p&c.thunderhead-第21章

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e　as　Nora　entered。　He　looked　up；　his　gaze　traveling　slowly　up　and　down　her　body。　Nora　felt　herself　bristling。　〃Well；　now；　what　can　I　do　for　you；　missy？〃　he　asked　in　a　different　tone；　leaning　back　in　the　chair。　
　〃I'm　Nora　Kelly；　from　the　Santa　Fe　Archaeological　Institute；〃　she　said　coldly。　〃You　were　supposed　to　have　a　barge　here　ready　for　us。〃　
　〃Oh；　yeah；〃　he　said；　the　smile　vanishing。　Picking　up　the　phone　again；　he　punched　in　a　number。　〃They're　here；　the　group　with　the　horses。　Bring　the　barge　around。〃　He　replaced　the　phone；　then　turned　and　without　another　word　charged　for　the　door。　As　she　scrambled　to　follow；　she　realized　she　was　showing　a　little　more　bitchiness　than　was　good　for　a　leader　of　an　expedition。　She　wondered　what　it　was　about　Smithback　that　had　suddenly　made　her　flare　up　like　that。　
　Nora　followed　Briggs　around　the　side　of　the　plex　and　down　the　blacktop　to　a　long　floating　dock。　Planting　himself　at　the　edge　of　the　dock；　Briggs　began　yelling　at　the　nearby　boaters　to　clear　away　their　craft。　Then　he　swivelled　toward　Nora。　〃Turn　the　horse　trailers　around　and　back　'em　down　to　the　water。　Unload　the　rest　of　your　gear　and　line　it　up　on　the　dock。〃　
　After　Nora　gave　the　orders；　Swire　came　around　and　jerked　his　head　in　the　direction　of　Smithback。　〃Who's　the　mail…order　cowboy？〃　he　asked。　
　〃He's　our　journalist；〃　said　Nora。　
　Swire　fingered　his　mustache　thoughtfully。　〃Journalist？〃　
　〃It　was　Goddard's　idea；〃　said　Nora。　〃He　thinks　we　need　someone　along　to　write　up　the　discovery。〃　She　stifled　the　ment　that　was　about　to　e；　it　would　do　no　good　to　badmouth　either　Goddard　or　Smithback。　It　puzzled　her　that　Goddard；　who　had　chosen　so　well　with　the　rest　of　the　expedition　personnel；　had　picked　someone　like　Smithback。　She　watched　him　hefting　gear；　his　lean　arms　rippling　with　the　effort；　and　felt　a　fresh　stab　of　irritation。　I　go　to　all　this　trouble　to　keep　things　quiet；　she　thought；　and　then　this　smug　jerk　es　along。　
　As　Nora　returned　to　the　ramp　to　help　guide　the　trailers；　a　great　barge　hove　into　view；　davits　streaked　with　dirt；　aluminum　pontoons　stoved　and　dented　in　countless　places。　LANDLOCKED　LAURA　was　stenciled　across　the　tiny　pilothouse　in　rough　black　letters。　The　barge　eased　around　a　bend　in　the　harbor；　its　engines　churning　in　reverse　as　it　approached　the　cement　apron。　
　*　*　*
　It　took　a　half　hour　to　load　the　trailers。　Roscoe　Swire　had　handled　the　horses　with　great　skill；　keeping　them　calm　in　spite　of　the　chaos　and　noise。　Bonarotti；　the　cook；　was　loading　the　last　of　his　equipment；　refusing　to　let　anyone　else　lend　a　hand。　Holroyd　was　checking　the　seals　on　the　drysacks　that　held　the　electronics　gear。　Black　was　leaning　against　a　davit；　tugging　at　his　collar　and　looking　overheated。　
　Nora　looked　down　at　her　watch。　Sloane　Goddard　had　still　not　shown　up。　They　had　to　make　the　sixty…mile　trip　to　the　trailhead　by　nightfall：　offloading　the　horses　after　dark　would　be　too　plicated　and　dangerous。　
　She　jumped　aboard　and　entered　the　tiny　pilothouse。　The　barge's　captain　was　fiddling　with　a　sonar　array。　He　looked　like　he　might　have　just　stepped　off　a　porch　in　Appalachia：　long　white　beard；　dirty　porkpie　hat；　and　farmer's　overalls。　WILLARD　HICKS　was　sewn　in　white　letters　on　his　vest　pocket。　
　The　man　looked　over　at　her　and　removed　a　corncob　pipe　from　his　mouth。　〃We　need　to　shake　a　leg；〃　he　said。　〃We　don't　want　to　piss　him　off　any　more　than　he　is　already。〃　He　grinned　and　nodded　out　the　window　toward　Briggs；　who　was　already　bawling　to　them；　Move　out；　for　chrissakes；　move　out！　
　Nora　looked　up　the　ramp　toward　the　parking　lot；　shimmering　in　the　heat。　〃Get　ready　to　shove　off；　then；〃　she　said。　〃I'll　give　the　word。〃　
　The　expedition　was　gathering　forward　of　the　pilothouse；　where　some　grimy　lawn　chairs　had　been　arranged　around　an　aluminum　coffee　table。　A　dilapidated　gas　grill　stood　nearby；　coated　in　elderly　grease。　
　She　looked　around　at　the　people　she　would　be　spending　the　next　several　weeks　with：　the　expedition　to　discover　Quivira。　Despite　impressive　credentials；　they　were　a　pretty　diverse　bunch。　Enrique　Aragon；　his　dark　face　lowering　with　some　emotion　he　seemed　unwilling　to　share；　Peter　Holroyd；　with　his　Roman　nose；　small　eyes；　and　oversized　mouth；　smudges　of　dirt　decorating　his　workshirt；　Smithback；　good　humor　now　fully　recovered；　showing　a　copy　of　his　book　to　Black；　who　was　listening　dutifully；　Luigi　Bonarotti；　perched　on　his　gear；　smoking　a　Dunhill；　as　relaxed　as　if　he　were　sitting　in　a　café　on　the　Boulevard　St。　Michel；　Roscoe　Swire；　standing　by　the　horse　trailers；　murmuring　soothing　words　to　the　nervous　horses。　And　what　about　me？　she　thought：　a　bronze…haired　woman　in　ancient　jeans　and　torn　shirt。　Not　exactly　a　figure　of　mand。　What　have　I　gotten　myself　into？　She　had　another　momentary　stab　of　uncertainty。　
　Aaron　Black　left　Smithback　and　came　over；　scowling　as　he　looked　around。　〃This　tub　is　god…awful；〃　he　winced。　
　〃What　were　you　expecting？〃　Aragon　asked　in　a　dry；　uninflected　voice。　〃The　Ile　de　France？〃　
　Bonarotti　removed　a　small　flask　from　his　carefully　pressed　khaki　jacket；　unscrewed　the　glass　top；　and　poured　two　fingers　into　it。　Then　he　added　water　from　a　canteen　and　swirled　the　yellowish　mixture。　He　rehung　the　canteen　on　a　davit　bolt　and　offered　the　glass　around。　
　〃What　is　that？〃　Black　asked。　
　〃Pernod；〃　came　the　reply。　〃Lovely　for　a　hot　day。〃　
　〃I　don't　drink；〃　said　Black。　
　〃I　do；〃　Smithback　said。　〃Hand　it　on　over。〃　
　Nora　glanced　back　at　Willard　Hicks；　who　tapped　an　imaginary　watch　on　his　wrist。　She　nodded　in　understanding　and　slipped　the　mooring　lines　from　the　dock。　There　was　an　answering　roar　from　the　diesels；　and　the　boat　began　backing　away　from　the　ramp　with　a　hideous　scraping　sound。　
　Holroyd　glanced　around。　〃What　about　Dr。　Goddard？〃　
　〃We　can't　wait　around　here　any　longer；〃　Nora　said。　She　felt　a　strange　sense　of　relief：　maybe　she　wasn't　going　to　have　to　deal　with　this　mysterious　daughter；　after　all。　Let　Sloane　Goddard　e　after　them；　if　she　wanted。　
　The　team　looked　at　one　another　in　surprise　as　the　barge　began　a　slow　turn；　the　water　boiling　out　from　the　stern。　Hicks　gave　a　short　blast　on　the　airhorn。　
　〃You've　got　to　be　kidding！〃　Black　cried。　〃You　aren't　really　leaving　without　her？〃　
　Nora　looked　steadily　back　at　the　sweaty；　incredulous　face。　〃Oh；　yes；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　really　leaving　without　her。〃　
　
　
14
　
　THREE　HOURS　LATER；　THE　LANDLOCKED　Laura　had　left　the　chaos　of　Wahweap　Marina　fifty　miles　behind。　The　wide　prow　of　the　barge　cut　easily　through　the　turquoise　surface　of　Lake　Powell；　engines　throbbing　slightly；　the　water　hissing　along　the　pontoons。　Gradually；　the　powerboats；　the　shrieking　jetskis；　the　garish　houseboats　had　all　dropped　away。　The　expedition　had　entered　into　a　great　mystical　world　of　stone；　and　a　cathedral　silence　closed　around　them。　Now　they　were　alone　on　the　green　expanse　of　lake；　walled　in　by　thousand…foot　bluffs　and　slickrock　desert。　The　sun　hung　low　over　the　Grand　Bench；　with　Neanderthal　Cove　appearing　on　the　right；　and　the　distant　opening　of　Last　Chance　Bay　to　the　left。　
　Thirty　minutes　before；　Luigi　Bonarotti　had　served　a　meal　of　cognac…braised；　applewood…smoked　quail　with　grapefruit　and　wilted　arugula　leaves。　This　remarkable　acplishment；　achieved　somehow　on　the　shabby　gas　grill；　had　silenced　even　Black's　undertone　of　plaints。　They　had　dined　around　the　aluminum　table；　toasting　the　meal　with　a　crisp　Orvieto。　Now　the　group　was　arranged　around　the　barge　in　lethargic　contemplation　of　the　meal；　awaiting　landfall　at　the　trailhead。　
　Smithback；　who　had　dined　very　well　and　consumed　an　alarming　quantity　of　wine；　was　sitting　with　Black。　Before　dinner；　the　writer　had　made　some　cracks　about　camp　cooking　and　varmint　stew；　but　the　arrival　of　the　meal　changed　his　tone　to　one　approaching　veneration。　
　〃Didn't　you　also　write　that　book　on　the　museum　murders　in　New　York　City？〃　Black　was　asking。　Smithback's　face　broke　into　an　immensely　gratified　smile。　
　〃And　that　subway　massacre　a　few　years　back？〃　
　Smithback　reached　for　an　imaginary　hat　and　doffed　it　with　a　grandiose　flourish。　
　Black　scratched　his　chin。　〃Don't　get　me　wrong；　I　think　it's　great；〃　he　said。　〃It's　just　that　。　。　。　well；　I've　always　understood　that　the　Institute　was　a　low…profile　entity。〃　
　〃Well；　the　f