　would　fly　down　in　three　weeks；　by　which　time　the　tanker
would　have　reached　its　proposed　burn　site　and　started　to　work。　Three
weeks　would　take　her　into　the　second　week　in　November。　After　a　week　in
Mobile；　Thanksgiving　would　be　at　hand。

Thanksgiving。　She　felt　a　soft；　distant　shudder。　Should　she　go　home？

Alabama　was　in　the　vicinity　of　Louisiana。　Mobile　was　a　hop；　skip；　and
jump　from　New　Orleans。　She　hadn't　seen　her　parents　in　a　long　time。　She
missed　them　a　lot。　Same　with　her　brothers。　One　of　them　might　be　there；
too。

But　there　would　be　memories　of　another　Thanksgiving；　not　only　in　Chloe's
mind　but　in　those　of　her　parents　and　brothers。　Could　she　face　those？　In
eleven　years　she　had　never　made　it　home　for　Thanksgiving。　They　must　have
guessed　why。　No　doubt　they　were　relieved。　Looking　at　Chloe　was　seeing
Crystal；　too。　She　hated　to　impose　that　on　a　family　Thanksgiving。

The　phone　rang　again。　〃Chloe？　Howard　Wolschinski　here。　I　just　got　a　call
from　Stephenson。　He's　ready　to　talk。〃　He　paused。　Chloe　didn't　know　what
to　say。　〃Are　you　still　there？〃　he　asked。

〃I'm　here；　Howard。〃　She　sighed；　resigned。　She　should　have　known。　〃That's
good　news；〃　she　said　with　forced　enthusiasm。　〃Has　he　given　on　all　of　our
points？〃

〃He　hasn't　given　on　anything　yet。　But　he　says　that　he　hears　what　you're
saying　and　is　willing　to　have　you　work　with　his　people　to　revise　the
plans。〃

〃That's　fine。　My　studies　and　findings　are　all　clearly　outlined　in　the
report　I　did　for　you。　I'll　have　one　of　my　assistants　give　him　a　call。〃

〃He　wants　you。〃

〃Did　he　say　that？〃

〃Loud　and　clear。　His　exact　words　were；　〃If　it　were　anyone　else；　I'd　have
doubts。　But　Chloe　Macdaniel　has　a　spirit　that　can　convince　the　men　of
the　Hansen　Corporation　that　they'd　be　dumb　not　to　follow　her　advice。'　I
wrote　it　right　down；　Chloe。　Thought　you'd　be　pleased。〃

〃Oh；　yeah；〃　she　murmured　under　her　breath。　The　snake。　He'd　stolen　her
own　words。

〃What　was　that？〃　Howard　asked。

〃Ah；　nothing；　Howard。　Just　a　thought。〃　She　cleared　her　throat。　〃Are　you
sure　he　won't　settle　for　another　member　of　the　firm？〃

〃I　doubt　it。　You'll　work　with　him；　won't　you；　Chloe。　I　told　him　you
would。〃

〃Howard；　how　can　you　do　this　to　me？　Why　can't　you　convince　him　that
another　member　of　the　firm…even　Lee；　my　partner…will　do　just　as　well？〃

〃I　suppose　I　could　try　if　I　wanted　to。〃

〃But　you　don't。〃

〃No。〃

〃You　just　lost　my　vote。〃

Howard　laughed　roundly。　〃Thank　goodness　you　don't　live　up　here。　You'd
have　the　whole　district　against　me。　Seriously；　though；　we　have　to　get
moving　on　this。　The　referendum　is　scheduled　for　early　November。　Ross
wants　to　meet　with　you　A…S…A…P　so　that　his　team　can　get　to　work　on　some
changes。〃

〃A…S…A…R　When　is　that？〃

〃Yesterday。〃

I　met　with　him　yesterday；　she　thought。　〃I　can't　make　it　before
Wednesday；　Howard。〃　It　was　just　another　job；　she　told　herself。　Just
another　oh。

〃Wednesday　will　be　fine。〃

〃Should　I　meet　them　up　at　the　site？〃　One　place　would　be　as　bad　as　the
next。　But　if　there　were　others　around；　the　temptation　would　be　less。

Howard　dashed　her　hopes。　〃He　wants　you　in　New　York。　That's　where　the
drawing　boards　are。　He'll　make　arrangements　for　your　transportation　and
housing。　I　have　to　get　back　to　him　later　to　tell　him　when。　Wednesday；
you　say？〃

She　gave　a　low　but　very　audible　drawn…out　sigh。　〃It's　as　good　a　day　as
any。〃

〃That's　my　girl！　I'll　call　you　with　the　details。　Okay？〃

〃You're　the　boss。〃

She　should　have　felt　victorious；　hanging　up　the　phone。　If　Ross　caved　in；
there　would　be　no　need　for　a　referendum　and　the　Rye　Beach　plex　would
be　built　on　an　environmentally　sound　plan。　How　much　better　could　things
be？

Tossing　her　hair　over　her　shoulder；　she　grabbed　her　now　empty　mug　and
stomped　through　the　living　room　into　the　kitchen；　where　she　poured　more
coffee　and　reached　for　the　sticky　bun　Lee　had　left。　That　was　when　she
spotted　the　open　door　to　his　office。

〃Lee！〃　She　burst　in；　rousing　her　partner　from　the　depths　of　a　thick
folder。　〃Lee；　you're　just　the　person　I　need。〃　So　much　for　gentlemen's
agreements。　Despite　what　she'd　told　Howard；　if　Lee　would　fill　in　for
her；　she　would　send　him　to　New　York。　She　could　play　just　as　dirty　as
Ross。

〃Umm？〃

〃I　need　you　to　fill　in　for　me　in　New　York　on　Wednesday。　Can　you　make
it？〃

He　was　shaking　his　head　before　she'd　even　finished。　〃I'll　be　in
Washington。　Why？　A　problem？〃

〃No。　Nothing　much。〃　She　mumbled　the　last　and　turned　away。

〃Chloe。　Get　back　here。　You'd　never　rush　in　asking　me　to　fill　in　for　you
for　nothing　much。〃　A　look　came　over　his　face。　〃Oh。〃　He　cleared　his
throat。　〃So　he　called　you；　too。〃

She　frowned。　〃Howard　called　you？〃

〃Ross　called　me。　I　think　his　offer　is　good。〃

〃Offer？　Ross？　What　are　you　talking　about？〃

It　was　Lee's　turn　to　frown。　〃I'm　talking　about　the　phone　call　I　received
from　Ross　Stephenson　no　more　than　a　half　hour　ago。　He　wants　to　retain
our　services。　What　are　you　talking　about？〃

A　furious　Chloe　leaned　on　Lee's　desk。　〃I　already　refused　him！　I'm
talking　about　the　phone　call　from　Howard　Wolschinski　saying　that　Ross　is
ready　to　revise　the　Rye　Beach　proposal。〃

〃That's　great！〃

〃It's　not！　He　wants　me　to　work　with　him　and　that's　the　last　thing　I　want
to　do！〃

Lee　was　suddenly　very　gentle　and　very　serious。　He　pointed　her　into　a
chair　and　rounded　the　desk　to　make　sure　that　she　sat。　Perching　nearby；
he　said；　〃Okay；　pretty　lady。　Tell　me　about　it。〃

She　felt　utterly　helpless。　〃Ross　is　willing　to　make　the　changes；　but　he
refuses　to　go　by　my　report。　He　wants　me　to　work　with　his　people；　in
person；　in　New　York。〃

〃gather；〃　he　said；　stroking　his　beard；　〃that　you　aren't　bothered　by　New
York；　per　se。〃

〃You　gather　correctly。〃

〃Chloe；　what's　wrong？〃　he　asked　softly。　〃The　man　seems　intelligent　and
honest。　You　shouldn't　have　any　problem。　You　can　be　in　and　out　of　the
city　in　no　time。〃　At　wit's　end；　she　said；　〃He　thinks　he's　in　love　with
me；　that's　the　problem。　If　it　were　only　a　matter　of　business；　I　wouldn't
worry。　But　Ross　says　he　wants　to　marry　me。〃

〃So　what's　the　problem？〃

〃can't　marry　him。〃　She　pleaded　for　his　understanding。　〃And　I'm　not　sure
I　can　take　his　constant　pressure。〃

〃Are　you　afraid　you　might　give　in？〃　He　erased　the　question　with　a　wave。
〃Backtrack。　Why　can't　you　marry　him？　You're　free。〃

〃Not　quite。〃

〃You're　not　making　sense；　pretty　lady。　From　what　I　can　see；　there's
nothing　in　the　world　to　keep　you　from　marrying　Ross。〃

〃What　if　I　don't　love　him？〃　she　blurted　out。

〃If　you　don't　love　him；　then　you're　right　to　hold　out。　And　if　you　don't
love　him；　you'll　have　no　trouble　putting　him　off。　He'll　get　tired　after
a　while。〃　Lee　was　watching　her　face　very；　very　closely。　〃That's　not　the
real　problem；　is　it？　You　do　love　him。〃

She　blew　out