thillerman.theblessingway-第23部分

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　〃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　tired　and　my　hand　hurts。　I'm　worried　about　Jeremy。　You're　going　to　behave　and　do　what　you're　told。　And　I'm　telling　you　again　that　we're　going　to　climb　out　of　this　canyon。〃
　〃All　right；　then；〃　Miss　Leon　said。　〃Have　it　your　way。〃
　There　was　a　long；　strained　silence。
　〃If　I'm　wrong　about　that　guy；　I'll　apologize；〃　McKee　said。　〃But　really　I　can't　take　a　chance　on　being　wrong。　Not　if　he's　as　crazy　as　I　think　he　is。〃
　Miss　Leon　was　silent。　He　glanced　at　her。　She　looked　away。　McKee　suddenly　realized　she　was　crying　and　the　thought　dismayed　him。　He　slumped　down　in　the　seat；　baffled。
　〃Is　this　where　we　turn？〃
　〃Right；　up　that　side　canyon。〃
　The　tributary　seemed　narrower　now　than　it　had　when　he　and　Canfield　had　poked　into　it　earlier。　Just　day　before　yesterday。　It　seemed　like　a　week。
　McKee　wondered　what　he　could　say。　What　did　you　say　when　you　made　a　woman　cry？　〃Getting　pretty　narrow；〃　he　said。
　〃Yes。〃
　The　canyon　bent　abruptly　and　the　stream　bed　here　was　too　narrow　for　all　four　wheels。　The　Volks　tilted　sharply　as　the　right　wheels　rolled　over　a　slab　of　exposed　sandstone。　It　jolted　down；　slamming　the　rear　bumper　against　the　stone。
　McKee　suddenly　noticed　tire　tracks　on　the　bank　ahead　of　them。　A　truck　had　been　in　here　recently；　but　before　yesterday's　rain。　Runoff　had　wiped　out　the　tracks　on　the　sandy　bottom　but　the　rain　had　only　softened　the　imprint　where　the　stream　hadn't　reached。
　McKee　was　suddenly　alert　and　nervous。
　Miss　Leon　slowed　the　Volkswagen。
　〃Do　you　want　me　to　try　to　drive　over　that？〃　she　asked。　Just　ahead　the　canyon　walls　pinched　together　and　water…worn　rocks　upthrust　through　the　sand。
　〃Ill　take　a　look；〃　McKee　said。　He　climbed　stiffly　from　the　Volks。　The　rocks　were　partly　obscured　by　brush　and　didn't　look　too　formidable。　A　few　yards　upstream　they　gave　way　to　another　stretch　of　sand。　Beyond；　the　canyon　rose　sharply　and　was　crowded　with　boulders　from　a　rock　slide。　It　was　probably　impassable　for　a　vehicle。
　〃Put　it　in　low　and　angle　to　the　left；〃　McKee　directed。　〃We　can　get　it　past　that　brush　and　leave　it　there　out　of　sight。〃
　The　Volks　jolted　over　the　rocks　more　easily　than　McKee　had　expected。　He　showed　Miss　Leon　where　to　park　it　out　of　the　water　course　behind　the　brush　and　then　collected　the　canteen　and　cracker　box。
　〃We　can　lock　the　car；〃　he　said。　〃You　can　take　anything　you　think　you'll　need；　but　I'd　keep　it　light。〃
　〃I　have　a　box　of　things　I　was　taking　to　Dr。　Hall；〃　Miss　Leon　said。　〃I　couldn't　replace　those。〃
　〃We　can　take　it；〃　McKee　said。　It　was　then　he　noticed　she　was　wearing　an　engagement　ring…a　ring　with　an　impressive　diamond。　Why　be　surprised？　he　thought。　Why　be　disappointed？　Of　course　she　was　engaged。　Not　that　it　could　possibly　matter。
　Walking　was　easy　for　the　first　fifty　yards　across　the　hard…packed　sand；　but　then　it　became　a　matter　of　climbing　carefully　over　the　rocks。　McKee　noticed　with　surprise　that　the　truck　had　apparently　made　it　across　this　barrier。　Its　path　was　marked　by　broken　brush。　He　glanced　back。　Miss　Leon　was　sitting　on　a　rock；　holding　her　ankle。　He　noticed　she　hadn't　brought　the　box。
　〃What　happened？〃
　〃I　twisted　it。〃　She　looked　frightened。
　He　looked　at　her　wordlessly；　feeling　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　absolutely　helpless。　He　walked　back　down　the　rocks　toward　her。
　〃How　bad　is　it？〃　He　squatted　beside　her；　looking　at　the　ankle。　It　was　a　very　trim　ankle；　with　no　sign　yet　of　swelling。
　〃I　don't　know。　It　hurts。〃
　〃Can　you　put　your　weight　on　it？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
　McKee　sat　down　and　rubbed　the　back　of　his　hand　across　his　forehead。　His　head　ached。
　〃We'll　wait　awhile；〃　he　said　finally。　〃When　it　feels　better；　well　go　on。〃
　He　tried　to　think。　If　her　ankle　was　sprained；　it　would　swell　soon。　And　if　it　was　sprained　it　would　be　almost　impossible　for　her　to　make　the　climb　out。　The　long　walk　across　rough　country　to　Shoemaker's　would　be　even　more　impossible。　At　least　twenty…five　miles；　he　calculated。　Perhaps　farther　from　here。　What　if　they　simply　wai