Free Canyon of the Sphinx by Kathryn Le Veque Page B

Kathlyn said. "Do you think if I made a peace overture to
Murphy by offering to do advanced surveys with my equipment that he would go
for it?"
    Mark looked around. "This
isn't a high-dollar operation, Kat. UIR is probably paying you to be here as
much money as it took to establish this entire site, which is a testimony to
how badly they want your help. I think Murphy, properly soothed, would agree to
letting you use your fancy equipment for his benefit."
    Kathlyn threw up her hands in an
exaggerated gesture. "I can only try, Dr. La Coste." They grinned at
each other. "Meanwhile, go find Otis and the children and get them back
over here to camp. I don't want Murphy to get wind of them wandering around
without his permission."
    "You got it, boss."
    Kathlyn sat there a moment, her
thoughts shifting from Murphy to Marcus. Both were hard-headed perfectionists,
but she was particularly fond of one of them. Egypt was nine hours ahead of
Mexico time, so it was near dinner time for them. Wandering back to her cabin,
she collected the cellular phone and speed dialed Marcus' number. The voice
mail came on and, disappointed, she left a sappy message. Debra Jo was seated
at the only table in the room, working on the laptop computer.  Kathlyn told
her about her episode with Murphy and photographers and the red-head rolled her
eyes.
    "Valentine and Desroches are
scum," she said flatly. "Murphy has every right to be pissed off.
Looks like a set-up."
    "I know," Kathlyn said.
"I'm going to try to appease the angry god by offering to do site scans
with the GPR and the GDT."
    Debra Jo looked at her over the
top of her glasses. "If that doesn't work, I'm a willing human
sacrifice."
    Kathlyn grinned. "You kind
of like him, don't you?
    "He's a cutie."
    "Agreed. If I wasn't
married, I might fight you for him."
    "You wouldn't last thirty
seconds against me."
    Kathlyn grinned. "I know. You’d
kick my ass."
    "You got it. Hey, do you
want me to set up the scanners?”
    “If I can pull you away from what
you’re doing.”
    “No problem.”
    Kathlyn left the cabin, hands in
the pockets of her jean shorts as she strolled across the encampment. She was
confident that Murphy would accept her explanation and apology and let her go
to work.  The site was less than a quarter of a mile over the ridge and she
hiked up the trail, enjoying the fresh air and scenery.
    The trail wound down and around
until it came to the vista overlooking the gorge. She paused a moment, looking
down over the greenery. She couldn't see Otis or Larry or Andy, and there was
no sign of Mark, either, but she knew they were somewhere in there, nosing
around. She could only hope they did their business and got back to camp before
Murphy figured out what was going on.
    It was a warm day and the sun was
out. Without the humidity, it would have been perfect. Kathlyn took a step
back, away from the overlook, and prepared to continue along the trail. No
sooner had she stepped back than she felt a sharp stab to the back of her right
leg, just below the knee. It was very painful. Startled, she looked to see what
she had bumped into.
    An elaborately-colored snake was
latched to her leg. With a piercing howl, Kathlyn stomped her leg and the snake
fell off, scattering back into the undergrowth. But it had left two huge fang
marks and Kathlyn knew that she had just been poisoned.  Her heart began to
race with fear and as she turned toward the trail again, Murphy and Levine
already were racing up toward her from the site down below.
    "What happened?" Murphy
yelled up to her.
    Kathlyn was beginning to feel
faint, either because she was terrified or because the venom was already going
to work, she wasn't sure. "I got bit," she said simply. "A multi-colored
snake. I backed in to it somehow and it bit me."
    Murphy reached her. "Where
did it bite you? Show me."
    She turned around, displaying the
neat puncture wounds just above her black boot tops. Murphy didn't waste any time.
    "The bushes are full