第11部分(第3/7 页)

ly　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