Red Mesa

by Aimée

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, knowing he never called when she was working unless it was important.

  “I need to talk to you. Can you come to the hogan?”

  “I’ll be there in forty-five minutes.”

  “Come sooner if you can,” he said.

  Knowing that her brother moved on what was called Indian Time, and that he never rushed, only made his urgent request more compelling.

  Putting the tribal unit in gear, she flipped on her emergency lights and pulled out onto the highway.

  TWENTY-ONE

  Ella was just braking to a stop outside Clifford’s medicine hogan when he stepped out from behind the wool blanket that served as a door and waved at her. Ella had expected to see Julian playing and Loretta someplace nearby, but neither was around.

  As she climbed out of the Jeep and looked for his family, Clifford shook his head. “Later. Right now we have to get going. We should take my truck, though, not your police vehicle.”

  “What have you got?”

  “I’ve located a person who has seen Samuel Begaye recently—Old Shadow Man.”

  She knew the man. His name was Daniel Benally. “He’s got to be close to one hundred now. He’s not still living alone in that hogan out past Big Gap, is he?”

  “Yes, he is. I went to do a prayer for him, and from what I could see, he’s in real good shape. His family has tried to get him to move into Shiprock, to tribal housing on the east side, but he won’t have it.”

  “So how did he meet the fugitive?”

  “Apparently he showed up out of the blue, armed with a rifle, and demanded food and water. Shadow Man gave him what he could, and the fugitive stayed for quite a few hours just talking before he shoved off. That’s why I thought you might want to speak to the old man yourself.”

  “Thanks. But if he’s still the staunch traditionalist that he used to be, I may not get much out of him. He might disapprove of me on principle.”

  “That’s why I’m offering to go along. I’ll try to smooth things for you.”

  Ella suddenly had a feeling that there was another reason Clifford was trying so hard to help her. “Is there something about this case that’s troubling you?”

  Clifford didn’t answer right away. “Words have power. To speak of something evil is to call it to you. Wait and see what happens when you go back to the station.”

  A chill touched her soul. Something bad was going to happen. Yet Ella knew she had to put it all out of her mind for now. Finding Samuel Begaye could give her a lead, and she had to focus on getting the most information from old Daniel Benally.

  “Don’t interrupt him, even if you think he’s fallen asleep. He’ll be testing you, sister. It’s his way.”

  “I’ll remember.”

  It took twenty minutes of driving, the last ten on a dirt track that must have disappeared each rainy season. After several especially bone-jarring bumps, she glanced at her brother. “Now I know why you always took so long to buy your trucks. They have to be practically indestructible.”

  He laughed. “At least here you can see which way to go. Some of these old-timers make it a point to build their hogans as far as they can from highways and modernists.”

  When they finally reached their destination, Ella was ready to climb out of the truck and stretch. She started to open the door, but Clifford stopped her.

  “Wait. Let me get out instead. He may be a little jumpy since Begaye paid him a visit, but he knows me, and once he sees me, he should invite us both in.”

  It didn’t take long for Daniel Benally to come to the entrance of his hogan. He’d replaced the traditional wool blanket with a handmade door of pine planks, probably because of the lack of protection out here from winter winds.

  Ella studied the man. She’d met him when she was a teenager and he’d seemed ancient then, but strangely enough, in the last twenty years he hadn’t changed at all. He stood upright and, shielding his eyes from the sun with his hand, he waved at them.

  Clifford glanced at Ella. “Remember. No names. And women sit on the south side.”

  Ella followed her brother.

  “Yáat’ééh, Uncle,” Clifford greeted, saying hello.

  Benally nodded to him, then looked at Ella with open suspicion. “So you are the hataalii’s sister,” he said after a moment.

  “Yes, Uncle,” she said, using the word as her brother had, to denote respect, not actual kinship.

  They went inside and sat down on the ground on sheepskin blankets, Ella being careful to stay on the southern side of the center.

  “I know why you’ve come,” Benally said. “You want to turn over one of the Dineh to the bilagáanas, the white people.”

  “It’s not that simple, Uncle,” Ella said. “The man who came to you here went to prison because he took the life of another Navajo. I want to make sure that he doesn’t have the chance to hurt anyone else again. Yet, as things stand, it’s possible that he may have already done so. We’re looking for the killer of a young Navajo woman, our second cousin.”

  “We used to deal with things like this among ourselves,” Benally grunted.

  “The new laws give us a chance to keep things in order. We need to restore the hózhq, the harmony and balance that brings us peace, when a situation like this comes up. Policemen are there to do that so our people can tend to their own lives.” Ella spoke slowly, hoping she wouldn’t stick her foot in her mouth. She needed this man’s help.

  He nodded thoughtfully.

  She continued, carefully. “Uncle, I need your help. Can you tell me what direction the man who came here went after he left, and how he was traveling?”

  Benally waited before answering, and Ella was grateful she’d been warned about showing impatience. She sat quietly nearly four minutes before the man spoke again. “He had an old truck, and he drove off to the northwest. He was scared, even with a rifle. I could see it in his eyes. He had the look of a mustang cut off from the herd, and forced to run from danger.”

  “What did he talk about when he was here?”

  This time Benally didn’t test her, instead answering immediately. “He said people had misjudged him. He said he was innocent and had only killed in self-defense. But the police had taken him away, and the judge put him in jail. He said he had expected to serve his time, but then his father was murdered. He came back to find justice for his family.”

  “Did he mention how he was going to do that?”

  “He said he would make sure that the guilty were punished. But after he was finished, he wouldn’t go back to prison. He said he would live on his own out here until they gave up looking for him.” He paused. “But I don’t think he’ll succeed. He was soft—like the modernists who grow up watching television and sitting under the air conditioner.”

  “Is there any place around here where he could find shelter and water?”

  “I’ll tell you what I told him when he asked me the same thing. Shelter, yes. There are hogans scattered about. Water is more difficult. It takes a bumpy drive to Big Gap Lake or one of the springs in the foothills.”

  “Did he ask you to draw him a map to those hogans you mentioned?”

  “I made one on the sand with a stick. But I don’t think he’ll find his way very easily. He comes from over by Gallup. I think he’ll do what the bilagáanas from the university do when they come to learn about the old ways. They stay around until it gets uncomfortable for them, then they go back to the city.”

  “If he returns, be careful. He’s a very dangerous man.”

  “He won’t come back. He was disappointed because there was nothing to steal, and his rifle was better than mine.” He paused, then continued. “But you should be wary of him. That man feels a lot of hatred for you.”

  “Did he speak of our cousin?”

  “He only spoke of you.”

  “Thank you, Uncle,” she said.

  As they left the hogan, Ella looked around at the sparse vegetation and low, undulating terr
ain falling away toward the distant river valley to the east. On the west side, the desert extended up to the foothills of the sacred mountains, which were still dry, but less so. “If Begaye is still out here, he’s going to find few people, and even fewer allies.”

  “That’s only going to make him more dangerous,” Clifford said.

  Ella shook her head slowly. “The crazy thing is that although I know he hates me and would enjoy seeing me in a world of hurt, I honestly don’t think he’s directly involved in what happened to our cousin. I want to find him mostly because I’m hoping he’s learned something about what’s going on. The people he associates with—the criminal element—probably know far more than we do right now.”

  “Let’s search the area together then. We’ll see things the other one doesn’t. You depend on your training, I depend on the land itself.”

  They spent the rest of the day searching the dusty tracks leading to one-family hogans and water-carved canyons. Some of the hogans were abandoned, the former inhabitants having left to seek a more hospitable location, perhaps. Everywhere they went, the history of hardship the tribe had endured was written in every makeshift building, in the carcasses of animals that had perished from the lack of water, and in the stark, barren land that extended everywhere until meeting a source of water.

  Only twice did they come across another human being, and both times it was men riding horseback and herding sheep and goats in search of grass.

  It was after dark by the time they returned to Clifford’s home. Loretta was waiting on the porch, and when she saw the pickup, she strode out angrily.

  Hands on her hips, she stared at her husband, then at Ella as they climbed down out of the truck. “When will you two wake up and realize the harm you’re doing to yourselves and your family?”

  Ella stared at her. “What on earth are you talking about?”

  “The more time you spend together, the more talk it generates. Someone who came by here before dark said you were looking inside abandoned hogans.”

  “They weren’t ones where a death had occurred,” Clifford said, a touch of anger tainting his voice. “I know the difference. What else have you heard?”

  “That your sister is trying to corrupt you.” Loretta wiped a tear from her face. “I won’t live like this, being shamed and having my son and me turned away because people have been told to avoid us.”

  “The gossip will go away once the truth becomes known,” Clifford said, his voice steady and sure. “And our son is too young to know what’s going on.”

  “He knows that his friends aren’t allowed to visit us and that he’s not welcome at their homes.”

  Clifford looked at Ella. “My wife and I need to talk. Let me know if there’s anything more I can do to help you.”

  “Thanks for everything.”

  “If you truly love your brother, stay away from him before you ruin all of us,” Loretta said quietly.

  As Ella got into her Jeep, she felt mentally exhausted. If her enemy’s goal was to put unremitting pressure on her, it was working. She had never felt so alone in her entire life.

  Ella drove directly home, and as she pulled into the driveway, she saw Kevin’s vehicle by the house. Surprised, she parked and went inside.

  Her daughter’s father was in the living room, playing with Dawn and her blocks. Rose sat on her chair, crocheting and keeping a close eye on them. She didn’t trust Kevin, and made no attempt to hide it.

  As soon as Dawn saw Ella in the doorway, she held up her hands. “Pick up!”

  Ella laughed and lifted Dawn up, then swung her around in a circle. Dawn squealed and laughed, enjoying the game. Kevin watched them, a serious look on his face. As soon as Ella put Dawn back on the floor, he cocked his head toward the kitchen. “I need to talk to you, Ella. It’ll only take a moment.”

  “What’s up?” Ella asked, leading the way. The last thing she wanted to face tonight was another complication, but she had no choice now that Dawn’s father was here.

  “I’ve been approached by some influential people who want me to run for Tribal Council,” Kevin confided once they were alone in the kitchen.

  Ella studied his expression, trying to figure out why he needed to tell her this now, and why he was so serious. Everything she knew about Kevin told her that he had to be delighted with the prospect. “This is something you’ve wanted for a long time. Why are you acting so glum?”

  “Everything I do, everything I say, from this moment on will be scrutinized. Politics is a rough game,” he said slowly. “You are a part of my life, and the rumors going around about you…” He let the sentence hang.

  “Hey, I’m not thrilled about what’s being said either. Nobody likes to hear lies and gossip about themselves. But I don’t see what you expect me to do about it.”

  “My name’s on Dawn’s birth certificate. Although we haven’t made that information public, that’ll probably come to light as people in the press check on my background.”

  “Kevin, what is it you want from me? I can’t do anything about the birth certificate now. If you’re worried about what people are going to think, don’t attract attention by coming to see either of us. Put as much distance between us as you want. Dawn and I will be fine. Then, once everything calms down, come back and see your daughter if you still want to.”

  “I want to play a role in my daughter’s life, but I won’t be able to do that unless you keep your name out of the headlines and the local gossip. You’re a magnet for trouble, Ella. It’s only been four days since Justine’s murder, and already you’re right in the middle of it all. Every time you make another move, you just seem to generate more talk and negative publicity for yourself. Can’t you just lay low, take some time off, and let the FBI and the Tribal Police handle Justine’s case?”

  “You’re not worried about negative publicity for me, though. You’re just worried about yourself.”

  “In this particular case, yes. I can do a lot of good for this tribe, but I need to get elected first.”

  She shrugged. “So go for it. You don’t have to worry about keeping bad company. Our tribe sees the kids as the mother’s responsibility. You don’t have to be associated with us at all.”

  “But that’s just it. I want to be around Dawn and you. I’m just trying to get you to help me out a little bit here.”

  “Kevin, my neck’s on the line. I can’t quit doing my job because you’re worried about your career. I’ve got to keep investigating and stirring up the waters until the garbage floats to the surface and the truth is there for everyone to see. If you really want to demonstrate what it takes to be a good leader, then accept your situation and handle it.”

  “You’re backing me up against a wall, Ella.”

  “Everything in your life can’t be just about you. Deal with it.” She went back to the living room and opened the front door. “Say good night to your daughter, then let me get some rest. I’ve had a long day.”

  Kevin gave his daughter a hug, then started toward the door. As he passed by Ella, he paused. “I’ve already heard about your day, Ella. Sometimes you can be your own worst enemy.”

  Ella fought the urge to kick him in the shins, or higher. He’d said that on purpose, hoping to force her hand in front of Rose. As Kevin drove off and Ella turned, she saw the questions in her mother’s eyes.

  “Later,” Ella said. “Let me put Dawn to bed first.”

  Ella played with her daughter on the floor with her stuffed toys and blocks until Dawn began to get bored, then bathed her. By that time Dawn could barely keep her eyes open. She settled down for the night much easier than Ella had expected, and went right to sleep before Ella finished reading the story about the lambs.

  When Ella returned to the living room, Rose’s eyes were bright with questions. Ella wanted to protect her, but it was impossible to keep the news of what was happening from her mother. If she didn’t tell her, Rose would just hear it from someone else.

  Ella opted for comp
lete honesty. “My brother and I are trying to find this man, hoping he’ll give me a lead to who killed our cousin, but people are out for blood. I’ve got enemies in very high places, and they’re doing everything they can to get people stirred up. Somebody is watching everything I do, and using each opportunity to spread more lies about me.”

  “This kind of talk will die, eventually, but your sister-in-law is right, to a point. It can do your brother a great deal of harm. His patients have to believe he’s beyond reproach. Something like this could ruin him for good.”

  “Mom, my cousin’s killer could walk free, and I could end up going to prison for a crime I didn’t commit if any more of this contrived evidence shows up. I’m facing some serious stuff here, too. There’s much more at stake than my brother’s reputation.”

  “I never said otherwise. But your brother’s patients depend on him. When they’re sick, they need to trust your brother’s knowledge and willingness to help them. He’s in the same position that the bilagáana doctors at the hospital are in. His reputation is everything.”

  Ella nodded, understanding. At least she was still collecting a paycheck. But Clifford’s livelihood could be compromised by the company he kept. Without his patients, he wouldn’t be able to provide for his family, and that had to weigh heavily on his mind as well as Loretta’s.

  “Mom, I’m too tired to think. I’m going to bed.” Ella went to her room. As she undressed, she switched on the computer, hoping that another instant message would come in from her informant. But as she finished getting ready for bed, none had come on-screen.

  Figuring that it was the perfect ending to an entirely crappy day, she crawled beneath the covers. As she drifted off to sleep, she was finally at peace.

  * * *

  Ella left for work even before Dawn was awake the next morning. She wanted to search the databases, but knew it was better for her to do that when others weren’t around to check on what she was doing, especially because she was trying to track down Justine’s killer before the trail was stone-cold.

  Sitting at her desk, Ella started by trying to find out all she could about Bobby Lujan through department and FBI databases. Ruth had told her a little bit about him, naming him as one of the people Jayne had been hanging around with recently, but Ella needed more. The search revealed that Lujan’s only local arrest had been a drunken-driving charge, but that was very common on the Rez. She accessed the databases of the county and neighboring police departments, and even the national database through the Feds, but found nothing except two minor disorderly conduct charges.