Lakota Justice

by Melinda Williams

  “The turtle must decide who was right and who was wrong. The turtle came to the village and listened to both sides. He thought hard before making a decision. After much consideration, he made his decision. He stood and gave a speech. ‘My friends, I must decide for both parties. You are all right and all wrong. So in this case you both share in the right and wrong.’

  “When the parties heard his decision, it opened their eyes, and they realized the turtle was very wise and right. The tribe realized if it had not been for this wise decision by the turtle, then a lot of blood might have been spilled. Therefore, they voted for him to become the judge on all things disputed. The chief was so thrilled with him and his decision for ceasing all the trouble, he gave him his daughter.

  “The daughter of the chief was a radiant beauty. Many warriors had tried to win her heart, but she would not accept them, for her father must be the one to approve her marriage.

  “When the young men of the village heard of their upcoming union, they grew jealous and angry, but the beautiful girl married the turtle. The young men made fun of him by asking, ‘How do you have such a flat stomach?’

  “The turtle would always answer, ‘Do you want to know how I got my flat stomach? Maybe if you knew then you would understand. So, here is how it came to be. Two great tribes, the Sioux and Chippewa, engaged in a great battle. I was a warrior on the Chippewa side, and the Sioux were catching up to us fast.

  “I saw some tall grass, so I ran to hide in it. I heaved myself stomach first down into the tall grass. The Sioux had already killed at least four, if not more, so I prayed they would not find me in the tall grass.

  “After they were gone, I stood, and my stomach is as you see it now, flat. I had pushed it so hard to the ground, it never went back to the original shape.’

  “After hearing of the turtle’s bravery, the warriors of the village decided they would never bother him again. Not long, after this, the Sioux attacked again, and the entire village was deserted. The turtle could not travel as fast and was left behind.

  “It was a very hot day, and the turtle grew thirsty. Finally, he smelled the water and jumped into the river. He took his bath, swam towards the center of the river, and plunged down deep, until he found some huge rocks. He was so tired he decided to rest there for a while.

  “After waking up from his nap, he swam to the shore, taking note summer had arrived. He had slept all winter long. He observed the lovely songs of the birds and the green grass smell.

  “The turtle got to the bank of the river and starting looking for his Chippewa camp. After days of searching, he found his people. He longed for his wife, so she was the first he sought out to find. He found her at the opposite side of the camp, holding and caring for her baby. To his surprise, the baby did not favor him at all. This made him angry so he charged back to the river. He stayed there eating flies and living on seaweed for the rest of his life.”

  For the next half an hour, Hawke’s mind flitted like a butterfly from one thought to the next. Was Ms. Winters safe? Would they gather enough evidence to convict these men? Would they find out the truth behind Abby’s murder?

  The loud rumble of motorcycles pierced the night air. Headlights illuminated Ian’s driveway. Hawke stepped back into the van and closed the door. “What’s happening?”

  Doug looked up from the monitors. “Ian Guidara just came back with some motorcycle gang members.”

  If a motorcycle gang was involved with Ian then the drugs were worse than he had thought.

  “Could you tell which gang it is?”

  Melina glanced at him, then at Doug. “I think they are out of El Paso, Texas. The markings some of them have on their helmets and jackets indicate as much.”

  Doug ran a hand over his head. “If they are coming from out of El Paso area, then the drugs are bigger than what my department ever thought of. The stakes would be bigger for them, and they would kill anybody that got in their way.”

  As Hawke watched the monitors, taking in all the motorcycles lining lined the driveway, he knew without doubt why Abby was killed. She’d figured out what Ian involved himself in, and the members of the gang ordered her death.

  Ian’s connection must run deep with the drug rings of El Paso. They were not stupid people, and they would kill just to prove a point.

  “This investigation just got twice as dangerous.” Hawke feared for Melina’s safety. As he turned to gaze into her loving eyes, he knew she would never back away from this. She would never ever let them scare her away.

  “Hawke, I know what’s going through your mind. They don’t scare me, and you know that. I can take care of myself.”

  He knew there was no way she would leave, so the only thing he could do was stay close to her, protecting her with his life. He would protect her or die trying. The evil walking upon this earth scared him.

  He winked at her. Surely, she knew he would be watching her back at all times.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  While Doug and his men listened to the conversations going on inside Ian’s house, Hawke sat on the floor of the van out of everyone’s way. He stretched his legs and concentrated on his breathing, willing himself to relax and not worry about what he had no control over. Melina slid the door to the can open a few inches. Cool air rushed in. The sky radiated tonight; a full moon hung overhead, giving off shadows of all earth’s creatures. The sounds of the night gave some peace of mind. The howling of a coyote brought a smile to Hawke’s face. Coyote the trickster, but he was sacred.

  Hawke closed his eyes, faintly hearing his grandfather’s voice telling him the story of the Coyote, Iktome, and the rock.

  “Iktome and Coyote walked together, speaking among themselves as they happened upon their friend Iya.

  “Iya was a special rock. It had green moss, which looked like spider legs. Iya was very powerful.

  “Coyote smiled and pointed. ‘This is a very nice rock, and I believe it has special powers.’

  “Coyote wore a fat blanket, removed it and covered the rock.

  “‘Iya, here is a present for you. This blanket will keep you warm ,my friend. I know you must be cold.’

  “‘Oh my friend, you are bestowing this beautiful blanket to Iya,’ said Iktome, ‘You sure are in a gifting mood.’

  “‘No, this is nothing at all. I like to give things to my friends, and besides the blanket looks good on Iya’

  “‘It is Iya’s blanket now,’ said Iktome.

  “Then Iktome and Coyote continued on their journey. After a while, a cold rain started. Then the rain turned to hail. The hail turned to muck. Coyote and Iktome found a nearby cave and took cover.

  “The cave was cold. Iktome was warm for he had on his fat buffalo robe, but Coyote only had a shirt. He began to shake and shiver.

  “Coyote turned to his friend Iktome and asked, ‘You are my friend. Would you be so kind as to go get my blanket back from Iya? I am so cold, and Iya does not need my blanket.’

  “Iktome wanted to help his friend the Coyote, so he headed back to Iya the rock. Finally, he stood in front of Iya. ‘My friend, I am here to get back the blanket Coyote gave to you. He is cold, and he wants it back. Will you please give it to me?’

  “The rock looked at Iktome and replied, ‘It keeps me warm. Coyote gave it to me so it is mine to keep.’

  “Iktome nodded and went back to Coyote, saying, ‘Iya likes the blanket and will not give it back.’

  “‘That drossy, unthankful rock,’ Coyote screamed. ‘He did not pay me anything for it, nor has he offered to work for it, so I will go and get it back, myself.’

  “‘My friend, Iya is very powerful. Maybe you should just let him keep the blanket.’

  “‘Iktome, are you insane? The blanket is very nice and it worth a lot. I will speak to Iya.’

  “Coyote went to Iya and said, ‘Iya, the rock, I have come back to get my blanket. You do not need it, so give it to me.’

  “Iya, the rock, looked at him and replied, ‘I will
not give the blanket back. It is mine, so I choose to keep it.’

  “‘You are a mean rock. I am freezing to death, and I am going to get sick.’ Then Coyote yanked the blanket out of Iya’s grip.

  “Coyote put the blanket around him. ‘‘Now that is the end to this conversation.’

  “‘No, this is not the end of it.’ Iya replied.

  “Coyote headed back to the cave where his friend, Iktome waited. The sun made the rain and hail disappear.

  “Iktome was so happy to see Coyote. They sat by the cave entrance, bathing in the sun, eating some fry-bread and berry soup. Once their stomachs were full, they smoked their pipes.

  “Suddenly a big noise echoed throughout.

  “Iktome asked, ‘Do you hear that noise, Coyote?’

  “Coyote stared at him, replying, ‘I do not hear anything.’

  “Far away, something was making a horrible noise. Coyote finally heard it, too. ‘Now I hear the noise. What can it be?’

  “‘My friend Coyote, the noise is getting louder and closer. It sounds like thunder striking the Earth.’

  “‘Yes, it is very loud. Yet, I do not see anything.’

  “Iktome had a feeling he knew what the noise was. ‘‘I believe I know what it is.’

  “As the words came from his mouth, they saw Iya rolling right toward them.

  “Iktome’s face grew fearful. ‘Coyote, we must run. Iya the rock is going to kill us.’

  “The rock rolled faster as the two friends ran as fast as they could.

  “Iktome looked at Coyote. ‘We must jump into the river. Iya cannot swim for he is a rock and he would sink to the bottom.’

  “So, the two friends jumped into the water, but Iya could swim the river. too.

  “Coyote yelled, ‘My friend, we must run into the big trees. Iya is so big, he will not be able to get through the large trees.’ They ran through the trees to no avail. Iya the rock was so powerful he rammed the trees, breaking them in half.

  “Iktome grew tired. He glanced at Coyote and said, ‘This is not my dispute. I must leave you now for I have other important issues to take care of.’ With those words, Iktome, turned himself into a spider and disappeared.

  “Coyote kept running but the huge rock crashed closer and closer to him. Suddenly, Iya caught up to Coyote and ran over him. Coyote was flattened.

  “Iya looked at Coyote as he picked the blanket up. ‘‘Now, my friend, there you are.’

  “A rancher came along and noticed Coyote on the ground. ‘This will make a great rug.’

  The rancher picked Coyote up and took him home. The rancher was not sure of where to put Coyote, but finally decided the perfect spot would be in front of the fireplace.

  “Coyote worked all night putting himself back into shape. When morning came, the wife of the rancher rushed to him, saying, ‘Your rug ran away.’

  “So, brother, remember this, always have a generous heart. If you gift something to somebody, remember it is forever.”

  “Detective Hawke, what are you saying?” Doug gently shook him.

  The coyote in the distance still howled.

  Hawke opened his eyes. “I was reminiscing back to the story my grandfather told me many moons ago. Lieutenant Vasicek, please remember be generous of heart. If you have something to give, give it forever.”

  Hawke continued, “I have my heart to give, and I give it forever.” He stared up at the sky, “Please nagi tanka, Great Spirit. Give me the strength and wisdom to protect Melina.”

  Lieutenant Vasicek nodded as he pointed at the house. More members of the motorcycle gang were arriving. “Hawke, we believe these gang members are the Javelinas. They are well known in the El Paso area. They’re not afraid to kill. They have no heart.”

  Hawke nodded as he watched them. “We must find all we can about them before we take our next step.”

  Doug got on his cell phone and called into his department, informing them to find all they could about the group known as the Javelinas.

  While Doug talked to a co-worker, Hawke did not look at Melina. What if things went south and a gunfight ensued? How would he keep her safe? He could not help but think of the worst case scenario. No harm had better come to her, or he would lose all he knew, even his own life.

  Melina placed her hand on his arm. “I will be okay you know. I can take care of myself.”

  Hawke nodded. “You are very strong willed. You want to right all the wrongs. You have a big, generous heart, like no other person I know. So now do you understand why I worry?”

  His voice faded. His mind heard the guidance of his grandfather. “Give all of yourself, no matter what circumstances you face, but the most important thing is if your heart is generous, and you give it to the one you love, then it will last forever.”

  Hawke understood the power of love. His grandfather’s words were wise, and now they meant everything to him.

  A gentle breeze swept through the open van window. “Yes, Grandfather, I now understand your words. Thank you for telling me the stories so many moons ago. I will pass the stories on in your honor.”

  Everything would be okay. The soft breeze sent from his grandfather let him know it was okay.

  Later, the door opened to the house. Several men stepped out. Doug moaned when he saw them on the monitors.

  “What’s wrong?” Hawke demanded to know.

  “One of those men is a well-respected store owner around here. I cannot believe my eyes. The public will go crazy when this comes out. He’s married and has two young children.” The man the camera had zoomed in on slipped on his helmet and straddled his Harley Davidson. “This blows my mind. He presents himself as so conservative in his thinking. This will be the biggest scandal yet.”

  “I am sure the public will be pleased their police department takes things like this seriously. Once it does come out, the people of Nevada will be in a safer place.”

  The sound of motorcycles starting filled the night. Soon they drove off, and someone turned off the outside lights. Evidently, Ian wasn’t expecting any more company tonight.

  Doug nodded. “Maybe when this is all over, we can get together and celebrate our friendship. You are a very wise man Hawke.”

  He smiled, pleased at the man’s words. “It would be an honor, my friend. I would like you to come to South Dakota and bring your family along so we can all get to know one another. Melina and I will be married soon, if I have my way.”

  “I thought I detected some serious chemistry between you two. It shows in the way your eyes focus on each other.”

  “Sounds like they’re getting ready for bed in the house, boss,” the officer manning the listening equipment said.

  “Any mention of Ms. Winters?”

  “No. From what I can tell, she’s asleep.”

  Doug turned to Hawke. “Well, we should go for now and get some rest. My men will watch the place. It’s after two in the morning. If we don’t get some sleep, we won’t be ready for tomorrow.”

  Hawke nodded and turned to Melina. Just as he was about to say something to her, he noticed she was asleep. Her small face, lying there made him think of how he longed to hold her in his arms. Soon they would be at the motel, and he determined to tell her how his heart felt. Hawke lifted her in his arms.

  “What’s going on?” She gazed up at Hawke.

  “We must get some rest. Doug is taking us back to the motel. It is okay.”

  She nodded and laid her head against is chest. He kissed her forehead, and she moaned. She had shown her true colors to her people. Her pride at being Lakota revealed itself. He would be honored to have her as his wife and could not wait to hold her every night, just as he would tonight. When the day came she would take his name, he would smile with pride, for she would be known on the rez as Melina Hawke, wife of TJ Hawke.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Time seemed to stand still. DeShay sat by the fire, warming her hands. The month of December, or Moon of Long Nights, was just around the corner.<
br />
  She could not believe she had decided to go back out to Eagle Nest Butte. For the life of her, she couldn’t explain what pulled her back to this sacred place, other than a feeling of need.

  Since she discovered the remains of Abby Winters, she felt a connection to her—and to this place.

  It was getting chilly, but she remained seated. A small breeze blew gently just to make its presence known. Another hour and it would be dark.

  The cold from the ground seeped through DeShay’s clothes. She ignored it, mesmerized by her surroundings.

  She stared at the medicine wheel or sacred hoop held tightly in her hand. A gentle breeze blew again. This made her think of the four sacred directions. At an early age, she was taught the four gifts or sacred directions on the medicine wheel. The east represents fire, the north represents air, the west represents the earth, and the south represents water.

  DeShay was lost in the memory of her childhood. Her grandfather would always tell her to keep harmony with nature and herself. He taught her the medicine wheel provided direction for the people to obtain balance. His words floated back on the breeze. “Listen to your emotions and beware of your qualities. This will help strengthen the actions and decisions you make, which will allow you to live in harmony with the world around you.”

  DeShay pulled the blanket over her shoulders. Why was she out in the middle of Eagle Nest Butte, on a cold night? What had led her back here?

  All day long, she’d felt a nagging, pulling feeling. When she fed her cat, Tail Feather, he even sensed something, because he constantly meowed and ran to the door.

  Finally, she’d headed to Eagle Nest Butte. Something about this sacred ground had enticed her to revisit. Somehow, she realized it would help solve the murders.

  She wondered how Detective Hawke and Agent Wolfe were doing in Nevada. Her heart went out to both of them, Hawke, especially, for he struggled with all of this.

  The blowing wind, the medicine wheel, the four sacred directions, and Eagle Nest Butte. What connection did these things have in common?