rekindled(英文版)-第15章

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Chloe　set　down　her　fork。　She　took　an　angry　breath。　〃I　look　in　the
mirror。〃

rooted　in　the　present。　There　were　reports　to　read；　studies　to　review；
proposals　to　consider。　The　more　she　worked；　the　better　she　felt。　For　the
first　time　since　having　done　the　lab　work　earlier　that　week；　she　studied
the　sediment　analysis　of　samples　taken　along　an　increasingly　unstable
portion　of　the　Cape　Cod　National　Seashore。

〃Problems？〃　This　from　Debbie　Walker；　who　popped　her　head　in　shortly
after　eleven。

〃Hi；　Deb。　e　on　in。〃　She　smiled　at　her　petite；　sandy…haired　associate。
〃It's　the　Cape　analysis。　I　was　just　studying　the　results　of　the　work　I
did　last　week。　I　have　the　grain　sizes　of　the　sand　pretty　much　divided　by
sections。　Boy；　they　really　botched　it。〃

〃〃They'　being　the　people　who　put　that　parking　lot　so　close　to　the
cliff。？〃

Chloe　sighed。　〃It's　begun　to　erode　already；　and　the　locals　want　to　sue。
According　to　my　calculations；　they　have　a　case。〃

〃Will　you　be　called　in　to　testify？〃

〃I'm　not　sure。　I　have　to　work　this　report　up　into　some　kind　of　written
form。　Depending　on　what　happens　when　they　read　it；　whether　or　not　the
matter　can　be　settled　first；　it　may　not　make　it　to　court。〃　She　sat　back。
〃It's　a　shame　that　we　seem　to　learn　things　after　the　fact。　If　only　those
developers　had　gotten　a　geologist　to　advise　them　at　the　start。〃

Debbie　smiled。　〃You　make　a　good　crusader。　I　wish　I　could　present　my　case
as　well　as　you　do。〃

〃I　wish　I　could　handle　those　puters　as　well　as　you　do；〃　Chloe
returned。　〃e　on。　Let's　take　a　look　at　your　statistics。〃

They　spent　the　next　half　hour　reviewing　the　work　Debbie　had　done。
Between　them；　they　came　up　with　a　plan　of　attack　on　both　the　sinkhole　in
question　and　the　people　in　a　position　to　do　something　about　it。　Suitably
buoyed；　and　with　her　work　cut　out　for　her；　Debbie　left。　She　was　replaced
moments　later　by　a　slightly　groggy…looking　Josh　Anderson。

Chloe　grinned。　〃Late　night　last　night？〃

〃Don't　you　know　it；〃　Josh　murmured。　〃But　I　have　to　discuss　this
curriculum　guide　with　you。　If　the　preliminaries　are　all　right；　I'd　like
to　work　out　more　of　the　details。〃

Chloe's　arched　brow　spoke　volumes；　as　did　the　slow　perusal　she　gave　the
casually　disheveled　graduate　student。　〃You're　up　to　it？〃　With　great
effort　she　stifled　a　broader　grin。　Josh　was　a　favorite　of　hers。　Several
years　her　junior；　he　was　working　toward　his　degree　at　Brown。　This　was
his　second　year　working　part…time　at　ESE。

His　proposed　high…school　geology　curriculum　was　as　fine　as　any　she　could
have　hoped　ESE　would　produce。

Now　he　lowered　his　voice。　〃I'd　really　be　up　to　it　if　I　could　take　a　swig
of　the　coffee　that　smells　so　good　in　the　kitchen。〃

〃Why　don't　you？〃

He　kept　his　voice　low。　〃There's　a　watchdog　out　there。〃

〃In　the　kitchen？〃

〃In　the　living　room。　Tall　guy；　dark　hair；　dark　eyes。　He　doesn't　look
happy　with　the　traffic　in　here。　Who　is　he？　And　what's　he　doing　in　our
house？〃

For　the　better　part　of　the　morning　Chloe　had　pushed　Ross　from　mind。　Now；
revived　by　the　work　that　she　loved；　she　was　able　to　chuckle　at　Josh's
reference。

〃He's　a　friend；〃　she　answered　simply。

〃You're　sure　about　that？〃

〃I'm　sure。　Go　on　out　and　get　your　coffee。　If　he　starts　to　snarl；　you　can
send　him　in　here。〃

Josh's　face　took　on　a　dubious　I…hope…you…know　…what…you're…doing　look。
Noheless；　he　drew　up　to　his　full　sixty…seven　inches；　squared　his
shoulders；　and　made　as　grand　an　exit　as　was　possible　for　someone　going
to　face　the　proverbial　giant。　With　a　helpless　grin；　Chloe　sat　back　in
her　chair；　elbows　on　its　arms；　fingers　fortably　laced。

So　Ross　had　decided　to　spend　the　morning　in　her　living　room。　She
wondered　if　he　was　bored；　maybe　annoyed　that　she　was　carrying　on　as
usual；　perhaps　growing　impatient。　Her　grin　turned　smug。

〃You　wanted　to　see　me？〃　His　deep　voice　rumbled　in　from　the　door。

Her　grin　remained。　〃Who；　me？〃

He　searched　the　room。　〃I　don't　see　anyone　else　in　here；　for　a　change。
They　may　not　technically　live　here；　but　they　run　in　and　out　all　day；
don't　they？〃

〃It's　an　open　office；　you　might　say。〃

〃I　do　say。　Say；　when　will　you　be　done？〃

〃Done？〃　she　echoed　innocently；　then　gestured　toward　the　desktop。　〃Lord
knows。　I　have　two　reports　to　look　through　yet。　And　Josh　will　be　back。
Here　he　is。〃　His　timing　was　perfect。　〃Josh；　meet　Ross。〃　As　the　two　shook
hands；　Chloe　stared　at　the　appalling　discrepancy　in　their　heights。　No
wonder　Josh　had　been　intimidated；　not　only　did　Ross　tower　over　him；　but
their　respective　physiques　were　about　as　alike　as　night　and　day。

Instinctively　protective　of　Josh；　she　pointed　him　to　a　chair。　Then　she
said；　〃Ross；　would　you　excuse　us？　We'll　be　a　little　while。〃

〃I'll　be　waiting。〃　He　smiled　as　though　he　had　caught　onto　the　game　and
was　playing。　Then　he　turned　and　left。

Josh　wasn't　thick。　〃Listen；　Chloe；　are　you　sure　you　wouldn't　rather　go
over　this　another　time？〃

〃What？〃　she　ribbed　him　gently。　〃And　waste　the　effort　it　took　for　you　to
pull　yourself　out　of　bed？　Carry　on！〃

It　was　a　full　hour　later　when　Josh　finally　left。　Chloe　walked　him　to　the
door　and　had　only　enough　time　to　note　that　Ross　was　occupied　with　a
briefcase　of　his　own；　before　Lee　bounded　through　the　living　room。　He
delivered　a　wave　in　passing　to　Ross；　looped　an　arm　about　Chloe's　waist；
and　corralled　her　back　into　her　office。

〃It's　about　time　you're　free；〃　he　scolded　good…naturedly。　〃You're　a　busy
lady。〃

Chloe　smiled。　〃I'm　all　yours　now。　I　want　to　show　you…〃　The　look　on　his
face　cut　her　off。　〃There's　something　we　have　to　discuss　first。　I　think；〃
he　said；　giving　care　to　each　word；　〃that　we　have　a　problem。〃

〃A　problem？〃　She　frowned。　〃What　problem？〃

Eying　her　warily；　he　said；　〃I　had　two　cancellations　yesterday。〃

〃Cancellations？〃

〃That's　right。　The　schools。　They　don't　have　the　money　to　finance　us　for
the　next　semester。〃

She　sat　straighter。　〃Are　you　serious？〃

；〃Very。〃

〃But　I　thought…〃

〃So　did　I。〃

〃I　just　sent　Josh　out　of　here　with　a　great　proposal。　You　mean　to　say
that　he　won't　be　able　to　apply　it？〃

〃Not　in　Hingham　or　Westerly　he　won't。　There　are　still　the　wealthier
munities。。　。〃　His　voice　trailed　off；　his　implication　clear。

〃But　not　for　long。　That's　it；　isn't　it？　You　think　we're　headed　down　a
dead…end　street？〃

〃Unless　the　powers　that　dole　out　money　for　education　loosen　up。　They're
thinking　A；　B；　Cs。　We're　talking　H；　I；　Js。　We're　strictly　elective；　they
say。　A　luxury　they　can't　afford。〃

Chloe's　mind　raced　ahead。　〃A　good　third　of　our　work　is　through　the
public　schools。　Oh；　boy。　We'd　better　rethink　that。〃

〃Smart　girl。〃

〃Private　enterprise；〃　she　announced　without　hesitation。

〃e　again？　Business　isn't　our　field。〃

Chloe　laughed　at　the　confusion　on　Lee's　bearded　face。　〃No。　But　I　said　it
to　Debbie　earlier　this　morning　and　I　meant　it。　What　we　need　is　to
affiliate　ourselves　with　corporations　as　resident　geologists；　be　the
geologistson…call　for　several　of　these　large　development　corporations。
You　know；　like…〃

〃…the　Hansen　Corporation？〃

The　thought　took　her　off…guard。　〃No；〃　she　said　with　deliberate　care。　〃I
was　thinking　more　of　firms　like　Cabot　and　Walker；　or　Fennimen　East。〃

But　Lee　was　grinning。　〃What's　wrong　with　the　Hansen　Corporation？〃

〃Nothing；〃　she　said；　but　rethought　her　answer　when　Lee　was　clearly
disbelieving。　She　lowered　her　voice。　〃What's　wrong　with　the　Hansen
Corporation　is　that　Ross　Stephenson　is　its　president。〃

So？〃

〃Lee；〃　she　pleaded；　〃Ross　is　a　friend。　I　would　no　more　ask　him　to　hire
ESE　than　。。。　than。。　。〃　She　went　silent；　at　a　loss　for　words。　She　was
hoping　to　survive　a　single　weekend　with　Ross。　She　couldn't　begin　to
imagine　working　with　him　on　an　ongoing　basis。

Lee　grew　serious。　〃What　is　he　to　you；　Chloe？〃

She　sighed；　giving　up　the　struggle　to　find　excuses。　〃We　knew　each　other
before　Crystal　died。〃

〃He's　the　one；　isn't　he？〃　There　was　only　kindness　in　Lee's　voice；　yet
his　words　jolted　her。

〃What？〃　she　whispered。

〃He's　the　one…the　man　in　your　life。〃

〃There　is　no　man　in　my　life。　You　know　that。〃

Lee　grew　gentler。　〃Over　the　years；　I've　learned　a　lot　about　you。　You've
told　me　about　your　sister；　that　she　died；　that　you　rarely　visit　your
family　back　in　New　Orleans。　B