p&c.thunderhead-第68章

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　As　he　was　about　to　turn　back；　he　heard　another　sound：　a　moan；　the　soft　slap　of　skin　against　skin。　
　Then　the　moon　was　out　again。　Stealthily；　he　moved　forward；　looking　carefully　to　both　sides。　The　sounds　were　clearer　now；　more　regular。　He　tightened　his　grip　on　the　flashlight；　grasped　the　trunk　of　a　cottonwood；　and　peered　through　the　curtain　of　moonlit　leaves。　
　The　first　thing　he　saw　was　a　tangle　of　clothes　on　the　ground　beyond。　For　a　moment；　Holroyd　thought　somebody　had　been　attacked；　and　their　body　dragged　off。　Then　his　eyes　moved　farther。　
　On　the　soft　sand　beyond　the　cottonwoods　lay　Black。　His　shirt　was　bunched　up　around　his　armpits；　his　bare　legs　were　splayed；　knees　bent　toward　the　sky。　His　eyes　were　squeezed　shut。　A　small　groan　escaped　him。　Above；　Sloane　was　straddling　Black's　hips；　her　fingers　spread　wide　against　his　chest；　the　sweat　on　her　naked　back　glowing　in　the　moonlight。　Holroyd　leaned　forward　with　an　involuntary　movement；　staring　in　shock　and　fascination。　His　face　flushed；　whether　in　embarrassment　or　shame　at　his　own　na？veté；　he　could　not　say。　Black　grunted　in　bined　effort　and　pleasure　as　he　sheathed　himself　within　her；　thigh　muscles　straining。　Sloane　leaned　over　him；　her　dark　hair　falling　over　her　face；　her　breasts　swaying　heavily　with　each　thrust。　Holroyd's　eyes　traveled　slowly　up　her　body。　She　was　staring　at　Black's　face　intently；　with　a　look　more　of　rapt　attention　than　of　pleasure。　There　was　something　almost　predatory　in　that　look。　For　a　moment；　he　was　reminded　of　a　cat；　playing　with　a　mouse。　
　But　that　image　dissolved　as　Sloane　thrust　downward　to　meet　Black；　again　and　again　and　again；　riding　him　with　relentless；　merciless　precision。　
　
　
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　WITH　A　TUG　ON　THE　GUIDE　ROPE；　NORA　brought　Arbuckles　to　a　halt。　She　stood　beside　the　horse　and　looked　down　from　the　crest　of　the　Devil's　Backbone；　into　the　valley　the　old　Indian　had　called　Chilbah。　She　felt　drained；　sickened；　by　the　climb　back　to　the　top；　and　Arbuckles　was　shaking　and　lathered　with　stress。　But　they　had　made　it：　his　hooves；　once　again　freed　of　iron；　had　gripped　the　gritty　sandstone。　
　The　wind　was　blowing　hard　across　the　fin　of　rock　and　several　ragged　afternoon　thunderheads　were　coalescing　over　the　distant　mountains　to　the　north；　but　the　valley　itself　remained　a　vast　bowl　of　sunlight。　
　Smithback　came　to　a　stop　beside　her；　white；　silent。　〃So　this　is　Chilbah；　sinkhole　of　evil；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。　His　tone　was　meant　to　be　light；　but　his　voice　still　held　a　quiver　of　stress　from　the　terrifying　ascent　of　the　hogback　ridge。　
　Nora　did　not　reply　immediately。　Instead；　she　knelt　to　reshoe　the　horses；　letting　a　full　sense　of　control　return　to　her　limbs。　Then　she　stood；　dusted　herself　off；　and　reached　into　a　saddlebag　for　her　binoculars。　She　scanned　the　bottomlands　with　them；　looking　for　Swire　and　the　horses。　The　cottonwoods　and　swales　of　grass　were　a　wele　sight　after　the　long；　hot　ride　back　from　the　sheep　camp。　It　was　now　half　past　one。　She　located　Swire　alongside　the　creek；　sitting　on　a　rock；　watching　the　remuda　graze。　As　she　stared；　she　could　see　him　looking　up　toward　them。　
　〃People　are　evil；〃　she　said　at　last；　lowering　the　binoculars。　〃Landscapes　are　not。〃　
　〃Maybe　so；〃　said　Smithback。　〃But　right　from　the　beginning；　I've　felt　there　was　something　strange　about　the　place。　Something　that　gave　me　the　willies。〃　
　Nora　glanced　at　the　writer。　〃And　I've　always　thought　it　was　just　me；〃　she　replied。　
　They　mounted　their　horses　and　moved　forward；　making　the　descent　into　the　valley　in　silence。　Nosing　their　horses　directly　toward　the　grassy　banks　of　the　creek；　they　remained　in　their　saddles　while　the　animals　waded　in　to　drink；　the　water　burbling　around　their　legs。　From　the　corner　of　her　eye；　Nora　could　see　Swire　trotting　up　the　creekbed　toward　them；　riding　bareback；　without　bridle　or　reins。　
　He　pulled　to　a　stop　on　the　far　side　of　the　creek；　looking　from　Nora　to　Smithback　and　back。　〃So　you　brought　back　both　horses；〃　he　said；　looking　at　Nora　with　ill…disguised　relief。　〃What　about　the　sons　of　bitches　who　killed　my　horses…you　catch　them？〃　
　〃No；〃　said　Nora。　〃The　person　you　saw　at　the　top　of　the　ridge　was　an　old　Indian　man　camping　upcountry。〃　
　A　look　of　skepticism　crossed　Swire's　face。　〃An　old　Indian　man？　What　the　hell　was　he　doing　on　top　of　the　ridge？〃　
　〃He　wanted　to　see　who　was　in　the　valley；〃　Nora　replied。　〃He　said　nobody　from　his　village　ever　goes　into　this　valley。〃　
　Swire　sat　silent　a　moment；　his　mouth　working　a　lump　of　tobacco。　〃So　you　followed　the　wrong　tracks；〃　he　said　at　last。　
　〃We　followed　the　only　tracks　up　there。　The　tracks　of　the　man　you　saw。〃　
　In　reply；　Swire　expertly　shot　a　string　of　tobacco　juice　from　his　lips；　forming　a　little　brown　crater　in　the　nearby　sand。　
　〃Roscoe；〃　Nora　went　on；　careful　to　keep　her　tone　even；　〃if　you'd　met　this　man；　you'd　realize　he's　no　horse　killer。〃　
　Swire's　mouth　continued　working。　There　was　a　long；　strained　silence　as　the　two　stared　at　each　other。　Then　Swire　spat　a　second　time。　〃Shit；〃　he　said。　〃I　ain't　saying　you're　right。　But　if　you　are；　it　means　the　bastards　that　killed　my　horses　are　still　around。〃　Then；　without　another　word；　he　spun　his　horse　with　invisible　knee　pressure　and　trotted　back　down　the　creek。　
　Nora　watched　his　receding　back。　Then　she　glanced　over　at　the　writer。　Smithback　merely　shrugged　in　return。　
　As　they　set　off　across　the　valley　toward　the　dark　slot　canyon；　Nora　looked　up。　The　northern　sky　had　grown　lumpy　with　thunderheads。　She　frowned；　normally；　the　summer　rains　weren't　due　for　another　couple　of　weeks。　But　with　a　sky　like　this；　the　rains　could　be　upon　them　as　early　as　that　very　afternoon。　
　She　urged　her　horse　into　a　trot　toward　the　slot　canyon。　Better　get　through　before　the　system　moves　in；　she　thought。　Soon；　they　reached　the　opening。　They　unsaddled　their　horses；　wrapped　and　stowed　the　saddles；　then　turned　the　animals　loose　to　find　the　rest　of　the　herd。　
　It　was　the　work　of　a　long；　wet；　weary　hour　to　toil　through　the　slot　canyon；　the　gear　dead　weight　on　their　backs。　At　last；　Nora　parted　the　hanging　weeds　and　began　walking　down　toward　the　camp。　Smithback　fell　in　step　beside　her；　breathing　hard　and　shaking　mud　and　quicksand　from　his　legs。　
　Suddenly；　Nora　stopped　short。　Something　was　wrong。　The　camp　was　deserted；　the　fire　untended　and　smoking。　Instinctively；　she　looked　up　the　cliff　face　toward　Quivira。　Although　the　city　itself　was　hidden；　she　could　hear　the　faint　sounds　of　loud；　hurried　conversation。　
　Despite　her　weariness；　she　shrugged　the　pack　from　her　back；　jogged　toward　the　base　of　the　rope　ladder；　and　climbed　to　the　city。　As　she　clambered　onto　the　bench；　she　saw　Sloane　and　Black　near　the　city's　central　plaza；　talking　animatedly。　On　the　far　side　of　the　plaza　sat　Bonarotti；　legs　crossed；　watching　them。　
　Sloane　saw　her　approaching　and　broke　away　from　Black。　〃Nora；〃　she　said。　〃We've　been　vandalized。〃　
　Exhausted；　Nora　sank　onto　the　retaining　wall。　〃Tell　me　about　it；〃　she　said。　
　〃It　must　have　happened　during　the　night；〃　Sloane　went　on；　taking　a　seat　beside　her。　〃At　breakfast；　Peter　said　he　wanted　to　go　up　and　check　his　equipment　before　getting　to　work。　I　was　going　to　tell　him　to　take　the　day　off；　actually…he　didn't　look　that　well。　But　he　insisted。　Said　he'd　heard　something　during　the　night。　Anyway；　next　thing　I　know　he　was　calling　down　from　the　top　of　the　cliff。　So　I　went　up　after　him。〃　She　paused。　〃Our　munications　equipment；　Nora　。　。　。　it's　all　been　smashed　to　pieces。〃　
　Nora　looked　over　at　her。　Sloane　was　uncharacteristically　unkempt；　her　eyes　were　red；　her　dark　hair　tousled。　
　〃Everything？〃　Nora　asked。　
　Sloane　nodded。　〃The　transmitter；　the　paging　network…everything　but　the　weather　receiver。　Guess　they　didn't　think　to　look　up　in　that　tree。〃　
　〃Did　anybody　else　see　or　hear　anything？〃　
　Black　glanced　at　Sloane；　then　turned　back　to　Nora。　〃Nothing；〃　he　said。　
　〃I've　kept　a　sharp　eye　out　all　day；〃　Sloane　said。　〃I　haven't　seen　anybody；　or　anything。〃　
　〃What　about　Swire？〃　
　〃He　went　out　to　the　horses　before　we　learned　about　it。　I　haven't　had　a　chance　to　ask　him。〃　
　Nora　sighed　deeply。　〃I　want　to　talk　to　Peter　about　this。　Where　is　he　now？〃　
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Sloane　said。　〃He　went　down　the　ladder　from　the　summit　before　I　d