He quickly replaced the articles back into their packing crate, then carefully eliminated all evidence that he had been inside the tent and hurried back outside to sit on a rock and look bored.
Lucking was a big man in his early sixties with a gray beard and wire-rimmed spectacles. Barker was twenty years younger, of average height, and also bearded. Both men were trim and looked extremely fit, and very unhappy to see visitors, even one as pretty as Miranda.
“What are you doing in our camp?” Lucking demanded in a stern voice.
“We were just visiting,” Miranda said. “We had no idea that anyone was up here, and when we stumbled onto your camp, we thought that it would be fun to wait and visit.”
“‘Fun?’” Barker snapped, eyes boring into Longarm. “We aren’t here to have ‘fun!’ We are archaeologists, and neither Dr. Lucking nor myself appreciates complete strangers moving into our camp.”
“We didn’t ‘move into your camp,’” Longarm said, putting a little heat in his own voice to let these men know that he was not about to be cowed by their hostile behavior. “As you can plainly see, our burro hasn’t been unpacked. My wife and I were simply hoping we’d discovered a friendly place to camp. However, I see that you are not hospitable.”
Lucking had hurried into their tent, and Longarm could hear the man opening some of the very same crates that he had just opened and searched. When Lucking emerged from the tent, he demanded, “What have you been doing here in our absence?”
“Nothing,” Longarm said, trying to look as innocent as a child. “We’ve only just arrived, and I think that we will now be leaving. It’s clear to me and my wife that while you may be scientists, you are not gentlemen.”
He turned to Miranda. “Let’s go, my dear. We certainly don’t have to associate with these people.”
“I agree,” Miranda said, starting for her horse.
“Wait a minute!” Lucking said. “Perhaps we have been somewhat unsociable. I apologize. It would be acceptable if you camped here tonight. We have plenty of food, and even some after-dinner brandy.”
Barker appeared to be shocked by the older man’s offer. He started to protest, but Lucking ignored him and said to Longarm, “However, we will have to ask you to leave first thing tomorrow morning. Our scientific research leaves no time for social visits … as regrettable as that might sound.”
“You’re scientists?” Miranda asked. “How wonderful! Then I suppose that you can tell us everything about these ancient peoples.”
Lucking smiled coldly. “I wish that were so, Mis …”
“Long. I’m Miranda and this is my husband Custis.”
“A pleasure to meet you both,” Lucking said, glancing at his partner for a similar overture, but receiving instead a questioning frown.
“Why don’t you unpack your burro and make camp over near the rim where it’s flat,” Lucking suggested. “John and I will tidy up things and start a cooking fire. We have some delicious stew left over from yesterday. I hope that sounds good.”
“It sounds great,” Longarm said, only now realizing that they had eaten very little this day other than a few dried apples and biscuits. “We’ll be back soon.”
“Good!” the older man said before turning away to disappear inside the tent.
Longarm and Miranda made their camp about fifty yards from the pair, and Longarm explained to Miranda what he’d found in the tent. They took their time unpacking the burro and laying out their sleeping bags and food supplies. While doing that, Longarm could not help but be reminded of the murdered Horn brothers, and he wondered if this pair of impostors knew of their horrible fate. Probably not, for this was a very remote setting and Longarm doubted if anyone else was camped on this mesa.
“How are you doing, Miranda? Ready to play the ignorant dinner guest?”
“Not really,” she told him. “Actually, I’m scared half to death. I mean, they are so convincing.”
“Yes,” Longarm said, “and it’s quite possible that they actually are scientists who have simply chosen to trade their academic respectability for riches. We’ll find out soon enough how much they really know about the Anasazi.”
“Then you intend to question them?”
“Of course!” Longarm smiled. “At least enough to remove any doubt whatsoever as to their authenticity.”
“But you don’t know much about the Anasazi. How will you know if they are telling the truth or not?”
Longarm shrugged. “It’s true that I don’t know much about these people. But Miranda, it’s also true that a skunk always smells a bit rank, even when he doesn’t intend to smell. Believe me, I’ll know if these fellas are simply con men, or if they really do have some scientific training. I’ll know it right away.”
“And then?”
“Then nothing,” Longarm said. “We just play the part of the dumb and happy newlyweds off on their honeymoon. Tomorrow, we’ll go down into the canyon and visit a cliff dwelling or two, and then we’ll hang around for a couple of days waiting for Mountain Packers to show up to collect the goods.”
“What if they don’t come for weeks?”
“They will come a lot sooner than that,” Longarm promised. “I know because the packing crates are all filled and the food is almost gone. These two here need to be resupplied right away.”
“What happens when Mountain Packers arrive?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” Longarm answered. “We could arrest the whole bunch on the spot, but I think I’d rather follow that pack string back down to Durango, see who is waiting to collect the artifacts, then who they are being delivered to elsewhere in this country before being sent abroad. That way, we can identify and arrest the entire gang from top to bottom.”
