thillerman.theblessingway-第20节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　it　with　a　phony　name？〃
　〃Maybe　it　was　a　joke；〃　Miss　Leon　said。
　Maybe　it　was　a　joke；　McKee　thought。　If　it　is；　I'll　kill　the　smirking　bastard。
　〃I　thought　of　that；　too；〃　McKee　said；　〃But　last　night；　sometime　after　midnight；　I　saw　a　man　sneaking　up　on　our　tent。　Had　a　wolf　skin　over　his　head。〃　He　had　planned　not　to　mention　the　wolf　skin；　thinking　it　might　frighten　her；　or　merely　make　the　entire　episode　seem　more　ludicrous。　But　he　blurted　it　out。
　〃Is　that　how　you　got　that　awful　bruise？　Did　he　hit　you？〃
　The　sympathy　in　her　voice　made　McKee　feel　about　seven　years　old。
　〃No。　No；〃　he　said；　impatiently。　〃I　fell　on　a　rock。〃
　Miss　Leon　slowed　the　Volks　and　shifted　into　low　gear　to　make　her　way　across　a　bed　of　rocks。
　〃Your　hand's　hurt；　too；〃　Miss　Leon　said。
　〃I'd　like　you　to　drive　back　to　Shoemaker's；〃　McKee　said。　〃When　you　get　there；　tell　Shoemaker　that　something　happened　to　Canfield　and　ask　him　to　call　Chinle　and　get　the　Law　and　Order　boys　to　send　someone　in　here　to　help　look。〃
　McKee　made　a　wry　face。
　〃Or；　if　you　meet　Canfield　on　your　way　to　Shoemaker's；　just　forget　the　whole　thing。〃　He　laughed。　Tell　Canfield　you　met　some　kind　of　nut　up　the　canyon　named　Bergen　McKee。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Miss　Leon　said。　She　glanced　at　the　right　hand　held　rigidly　inside　his　shirt　front。　〃How　badly。。。〃
　Immediately　ahead　of　them　around　an　abrupt　bend　of　the　canyon；　there　was　the　whining　sound　of　a　motor　running　at　a　high　speed。
　〃Stop　a　minute；〃　McKee　said；　but　Miss　Leon　was　already　braking　the　car。
　As　he　reached　across　with　his　left　hand　for　the　door　handle；　he　brushed　the　injured　finger　and　felt　suddenly　sick　and　weak　as　a　fresh　wave　of　pain　engulfed　his　brain。　He　swung　his　legs　out　of　the　Volks　and　sat　for　a　moment；　head　down；　while　the　dizziness　passed。　He　heard　Miss　Leon　opening　her　door。
　〃I'll　go　see　what's　going　on；〃　he　said。　〃You　wait　here。〃　He　realized；　with　self…disgust；　that　the　words　came　slowly　and　his　voice　was　thick。　When　he　got　to　his　feet　she　was　already　out　of　the　car。　Let　it　go；　he　thought。　He　didn't　feel　like　arguing。
　It　was　less　than　fifty　yards　to　the　canyon　bend　but　McKee　had　identified　the　sound　before　they　reached　it。　He　was　almost　certain　it　was　a　winch　working。　His　first　glance　around　the　rocky　point　confirmed　this　guess。　Some　five　hundred　yards　downstream　the　canyon　bent　sharply　to　the　north　through　a　narrow　defile。　Here　a　section　of　the　undercut　cliff　had　collapsed；　tumbling　huge　blocks　of　rimrock　to　the　canyon　floor。　Just　beyond　this　pile　of　talus；　McKee　saw　a　gray　Land…Rover　parked。　A　cable　from　the　winch　reel　on　its　front　bumper　was　attached　to　a　ponderosa　pine　carried　into　the　canyon　by　the　landslide。　The　massive　trunk　of　the　long…dead　tree　was　being　swung　slowly　across　the　canyon。
　〃Looks　like　we　walk　out；〃　McKee　said　softly。
　〃What　in　the　world　is　he　doing？〃
　〃He's　blocking　us　in　with　that　tree。〃
　〃He　is；　isn't　he？〃　She　said　it　in　a　very　small　voice。
　McKee　couldn't　see　the　man　in　the　Land…Rover　very　well。　He　was　wearing　a　black　hat　and　there　was　something　which　might　be　a　rifle　barrel　jutting　at　an　angle　out　of　the　side　window。　The　high　whining　noise　of　the　winching　operation　had　apparently　covered　the　sound　of　their　approach。
　〃Let's　go；〃　McKee　said。　〃We'll　drive　back　up　the　canyon　and　find　one　of　those　run…in　washes；　and　climb　out　of　here。〃
　The　sound　of　the　winch　stopped　just　as　they　reached　the　car。　There　was　a　long　moment　of　silence　as　they　climbed　into　the　Volkswagen；　and　then　the　sound　began　again。　McKee　motioned　for　Miss　Leon　to　start　the　motor。
　〃Quietly　as　you　can；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　race　the　motor　and　get　it　into　second　quick　as　possible。〃
　She　said　nothing；　driving　petently　and；　McKee　noticed　out　of　the　side　of　his　eye；　occasionally　biting　her　lower　lip。
　〃But　why　would　that　man　want　to　block　the　road？〃　she　asked　suddenly。　〃Do　you　think　we　should　just　drive　down　there　and　ask　him　to　let　us　through？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　McKee　said。　He　felt　very；　very　tired。
　〃Was　that　the　man　you　saw　last　night？　The　man　with　the　wolf　skin？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　guess　it　is。〃
　A　half　mile　up　the　canyon　he　had　her　turn　off　the　ignition。　From　far　behind　them　there　still　came　the　high　whine　of　the　winch；　a　faint　sound　now。
　〃Anyway；　he　can't　follow　us；〃　Miss　Leon　said。　She　smiled　at　McKee。　〃He's　on　the　wrong　side　of　his　roadblock。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　McKee　said。　But　he　knew　it　wasn't　right。　He　had　to　work　the　winch　from　the　down　side　because　the　tree　top　was　pointing　upstream。　He'll　simply　swing　the　trunk　downstream　far　enough　so　he　can　drive　past　it　and　then　re…attach　his　winch　line　from　the　upstream　side　and　pull　it　back　in　place　across　the　canyon。　He'll　drive　in　and　close　the　gate　behind　him。　McKee　wondered　if　Land…Rovers　had　four…wheel　drive。　He　was　almost　certain　they　did。　The　Land…Rover　could　go　anyplace　the　Volks　could　go；　and　lots　of　places　it　couldn't。　The　sense　of　urgency　returned；　and　his　hand　and　cheekbone　began　throbbing　in　harmony。
　〃Is　your　hand　broken？〃
　〃No；〃　McKee　said。　〃Sprained　my　little　finger。〃
　She　looked　at　him。　The　sympathy　in　her　eyes　embarrassed　him　and　he　looked　away。　〃But　it　hurts　a　lot；〃　she　said。　〃It　would　feel　better　if　you　let　me　bandage　it。〃
　〃I　think　we　better　keep　going；〃　McKee　said。　〃We'll　drive　up　to　our　camp　and　get　some　water　and　stuff　and　find　us　a　place　we　can　climb　out　of　here。〃
　〃Maybe　Dr。　Canfield　will　be　back　now；〃　she　said。　〃That　is；　if　he　didn't　go　out　to　Shoemaker's。〃
　〃Maybe　so。〃
　She　still　thinks　I'm　imagining　a　lot　of　this；　McKee　thought。　That　was　good；　in　a　way。　No　reason　to　frighten　her　more　than　he　already　had　as　long　as　she　would　cooperate。　And　yet　it　would　be　easier；　somehow；　if　she　shared　his　knowledge　of　danger。
　Canfield　was　not　at　the　camp。　Nor　was　there　any　sign　he　had　been　there　since　McKee　had　left　it。　McKee　hurriedly　filled　his　canteen。　He　couldn't　find　Canfield's。　It　was　probably　in　the　camper　truck。　His　papers　were　still　on　the　folding　table　in　the　tent。　If　the　man　had　examined　them　he　had　taken　some　care　not　to　disarrange　them。　He　pushed　two　cans　of　meat　into　his　pocket；　pushed　the　canteen　into　the　front　of　his　shirt；　and　picked　up　a　box　of　crackers。　What　else　would　they　need？　He　thought　of　the　can　opener　on　his　pocket　knife；　found　it　beside　his　typewriter；　and　dropped　it　into　his　shirt　pocket。　His　pickup；　it　occurred　to　him　suddenly；　would　be　better　than　the　Volks。　They　could　run　it　much　farther　up　a　side　canyon…maybe　even　get　it　to　the　top。　He　trotted　to　the　truck；　switched　on　the　ignition　and　kicked　the　starter。　Nothing　happened。　He　kicked　the　starter　again　and　then　he　remembered　seeing　the　man　raising　the　hood。　He　raised　the　hood　himself　and　looked　down　at　the　motor。　The　spark…plug　wires　were　missing。　He　may　be　crazy；　McKee　thought　as　he　trotted　back　to　the　Volks；　but　he's　sure　efficient。
　〃O。K。；〃　he　told　Miss　Leon；　〃we'll　drive　up　the　canyon　about　a　mile。　There's　a　place　up　there　we　can　turn　up　a　side　canyon。　We'll　drive　up　it　as　far　as　this　Volks　will　go　and　then　we'll　climb　out。〃
　Miss　Leon　was　driving　very　slowly。　McKee　looked　at　her　impatiently。
　〃Better　speed　it　up。〃
　Miss　Leon　was　biting　her　lip　again。
　〃Dr。　McKee。　Really。　Don't　you　think　we　should　wait　there　at　camp？〃　She　looked　at　him；　her　face　determined。　〃I'm　sure　Dr。　Canfield　will　be　ing　back　soon；　and　if　he　doesn't。。。　that　man　we　saw　down　the　canyon；　I'm　sure　that　man　would　help　us。〃
　Oh；　God；　McKee　thought。　Now　I've　got　trouble　with　her。
　〃You　can't　possibly　climb　out　of　this　canyon　and　walk　all　the　way　back　to　Shoemaker's　with　your　head　hurt　like　that。　We're　going　back。〃
　〃Do　you　know　why　that　pickup　of　mine　wouldn't　start？〃
　Miss　Leon　looked　at　him　again。
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Our　friend　had　pulled　the　wires　off　the　spark　plugs。〃
　She　doesn't　believe　it；　McKee　thought。　He　felt　suddenly　dizzy　with　fatigue　and　pain。
　〃Look；〃　he　said。　〃If　we　had　time；　I'd　take　you　back　there　and　show　you。　But　we　don't　have　time。〃　His　voice　was　fierce。　〃Now　drive　and　keep　driving　until　I　tell　you　to　turn　right。〃
　Miss　Leon　drove；　looking　straight　ahead。　McKee　looked　at　her　profile。　Her　face　was　angry；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　fear。　It　would　be　better　if　she　was　a　little　afraid；　he　thought；　and　he　tried　to　think　of　what　he　might　say。　The　pain　in　his　hand　had　bee　suddenly　like　a　knife　through　his　knuckles；　making　concentration　impossible。　He　inched　it　carefully　out　of　his　shirt　front。　The　finger　was　rigid　now；　turning　a　bluish　color；　and　the　swelling　had　spread　up　the　palm　to　the　heel　of　his　hand。　He　heard　her　sudden；　sharp　intake　of　breath。
　〃You　need　a　doctor；〃　Miss　Leon　said。　〃That　hand's　broken。〃
　McKee　put　the　hand　carefully　back　inside　his　shirt；　irritated　at　himself　for　giving　her　a　chance　to　see　it。
　〃It's　just　a　dislocated　knuckle。　The　swelling　makes　it　look　worse　than　it　is。〃
　〃This　is　absolutely　insane。　I'm　going　to　turn　around　and　we're　going　back　where　you're　camped　and　soak　that　hand。〃　She　started　slowing　the　Volks。
　McKee　put　his　boot　on　top　of　her　foot　on　the　accelerator　and　pressed。　The　little　car　jerked　forward　and　she　pulled　at　the　wheel　to　control　it。
　〃Now　get　this　straight；〃　McKee　said。　His　voice　was　angry　and　he　spaced　the　words　for　emphasis。　〃I　had　a　hard　day　yesterday。　I　was　up　all　night。　I'm　ti