Harley sat a moment listening to blowing sand pepper the side of the truck, wondering what Eileen’s plan might have been? Was she going to wait for him by the highway until he happened to return? Or did she have something else in mind––something that didn’t include him? He put the truck in gear with only two things clear in his mind. He must first find out if Eileen was safe, and barring that, he must somehow hook up with Thomas and Charlie who might know better how to proceed.
Harley was still some miles from the junction with 163 when the storm began to abate––a light rain leaving a layer of murky silt on the windshield. Only enough rain to turn dust to mud, he thought.
The windshield wipers didn’t work. They were on his list, at home, under: ‘needed truck repairs.’ Thomas had made the list for him soon after Harley bought the vehicle. So far, the only work he’d accomplished was the installation of a fancy shift knob found on sale at the Co-op, and a bumper sticker that read, “I survived boarding school.” It hadn’t been easy finding that sticker, but he felt it made an important social statement. He’d had one just like it on his last truck and people seemed to relate to it…pointing and waving from time to time. Neither item was on Thomas’s list––leaving a good many things still to be done.
Harley could now only hope he would hit another little shower, one strong enough to wash away the mud and allow a little better visibility. Actually stopping the truck to get out and wipe off the windshield by hand never occurred to him, nor would it to most men.
17
The Fox
By the time Thomas Begay and Charlie Yazzie drew out the greater part of Eileen’s story, they were thinking the woman might be more victim than anything––caught up in something not of her own making, while pursuing an honest turnaround in her life. Her recent actions now appeared to be a course any person might have followed in similar circumstances. They could see, now, how their friend Harley Ponyboy was so taken by this attractive and plain-spoken woman. She had a sense about her that led them to believe she was indeed what she purported to be.
Once the winds died, and fast moving rain showers tapered off, a full moon rose plump and golden above the mesas. Thomas took this as a good omen. Charlie partially agreed; not so much that it was an omen, but that it might now be possible to drive without lights for a while. Though this might slow them down a bit, he reckoned it to be worth the lost time. It might even allow them an opportunity to detect their pursuer…should there actually be a pursuer. The moon alone now provided enough light for Charlie to maintain a reasonable pace. He geared the truck down as needed, avoiding the use of taillights which might mark their location and possibly give them away. Thomas watched this maneuver with satisfaction guessing his friend had learned something from him after all. Thomas had often used that ploy in the past and now was pleased to see Charlie taking advantage of that knowledge. So far, Thomas hadn’t seen any indication of headlights from behind, or for that matter, any telltale sign at all that someone might be following. Thomas Begay was not one to mince words; so when he finally turned to Eileen it was to ask her, straight up, where she thought her relationship with Harley Ponyboy might be going. “Harley’s an old friend of ours and we would hate to see him get hurt…he already has enough trouble in his life as it is.”
Eileen shot him a sharp glance and was quick to reply, “Not that it’s anyone’s business…but truth is…we haven’t had time to develop much of a relationship.” Here Eileen leveled a calculating gaze at the two. “I’ll be sure to let you guys know what’s between us…once we figure it out ourselves.”
Thomas sat back, gazing out into the night with a blank look on his face. “Fair enough, Eileen.”
Charlie knew Thomas wasn’t used to being confronted in so forthright a manner. He estimated the woman’s stock had gone up several points.
It was another several minutes before Thomas ventured another question. “What’s in the bag, Eileen? ”
She didn’t turn or look. “Just some clean underwear, a Bible…and a gun.”
Both men chuckled at this. The woman had a sense of humor. This was another plus as far as they were concerned.
Thomas was first to notice vehicle lights approaching from the higher terrain to the west but thought them still a good way off. Charlie indicated, with a nod, that he also saw the lights, and then with a shove of his chin at the glove box, signaled Thomas to pull out the .38.
“Make sure that’s loaded, will you.” Charlie thought it time they were prepared for even the most unlikely eventuality.
One of the bright spots of Thomas Begay’s life was to be in charge of the Chief’s Special: Charlie’s snub-nosed Smith & Wesson. Thomas often termed it their ‘good luck piece’ as he thought it had averted several runs of bad luck over the years.
As he slowed the truck and began looking for a place to pull over, Charlie knew it wasn’t Claude Bell or Billy Red Clay coming their way; as those two should both still be somewhere behind them. He sincerely hoped Billy would catch up to the fugitive before innocent people came to harm. He was fairly certain he and Thomas could handle the suspect, should it come to that, but there was Eileen to consider now. Harley Ponyboy also remained an unknown in the equation, though Charlie was certain his friend was desperately searching for Eileen.
At this time of night there was little reason for traffic on these isolated roads, making it even more likely the approaching headlights would be Harley Ponyboy. It would be just like Harley to pop up when least expected. The little man now seemed past all reason and subject to go blindly off in any direction. All this was working on Charlie’s mind as they sat waiting at the edge of the dirt road––their own lights dowsed and Thomas Begay trying to load the .38 in the dark. Several scenarios crossed his mind in regard to what might lie ahead; none were reassuring.
The three people in the truck watched apprehensively as the approaching vehicle slowed; the other driver obviously now aware of them…but cautious… unsure who they might be.
Peering into the glare of the lights, Charlie momentarily glanced across Eileen to see how Thomas was coming with the revolver.
“Let me have it,” he said finally and reached for the gun.
Thomas snapped shut the fully loaded cylinder–– frowned in the dark––but passed him the revolver. He understood the investigator would be leery of someone firing across him in the event a quick shot should be required.
Harley was already grinning ear to ear as he pulled abreast and saw the three of them together––Eileen apparently unharmed. He rolled down his window to reveal the barrel of his shotgun leaned carelessly across the window frame. A trickle of mud dribbled off the roof of the truck and a bit fell on his nose causing him to look up and move the gun to the seat. His wave was directed past the two men obviously targeting Eileen; he looked relieved as she waved back with a wan little smile.
Ignoring his friends, Harley saw only Eileen. He hesitated to speak––not daring to ask if she was all right but at the same time wanting her to know all was forgiven. Finally, unable to contain himself, he just burst out with it, “Eileen, are you okay? Aunt Willie and I have been worried sick something might have happened ta you!”
Eileen smiled at this. “Something did almost happen to me, Harley, but thanks to these two, it didn’t.”
Harley reveled in the sound of her voice without any real grasp of what she said. He focused instead on her teeth, remarkably white in the darkened truck. Her reply had fairly flown past him. “So, you’re okay?”
“I’m just fine Harley.” Apologies didn’t come easy for Eileen. “Sorry for the worry––I’m not sure what came over me––taking off like that, I mean. Just scared I guess.”
“Well, the main thing is, you’re all right now Eileen.” Harley smiled happily at her while still ignoring the other two, causing them to glance sideways at one another and lean even further back out of the line of conversation.
Thomas, becoming impatient and unable to hold back any longer
, frowned and held up a hand. “Excuse me, folks, but we may have another visitor along here any minute now and that could be either good or bad depending on who might get here first.”
Charlie nodded his affirmation of Thomas’s concern.
Harley snorted, “So, Claude is already out here somewhere?” He slowly shook his head and sounded weary then muttered, “I been afraid of that.” Harley, still not inquiring how Eileen wound up with the pair, guessed another encounter with Claude Bell was probably imminent.
Thomas Begay confirmed this. “That character may be somewhere behind us even though we haven’t seen any actual sign of him so far. He could be running with his lights off…like we were until you came along.”
Harley immediately reached down and turned off his own lights, then cautiously searched the dark, though there was now even less to see.
Charlie finished the update by saying, “Billy Red Clay and FBI Agent Smith are somewhere between Farmington and here. They should be getting close about now. Smith is bound and determined to take Bell in, no matter what. He wants us to lay low and avoid any contact if possible.”
Charlie had only the glimmer of a plan. “Agent Smith has requested road blocks in both directions on 163 but we’re pretty sure now the guy is already sandwiched in between Billy and us. We don’t think Bell’s armed, but Benny Klee’s wife mentioned her husband owned a pistol and might have had it in the truck with him the morning he was killed. Authorities didn’t find a gun––but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t one––and Claude Bell might have it now.”
Thomas seemed ambivalent. “I don’t care whether he has a gun or not. This guy owes us for Alfred Nakii.” Here Thomas’s voice fell, “…and maybe for Gilbert Nez, too. My father wasn’t much, I guess, but he shouldn’t have ended up like he did.”
“Be that as it may,” and Charlie was now clearly adamant in this regard, “we need to take this one step at a time. No flying off the handle!” Thomas was famous for flying off the handle, and his friends had seen ample evidence of it over the years; it almost always left a mess. “I think we should head on up to Willie Etcitty’s place and get ready… in case Bell finds us. If he shows…fine…we’ll do what we have to do, regardless of what Billy Red Clay or Agent Smith thinks proper.” This suited Thomas, and Harley Ponyboy was quick to nod agreement as well. Eileen, for her part, remained silent and offered no hint of what she was thinking.
“Eileen, do you want to ride with me on the way up to Aunt Willie’s?” Harley, hesitant to ask to begin with, instantly regretted it when she sighed, shaking her head.
“No, Harley. I’m fine right here. Besides…you know that passenger door pops open when you hit a bump.” That wasn’t the real reason, of course, and everyone knew it.
Harley looked over at the door in question and nodded; it was, indeed, already ajar. He frowned and reached across the seat to re-shut it. He looked lost for a moment as he watched Eileen change places with Thomas. She didn’t look at him again.
~~~~~~
Grover Etcitty was asleep in the brush arbor as the little entourage pulled up to Willie’s hogan. The noise and truck lights didn’t wake the old man and everyone was pleased about that.
Eileen went inside with Harley’s aunt; the two apparently making their peace as they began fixing coffee and rustling up food.
Harley sacked out in the bed of his truck with the tailgate down––his old shotgun beside him and the handful of shells close to hand. He’d been on a dead run for two days and was having a hard time keeping his eyes open, despite his continuing worry over Eileen.
The other two sat on the tailgate of Charlie’s pickup and talked quietly as they watched down the canyon. The last mile or so into camp was steep and rough––they doubted anyone could drive in at night without lights. The canyon walls were already beginning to block the last of the moon as it continued to slide below the rim. Neither of the men appeared tired despite a rather full day of their own. They could see a good distance down the road, and relied on Willie’s dog to warn of any approach from the outlying scatter of trees. The dog had taken to them at once, only requiring Willie to speak harshly in Navajo the one time, and that, even before they got down from the truck.
Willie Etcitty brought coffee, which Thomas and Charlie were happy to have. Harley, when she asked, declined, saying he’d best catch a few winks first. His aunt came closer and asked if there was something else she might get him. Then, dropping her voice to a whisper, confided to her nephew that Eileen had returned the old Long Colt, saying she hadn’t meant to hurt anyone with it; she just didn’t want Grover shooting at her if he caught her hijacking the truck. Willie talked quietly to her nephew for a few minutes before leaving a sack of sandwiches and a folded blanket on the tailgate. Just as she turned to go she gave the blanket a knowing look and then nodded at her nephew.
Charlie, still sitting and sipping his coffee, barely closed his eyes when Thomas nudged him back awake. It took the investigator only an instant to come aware but when he reached his hand for the revolver, it was gone. Thomas was already slipping off the tailgate to stand gazing into the foggy dawn… watching as headlights snaked up the road…close enough now to hear tires feeling their way up the rocky track. When the vehicle high-centered on a sandstone slab, the engine snarled and a muffled clash of gears caused tires to squeal, then grab, with the screech of metal across sandstone. It took only a few moments more for the police unit to materialize––louder now without its muffler. Thomas had moved only a step or so from the truck, the .38 held loosely at his side. He gave Charlie Yazzie an almost imperceptible shake of his head, then turned to hand him back the revolver.
“It’s my nephew and it sounds like he may be needing a mechanic.”
Charlie looked over at Harley Ponyboy and saw him lowering the barrel of the shotgun, laying it aside as he rolled off the back of his pickup. Charlie kept his seat––put the .38 in his jacket pocket––and then sat silent…waiting.
Billy Red Clay eased up into the yard and nonchalantly got down from his unit then moved off into the trees where he took a leak. He returned, zipping his pants, and his eyes played across the other three men in the clearing. “Where’s the woman?”
Harley came forward, pulling on his jacket, and rubbing sleep from his eyes. “Eileen’s inside with my Aunt Willie…probably asleep.”
The other two moved closer to the Tribal policeman––Charlie looking anxiously back down the road. “Fred Smith didn’t follow you up here?”
“No, he didn’t. He stayed down below to coordinate the search and roadblocks. He had the state police set up a command post across from the cutoff.” Billy pushed back his hat and scratched his forehead. “They don’t see much chance of Bell making it out of the area and Fred said he wanted to be there when they got him.” The policeman sounded serious, “I just wanted to make sure he hadn’t already slipped past us…maybe even be lurking around up here somewhere.” Billy scanned the canyon rim as he spoke. “Agent Smith caught me on the radio about an hour ago…another mile or two and I’d a been out of range.”
Charlie nodded as though he understood what Thomas’s nephew was talking about. “The thought crossed our mind he might have gotten around us, but we were ready for him.”
Billy Red Clay shook out a set of handcuffs and moved toward the hogan. “You better go get her now, Harley. I’m going to have to take her in.”
“Whoa!” In two steps Thomas was between Harley and his nephew, one hand already holding the little man back.
Harley could barely speak. “You don’t mean to cuff her and haul her off…do you Billy?” he looked confused but there was something else there too. “Where are you taking her?”
Thomas knew instantly his friend was on the verge of an irretrievable decision––and one that might have far-reaching consequences. He had seen that look before and knew Harley’s next move might be a violent one. The two of them had been through a lot over the years and while Harley was probably the le
ast excitable person he knew, even he was capable of reacting with reckless abandon should a situation turn desperate.
Charlie also looked startled at the policeman’s actions. “I don’t see any need for that, Billy. We’re just talking protective custody here, right?” Charlie edged up and laid yet another restraining hand on Harley Ponyboy’s shoulder. He, too, knew the signs.
Billy Red Clay shook his head at the others. “I’m sorry boys…things have changed since we talked last night.” His tone was apologetic, but firm. “When Fred Smith hooked up with the state boys down there, they had a message for him to call his office in Farmington. Apparently they hadn’t been able to reach him on the radio.” Billy chose his words carefully now. “It seems their lab people in Albuquerque may have identified several of those sketchy prints left in Benny Klee’s pickup. They were wiped down like the rest…but a few left slight acidic etchings…not really enough to get a fix on as yet, but they’re working on it.” Billy took a deep breath and watched Harley from the corner of his eye. “Forensics was able to rebuild several of those prints based on fresher ones lifted from Harley’s trailer; their people made a pass through there when they were investigating the Alfred Nakii homicide. They think they may be able to tie prints found there to those in the pickup.” Billy looked directly at Harley and it was clear he hated what came next. “Harley, that might mean Eileen May was in that truck when Benny Klee was killed.”
The wind seemed to go out of Harley Ponyboy, leaving him physically weak and speechless. Charlie exchanged glances with Thomas as the tall Diné led Harley to his truck and sat him back down on the tailgate. Harley was stronger than most people could imagine and Thomas Begay didn’t intend letting his friend attempt some last minute effort to help Eileen––at least, not if he could help it, he wouldn’t.
The Bible Seller: A Navajo Nation Mystery (Navajo Nation Mysteries Book 7) Page 15
