p&c.thunderhead-第74章

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　Nora　waited；　taking　measured　breaths；　thinking　about　what　she　was　going　to　say　and　how　she　was　going　to　say　it。　
　〃Sloane；〃　she　began　quietly。　〃Aaron。　This　expedition　is　facing　a　crisis。　One　person　has　died。　There　are　people　out　there　who　killed　our　horses；　and　who　may　try　to　kill　us。　To　open　and　document　this　kiva　properly　would　take　days。　We　don't　have　days。〃　She　paused。　〃I'm　the　leader　of　this　expedition。　It's　my　choice　to　make。　And　we're　leaving　tomorrow。〃　
　A　tense　silence　gathered　in　the　cave。　
　〃I　don't　accept　your　so…called　choice；〃　Sloane　said　in　a　low　tone。　〃Here　we　are；　on　the　verge　of　the　greatest　discovery；　and　what　is　your　answer？　Go　home。　You're　just　like　my　father。　You　have　to　control　everything。　Well；　this　is　my　career；　too。　This　is　my　discovery　as　much　as　it　is　yours。　If　we　leave　now；　this　kiva　will　be　looted。　And　you'll　have　thrown　away　perhaps　the　greatest　discovery　in　American　archaeology。〃　Nora　saw　that　she　was　shaking　in　anger。　〃I've　been　a　threat　to　you　from　the　beginning。　But　that's　your　problem；　not　mine。　And　I'm　not　going　to　let　you　do　this　to　my　career。〃　
　Nora　looked　hard　at　Sloane。　〃You　mention　your　father；〃　she　said　slowly。　〃Let　me　tell　you　what　he　said　to　us；　right　before　we　left　for　Quivira：　'You　are　representing　the　Institute。　And　what　the　Institute　represents　is　the　very　highest　standard　of　archaeological　research　and　ethical　conduct。'　Sloane；　what　we　do　here；　what　we　say　here；　will　be　studied；　debated；　second…guessed　by　countless　people。〃　She　softened　her　tone。　〃I　know　how　you　feel。　I　want　to　open　this　kiva　as　much　as　you　do。　And　we　will　be　back　to　do　this　the　right　way。　I　promise　you'll　get　all　the　credit　you　deserve。　But　until　that　time；　I　absolutely　forbid　the　opening　of　this　kiva。〃　
　〃If　we　leave　here　now；　there　will　be　nothing　left　when　we　return；〃　Sloane　said；　her　eyes　locked　on　Nora。　〃And　then　we'll　be　the　ones　doing　the　second…guessing。　Go　on　and　run；　if　you　want。　Just　leave　me　a　horse　and　some　supplies。〃　
　〃Is　that　your　final　word？〃　Nora　asked　quietly。　
　Sloane　merely　stared　in　return。　
　〃Then　you　leave　me　no　choice　but　to　relieve　you　of　your　position　on　the　archaeological　team。〃　
　Sloane's　eyes　widened。　Then　her　gaze　swivelled　to　Black。　
　〃I'm　not　sure　you　can　do　that；〃　Black　said；　a　little　weakly。　
　〃You're　damn　right　she　can　do　it；〃　Smithback　suddenly　spoke　up。　〃Last　time　I　checked；　Nora　was　leader　of　this　expedition。　You　heard　what　she　said。　We　leave　the　kiva　alone。〃　
　〃Nora；〃　Black　said；　a　pleading　note　entering　his　voice；　〃I　don't　think　you　appreciate　the　magnitude　of　this　discovery。　Just　on　the　other　side　of　that　adobe　wall　is　a　king's　ransom　in　Aztec　gold。　I　just　don't　think　we　can　leave　it　for　。　。　。〃　
　His　voice　trailed　off。　Ignoring　Black；　Nora　continued　to　look　hard　at　Sloane。　But　Sloane　had　turned　away；　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　large　painted　disk　on　the　kiva's　side；　glowing　brilliantly　in　the　fluorescent　light。　Then　she　gave　Nora　one　last；　hateful　look　and　walked　to　the　low　passageway。　In　a　moment　she　was　gone。　Black　stood　his　ground　a　little　longer；　staring　from　the　kiva　to　Nora　and　back　again。　Then；　swallowing　heavily；　he　tore　himself　away　and　wordlessly　made　his　way　out　into　the　Crawlspace。　
　
　
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　SKIP　KELLY　MADE　HIS　CAREFUL　WAY　DOWN　THE　far　reaches　of　Tano　Road　North；　doing　his　best　to　keep　the　VW　from　bottoming　out　on　the　dirt　road。　It　was　terrible　road；　all　washboard　and　ruts：　the　kind　of　road　that　was　a　much…coveted　asset　in　many　of　Santa　Fe's　priciest　neighborhoods。　Every　quarter　mile　or　so；　he　passed　another　enormous　set　of　wrought…iron　gates；　flanked　by　adobe　pillars；　beyond　which　a　narrow　dirt　road　wound　off　through　pi？on　trees：　portals　to　unseen　estates。　Occasionally；　he　caught　glimpses　of　buildings…a　caretaker's　cottage；　an　immaculate　set　of　barns；　an　enormous　house　rising　from　a　distant　ridgeline…but　most　of　the　great　estates　along　Tano　Road　were　so　well　hidden　that　one　hardly　knew　they　existed。　
　The　road　narrowed；　the　pi？ons　crowding　in　on　either　side。　Skip　slowed　even　further；　eased　his　foot　onto　the　clutch；　elbowed　Teddy　Bear's　huge　muzzle　out　of　his　face；　and　once　again　checked　the　number　scribbled　onto　a　folded　sheet　of　paper；　dim　in　the　evening　light。　Not　far　now。　
　He　came　over　the　brow　of　a　hill　and　saw　the　road　peter　out　a　quarter　mile　ahead；　ending　in　a　thicket　of　chamisa。　To　the　left；　a　great　rock　of　granite　rose　out　of　the　earth。　Its　face　had　been　polished　flat；　and　ESG　had　been　engraved　on　it　in　simple；　sans…serif　letters。　Beyond　the　rock　was　an　old　ranch　gate。　It　looked　much　more　battered　than　the　shiny　monstrosities　he　had　just　driven　past。　As　he　eased　the　car　closer；　however；　he　saw　that　the　shabbiness　of　the　gate　belied　its　immensely　strong　construction。　Beside　it　was　a　small　keypad　and　an　inter。　
　Leaving　the　engine　running；　he　got　out　of　the　car；　pushed　the　single　red　button　beneath　the　inter's　speaker；　and　waited。　A　minute　passed；　then　two。　Just　as　he　was　preparing　to　get　back　into　the　car；　the　speaker　crackled　into　life。　
　〃Yes？〃　came　a　voice。　〃Who　is　it？〃　
　With　mild　surprise；　Skip　realized　that　the　voice　wasn't　that　of　a　housekeeper；　chauffeur；　or　butler。　It　was　the　authoritative　voice　of　the　owner；　Ernest　Goddard　himself。　
　He　leaned　toward　the　inter。　〃It's　Skip　Kelly；〃　he　said。　
　The　speaker　was　silent。　
　〃I'm　Nora　Kelly's　brother。〃　
　There　was　a　brief　movement　in　the　vegetation　beside　the　gate；　and　Skip　turned　to　see　a　cleverly　hidden　camera　swivel　toward　him。　Then　it　panned　away；　toward　the　Volkswagen。　Skip　winced　inwardly。　
　〃What　is　it；　Skip？〃　the　voice　said。　It　did　not　sound　particularly　friendly。　
　Skip　swallowed。　〃I　need　to　talk　to　you；　sir。　It's　very　important。〃　
　〃Why　now？　You're　working　at　the　Institute；　are　you　not？　Can't　it　wait　until　Monday？〃　
　What　Skip　didn't　say　was　that　he　had　spent　the　entire　day　locked　in　a　debate　with　himself　over　whether　or　not　to　make　this　trip。　Aloud；　he　said；　〃No；　it　can't。　At　least；　I　don't　think　it　can。〃　
　He　waited；　painfully　conscious　of　the　camera　regarding　him；　wondering　what　the　old　man　would　say　next。　But　the　inter　remained　silent。　Instead；　there　was　the　heavy　clank　of　a　lock　being　released；　and　the　old　gate　began　to　swing　open。　
　Skip　returned　to　the　car；　put　it　in　gear；　and　eased　past　the　fence。　The　winding　driveway　threaded　its　way　along　a　low　ridge。　After　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　it　dipped　down；　made　a　sharp　turn；　then　rose　again。　There；　on　the　next　crest；　Skip　saw　a　magnificent　estate　spread　along　the　ridgeline；　its　adobe　facade　brocaded　a　rich　evening　crimson　beneath　the　Sangre　de　Cristo　Mountains。　Despite　himself；　he　stopped　the　car　for　a　moment；　staring　through　the　windshield　in　admiration。　Then　he　drove　slowly　up　the　remainder　of　the　driveway；　parking　the　Beetle　between　a　battered　Chevy　truck　and　a　Mercedes　Gelaendewagen。　
　He　got　out　of　the　car　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。　〃Stay；〃　he　told　Teddy　Bear。　It　was　an　unnecessary　mand：　even　though　the　windows　were　rolled　all　the　way　down；　the　dog　would　never　have　been　able　to　squeeze　his　bulk　through　them。　
　The　entrance　to　the　house　was　a　huge　set　of　eighteenth…century　zaguan　doors。　Pulled　from　some　hacienda　in　Mexico；　I'll　bet；　Skip　thought　as　he　approached。　Clutching　a　book　under　one　arm；　he　searched　for　a　doorbell；　found　nothing；　and　knocked。　
　Almost　immediately　the　door　opened；　revealing　a　long　hallway；　grandly　appointed　but　dimly　lit。　Beyond　it　he　could　see　a　garden　with　a　stone　fountain。　In　front　of　him　stood　Ernest　Goddard　himself；　wearing　a　suit　whose　muted　colors　seemed　to　match　the　hallway　beyond　almost　exactly。　The　long　white　hair　and　closely　trimmed　beard　framed　a　pair　of　lively　but　rather　displeased　blue　eyes。　He　turned　without　a　word　and　Skip　followed　his　gaunt　frame　as　it　retreated　down　the　hall；　hearing　the　click　of　his　own　heels　on　the　marble。　
　Passing　several　doors；　Goddard　at　last　ushered　Skip　into　a　large；　two…story　library；　its　tall　rows　of　books　clad　in　dark　mahogany　shelves。　A　spiral　staircase　of　ornate　iron　led　to　a　second…story　catwalk；　and　to　more　books；　row　upon　row。　Goddard　closed　and　locked　a　small　door　on　the　far　side　of　the　room；　then　pointed　Skip　toward　an　old　leather　chair　beside　the　limestone　fireplace。　Taking　a　seat　opposite；　Go