p&c.thunderhead-第24章

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t。　
　She　eased　into　the　bedroll；　breathing　easily。　So　far；　so　good。　Black　was　a　pain　in　the　ass；　but　his　expertise　outweighed　his　querulous　personality。　Smithback　was　an　annoying　surprise；　but　with　that　strong　back　and　arms　he'd　make　a　good　digger；　and　she'd　make　sure　he　was　well　occupied　with　the　shovel；　whether　he　liked　it　or　not。　Before　going　to　bed；　he　had　insisted　on　pressing　a　copy　of　his　book　into　her　hands；　she'd　dumped　it　unceremoniously　into　a　duffel。　
　On　the　other　hand；　Peter　Holroyd　was　proving　to　be　a　real　trouper。　She'd　caught　him　giving　her　several　furtive　glances　during　the　ride　up　Lake　Powell；　and　Nora　wondered　if　he　wasn't　a　little　bit　infatuated。　Perhaps　she'd　inadvertently　played　on　that　in　persuading　him　to　steal　the　data　from　JPL。　She　felt　a　momentary　twinge　of　guilt。　But　then　again；　she'd　kept　her　promise。　He　was　on　the　expedition。　The　boy's　probably　mistaking　gratitude　for　puppy　love；　she　thought；　moving　on。　Bonarotti　was　one　of　those　unflappable　people　who　never　seemed　put　out　by　anything；　as　well　as　being　a　fabulous　camp　cook。　And　Aragon　would　probably　open　up　once　they　got　away　from　his　hated　Lake　Powell。　
　She　stretched　out　fortably。　It　was　shaping　up　to　be　a　good　group。　Best　of　all；　there　was　no　Sloane　Goddard　to　deal　with。　Among　Black；　Aragon；　and　herself；　there　was　more　than　enough　expertise　to　go　around。　Dr。　Goddard　had　nothing　but　his　own　daughter's　tardiness　to　blame。　
　Starlight　glowed　faintly　from　the　distant　bluffs　and　turrets　of　Navajo　sandstone。　A　chill　had　crept　into　the　air：　in　the　high　desert；　night　came　on　fast　and　sure。　She　heard　a　low　murmuring；　the　drifting　smell　of　Bonarotti's　cigarette。　Into　the　silence　the　faint　calls　of　the　canyon　wrens　echoed　back　and　forth；　tinkling　like　bells；　mingling　with　the　faint　lapping　of　water　on　the　shoreline　just　below　the　camp。　Already　they　were　many　miles　from　the　nearest　outpost　of　humanity。　And　the　distant；　hidden　canyon　they　were　headed　to　was　much　farther　still。　
　At　the　thought　of　Quivira；　Nora　felt　the　weight　of　responsibility　return　again。　There　was　a　potential　for　failure　here；　too；　she　knew：　a　tremendous　potential。　They　might　not　find　the　city。　The　expedition　might　break　up　over　personality　conflicts。　Worst　of　all；　her　father's　Quivira　might　turn　out　to　be　some　ordinary　five…room　cliff　dwelling。　That　was　what　worried　her　the　most。　Goddard　might　forgive　her　for　leaving　without　his　daughter。　But　despite　all　the　fine　words；　he　and　the　Institute　would　not　forgive　her　if　she　returned　with　a　superb　site　report　on　a　tiny　Pueblo　III　cliff　dwelling。　And　God　only　knew　what　kind　of　withering　article　Smithback　might　write　if　he　felt　his　precious　time　had　been　wasted。　
　There　was　the　distant　yipping　of　a　coyote；　and　she　wrapped　the　bedroll　more　tightly　around　her。　Unbidden；　her　thoughts　returned　to　Santa　Fe；　to　that　night　in　the　deserted　ranch　house。　She'd　been　very　careful　to　keep　the　maps　and　radar　images　under　her　control　at　all　times。　She'd　impressed　everyone　with　the　need　for　discretion；　citing　pothunters　and　looters　as　her　concern。　And　then　into　the　midst　of　her　careful　plans　blundered　Smithback。　。　。　。　
　Still；　she　knew　it　was　unlikely　that　Smithback's　ments　would　filter　back　to　Santa　Fe；　and　beyond　the　mention　of　her　name　nothing　he'd　said　was　specific　enough　to　give　away　the　purpose　of　the　expedition。　And　most　likely；　the　bizarre　figures　who　had　attacked　her　had　given　up　by　now。　Where　she　was　going；　it　would　take　a　determined；　even　desperate　person　to　follow；　someone　who　knew　the　craft　of　desert　travel　far　better　than　even　Swire　did。　Certainly　no　boats　had　followed　them　up　the　lake。　The　fear　and　annoyance　subsided；　and　in　their　absence　came　sleep；　and　dreams　of　dusty　ruins；　and　nodding　columns　of　sunlight　cutting　through　the　murk　of　an　ancient　cave；　and　two　dead　children　draped　in　flowers。　
　
　
15
　
　TERESA　GONZALES　SAT　UP　SUDDENLY；　LISTENING　in　the　dark。　Teddy　Bear；　her　giant　Rhodesian　Ridgeback；　who　generally　slept　outside　in　the　summer；　was　whining　at　the　back　door。　Ridgebacks　had　been　bred　to　hunt　and　kill　lions　in　Africa。　He　was　a　very　gentle　dog；　but　he　was　also　extremely　protective。　She　had　never　heard　him　whine　before。　He　was　just　back　from　the　vet's；　where　he'd　been　languishing　for　two　weeks；　recovering　from　a　nasty　infection；　maybe　the　poor　thing　was　still　traumatized。　
　She　got　out　of　bed　and　went　through　the　dark　house　to　the　door。　The　dog　came　slinking　in；　whimpering；　its　tail　clamped　between　its　legs。　
　〃Teddy；〃　she　whispered；　〃what's　wrong？　You　all　right？〃　
　The　dog　licked　her　hand　and　retreated　across　the　kitchen；　sliding　his　huge　bulk　under　the　kitchen　table。　Teresa　looked　out　the　kitchen　door；　down　into　the　sea　of　darkness　toward　the　old　Las　Cabrillas　ranch　house。　There　were　no　lights　in　the　draw；　and　without　a　moon　Teresa　couldn't　see　the　outlines　of　the　abandoned　house。　Something　out　there　had　scared　him　half　to　death。　She　listened；　and　thought　she　heard　a　faint　sound　of　breaking　glass　and　the　distant　howl　of　an　animal。　Definitely　too　low…pitched　and　hoarse　to　be　a　coyote；　but　it　didn't　sound　like　any　dog　Teresa　had　heard；　either。　It　sounded　like　a　wolf；　if　you　got　right　down　to　it。　But　Teddy　would　never　have　retreated　like　that　from　a　lone　wolf；　or　even　a　cougar。　Perhaps　it　was　a　whole　pack　of　wolves。　
　The　muttered　low　howl　was　answered　by　another；　a　little　closer。　The　dog　whined　again；　louder；　and　pressed　itself　back　into　the　darkness　under　the　table。　There　was　a　dribbling　sound；　and　Teresa　saw　he　was　urinating　in　his　fright。　
　She　paused；　hand　on　the　doorframe。　Until　two　years　ago；　there　had　been　no　wolves　in　New　Mexico。　Then　the　Game　and　Fish　Department　introduced　some　into　the　Pecos　Wilderness。　Guess　a　few　have　wandered　down　from　the　mountains；　she　thought。　
　Teresa　went　back　to　her　room；　peeled　off　her　nightgown；　slid　on　her　jeans；　shirt；　and　boots；　then　walked　across　the　room　and　opened　the　gun　locker。　The　weapons　gleamed　dully　against　the　darkness。　She　reached　for　her　current　favorite；　a　Winchester　Defender；　with　its　181/2…inch　barrel　and　extended　magazine　tube。　It　was　a　good；　light　gun；　billed　as　a　defensive　weapon　with　unparalleled　stopping　power。　Just　another　way　of　saying　it　was　very　good　at　killing　people。　Or　wolves；　for　that　matter。　
　She　slid　in　a　magazine：　eight　Federal　ammo　casings　of　12…gauge　double…ought　lead　buck。　This　wasn't　the　first　time　since　the　attack　on　Nora　that　she'd　heard　sounds　from　the　Kelly　ranch。　And　once；　driving　back　from　Santa　Fe；　she'd　seen　a　low；　dark　shape　skulking　around　the　old　mailbox　rack。　Had　to　be　wolves；　nothing　else　made　sense。　They'd　confronted　Nora　in　the　farmhouse　that　night。　Must　have　rattled　her　so　badly　she　thought　she　heard　them　speak。　Teresa　shook　her　head。　Not　like　Nora　to　wig　out　like　that。　
　Wolves　that　didn't　fear　humans　could　be　dangerous；　and　Teresa　didn't　want　to　meet　up　with　them　without　a　gun。　Better　to　deal　with　the　problem　directly。　If　Game　and　Fish　wanted　to　make　a　stink；　let　them。　She　had　a　ranch　to　run。　
　She　tucked　the　shotgun　under　her　arm；　shoved　a　flashlight　into　her　back　pocket；　and　crept　back　to　the　kitchen　door；　careful　not　to　turn　on　any　lights。　She　heard　Teddy　whining　and　snuffling　as　she　left；　but　he　made　no　move　to　follow　her。　
　She　stepped　onto　the　back　porch　and　eased　the　door　shut　behind　her。　There　was　a　faint　creaking　of　floorboards　as　she　moved　down　the　steps。　Then　she　angled　toward　the　wellhouse　and　the　trail　that　began　just　beyond。　Teresa　was　a　large；　heavy…boned　woman；　but　she　had　the　natural　stealthy　movements　of　a　feline。　At　the　wellhouse　she　inhaled　deeply；　steadied　the　gun；　then　eased　down　the　trail　in　the　inky　blackness。　She　had　descended　the　trail　countless　times　to　play　with　Nora　when　they　were　children；　and　her　feet　remembered　the　way。　
　Soon　she　was　on　the　flat。　The　Kelly　ranch　house　stood　across　the　draw；　just　on　the　side　of　the　rise；　its　low　roof　outlined　against　the　night。　In　the　faintest　starlight；　she　could　see　the　front　door　was　open。　
　She　waited　for　what　seemed　a　long　time；　listening；　but　there　was　only　the　susurrus　of　wind　in　the　pi？on　trees。　The　shotgun　felt　cold　and　reassuring　in　her　hands。　
　She　sampled　the　breeze：　she　was　downwind　of　the　house；　which　meant　the　wolves　could