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ist。 I'll bet my next paycheck it was exactingly assembled by experts and will burst at the slightest touch。〃
Eagan looked at him。 〃If you have a better idea； I'd like to hear it。〃
〃The ore car sitting a couple of hundred yards up the track；〃 replied Pitt。 〃We give it a shove and let it roll through here and trip the wire and detonate the explosives。〃
〃The roof of the tunnel will collapse；〃 said Marquez； 〃blocking it forever。〃
Pitt shrugged。 〃It's not like we're destroying the tunnel to deny access to future generations。 We're the first to have passed through this section of the mine since the nineteen…thirties。〃
〃Makes sense；〃 Eagan finally agreed。 〃We can't leave explosives laying about for the next underground explorers who walk through here。〃
Fifteen minutes later； Pitt； Eagan； Marquez； and the deputy had pushed the ore car to within fifty yards of the trip wire。 The heavy iron wheels squeaked and protested for the first fifty feet； but soon loosened and began to roll smoothly over the rusty rails as the ancient grease on their axles lubricated the roller bearings。 The four sweating men finally reached the crest of a slight slope that led downward。
〃The end of the line；〃 Pitt announced。 〃One good shove and she should roll for a mile。〃
〃Or until she drops into the next shaft；〃 said Marquez。
The men heaved in unison and ran with the car； propelling it until it picked up speed and began to outrace them。 They staggered to a halt and caught their breath； allowing their pounding hearts to slow。 Then they held their flashlights on the ore car as it charged over the rails and disappeared around a gradual curve of the tunnel。
Less than a minute later； a tremendous detonation tore through the tunnel。 The shock wave nearly knocked them off their feet。 Then came a cloud of dust that swirled around and past them； followed by the deep rumble of tons of rock falling from the roof of the tunnel。
The rumble was still ringing in their ears； the echoes reverberating in the old mine； when Marquez shouted to Eagan； 〃That should stifle any doubts。〃
〃In your haste to prove your point； you overlooked something；〃 Eagan said loudly； his tone dry and provocative。
Pitt looked at him。 〃Which is？〃
〃Dr。 Ambrose。 He could still be alive somewhere beyond the cave…in。 And even if he's dead； there will be no way of retrieving his body。〃
〃It'll be a wasted effort；〃 Pitt said briefly。
〃You only gave us one possibility；〃 said Eagan。 〃Does this have something to do with the second？〃
Pitt gave a slight nod。 〃Dr。 Ambrose；〃 he said patiently； 〃is not dead。〃
〃Are you saying the third assassin didn't kill him？〃 asked Marquez。
〃He'd hardly murder his own boss。〃
〃Boss？〃
Pitt smiled and said firmly； 〃Dr。 Tom Ambrose was one of the killers。〃
〃Forgive me for arriving late for dinner；〃 said Pat as she stepped through the Marquezes' front door。 〃But I desperately needed a hot bath； and I fear I soaked too long。〃
Lisa Marquez hugged Pat joyously。 〃You don't know how happy I am to see you again。〃 She stepped back； and her face lit up like an angelic cherub as she saw Pitt following Pat into the house。 She kissed him on both cheeks。 〃How can I ever thank you for bringing my husband home alive and well？〃
〃I cheated；〃 Pitt said； with his trademark grin。 〃To save Luis I had to save myself。〃
〃You're just being modest。〃
Pat was surprised to see Pitt show a hint of genuine embarrassment as he stared down at the carpet。 She added； 〃Your husband wasn't the only life Dirk saved。〃
〃Luis has been very closemouthed about your ordeal。 You must fill me in on the details over dinner。〃 Lisa looked elegant in a designer slacks outfit。 〃Here； let me take your coats。〃
〃Do I smell elk sizzling on the barbecue？〃 said Pitt； extricating himself from an awkward situation。
〃Luis is in the garage playing with his smoker；〃 said Lisa。 〃It's too cold to eat outside； so I've set the table inside our glass…enclosed solarium on the rear porch deck。 Luis installed heaters； so it's cozy warm。 Help yourself to a beer as you pass through the kitchen。〃
Pitt retrieved a bottle of Pacifico beer from the refrigerator and joined Marquez in the garage。 Marquez was hunched over a fifty…gallon drum that he had converted into a smoker。 〃Smells good；〃 said Pitt。 〃You're not using a charcoal grill？〃
〃You get far better flavor from meat； chicken； or fish from a smoker；〃 said Luis。 〃I shot the elk last season。 Had it butchered in Montrose and frozen。 Wait till you taste it with Lisa's special Mornay sauce。〃
A short time later； they were all seated at a pine log table Marquez had built inside the glassed…in porch； enjoying the elk steaks coated with Lisa's delicious sauce。 Creamed spinach； baked potatoes； and a big bowl of salad enhanced the elk。 Marquez had asked Pat and Dirk not to say too much about their harrowing experience。 He didn't want to upset his wife any more than he had to。 She had suffered enough during her agonizing wait until the word had e that he had exited the mine and was safe and sound。 They had treated the ordeal lightly； omitting any reference to the killers and telling her that Ambrose was meeting friends and couldn't make it for dinner。
Despite the fact that they acted as if they had returned from a walk in the park； Lisa knew better； but she said nothing。 After dinner； Pat helped her clear the table and returned； while Lisa busily fed her young daughters and made coffee before bringing out a carrot cake。
〃Excuse me for a moment；〃 said Pitt。 He walked into the house and said a few words to Lisa before rejoining Pat and Marquez at the table。
Satisfied that his wife was out of earshot； Marquez stared directly at Pitt and said； 〃I can't accept your theory about Dr。 Ambrose。 I feel certain that he was murdered soon after we left him。〃
〃I agree with Luis；〃 said Pat。 〃To suggest that Tom was anything but a respected scientist is ridiculous。〃
〃Had you ever met Ambrose before today？〃 asked Pitt。
She shook her head。 〃No； but I know him by reputation。〃
〃But you've never seen him。〃
〃No。〃
〃Then how do you know whether the man we knew as Tom Ambrose wasn't an impostor？〃
〃All right；〃 said Marquez。 〃Suppose he was a fake and working with those crazy bikers。 How do you explain that fact that he would have surely drowned if you hadn't showed up？〃
〃That's right；〃 Pat interjected quietly。 〃There's no way he'd be tied to a criminal conspiracy if the killers tried to murder him； too。〃
〃His fellow assassins screwed up。〃 There was a cold certainty in Pitt's voice。 〃They may have been demolitions experts； but not being professional hardrock miners like Luis； they set off an explosive charge too powerful for the job。 Instead of merely causing a cave…in and blocking off the tunnel； they collapsed the rock holding back an underground river； diverting it into the lower levels of the mine。 A miscalculation that fouled up their plans。 The shaft and the chamber with the skull flooded before they could detour around the cave…in o