by Aimée Thurlo
“No, it’s not that. I was the reason she lost her job. It was unintentional, but it’s a fact.”
“As logical as it sounds, my gut tells me there’s more to it,” Daniel replied.
Rick ended the call just as Kim and Preston came over to talk to him. From their expressions, he could tell something else was wrong.
“What’s up, guys?” Rick asked.
“In a normal break-in we’d have dozens of usable prints, but this place was wiped clean. The only prints we found were on the lock and the door itself, which makes me think they belong to you and Kim.”
“That settles it. This was no ordinary burglary or act of vandalism,” Rick said somberly.
“I’d advise you not to stay here,” Preston told Kim. “It’s no longer safe.”
“I have no other place to go. I can’t stay with a friend or relative and put them in danger, too, nor do I have money for a motel.”
“There might be a way of getting around that problem,” Rick said, pulling out his phone. “But I’ll need to check something out first. Excuse me for a minute,” he added, then stepped outside.
Rick returned a short time later. “My brother Kyle and his wife, Erin, are willing to give you a room at the family home in Copper Canyon. It’s northwest of Shiprock, on the Rez. Except for last night, when I didn’t want to add a long drive to my evening, I’m staying there, as well. I can drive us back and forth.”
“I don’t know.... I hate to intrude,” Kim said.
“We’re going to be working together, so that’ll make it simpler all the way around,” Rick said.
Rick noted the pleased look on Kim’s face and the surprise on Preston’s.
“It’s a logical solution,” Rick added.
“How soon do you want to leave?” Kim asked.
“As soon as you’re ready. So go pack what you’ll need.”
“Not so fast. Let’s take one last look around,” Preston said.
Rick’s eyes narrowed. “You think you missed something?”
Preston nodded slowly. “Yeah, call it cop’s instinct.”
“Is it still okay if I pack a few personal things while we look around?” she asked Preston, who nodded.
In her bedroom, the two men waited as Kim placed her laptop in her suitcase and then opened the dresser drawer. As she began to remove essential clothing, something fell to the floor.
“Drop a button?” Rick said, bending to look. “I guess not,” he added, picking up the curious-looking object with a gloved hand and holding it up for Preston to see.
“What on earth is that?” Kim asked. “A...tooth?”
“A long, hollow tooth,” Rick observed. “Like a rattler’s fang.”
“Does that have any special significance?” Kim asked. “Other than the obvious?”
“According to our creation stories, witchcraft started before mankind emerged from the earth. First Woman passed it out to the others, but Snake didn’t have pockets, so he took it in his mouth. That’s why snake bites can kill,” Preston explained.
She shuddered. “Sorry, but I don’t think that was meant for me. If you hadn’t explained, I wouldn’t have known, and the point would have been lost. This was left for you guys,” she said, looking at Rick, then Preston.
They exchanged glances before Rick nodded to his brother, who bagged and tagged the evidence.
* * *
SEVERAL MINUTES LATER, after signing the required incident report statements, Rick and Kim drove southwest through downtown Hartley.
“The incidents we’ve seen so far don’t make a lot of sense if you put them together,” Kim commented. “No one motive seems to fit. What we saw at my place was a result of creepy maliciousness. What happened at the Brickhouse was attempted mass murder. One was intended to scare, the other to kill. If the same person was responsible, you’d think the sequence of events would have been reversed. We may be dealing with multiple suspects.”
He nodded slowly. “Solid deduction.”
Kim glanced around. “Heading out of town in this direction will take us past the hospital. Can we stop there for a few moments so I can visit my uncle?”
“Yeah. In fact, that’s a good idea,” Rick said. “Are you two close?”
“He was there for me when my dad died, but Uncle Frank’s not someone who invited a girl’s confidences. Nor is he the huggy-kissy type at all,” she said with a wry smile. “Dad’s brother is a man’s man. I’m sure he’ll come through this—and just as sure that he’ll never talk about it again.”
“Is he financially secure enough to weather what happened at the tavern?”
“Yeah, the place was well insured. As long as he can reopen the restaurant, he’ll be fine, but I bet he’s glad he didn’t actually buy his partner out as he’d planned.”
“Arthur Johnson, right?” Rick asked and saw her nod. “What can you tell me about him?”
“He and my uncle go way back. Art’s wife got sick a few years ago, and although they had health insurance, there were a lot of deductibles and collateral expenses that nearly bankrupted him. After she died, he sold almost everything he owned except his share of the Brickhouse,” she explained. “I think Art kept it mostly because of my uncle.”
“How involved is Johnson in running the Brickhouse?” Rick asked.
“Art’s a silent partner all the way—always signing off on Uncle Frank’s operating decisions without question.”
“He hasn’t showed up on the scene yet, so I’m guessing Arthur doesn’t live in Hartley?”
“No, he doesn’t. Art’s got a rustic cabin he just loves for some odd reason. It’s in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains above Santa Fe.”
Rick pulled into the hospital parking lot and glanced across the street to the west. There were several businesses there, including a few small warehouses and a low block building with a big sign.
“Turquoise Dreams. Isn’t that Angelina’s other shop?”
“Yes, and we can go over afterward, providing Angelina’s pickup isn’t still there,” she said, pointing to the vehicle on the east side with a custom license plate that read ’lina.
They entered the hospital, officially a regional medical center, and stopped at the front desk. After a short wait they were directed to Frank Nelson’s room. He was alone in the semiprivate room, watching TV.
Frank looked over at them as they entered and smiled. “Good to see you two! I’ve been hoping for some news. Is the restaurant a total loss?”
“Pretty much,” Kim said with a nod. “We’ll have to file a claim with the insurance company as soon as the fire marshal has completed his preliminary investigation. There’ll probably be some delays because it was clearly arson.”
“That place was all I had,” Frank muttered. “Who would have done something like that?”
“You co-own the Brickhouse Tavern with Arthur Johnson, I understand,” Rick mentioned off hand, hoping to start a conversation.
“Yeah, and I have to let him know what’s happened. Unfortunately he’s probably still out of reach. He left on one of his late-season fishing trips a few days ago, out of state, I think. Art likes to hike deep into the mountains, going to places where he can’t be reached except on foot or horseback. I know he’s still grieving for his wife,” he said, his voice heavy. “He’ll call me when he’s available again.”
“Any idea when that’ll be?” Rick asked.
“A few more days, maybe a week, depending on the fishing. Art doesn’t have to answer to anyone these days.”
“I understand that the restaurant was doing well,” Rick said.
“Oh, yeah. We have a lot of loyal customers and always manage to stay in the black. The insurance won’t be enough to cover all the losses, though, just in case you’re thinking along those lines.”<
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“Will you reopen?” Rick asked.
“I guess it’ll depend on my partner. Art might want to just take his share of the insurance settlement and walk. I’ll do my best to talk him out of it, of course, because I love that place.”
“Has there ever been any bad blood between you and Angelina Curley?” Rick asked, and to his surprise, Frank barked out a laugh.
“That lunatic? The woman’s nuts, but at least she doesn’t mess with me. Your foster father and I were friends, and he gave me a leather pouch with flint arrowheads, corn pollen and some other items he referred to as medicine. They were supposed to work together to keep evil at bay. I showed it to her once when she was complaining about some parking meters I was pushing the town council to approve. I don’t know if that was what did it, but ever since then, she’s kept her distance.”
Kim stepped closer to the bed. “Uncle Frank, I came by to tell you that I won’t be at my place for a while,” she said, explaining about the break-in.
“She’ll be safe where I’m taking her,” Rick added.
“Aren’t there any surveillance cameras around your duplex? I don’t recall seeing any, but what about the street side?” Frank asked.
She shook her head. “It’s a low crime neighborhood except for the usual college parties that can get a bit loud. Anyone who lives on my block is too busy getting by, Uncle Frank. Not much to steal.”
“My brother will canvas the neighborhood and check out traffic cameras,” Rick said as they readied to leave.
“I’ll be out of the hospital in a day or so and be able to take a look at what’s left of my restaurant,” Frank said. “If you need me, Kim, call my cell phone number.”
Outside in the parking lot a few minutes later, Rick noted that Angelina’s pickup was still parked in front of the jewelry store. “Looks like we’ll have to come back later,” he said, nodding across the street.
“You’re right. There’s no sense in another confrontation right now,” Kim replied, climbing into the passenger side of the SUV.
Once they were on their way again, Kim glanced at Rick. “From the questions you asked my uncle, I gather you’re thinking that this could be a case of insurance fraud. Since my uncle was struck on the head and left to die, he can’t be a suspect. So that leaves whom? Art?”
“He’s one possibility. Preston’s people will check the evidence and then we’ll see where we stand. Patience is the key.”
“Sorry, I’m fresh out.”
* * *
AN HOUR LATER they’d left the wide river valley far behind them, and were well on their way into the Navajo Nation. The dry mesas were scattered in the distance, those to the north and west topped by junipers and piñons. Beyond those formations were the foothills, leading to mountain ranges and forests filled with pines and fir.
“I love this open country. It’s not houses backed up against houses. The skies are blue and you can breathe out here.”
“I gather you’re a country girl at heart?”
“No, I belong in a town or small city, hopefully wearing a badge someday. To me, coming out here is a chance to decompress. Everyone needs that.” She saw the flicker of approval that played on his features. “Is that why you’re staying at Copper Canyon?”
“Yeah. The place is small but it’s a three-bedroom. Kyle and Erin invited me to stay with them until I could figure out what was next for me.”
As they drew closer to their destination, a high mesa that curved into a blind canyon with a single outlet at the base, he smiled.
“This is Copper Canyon—home. My brothers and I know this place like the backs of our hands.”
She glanced around, a worried frown on her face. “It’s really isolated here, Rick.”
“This is the safest spot around. There’s only one way in for vehicles—a narrow road easily monitored. We’re on it now. Also the place transmits sound like a giant megaphone. From the moment we crossed the wooden bridge, Kyle and Erin could hear the rattle of the timbers even though the ranch house is still some distance away.”
“I don’t see a house anywhere,” she said, looking around.
“It’s farther ahead. Maybe a quarter of a mile.”
“From what I can see, there’s a series of trails. That means there has to be more than one route to the ranch house once you’re inside the canyon,” she said, observing her surroundings. “This particular pathway is super rough,” she said, holding on to the armrest as the SUV rocked from side to side. “How about taking the one to our left?”
“That’s a common mistake, and a bad idea. The other trails may look smoother, and people who haven’t been here before often choose those, which explain their presence. Before long, those people either get bogged down or high center their vehicle,” he said. “There’s also an arroyo ahead that intersects the other routes. That’ll stop anyone not on horseback or foot.”
She looked around her. “I see what looks like a big, plowed field, but other than that the trees and undergrowth are pretty thick. I’ve already seen rabbits and quail. Is there any other wildlife around?”
“Big cats occasionally hunt here, and so do coyotes. Then there’s the occasional bear that comes down out of the mountains. But the bigger predators avoid people. The trick is never to corner them.”
Kim soon spotted the rectangular, sand-colored, stucco-and-wood-framed house, not far from one of the steepest cliffs. The metal roof shimmered in the sunlight. Beyond that she noted the log corral with two beautiful piebald horses.
“Horses!”
“Women and horses,” he said, smiling. “Those belong to Kyle and his wife. She fell in love with them from the moment she saw them at Gene’s ranch,” he said. Then pointing ahead, he added, “Looks like Erin’s just finished feeding them.”
Kim saw a petite brunette brushing hay from her clothes as she walked toward the house.
As Rick pulled up and parked by the side of the house, a short distance from a small storage shed, his brother came out the back door to greet them.
“Welcome, guys,” Kyle said.
“So you heard us coming?” Rick asked with a grin.
“Yes, but only a few minutes ago. I’m not as good as Gene and Preston at picking up visitors at long range.”
“Yeah, you and me both,” he answered and looked at Kim. “Some of my brothers are incredibly attuned to nature here. For example, the absence of birds or their sudden flight lets them know when anyone’s around. Gene, in particular, can listen to a coyote’s howl and tell you if everything is okay.”
Erin joined them and gave Kim a hug, having first met her at the Brickhouse. “You’ll be safe and comfortable here, Kim. Come inside and help me fix dinner.”
As they reached the small porch, Kim heard an ominous rumble. Looking off into the distance, she noted the billowing clouds beyond the canyon walls to the west.
Rick followed her gaze and glanced at his brother. “White Thunder. Remember what Hosteen Silver used to say about him?”
Kyle nodded. “None of the medicine men ever called on White Thunder during ceremonies because it was said he only brought trouble.”
“So that’s a bad sign?” Kim asked.
Rick shook his head. “Not necessarily. Thunders have the power to find things, too.”
They’d just reached the front door when a silver-gray hawk cried overhead and landed in a tall piñon about a hundred feet from the house. It remained there, gazing down at them.
“Isn’t it beautiful? It hangs around here a lot,” Erin whispered.
“Hosteen Silver’s spiritual brother was Winter Hawk,” Rick told Kim.
Kyle nodded slowly. “White Thunder and now Winter Hawk.... It’s a welcome and a warning.”
“Well, if there’s danger ahead, Copper Canyon’s the place to be.
Let’s go inside,” Rick said, his voice tense.
Chapter Seven
Kim felt Rick’s tension as clearly as her own. She didn’t believe in omens, but she didn’t dismiss them outright, either. She’d learned at an early age that New Mexico was the land of the unexplained. Here, the mysterious existed along with the ordinary, each finding its own place.
As she stepped inside the main room, she smiled, feeling instantly comfortable. It looked like the interior of a rustic cabin, very similar to those in country magazines. Though sparsely decorated, it had an undeniable elegance.
To her right the room opened up and against the far wall was the kitchen. Closer, and in the center of that space, was a large dining table pieced from several pine logs.
Centered in the room was a sofa covered in rich brown leather. Beautiful wool Navajo rugs were hung on the wall opposite a huge stone fireplace with vents that probably circulated the warm air generated from the fire.
On the wall opposite the dining side was a walk-in closet that had been converted to fit either computer equipment or TV screens.
“What a special place!” she told Erin. “I can see why you wanted to live here.”
“The brothers all agreed that we could make it our home, so I sold my place in Hartley and Kyle and I moved in,” Erin explained. “It’s the perfect place for us. I can irrigate and have more land to grow my crops. The fields have already been leveled, and this coming spring we’ll be putting in rabbit-proof fencing. I’m a chili farmer and Kyle’s in the family security business. He runs Complete Security for Daniel and often works from home.”
Kim smiled. “I work for Complete Security now, too, as a paid intern.”
“I’ve heard,” Erin replied, leading the way to the kitchen. Rick and Kyle were already there, coffee mugs in hand.
“It’s hot and it’ll warm you up,” Rick said. “Want a cup?”
“It’s hot? That’s the nicest thing you can say about my coffee?” Erin said, laughing as she handed Kim a mug.
Sipping her coffee, Kim watched them kid around with each other as they all pitched in to fix dinner. Although the fare was simple, she had to admit the green chili hamburger, thick and on homemade buns, was the best she’d ever tasted.
