thillerman.theblessingway-第31节

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e　cautiously　and　suspiciously。　The　third　plan　survived　a　little　longer　because…if　it　worked…it　did　not　involve　facing　Eddie's　pistol。　He　and　Miss　Leon　would　work　their　way…unmissed　and　unheard…to　the　east　end　of　the　shelf。　There　they　would　find　the　Hopi　escape　route　in　the　chimney　and　would　climb　to　freedom。　It　was　a　pleasant　idea　and　utterly　impractical。　It　was　far　from　likely　that　Ellen　could　make　the　climb　and　impossible　for　anyone　to　make　it　without　noise。　McKee　considered　for　a　moment　how　it　would　feel　to　be　hanging　on　handholds　a　hundred　feet　up　the　chimney　with　Eddie　standing　below　aiming　at　him。　He　hurriedly　considered　other　possibilities。
　One　involved　finding　a　hiding　place　back　in　the　ruins　and　waiting　in　ambush；　rock　in　hand；　for　Eddie　to　e　hunting　for　him。　The　flaw　in　this　one　was　easy　to　see。　There　would　be　no　reason　for　Eddie　to　hunt。　He　would　simply　wait　for　the　Navajo　to　return；　believing　there　was　no　way　off　the　cliff。
　It　would　be　necessary　to　make　Eddie　e　after　him。
　McKee　dropped　on　his　stomach　at　the　crawl　hole。
　〃I'm　right　here；〃　Ellen　whispered。　〃I　heard　him　whistling。　Did　he　see　you？〃
　〃No；〃　McKee　said。　〃He's　cooking　breakfast。〃
　〃You　know　what；〃　Ellen　said。　〃I　said　it　would　take　a　magician　to　get　out　of　this　room。　You're　a　magician。〃
　〃Um…m。　Look…make　sure　your　watch　is　wound；〃　McKee　said。　〃I　want　you　to　wait　thirty　minutes　and　then　e　out　here　and　make　some　sort　of　noise。　Knock　a　rock　off　the　wall　or　some　thing　to　attract　him。　But　don't　run。　Don't　give　him　any　reason　to　shoot。〃
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　Her　whisper　was　so　faint　he　could　hardly　hear　it。
　〃Remember。　When　he　es；　give　up　right　away。　Put　your　hands　up。　And　tell　him　I'm　climbing　up　the　escapeway　back　where　the　cliff　is　split　at　the　east　end　of　the　ruins。　Tell　him　I'm　going　for　the　police。〃
　〃Is　there　really　a　place　you　can　climb　out？〃
　〃I　don't　know　yet；〃　McKee　said。　〃The　idea　is　to　get　the　jump　on　him。〃
　〃There　isn't　any　place。　He's　going　to　kill　you。〃　She　made　it　a　flat　statement。
　If　Ellen　said　anything　else；　McKee　didn't　hear　it。
　〃Ellen；〃　he　whispered。　〃Do　you　understand　what　to　do？〃
　〃Yes。　I　guess　I　do。　But　is　thirty　minutes　enough？〃
　McKee　thought　about　it。　Every　minute　that　passed　might　bring　Eddie　checking。　Or　it　might　bring　the　Big　Navajo　back。　He　was　suddenly　acutely　conscious　that　he　was　probably　setting　the　time　limit　on　his　life。
　〃I　think　thirty　minutes；〃　he　said。
　It　was　eight　minutes　more　than　Eddie　allowed　him。
　It　had　taken　very　little　time　to　defeat　his　hopes　that　the　ruins　would　offer　a　point　of　ambush。　Along　the　narrow　pathway　which　followed　the　lip　of　the　shelf；　the　walls　were　too　crumbled　to　provide　a　place　of　concealment　from　which　he　could　attack。　Under　the　cliff　itself　the　ruins　were　better　preserved…some　still　standing　in　two　stories…but　they　offered　only　a　hiding　place；　no　place　from　which　to　launch　an　attack。　At　the　end　of　the　shelf；　where　a　massive　geologic　fault　had　shifted　the　earth's　crust　eons　ago　and　split　the　cliff；　there　was　no　effective　cover　at　all。　McKee　edged　his　way　carefully　past　the　dwelling's　final　crumbled　corner。
　Here　the　path　was　buried　under　tumbled　stones。　A　misstep　meant　a　plunge　into　the　crevasse　left　by　the　fault。
　McKee　looked　at　his　watch。　He　had　used　thirteen　minutes　and　acplished　nothing。　Here　at　its　mouth　the　crevasse　was　about　fifteen　feet　across。　Beyond　it　the　shelf　continued。　It　was　slightly　lower　and　after　a　few　yards　tapered　away　to　nothing。
　From　where　he　stood　it　was　impossible　to　see　what　the　crevasse　in　the　cliff　offered。　The　Anasazis　had　built　their　structure　to　the　very　base　of　the　cliff　wall。　The　exterior　wall　had　fallen　outward　over　the　precipice；　but　the　spreading　limbs　of　pi？on　screened　the　narrow　opening。
　He　moved　carefully　over　what　remained　of　partition　walls；　pausing　once　to　look　down　into　the　crack。　The　split　was　sheer；　and　although　the　narrow　slot　was　partly　filled　with　broken　slabs　of　rock　flaked　off　the　walls　above；　it　was　much　too　far　to　jump。
　McKee　hurt　his　hand　again　climbing　what　remained　of　the　back　wall。　He　had　forgotten　the　finger　for　a　moment　in　the　overpowering　need　to　know　if　the　crevasse　held　some　possibility　for　him；　and　had　shifted　his　weight　to　it。　He　was　still　sick　with　the　pain　when　he　lowered　himself　into　the　darkness　behind　the　wall。　A　minute　ticked　away　as　he　sat　in　the　dust；　holding　his　hand　stiffly　in　front　of　him；　letting　the　throbbing　diminish　and　his　eyes　adjust　to　the　darkness。　What　he　saw　both　disappointed　and　encouraged　him。
　There　was　no　natural　pathway　into　the　crevasse　as　he　had　hoped。　The　shelf　did　not　extend　into　it。　But　the　Anasazis　had　cut　foot　and　hand　holds　into　the　sandstone；　making　it　possible　for　a　person　to　work　his　way　back　into　the　slot。　Somewhere　back　in　the　darkness　where　the　crack　narrowed；　where　a　man　could　brace　himself　between　the　opposing　walls；　there　would　be　a　way　to　the　top。　If　he　could　dispose　of　Eddie；　he　could　make　it。　But　what　about　Eddie？
　McKee　studied　his　position。　There　were　two　ways　into　this　dark　cul…de…sac　where　he　now　sat　between　wall　and　crevasse…over　the　crumbled　wall　as　he　had　e；　or　by　pushing　past　the　out…thrusting　branches　of　the　pi？on。　Eddie　would　probably　e　over　the　wall　for　exactly　the　same　reason　he　had　done　so。　The　pi？on　had　angled　outward　toward　the　sunlight。　One　could　force　his　way　past　it；　but　bending　by　the　heavy　branches　would　require　a　tightrope　walk　along　the　very　lip　of　the　crevasse。　Not　knowing　where　McKee　would　be；　Eddie　wasn't　likely　to　risk　that。　He　would　choose　the　wall。
　McKee　thought　about　it。　If　Eddie　came　over　the　wall　fast…moving　from　the　bright　morning　light　on　the　shelf　into　this　darkness…then　there　would　be　a　chance。　But　that　wasn't　likely　to　happen。　Eddie　would　be　taking　no　risks。　He　would　climb　the　tumbled　rocks　of　the　wall　slowly；　pistol　ready。　He　would　pause　at　the　top；　studying　the　gloom。　And；　if　he　did；　McKee　would　be　a　mouse　in　a　trap。
　He　tested　the　extending　main　branch　of　the　pi？on。　If　he　could　pull　it　back　enough　and　tie　it　to　something；　the　route　past　the　tree　would　be　inviting。　He　could　use　his　shirt　as　a　rope；　and　tie　one　end　well　out　on　the　branch。　By　putting　his　full　weight　against　it；　he　could　bend　the　tree　well　back　from　the　lip　of　the　cliff…opening　an　easy　walkway。　But　where　could　he　tie　it？
　A　second　after　the　ideas　came　to　him；　he　heard　Ellen。
　Her　voice　was　high；　almost　hysterical。　He　heard　Eddie；　an　angry　sound；　and　Ellen　again…shouting　now。　And　then　the　shot。　A　single　crack　of　noise　which　released　a　rumble　of　echoes　to　bounce　up　and　down　the　canyon。
　〃And　now　she　is　dead；〃　McKee　thought。　〃Canfield　is　dead　and　she　is　dead。〃
　He　bit　the　corner　of　the　khaki　shirt　collar　between　his　front　teeth；　pulled　it　taut　with　his　left　hand　and　split　it　gingerly　with　the　knife。　The　pain　was　there　when　he　held　the　knife；　but　he　could　tolerate　it。　He　ripped　the　shirt　down　the　back；　twisted　the　two　sections；　and　knotted　them　to　his　makeshift　rope。　Then　he　pulled　out　his　belt　and　looped　it　around　an　outcrop　of　stone　beside　the　wall。
　Now　it　would　reach。　He　pulled　against　the　tree；　thinking　numbly　that　Eddie　had　not　given　him　thirty　minutes　and　that　Ellen　had　chosen　to　shout　a　warning　in　the　face　of　Eddie's　pistol。　He　strained　against　the　rope　of　shirt；　pulled　it　through　the　looped　belt；　and　wrapped　it　twice。　His　right　hand　was　no　help　with　this　heavy　work　and　he　used　his　teeth　to　pull　the　knot　tight。　In　a　moment　he　would　confront　Eddie。
　He　was　almost　ready。　He　laid　the　knife　on　a　rock　protruding　from　the　wall；　sorted　through　stones　in　the　dust　at　his　feet　and　chose　one　which　fit　well　in　his　left　hand。　In　a　very　few　minutes　it　would　be　over。　Eddie　would　e。　If　Eddie　walked　past　the　tree；　he　would　cut　the　shirt　and　the　limb　would　slash　at　Eddie。　And；　as　he　cut　the　rope；　he　would　e　over　the　wall　with　the　rock。　If　Eddie　had　been　blinded　by　the　whipping　limb；　or　hurt；　or　even　confused；　he　would　kill　Eddie。　Either　way；　it　would　be　over　then。　McKee　thought　of　that。　It　was　better　than　thinking　of　Ellen's　voice　and　the　sound　of　the　pistol。
　Eddie　came　almost　too　soon。　McKee　settled　himself　high　on　the　rubble　and　looked　over　the　top　and　Eddie　was　there。　He　was　standing　on　the　pathway　at　the　corner；　where　the　shelf　was　cut　by　the　crevasse；　studying　the　ruins。　McKee　shrank　back　behind　the　screen　of　pi？on　limbs　as　Eddie　turned　toward　him。　The　gunman's　vest　was　unbuttoned　now　and　he　held　the　pistol　in　his　right　hand；　close　to　the　body。　The　barrel；　McKee　noticed；　always　pointed　with　his　eyes；　like　the　flashlight　of　a　man　searching　in　the　dark。
　McKee　felt　a　pressure　in　his　chest　and　became　aware　he　was　holding　his　breath。　He　released　it　and　gripped　the　rock。
　Eddie　moved　now。　He　walked　directly　along　the　edge　of　the　crevasse；　just　as　McKee　had　done；　stepping　carefully　over　the　tumbled　partition　walls。
　Twenty　feet　away　he　stopped　and　stood　in　a　half　crouch；　studying　the　tree　and　the　wall。
　〃McKee；〃　he　said；　〃I　had　to　shoot　your　woman。〃　Eddie's　tone　was　conversational。　He　stood　for　a　moment　listening…no　more　than　the　polite　pause　for　reply。
　〃Killing　you　is　going　to　cost　me　thirty　thousand　dollars；〃　Eddie　said。　〃It's　going　to　cost　George　twice　that　much。〃　He　paused　again。　〃Are　you　going　to　make　me　do　it？〃