thillerman.theblessingway-第25章
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McKee was suddenly conscious of the feel of her arm under his fingers； of the softness under the shirt sleeve。 He jerked his hand away。
Miss Leon ran。 She spun away from him and ran lightly down the rocks toward the Volkswagen。 McKee stood； too surprised to move； thinking； There's nothing wrong with her ankle。 Then he swore； and ran after her； clumsily because of his injured hand。 Before he reached the Volkswagen； she had rolled up the windows and locked herself in。 For a wild moment； McKee thought she would start the car and drive off and he had a vision of himself trying to keep himself in front of the Volkswagen…performing an idiotic game of dodgem in reverse。 But she simply sat behind the wheel； looking at him。
He tapped on the window； and tried to keep his voice sounding normal。
〃Really； Miss Leon。 I'm not crazy。 And we really do have to get out of here。〃
Miss Leon looked at him。 He saw no fear in her expression； nor anger。 She simply looked worried。
〃Roll down the window。〃
〃Not until you give me your word of honor you'll go back to the camp。〃
Her voice was faint through the glass。
My day for breaking windows； McKee thought。 He picked up a rock； and wrapped the handkerchief around his left hand again。 He saw Miss Leon looked frightened now。
〃Roll it down。〃
〃No。〃
McKee hesitated。 He thought of Jeremy's body； and of the sand on his face。 Breaking his word would be quicker than the window。
〃I promise；〃 he said。 〃Let me in and we'll go back to camp。〃
〃I don't know now；〃 Miss Leon said。 〃I'm not sure I can trust you。〃
Good lord； McKee thought。 Women left him utterly baffled。
He held up the rock。
〃Open up； or I break in。〃
Miss Leon unlocked the door and he pulled it open。
〃Get out now。 No more of this horsing around。 Get out of there or I'll have to drag you out。〃
Miss Leon got out。 He gripped her arm and walked with her rapidly up the canyon。 And then he stopped。
A tall man wearing a new black hat emerged from the screen of bushes just in front of them。
He was the Big Navajo who had been shopping in Shoemaker's。 In his right hand he held a machine pistol； pointed approximately at McKee's stomach。 It was of shiny； gunmetal blue…something which would have reflected in the moonlight。
〃That's right；〃 the man said。 〃Just stand still。〃
He walked across the rocks toward them； keeping his eyes on McKee。
The pistol； McKee saw； had a wire stock； now folded down； and a long cartridge magazine extending downward from the chamber。
〃You're Bergen McKee；〃 the man said。 〃And the young lady would be Ellen Leon。〃
McKee pulled Miss Leon's arm； moving her behind him。
〃What do you want？〃
The man smiled at McKee。 It was a pleasant smile。 And the face was pleasant。 A long； raw…boned Navajo face； with heavy eyebrows and a generous mouth。 McKee saw he wore short braids； tied with red cord。
〃Just the pleasure of your pany for a while；〃 the big man said。 〃But right now I want you to take that hand out of your shirt front； very； very slowly。〃
McKee pulled out the hand。
〃Well；〃 the man said。 〃I see I've been too suspicious。〃 He smiled again。 〃That's quite a finger。〃
McKee said nothing。
〃Now； I'll have you put your hands against that tree。〃 He flicked the long barrel of the pistol toward the trunk of a pi？on。 〃Lean against it while I see what you have in those pockets。 And； Ellen； you stand over here where I can watch you。〃
The man stood behind McKee and searched him deftly。 He pulled out the cans of meat and dropped them； took the pickup keys and his billfold； ran his hand quickly around McKee's belt line and patted his shirt。 Then the hand was gone； but the voice came from directly behind him。
〃You will hold that position until I finish checking Miss Leon's possessions。 I don't want any movement at all。 I don't have to tell you that I will use this pistol。〃
〃No；〃 Bergen said glumly。 〃You don't。〃
He heard the voice telling Miss Leon to hold her arms out。 McKee looked back over his shoulder。
The blow was so sudden and vicious that he dropped to his knees and huddled against the pain of it。 The man had jabbed him； full strength； above the kidney with the muzzle of the pistol。
〃You didn't pay attention to what I said；〃 he heard the man saying。 〃I said not to move。 But now you can get up。〃
McKee pulled himself to his feet。 He had hurt his finger again and his hand throbbed violently。 He saw Miss Leon looking at him； her face very white。 The man was looking at him too； still smiling slightly。 He wore a black shirt and denims tucked into the tops of his boots。
〃You know； I almost missed you again；〃 the man said。 He stopped smiling。 〃You've been a hell of a lot of trouble。 When we have a little time I want you to tell me how you got away from me last night at your camp。 That's been puzzling me。〃 The man stopped a moment； staring at McKee。
〃I think I know why I didn't catch you at my tree。 You were farther down the canyon than I thought you could be and you heard the winch。 Didn't you？〃
〃That's right；〃 McKee said。
〃I almost waited there too long；〃 the man said。 〃You were smart enough to run； but then you gave away your advantage。 I wonder why you waited for me here。〃 He looked at McKee thoughtfully。 〃You could have made me hunt you another day；〃 he said。 〃Why did you stop？ Did you give up？〃
McKee didn't look at Miss Leon。
〃We didn't think anyone would know where we were。〃
The Navajo laughed。 He seemed genuinely amused。 〃If you didn't know this was the only way out； I had some luck with you。〃
〃Who the hell are you？〃 McKee asked。 〃And what do you want with us？〃
〃Let's go now。 You will walk a little ahead and do as you're told。〃
He turned the machine pistol sideways； and tapped the safety button beside the trigger guard。
〃I carry it cocked； with the safety off。 It's a 。38 caliber and I'm good with it。〃
〃I'll bet you are；〃 McKee said。
The man kept well behind them as they walked past the brush and over the rocks。 McKee walked silently； trying to think。
Miss Leon touched his arm。 〃I'm sorry。〃 Her voice was very small。
〃Nothing to be sorry for。〃
〃If I hadn't been so stupid；〃 she whispered。 〃I thought it was because you had hurt your head。〃
〃What else could you think？ It still seems crazy。〃
〃I'm sorry。 You could have gotten away。〃
〃I should have been able to manage it anyway；〃 McKee said。 His voice was bitter。
〃How did he know our names？〃
〃He looked through the papers in our tent；〃 McKee said。 〃I guess he saw them there。〃
〃No talking；〃 the Navajo said。 〃Save your breath。〃
They walked in silence up the sand and around the outcropping where Canfield's camper was parked。
〃We'll stop here a moment；〃 the man said。
McKee saw Miss Leon looking at the truck。 He was glad he had had sense enough to close the tailgate。
I noticed you looked in it；〃 the man said。 〃I wish you hadn't broken that window。 What did you think that would acplish？ It's going to look funny。〃
The Navajo moved toward the pickup； watching them as he did。 He glanced inside and then briefly inspected the broken window。
〃This Canfield seemed like a nice fella；〃 he said。 〃Full of jokes。〃
〃Then why did you kill him？〃 McKee asked fiercely。 He spoke in Navajo。
The big man looked at him； as if trying to understand the question。 He answered in English。 〃Just bad luck。 There wasn't any other way to handle it。〃 He looked at McKee solemnly and pursed his lips。 The expression was rueful。 〃Have to go on now；〃 he said。 〃It's more than a mile to my car and a lot of climbing。〃
Within a few hundred yards； the going became increasingly difficult。 The canyon floor rose sharply now and was choked by brush and tumbled boulders。 McKee climbed stolidly； helping Miss Leon when he could and trying to think。 What kind of a monster was this？ He seemed perfectly sane； as if this crazy episode were simply business。 He had apparently killed Jeremy as unemotionally as he would swat a fly。 McKee was absolutely certain he would kill Miss Leon and him with the same coolness。 And； as usual； he could do nothing about it。 He had thought about turning suddenly and trying to hit the man with a rock。 But his right hand was almost useless and the Na
