第7部分(第6/7 頁)

〃No。〃　There　was　no　hesitancy　in　his　response。　〃I　saw　a　woman　two　weeks

ago　who　interested　me。　I　would　be　here　regardless。　It's　just。。　。〃

As　Chloe　waited　for　his　voice　to　pick　up　again；　their　paths　crisscrossed

her　earlier　footprints。　Ross　easily　measured　his　pace　to　hers。　〃It's

just　what？〃　she　prodded。

He　stopped　walking。　She　went　a　step　farther；　then　turned　to　face　him。　He

frowned；　seeming　deliberative。　〃It's　just　that　after　what　happened

eleven　years　ago；　I　feel　even　more　justified。。　。〃

Her　voice　rose；　as　it　often　did　when　she　was　distressed。　〃Are　you　saying

you　feel　guilty　so　long　after　the　fact？　Is　that　why　you've　e？　To　ease

some　long…harbored　guilt？　Where　were　you　then？〃　she　cried。　〃Where　were

you　when　I…〃

She　cut　herself　off。　For　the　very　first　time　she　wondered　what　might

have　happened　had　Ross　been　with　her　at　the　time　of　Crystal's　death。　It

had　been　late　Saturday　night；　two　days　after　Thanksgiving；　when　she　and

Crystal　argued；　Crystal　raced　off　in　her　car；　the　accident　happened。　By

that　time　Ross　was　on　his　way　back　to　Africa。　What　if　he　had　been　with

her　through　the　ordeal？　Would　things　have　been　different？

But　he　hadn't　been　with　her。　There　was　no　changing　that　fact。　She　had

survived。　She　had　survived。　Not　Crystal；　though。

When　she　closed　her　eyes　for　a　moment　in　search　of　posure；　Ross　took

her　arm　and　said　a　quick；　〃Over　there。　Those　rocks。　You　should　sit

down。〃

〃I'm　all　right…〃

〃Then　I　want　to　sit　down！　Indulge　me！〃　He　led　her　to　a　jagged

outcropping　of　rocks。　When　they　were　seated　on　side　by　side　boulders；　he

said；　〃Okay。　Why　don't　you　tell　me　about　that　night…and　stop　lo