Innocent Blood

by Linda S. Prather

  Tim made himself comfortable on a small patch of ground. “I’ve got the easy part. Don’t take any chances, Harry. Whistle when you’re ready.”

  “Song sparrow.” The water was cold. Harry stayed as close to the bank as he could, placing his feet carefully. Hunters sometimes planted traps along the edge, and he wasn’t fond of the thought of being alligator bait. His thoughts turned to the men waiting for them. Not ordinary men, or they wouldn’t have figured out he and the others had come through the swamp. Of course, the men could have parties covering all the regular trails. If that was the case, Harry needed to send Reggie, Neta, and Nat back. It would take every ounce of his and Tim’s training and skills to outmaneuver the men and stay hidden.

  A break in the trees opened up, and Harry could see the tall grass blowing in the wind. He climbed onto the bank, drained his boots, and waited until his clothes stopped dripping. If any of the men waiting for them were trackers, he wouldn’t have to worry about smell because he smelled like swamp, but the sound of water in boots carried a long distance.

  The area in front of him was open. He’d be an easy target for a marksman for the first fifty feet. Preparing to run, he cupped his hands around his mouth and made the song of the song sparrow. In seconds an answering song came from the direction he’d left Tim.

  Taking a deep breath, Harry sprinted toward the first rock cover as a rifle report sounded a short distance away. Peering around the rock, he saw the man stand and signal someone. There were at least two of them. A second rifle fired. Harry pinpointed the shooter and gauged his distance—less than a thousand feet. Harry could take him out easily, but he wanted the men alive. He turned his attention to the man closest to him. Dressed in army khakis, he was well heeled for hunting. These guys didn’t make mistakes very often, but Harry smiled as the man placed his rifle on the ground and lit a cigarette. Overconfidence was the downfall of most criminals.

  Rushing forward, Harry covered the distance between them, pulling his knife from his belt as he ran. In less than a minute his arm closed around the man’s throat, the tip of his knife digging in. “Tell your buddy to drop his gun and come out with his hands up.”

  A shot rang out. The thud of the bullet was loud as Harry dropped behind the rock embankment. The man he’d been holding coughed, a trickle of blood running down the side of his mouth as bullets pelted the rock above them. “Who are you guys?”

  The man coughed again, and Harry recognized the death rattle. Tim was shooting back now, giving him cover and drawing fire. Harry picked up the rifle, a Bushmaster, and was pretty sure the men weren’t using it for game. These guys were serious killers. Tim continued to fire and draw answering fire. If others were in the area, they’d be here soon. Harry placed the stock against the edge of a small boulder and waited. His wait paid off as the man on the opposite rock embankment shifted his position, exposing his upper body for a second. Harry squeezed the trigger, his stomach muscles tightening. For a second he thought he’d missed, but a rifle tumbled over the rocks just before the body fell.

  Tim came out of the tree line below and waved. Harry waved back before searching the pockets of the man beside him. He wasn’t surprised to find no identification. The night-vision goggles and binoculars would come in handy, though. Harry jogged to where Tim was searching the second shooter.

  “Nothing on him except extra ammunition. How about your guy?”

  “No identification, but he had night goggles and binoculars. Take the rifle and the ammunition. We may need it.”

  Tim stored the boxes in his pockets. “You think there’s more out there?”

  Harry nodded, his eyes scanning the horizon. “They’re mercenaries, Tim. What the hell are mercenaries doing on the reservation?”

  “It has to be the drugs. I heard rumors about a plane going down and a lost shipment.”

  “It must have been one pretty damn big shipment. And why didn’t you tell me about that before we brought the others out here?”

  “Those rumors were six months ago, Harry. I figured if there were any truth to it, whoever wanted it would already have come and gone.”

  “You need to take Neta, Nat, and Reggie back to the house. Get in touch with the Feds and let them know what’s going on out here.”

  “What about you?”

  “I came here to find Loki and Dadron. I’m not leaving until I do.”

  30

  Loki watched Thompkins and Manjael as she gently washed the wounds and applied the crushed marigold leaves to Dadron’s back. Something hadn’t gone as the men had planned, and Thompkins was livid. He stalked toward her.

  “These people coming for you, who are they?”

  “Tribal police, maybe. I don’t really know.”

  Thompkins grabbed her hair and jerked her head backward. “Don’t lie to me. They took out two of my best men, and the tribal police are elsewhere. Who are they?”

  “Family. Police officers from Texas.”

  He spat on the ground. “They should have stayed in Texas. Have him on his feet in one hour, or we’ll leave his dead body behind.”

  Loki knew from the tense muscles that Dadron was awake and had heard most of the conversation. She leaned in close, applying more leaves. “Can you walk?”

  “I think so. My arms took the brunt of it. Who’s coming after us?”

  “Harry.”

  Dadron laughed then followed with a groan. “These guys have no idea what they’re up against.”

  “They’re mercenaries, Dadron. Harry may have no idea what he’s up against.” She finished applying the leaves and reached for his arm. “Let me help you sit up. I need to show Thompkins we’re making an effort.”

  “I can do it.”

  Loki backed away as Dadron pushed with his arms until he was on his knees, his face paling and his body starting to tremble. She turned her head to hide the tears. “I’ll get you some water.”

  Manjael had disappeared into the trees, but Thompkins was now armed with a Glock and rifle. If Harry made it this far, neither of those would do Thompkins any good. “Do you have any food? He’s going to need something if you want him on his feet in an hour.”

  “Meal packs are in the box over there next to the suitcases. Compliments of our buddies inside.”

  Loki rummaged through the box and found two high-protein packs along with spoons and plates and two energy drinks. “We’ll have to remember these the next time we go hiking.” She handed Dadron a plate and sat beside him. “Do you need some help?”

  “I’ll manage. Has Thompkins told you what they want with us?”

  “Not yet.” The meal actually smelled better than it tasted, but the protein would help both of them maintain their energy. “I think they’re looking for something or someone. Any idea how many of them there are?”

  “I counted six. There may be more.”

  “I need to see if I can find you a shirt.” Loki finished her meal and approached Thompkins. “We’ll be ready to travel shortly. Dadron needs a shirt.”

  “Go through the luggage and see what you can find. One of them was pretty good sized.”

  Loki knelt beside the luggage, hoping to block Thompkins’s view in case she found something inside that she could use as a weapon. She rifled through the clothing until she found a button-up shirt that might fit, and even if it wouldn’t button, it would cover Dadron’s back. Her search revealed nothing else, not even a shaving kit. She returned to Dadron and helped him into the shirt. “Let’s see if you can stand.” She placed a hand under his arm, but he waved her off.

  “Move back, and I’ll use the tree to pull myself up.”

  She stepped back and watched as he crawled to the tree and slowly pulled himself up. “Dadron, are you angry with me? I’m sorry I sent you off alone. I should have been there.”

  He didn’t turn around, and his words cut deeper than any knife. “I’m a man, Loki. I don’t need you to baby me. What you should have done was kept going and not come back.”

&nb
sp; “It will be dark in a few hours, Harry. We can’t tread our way through the swamp after dark. The safest thing is for us to find a place to hole up for the night. Nat and Neta can head back in the morning, and the three of us can go on.”

  Harry rinsed his hands at the edge of the water. He knew Tim was right, but he also knew what mercenaries were like. If more of them were out there, they wouldn’t stop before killing them all. “All right. Go back and get them. I’m going up to the rocks and keep a lookout. Nat’s the expert on this area. Once we’ve set up camp, we’ll do some scouting.”

  “Looks like I don’t have to go.” Tim pointed to where the three were just rounding a curve.

  “We need to move.” Reggie nodded in the direction they’d come. “Nat says there’s more behind us.”

  “How many?” Harry asked.

  “Two, maybe three. Coming up fast.”

  “Papa says there’s a cave near here. If we could get there, we’d be safe for the night.”

  Harry shook his head. “We’d be hemmed in, and all they’d have to do is wait for us to starve or die of thirst. We’re better off in the open.”

  “What if Tim, Nat, and Neta go to the cave and you and I set up near there?” Reggie asked. “They won’t be expecting us to split up. Whatever we’re going to do, we’d better do it quick.”

  Harry passed his rifle to Neta. “Do you know how to use that?”

  “Yes, but Papa is a better shot than I am.” She passed the rifle to her father and spoke to him in Choctaw. He raised the rifle over his head and grinned.

  “Where’s this cave?” Harry asked.

  “About a half mile east of here.”

  “Tim, take Neta and Nat and find the cave. Reggie and I will slow them down enough for you to get there. We’ll join you later.”

  “You got a plan, partner?” Reggie asked.

  “You take that rock. I’ll be on this side. The plan is not to get killed.”

  Reggie laughed and headed for the rock. “I like that plan.”

  Harry maneuvered the dead body until it was positioned on the rock in a way that, from a distance, made it look as if the man was still alive and ready for action. The men wouldn’t be able to come up behind Reggie from the swamp without exposing themselves as they climbed the embankment, but if they were smart, they’d use the same trick he did and come up behind him. The sight of their comrade still in position should throw them off for a second or two. Studying the area, Harry chose a spot and hunkered down behind a boulder. He needed to teach Reggie the bird songs before they went much farther. A shot rang out, followed by answering fire from below. Harry closed his eyes and listened. Water splashed in the distance, and an odd scent drifted on the wind. He heard what sounded like water squishing inside a boot. Two men were splitting up and approaching. Harry counted to five, giving them time to clear the trees and enter the open area. Taking a deep breath, he peered over the boulder and set his sights on the one in the lead. He noted the position of the second man and judged where he was most likely to run. “Police, drop your weapons!”

  Bullets pelted the rock around him as he took down the lead man, swiveled the rifle, and took down the second. Reggie fired again. A scream sounded from below, and everything went silent.

  Harry rose and approached the two men he’d shot. He was pretty sure they were both dead. The situation had been too intense for him to pull his shots, and instinct had made him go for the kill. He quickly searched the bodies, retrieved the night goggles, and carefully made his way to the edge of the swamp, where Reggie joined him. “I hit the last guy, but it wasn’t a kill shot.”

  “Let’s see what he’s got to say for himself.” Harry and Reggie entered the trees, keeping an eye out ahead of them. They didn’t have to go far. The third man was propped against a tree trunk, his throat cut.

  “Damn, Harry, who are these guys?”

  Harry knelt beside the body. “Whoever did this wasn’t one of them. I think we’ve got a third player in the game.”

  “For or against us?”

  “Neither. He has his own game plan.”

  31

  Loki leaned against a tree and closed her eyes. Dadron’s words had hurt more deeply than she was willing to admit, even to herself. Does Jules feel this way too?

  “Don’t think too badly of the boy. He’s right, you know. You shouldn’t have come back.” Thompkins sat beside her.

  “The man in the hospital, is he really your brother?”

  “Yeah, and your grandfather will pay for that.”

  “My grandfather?”

  “That robe and mask didn’t fool me. He’s the one who tortured my brother.”

  “Why?”

  Thompkins laughed. “Because he wants what was on the plane. He got tired of taking just a cut for the drugs and upped the ante. Greed does terrible things to a man sometimes. Made him kill your father and mother.”

  “What money? My parents were poor.”

  “Before I kill him, I’ll let you ask him that question.”

  Loki felt her fingernails biting into her palms and forced her hands to relax. “How do you know all this?”

  “Because I was his partner. We had a deal. I bring in the drugs, he keeps the cops off my back and distributes them.”

  Loki wanted to scream at him and scratch out his eyes. His words had the ring of truth. “So why are you telling me all this now?”

  “Your brother is stalling. Get him moving. The sooner we find that plane, the sooner you can find your grandfather.” He laughed again. “I think watching you kill him will be almost as enjoyable as killing him myself.”

  Manjael appeared in the distance. Thompkins’s laughter tapered off, his lips drawing into a thin line as he rose. “Get ready to move out.”

  Loki bit her bottom lip to keep from smiling. Whatever they had planned for Harry on the second round hadn’t worked out either. He was alive, and he was still coming.

  Thompkins wasted no time in packing up and getting them on the move. The route he chose was mostly forest with Dadron in front, followed by him, and then Loki followed by Manjael. Loki stumbled under the weight of the pack Thompkins had forced her to carry, and Manjael reached out to steady her. She glanced into his eyes and noticed for the first time how black they were. Like the eyes of Nalusa Chito, the soul eater. There was also something akin to respect in the shadows of his eyes. Loki shivered and jerked her arm away. “Thank you.”

  “Stop.” Thompkins called a halt and walked forward and spoke to Dadron. “This is where we found the pilot. I need you to pick up his trail and lead us back to the plane.”

  “How old is this trail?”

  “Roughly six months.”

  Dadron shook his head. “Then you’re wasting your time. Between the snow and rain, any trail he left will be gone.”

  Thompkins motioned for Manjael to bring Loki closer. “I’ll give you five seconds to change that answer, then I’m going to blow your pretty little sister’s brains out.”

  Manjael stiffened beside her but said nothing.

  “I’m up to three, kid.”

  Dadron knelt and studied the ground. “If a plane went down, it would have taken out tree limbs. Your pilot, what kind of condition was he in?”

  “If you’re asking if the plane crash killed him, then the answer is no. Best we can figure, he ran into a bear, and the bear won.”

  “Then he could have traveled a good distance before dying.” Dadron stood. “We’ll follow the trees.”

  Thompkins winked at Loki and laughed. “See, all it takes is a little gentle persuasion.”

  “Those are very serious accusations, Mr. Savior. Raymond Redmond is a respected member of the community and sits on the council. Do you have any proof?”

  Frustrated from hours of therapy that had hurt like hell, Jake glared at the sergeant. “You’ve got the word of the young man who witnessed the murder.”

  “A young man with emotional and mental issues and believed by most to be cr
azy. I will need more than that to question Raymond Redmond. As I’m sure you’re aware, Raymond is missing at the moment.”

  “Jules is no more crazy than you are.” Mary Ann Coomer spoke up. “I’m his doctor, and I can tell you right now that boy is just fine, and he don’t lie.”

  The sergeant shrugged. “I understand he is better now, but this happened many years ago. He spent the night in a dark forest, and for many years he was damaged. Perhaps his memory is flawed.”

  “So you’re not even going to look for the body?”

  “We’re very busy at the moment, and without proof, then no, I’m not going to waste my time. We’re all aware of the hatred toward Raymond by his grandchildren, and even if we find a body, there’s no proof against him. Bring Jules in tomorrow, and I’ll listen to what he has to say, but I think the right questions will prove to you I’m right and the boy is confused.”

  “So what about Loki and Dadron?” Mary Ann asked. “Surely you can send a search party after them. Or are you too busy to protect your own people?”

  The sergeant rose, his smile never faltering but not reaching his eyes. “As far as I’m concerned, they’re two interlopers who went into a restricted area without permission. I’m sure they’ll turn up eventually. If we find Raymond and he’s been harmed, we’ll be looking for them as suspects.”

  “I’d like to see the accident report for Henry and Rose Redmond.”

  “There isn’t one.”

  “Are you telling me you didn’t do a report on a fatal accident?”

  “No, Mr. Savior, I’m telling you there isn’t one in Pearl River. Now if you don’t mind, I have work to do.”

  Mary Ann sputtered, and Jake took her arm. “Let’s go, Mary Ann. I think we know where we stand here.”

  Jake led the way, nodding to the young receptionist as he left. The doors had barely closed behind them when she followed them out. “You’re not here to help the Redmonds?”