"Judith Moffett - The Bird Shaman's Girl" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moffett Judith)

to escape being snatched by Church authorities. Her mind was astounded
at its own failure to see this coming. The Ephremite leadership had agents
everywhere, they knew the Hefn had summoned the Apprentices and the
Gaian leadership to a conference; obviously they would not have been slow
to seize their moment.

When things abruptly shifted back to normal, Pam managed to stay
focused, disoriented and freaked out though she was. Were people
holding Lexi, or was she all by herself somewhere up Emigration Canyon,
scared to death? A kidnapping, if thatтАЩs what it was, had the earmarks of an
inside job.

She thought a minute, then punched her phone. When Humphrey
answered she said simply, тАЬI have to go home. LexiтАЩs disappeared and IтАЩm
as sure as I can be that the Ephremites are behind it. TheyтАЩve been raising
Cain about Gaians having jurisdiction in a case involving an Ephremite kid.
If I leave now I should make the 13:58 express.тАЭ

тАЬThey do this always, raise the Cain?тАЭ He meant, whenever Child
Welfare Oversight took custody of an Ephremite child, which happened
several times a year.

тАЬThey do, but this kidтАЩs famous, itтАЩs giving them a big public black eye.
And thereтАЩs something elseтАФsomething happened, I had this very weird
mental experience ... IтАЩll tell you later, but now I really need to go.тАЭ

The HefnтАЩs tiny likeness stared at her from the phone: great opaque
eyes, face covered with short gray hair, full gray beard. Pam said,
тАЬHumphrey, this is extremely important. I canтАЩt explain how I know that, but it
is.тАЭ

Surprisingly, he didnтАЩt argue, only said soberly, тАЬWhen we have
finished here, I will come to Salt Lake if you have not found Lexi. I would
like very much to hear more about the weird experience.тАЭ

тАЬIf we havenтАЩt found her, IтАЩd love it if you could interview her mother.тАЭ
Probe her twisted little mind, she meant. тАЬBut do please come either way.тАЭ

He made his neckless imitation of a nod. тАЬI have said so.тАЭ
 тАЬGood luck then. I wouldnтАЩt leave for any other reason,тАЭ Pam said, and
cut the connection. Then she called Jaime.

****

3

The sledcar had been fitted with hard rubber tires for summer, which made
for a bumpy ride. Barefoot, in her raggedy dress, Lexi sat shoved up
against the carтАЩs passenger door, as far away from her grandfather as the
seat belt would let her get. She was trying not to make a sound as they