by Domino Finn
The front entrance of the grand casino was a marbled terrace lined with exotic plants. Their lush greens, blues, and yellows were out of place in the middle of the desert. But then, that was the point. This place was an oasis, a break from the rest of the arid valley. During the day, a mist of cold water would rain from above. But it wasn't all relaxation.
A broad walkway shot straight out into the parking lot, splitting it in two. Solid pillars of stone dotted the path on both sides, large flames dancing on every one. It was a commanding presence. A rank and file beacon to both attract and guide. It was only after following this path that the patrons were welcomed to the lush terrace.
In attendance tonight was pretty much every single member of the Yavapai-Prescott Tribe. Kayda had been welcomed despite her brother's earlier unvitation. For the most part, everyone she had encountered had been excited to see her. She didn't get any of the jeers or looks she had expected.
Perhaps, she thought, her four years away had cooled the hate of her detractors. Or maybe setting aside differences was easier in the face of the night's excitement.
The large terrace was wide, easily accommodating the crowd. In its center, a large fountain drew the eye. It was the last component of the oasis metaphor. In addition to inlaid fixtures of bronze and detailed reliefs, jets of water sprang out at random intervals to make extra sure the fountain called attention to itself. But the grand presence was not yet fully realized—a large curtain hung on a ring around the statue in the center. It was to be the big reveal. The main event.
The Jewel of Prescott.
Although it was currently hidden, Kayda knew what was behind the veil. Her grandfather had explained it to her. A large strong fist, starting at the wrist, rose high from the water. In its clutches was the round moon, shining with a silvery iridescence. The moon was important to everything below it. It was a beacon for hunters, but it was also a weakness. It lit the hunter as well as the prey. Of course, her family had a deeper affinity for the full moon.
Kayda heeded the activities with fatigued attention. The terrace was packed. Conversation abounded all around her. The occasional laugh, especially, caught her ears. Everybody was happy. Together. Except her. Despite the politeness that had surprised her so much, Kayda wasn't much of an attraction. Old acquaintances said hello, friends she'd played with as a kid, but they smiled and moved on, settling in with their insular groups.
And then she thought about her grandfather. Why hadn't he come? He didn't appear as bedridden as Kelan had suggested. The man was well loved by the tribe. A sage. His absence was a hole in this community. A hole in Kayda, as he was the only reason she had come back.
Again, his words came to her. She was a woman. She needed to fight for her place. She needed to stop running away. How could she tell him about her plans to join the Peace Corps? If going to New York was running away, what would he say about going to the other side of the world?
Just when Kayda's thoughts threatened to take her away from the ceremony at hand, a fluttering of something light, like paper, brushed her hair. She threw her hands up and spun around, but nobody was there. Then she heard a soft flapping above her, like that of a flag snapping in the wind. Kayda spotted a large crow flying away from her.
The girl instinctively took a step backwards and ran her fingers through her long hair. She didn't know what she was feeling for. It was just a reaction, as if there had been ants in her hair. She shook her fear away and took a breath, then searched the sky again.
The bird was there, sitting on one of the cables that crossed over the terrace. The cables were in place to support the curtain drawn over the statue, and the crow landed near the center, as if it were the attraction that everybody waited to see. Except it was just a bird, and if anybody else had noticed what had happened, they didn't show it. As Kayda scanned the crowd, a pair of gray eyes locked with hers and she froze.
Hotah Shaw. He stood still, at a distance, with a look of wonder on his face. He wore a tight shirt that showed off his strong form. When he realized they were staring at each other, he quickly approached.
Kayda recovered herself and resumed her casual stance. Had Hotah seen the crow fly into her? She told herself it didn't matter and tried to act naturally. She liked to believe she was above simple embarrassment these days. But of all the people to have seen, why him?
Hotah was her brother Kelan's best friend. That made him off limits. Besides, he was one of them. A wolf. A mercenary. But although her older brothers were hard on her, Hotah had always held back. She never knew why. Then one day she had dreamt they kissed, which made everything awkward after that. Now, those long forgotten feelings were confusing.
Hotah smiled and hugged her. "You need me to get my hunting rifle?"
Kayda widened her eyes and laughed. She swatted at the man's shoulder. "Don't you dare!" Hotah peered at the bird, still lording it over the ceremony. It gave Kayda a chance to look at him up close. Hotah had a strong nose and chin. He was a bit short, but Kayda liked that. It matched her height perfectly. What she wasn't so sure about was the whole bad-boy thing he had going on. He wore his brown hair wild and messy, haphazardly cut at different lengths from his eyes to his chin. There were scratches on his face and she could swear his neck was bruised.
"I didn't know you were coming back home for this," he said.
She swallowed and wondered why she was nervous. "I'm not staying," she blurted out, thinking it would be best.
He cocked his head at her, almost defiantly. But then he nodded. "I always figured you'd move on to bigger and better things. There's not a whole lot going on in the middle of the desert."
"That's not what it looks like to me."
"Yeah, well, you know what I mean. How's your grandfather?"
"I just came from there," said Kayda, happy he had asked. "He's not as bad off as people have been making it sound. He's just tired, more than anything."
Hotah nodded knowingly. "We all are, Wihakayda. This casino means a lot to our outfit. But you shouldn't get involved in tribe business. Why don't you let me take you home?"
A flurry of excitement went through her. Was he being forward with her? "We can't leave before the grand unveiling," she countered, trying to buy time.
"Really, Kayda, this isn't meant for you."
She paused, not sure what he was getting at. For a moment, he almost sounded like her brother. A ribbon of tension fluttered between them, and Kayda shot him a frustrated look. A caw interrupted them. The bird still perched nearby. It broke the ice that had formed, and they both laughed again.
"Hotah!" came a call from the crowd. It was Yas. He was Kayda's age, in her class, and had always looked up to the mercenaries. Now he was old enough to be one of them. Hotah turned back to her with resignation.
"I've got to check on something, Kayda. You should be with your grandfather."
He left her there, with her fake smile hiding her befuddlement. She tried a casual stretch of her neck to appear aloof, whatever that looked like, but the more she tried to act naturally, the more she was sure she was failing. Luckily, Hotah disappeared into the crowd without glancing back.
It was a strange feeling. Kayda wasn't a virgin anymore. She had snuck around the dorms with a few boys in New York. She had learned about relationships, mostly that they weren't all they were made out to be. It wasn't that she loved Hotah or anything so stirring, but being so apprehensive around the older man surprised her. What had that been about?
Left with nothing else to attend to, the bird once again drew her eye.
Under inspection, she realized it wasn't just a crow. It was a raven. A huge bird with an impressive wingspan. A smart bird. It had been a long time since she had seen one so close. Kayda smiled as she remembered her grandfather's stories about ravens. They were tricksters, experts at deception. But her pahmi said that the opposite was also true, like the moon that both helped and hindered the hunt. To recognize and manipulate the truth, one needed to know it. The raven was not
only a liar, but a truth-seer. Kayda's grandfather had always taught her to attune herself to the world, to discern the meaning behind the incongruous. She wondered what the raven was trying to tell her.
Kayda smiled and shrugged off the thought. As a kid, she had always pretended she was attuned to the totem spirits. She would catch squirrels, save injured deer, have conversations with the birds. It was all part of the game of loneliness. But that wasn't her anymore. It was a bit silly, if anything. Looking back, those must have been some pretty one-sided encounters.
But she did like to wonder. She had always respected the Yavapai half of her. Unlike most Americans, the tribe had always been more open to the inexplicable, accepting that there was still much that was unknown. It was arrogant to think otherwise, really. Perhaps the Yavapai bloodlines, and the prevalence of the wolf, had given her that intellectual advantage.
But that wasn't her. She was a Garnett, not a Doka. And not a Shaw either.
"I didn't know you were back in town," came a voice from behind her. She turned to see a familiar police officer smiling at her. She studied the face that had aged in her absence.
"Hello Chuck."
Officer Chuck Winston was on the list of people Kayda had wanted to avoid. Not as high on the list as her brother, and for completely different reasons, but on the list just the same.
"I can't believe how good you look," he said, his eyes wide. At first he was chewing gum slack-jawed, but then he shut his mouth. After a few seconds, he gave up on that and swallowed the gum altogether.
Kayda smiled politely. She had always felt uncomfortable around Chuck. It wasn't something she could explain. He was nice enough, but he was a strange guy.
"You decided to check in with the family for the big unveiling, huh?" he asked.
"I just graduated and came back to see my grandfather."
"Of course. You know, things have changed around here. I should show you around."
"It's okay, Chuck. I'm not staying."
"No?" He looked hurt. As though he had gotten a surprise gift, but opened the box to find it empty. "You should. You know, I'm gonna be a detective soon. I'm taking the exam again and, well, they have me working with a detective from out of town right now."
"That's great," said Kayda with detachment. Why was it that years could pass but nothing would change?
Officer Winston wasn't put off. In fact, he leaned closer and spoke in a hushed tone. "Check it out," he said, nodding towards the other side of the fountain. Kelan was there, talking to a man wearing a navy-blue business suit and a white hat. He looked a bit silly, like he wanted to be professional yet casual in the thin-cut jacket. Everything about him was like that. He was clean-shaven except for a day or two of scruff. His collar was unbuttoned yet his tie still hung loosely around his neck. Still, something about the man commanded attention. He stood with composure and purpose.
"Who is he?" she asked Chuck.
"That's what I'm trying to tell you," said the officer. "That's the detective from Sanctuary I'm paired up with."
Kayda nodded absently. She wasn't really listening as long as Chuck wasn't really saying anything. She watched the two men exchange words after the detective showed his badge, but it wasn't until she saw her brother puff his chest out and scowl that she knew something was wrong.
"What does he want with my brother?"
Chuck put his hand on Kayda's shoulder and tried to pull her away. "Don't worry about that, Kayda. You should stay out of it."
She was sick of hearing that. She flashed a dark look at the taller man. "Chucky."
The tribal police officer melted under the icy word. It was spoken as a warning. With a single word, she had told him not to touch her, not to treat her like a child, and to tell her what the fuck was going on.
"Okay," he acquiesced, "but you should leave it to Kelan. Maxim's here looking into the murder of a tribe member. We went to the dentist and got some records confirmed. Now he's talking to the family."
Kayda stared at him, fuming. "My family?"
"Well, yeah, but—"
Kayda pushed past the cop and made her way to Kelan. She was appalled that Chuck had acted so casually with her during this crisis. Even more worrisome was what the detective might have been saying.
Judging by the state of her brother, she had gotten there just in time.
"And what's it to you, pig?" warned Kelan.
"Kelan!" chided Kayda in a voice bordering between scream and pleasant surprise. "Who's your friend?"
Her brother turned, unhappy at her intervention. "I told you to go home, Kayda. You're not welcome here."
"I'm part of the family too."
The detective arched an eyebrow as he studied her. "Maxim Dwyer, miss. Are you two related?"
Kayda flashed a political smile. "I'm Kayda Garnett. He's my brother."
"Half brother," he corrected.
He nodded. "Well, I'm sorry to be interrupting at a time like this. Believe me, I had no idea this thing was opening tonight. But this is important. I'd like to step aside for a moment and talk in private."
Kelan scoffed but Kayda jumped in. "About what, Detective?"
"Well, I'd really prefer to tell you somewhere else."
The man was unsure how to proceed. Her brother's animosity was normal. He hated cops. He hated outsiders. It was easy to imagine how any conversation between the two would work out. Still, she was puzzled by his entrance. Kayda turned her head toward the night sky and saw the raven, staring down at her. Deceit. Truth. Knowledge.
She put her arms around her brother. His shoulders tensed up. "I don't see why we can't go inside and hear him out."
Kelan didn't take his eyes off Maxim. "Do you know who this man is, Kayda?"
She tried to pull her brother back, to protect him from himself. He was a wolf, much stronger than an average person, and he had a bad temper. It was a bad combination in a world where survival meant keeping a low profile. "Calm down, Keekee."
"This is the man who arrested Carlos at Sycamore Lodge. He's the man who conspired with the CDC assassin to kill our brother."
Kayda blinked slowly. Or maybe the world slowed. Truth.
Maxim knew about her family. Suddenly she didn't know how she felt about the man. Maybe she should let her brother rip his head off.
"It's not like that," assured the detective. "I arrested your brother in connection to a crime. He attacked a police officer and escaped custody before he was ever charged. What happened to him later was on him."
"You mean when he was killed?" asked Kayda.
Maxim contemplated the two sternly. "He wasn't killed last year."
"This is horseshit!" said Kelan. "You want to talk to the family? Come to Wicasa's house tomorrow morning. We'll set up a meet and greet with everybody you've affected. You can see the results of your work firsthand!"
Maxim measured his breath. He had the look of a man who both understood and dreaded the position he was in. But he was resolute. "Is there any way we can do that tonight?"
Kelan scowled. "You know what? You're not welcome on this reservation. And you're not welcome in this casino. I want you off this property, Dwyer."
And then Kelan completely surprised his sister by storming away.
Four years must have changed him. Or maybe it was just the last year. Kelan would never have walked away from something like this before. His big brother was his idol. Continuing without him must have been hard. Suddenly, Kayda felt guilty that she hadn't been around.
"Look," said Maxim to her, "I'm sorry if I'm intruding. Believe it or not, I'm trying to help your family find answers."
In a million years Kayda wouldn't have expected to feel sympathy for her oldest brother, but a tear came to her eye. "Is Carlos okay?" she asked in a pleading voice.
The detective released a heavy sigh. "Can we step aside for a moment?"
She wordlessly nodded and followed him away from the roar of the crowd into the parking lot. It was open air and surprisingly c
ool away from the walkway flames.
"You said your name was Garnett?" The detective was just making small talk while they distanced themselves from the festivities.
"Yeah. We all shared the same mom."
He nodded and stopped, deciding that their location was private enough.
"And how well did you know Carlos Doka?"
He was torturing her, asking questions endlessly. No wonder her brother was furious. "Do you mind if we get to the point?"
Maxim nodded. They shared a wordless gaze, then his lips tightened. As he opened his mouth to speak, a roaring applause came from the audience. They both turned to see the crowd gathering closer to the fountain. Spectators pressed into each other tightly as they abandoned the outer areas. Four women clad in bejeweled bikinis stood atop the fountain walls and raised their hands in celebration. They each grabbed a corner knob of the curtain.
In unison, the spectators all began counting down. Ten. Nine. Eight. Kayda's heart still waited on the detective's words. Seven. Six. Five. She peered at Maxim. He was captivated by the excitement. Four. Three. She turned back to the fountain. The draw was magnetic. Two. The raven no longer sat on its perch above the statue. Something was wrong.
One.
The next few moments did not progress smoothly. The four women gave the curtain ill-timed tugs. The back opened as one of the front corners became tangled. Two of the showgirls pulled late. The perfectly executed countdown was ending in an anticlimactic bumble.
Then there was a scream. One of the girls fell into the crowd. The last side of the curtain finally fell away and the people staring below erupted in a frenzy.
More yelling. Suddenly a panicked rush to escape the terrace broke out. Spectators rammed into the locked doors of the casino. Others fled into the parking lot. The models remaining on the fountain turned around to examine their handiwork. One fainted. The others scrambled away.
As the riot of people rushed towards them, Maxim stepped forward to protect Kayda. His fingers went to the gun on his belt.
