Red Mesa

by Aimée

  “That’s Jeremiah Manyfarms,” Ella said, trying to support Justine as she got to her feet. “They’re both outside right now, probably trying to figure out their next move. I think they know that help is on its way.”

  Justine swayed, and leaned on Ella for support. “I can’t make it, Ella, I’m too groggy. I can’t even shoot right-handed,” she said, holding out her bandaged hand. “They cut off part of my finger.”

  Anger shook Ella. She wanted to rip out Natoni’s lungs for this. “I’ll explain later. But right now we need to get out of here. Help’s still a long way off.”

  Ella went to the door to peek outside, but Natoni abruptly stepped in, aiming a revolver at her chest.

  “Stay where you are,” he snapped. “Hand me your rifle, butt first.”

  Suddenly Blalock’s sedan came roaring up, crashing through the brush to Ella’s left. As the vehicle skidded to a stop and Natoni turned his head toward the new threat, Ella saw her chance. She stomped down on his foot, and at the same time knocked his gun hand to the side.

  The pistol fired, and Natoni cursed, stepping back from Ella and whirling around to aim at the vehicle. He fired two shots into the windshield, but the occupants were already diving out both sides. Ella fired her rifle from the hip, catching Paul in the side. He collapsed to the ground, firing again as he fell, but the bullet went wild.

  Big Ed remained behind the open passenger door, his pistol aimed at Natoni. Blalock was in the same position on the other side.

  “Where’s Manyfarms?” Ella yelled, stepping away from the hogan and looking to her right.

  “He was coming around the other side of the hogan, but took off into the forest when he saw my car,” Blalock answered. “What’s going on?”

  Justine came to the door, waved weakly, and leaned against the side of the hogan just as the tribal unit came roaring up with Sergeant Manuelito and Agent Payestewa.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Ella saw Big Ed and the others staring at Justine as if they’d seen a ghost. But she had no time to enjoy her long-awaited vindication. Another vehicle was approaching, Wilson Joe’s.

  “Manyfarms was part of this, too,” Ella warned. “We need to catch him before he gets away.” Ella tried to feed another shell into the rifle chamber, but it jammed. “Damn!”

  “Don’t worry about your rifle. We’ve got plenty of firepower now, and roadblocks and four-wheel-drive vehicles searching the entire area,” Blalock said, shaking off his confusion over the quick firefight and Justine’s appearance. He hurried to Natoni, who was on the ground, groaning. Blalock picked up Natoni’s pistol by the grips and slipped it into his jacket pocket.

  “Don’t underestimate Manyfarms,” Ella warned. “He could still hide out in this country. He’s on foot, remember.” Ella tried again to free the spent cartridge from the rifle chamber, but it was wedged firmly.

  “We need to begin a search pattern to flush him out.” She looked at Wilson, who was climbing out of his vehicle with a smile on his face. “In the meantime, Wilson can take Justine to the hospital. She needs medical attention.”

  Ella didn’t want to say anything, but the bandage looked nasty, and her cousin had started bleeding again. Although there was no way for her to tell what Justine’s condition really was, Ella knew her assistant was having a problem focusing her attention. Justine kept blinking her eyes as if trying to clear them.

  Big Ed gave Wilson a nod. “I’ll call in backup for you, Professor. They’ll meet you on your way back to the highway. Don’t stop for anyone you don’t recognize as a police officer. Jeremiah Manyfarms is part of this, and he’s armed and on the loose. Sergeant Manuelito can tend our wounded perp.” He turned to Manuelito, who nodded, reached into his vehicle for a first aid kit, then walked reluctantly over to the wounded kidnapper.

  As Wilson helped Justine toward the SUV, Ella looked up at the faces around her. Big Ed’s chagrined expression was mirrored on Blalock’s face. She looked at Manuelito, who was crouched over Paul Natoni, holding a bandage against the man’s wound. The sergeant’s face was stony, but he gave her a nod. “He’ll live, unfortunately.”

  At least Ella knew that was one less nightmare she’d be having in the future. But in order to prevent another, they still had to catch Jeremiah before he could get to a vehicle.

  “Let’s track Manyfarms from the place you saw him run into the woods,” Ella said to Big Ed. “Except we spread out on both flanks so he can’t slip past us. Maybe we can trap him against the edge of the cliff.”

  “Good plan,” Big Ed agreed. As everyone spread out to move into the trees, a gunshot caught them all off guard.

  Ella saw Wilson pulling Justine around the side of his SUV to get her out of the line of fire, but her injured cousin stumbled. Off balance, Wilson fell to the ground with her.

  Ella hurried to help, then saw Manyfarms step out from behind some brush, trying to get into position to aim his rifle at the two on the ground. Ella dropped her jammed rifle, reaching around for her derringer as she ran, though she knew she was hopelessly outgunned and that a rifle bullet would surely penetrate her vest.

  “Manyfarms!” she yelled, trying to deflect his attention away from Justine and Wilson. But it was too late. He fired quickly, then swung the rifle toward her, working the lever to put a new shell into the chamber.

  “Duck, Ella!” Blalock’s voice came from right behind her.

  Suddenly Blalock collided with her from behind. She fell flat onto the ground, his heavy body bowling her over as if she’d been tackled.

  Three or four shots went off at nearly the same instant, and Ella heard Blalock grunt sharply. “Damn!”

  Rolling clear of Blalock, Ella scrambled to lift her derringer toward Manyfarms, but by then Big Ed and Paycheck were standing over him. Despite Jeremiah’s curses and protests that he’d been shot, the Hopi FBI agent handcuffed the man after they discovered he was wearing a bullet-resistant vest.

  Now on her knees, Ella turned her head and saw Blalock clutching his thigh and gritting his teeth. Blood oozed between his fingers, but when he saw her looking, he tried to smile. “My turn, huh?”

  Remembering the other shots, she frantically turned and looked toward where Justine and Wilson had fallen. Wilson was helping Justine to her feet again, his arm wrapped protectively around her. “We’re okay here,” Wilson said.

  “Blalock needs an ambulance,” Ella shouted to Big Ed, then moved to help FB-Eyes.

  “It’s already on the way,” Big Ed yelled back, holding up his cell phone.

  Ella crouched next to Blalock as Agent Payestewa brought more wound dressings from Manuelito’s first aid kit, then pressed them against the entrance and exit wounds on opposite sides of the FBI agent’s thigh. “It doesn’t look like you’re bleeding from an artery,” Payestewa reported. “But your slacks are a total loss,” he added solemnly.

  “Gee, you think?” Blalock muttered, fighting the pain.

  It wasn’t long before Ella saw the paramedic unit pull up, along with an SUV she didn’t recognize. When Carolyn and Michael Lavery stepped out, Ella smiled. “I should have known you couldn’t stay away.”

  “We’d stopped at Four Corners on the way back home when I heard on the police band what was going on. I came straight here.”

  Lavery treated Jeremiah’s upper-arm wound as Carolyn went to help Blalock.

  “You’ll be all right,” Carolyn assured the agent. “The bullet passed completely through you without damaging bone or major vessels. You’ll be line-dancing in no time.”

  “A lifelong dream of mine,” Blalock grumbled.

  Happy to see Justine, Carolyn impulsively gave her a big hug, something that disturbed the other Navajo cops a lot more than it did Ella’s shaky cousin. Carolyn studied the bandages on Justine’s hand, then checked her vitals. Assuring Justine she’d be okay, she ordered Wilson to take her to the hospital ER immediately. They quickly left.

  Soon the paramedics had loaded up Blalock and the two wounde
d kidnappers. Payestewa rode in the ambulance to keep an eye on the prisoners while Big Ed followed in Blalock’s car as the injured were transported.

  Ella retrieved her rifle, then stood with Carolyn and Michael Lavery as she finally cleared and unloaded her weapon.

  “I know you two deserved your entire vacation, but I’m sure glad you got back when you did.” Ella smiled at the two doctors.

  “It’s hard to enjoy a honeymoon when you’re worried sick about a friend,” Carolyn said with a shrug.

  “What did you say?” Ella’s jaw fell.

  “I was worried about you,” Carolyn said. “Don’t look so shocked. We’re friends, after all.”

  Ella saw the twinkle in Carolyn’s eyes, but she couldn’t tell how much of it was a joke. “The other part of what you said, Doctor.”

  Carolyn smiled. “There are two Dr. Laverys now. Only one is now known as Roanhorse-Lavery.”

  Ella hugged her friend. “I can’t believe you two got married without telling a soul.”

  “Actually it was very unplanned,” Michael joined in. “But some things are better that way. Right, dear?” He winked at Carolyn.

  “Well, I want to hear every detail,” Ella said, walking back with them to their vehicle. She wasn’t officially a cop now, and the crime scene was someone else’s responsibility for the moment.

  “Where’s your Jeep?” Carolyn said.

  “I’ve got a borrowed pickup right now, and it’s a couple of hundred yards back the way you came in. I’ll accept a ride,” she said, then settled in the backseat and listened to Carolyn chatter happily. Michael Lavery seemed content to nod and smile.

  In all the time she’d known Carolyn, Ella had never seen her friend look happier. Ella sat back and relaxed for the first time since her ordeal had started. Carolyn had found love and Justine was alive and safe. Best of all, Ella knew she didn’t have to run and hide anymore, and could go home to her daughter again.

  “Is it true that you were suspended?” Carolyn asked.

  Ella nodded. “But I’ll be reinstated soon.”

  “I hope you’ll allow all the ones who gave you a hard time to feel very guilty,” Carolyn said, her tone now serious. “And if they try to make amends, don’t be nice and try to save them the trouble. Make them suffer and have to find ways to earn your trust again.”

  Ella laughed. “I’ll keep your advice in mind.”

  Ella showed them where she’d hidden the truck, and Michael stopped and parked. Once he got a clear look at Herman’s truck, he whistled.

  “That’s a real muscle truck. Reminds me of an old El Camino I had.”

  Carolyn smiled. “Okay, fess up. That’s not your mother’s. Did you steal it?”

  “Depends on who’s asking,” Ella answered, still protecting Herman Cloud. “I’ll tell you about it later, but right now I want to get to the hospital. I’m really worried about Justine.”

  “Her hand’s a bloody mess and I expect she’s fighting an infection. Don’t expect a quick recovery. They chopped off the end of her finger at the first joint, and she’ll probably end up losing it down to her knuckle, maybe more. They had all the finesse of an apprentice butcher boning a chicken.”

  Ella slipped behind the wheel and started up the big engine. “I’m heading to the hospital. I’ll see you two there.”

  * * *

  Ella waited outside the Shiprock Hospital’s emergency room, working on her third cup of what the vending machine had optimistically labeled coffee, when Big Ed came lumbering down the corridor with two pistols on his belt.

  Anticipating his first question, she shook her head. “I still haven’t heard anything about Justine. Any news on Blalock’s condition? I know they took him on to the Farmington medical center.”

  “I just got a call. FB-Eye’s going to be all right. The doctors say he should be able to regain full use of his leg after a period of recuperation. Probably not even limp.”

  “That’s really good to hear.” She was still trying to decide whether Dwayne had saved her from being shot by shielding her from the gunmen or knocked her down by accident. She was certain FB-Eyes would never admit to the truth either way.

  Big Ed nodded. “While I’m here, there’s something I need to give you.”

  The chief reached into his jacket pocket and handed Ella her badge. He then unhooked the extra holster from the right side of his belt buckle and gave her back her service weapon. “Accept these along with a very large apology. I’ve already made a statement to the press, so the story of what you did is getting around. I also got a call from Mrs. Yellowhair. She wants to speak to you whenever you have a moment. Who knows? She may even talk you into running for office.”

  “Not during this lifetime. I’m a cop. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

  Seeing Dr. Rubens come out the emergency room doors, Ella held her breath.

  He smiled, reassuring them instantly. “Officer Goodluck will need to rest and she’ll be on strong antibiotics for a while, but she’ll be fine. The drugs they’d been doping her up with are wearing off now, and should have no long-term effects.”

  “How long will she have to stay in the hospital?” Ella asked.

  “It’s too soon to tell. We need to see how she responds to the antibiotics.”

  Hearing footsteps rushing toward them, Ella turned her head and saw her cousin Angela coming up the hall. Ruth and Jayne were right behind her.

  “I’ll speak to them now,” Dr. Rubens said, “but in the meantime, why don’t you go in and see Justine? She asked for you.”

  Ella went inside and located the curtained area where her cousin was being treated. Justine lay in bed, her face pale and her arm linked to an IV.

  “You’re a sight for sore eyes, cousin!” Ella gave her a warm smile.

  “I’m glad you’re here, Ella. Wilson told me that you never gave up hope, although everyone else thought I was dead.”

  “It’s long story, and a complicated one,” Ella said. “I’ll tell you all about it later. But how did Natoni and Manyfarms pull off the kidnapping? I haven’t figured that one out yet.”

  “I stopped to help what looked like an old woman with a flat tire. I didn’t even call it in, it looked so innocent. Somebody hiding in the dark apparently shot me in the leg with some kind of tranquilizer dart, because I went out like a light. When I woke up, I was in a house or trailer, tied to the bed with duct tape. My hand hurt like hell, and I passed out again. They kept me drugged so much I was out of it most of the time, but once when they thought I was sleeping I heard one of them talking. At the time, I couldn’t figure out who it was, because he was in the next room. I know it wasn’t Paul, so it must have been Jeremiah. His plan was devastating.”

  “What did you hear?”

  “He had this strategy to get you arrested for my murder. Then while you were in jail, he was going to arrange for you to see a photo of me holding the current day’s paper so you’d know I was really alive. After that, the photo would disappear and you’d never be able to prove a thing.”

  “And once I went to prison?”

  “They would have probably killed me and gotten rid of my body. I’d already recognized Paul, and he knew it.”

  “And Jeremiah never planned to tell me who he was?”

  “He wanted you to get convicted according to the white man’s laws, and to know that you’d been set up. But he didn’t want you to find out who was responsible. He figured that failure would haunt you and he’d end up destroying you—inside and out.”

  “I would have never given up trying to find out who he was,” Ella said.

  Tears suddenly filled Justine’s eyes. “My trigger finger is gone all the way to the knuckle now. They had to cut the infected part off to try and save the rest. My career…”

  “You’ll just have to learn to shoot differently, that’s all. After you requalify, you can go back to your job.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Ella nodded. “You’ve already trained
to shoot with your left hand in case of an emergency. You’ll just have to get in some practice, and learn to use your right hand as it is. You’ll have some adjusting to do all around, but you can learn.”

  Before Ella could say more, Justine’s family came in, and Ella stepped back. Angela held Justine, then kissed her forehead. “We thought we’d lost you,” she said, tears running down her face. “But you’re here now. I still can’t believe it.”

  Ella slipped out through the curtain, and was leaving the area quietly when Angela came out to find her. “Ella, it’s thanks to you that I have my daughter back. I won’t forget this.”

  “She’s very brave, and the best cop I’ve ever worked with. You should be very proud of her.”

  “I am. And thank you for saying that.”

  As Angela returned to her daughter, Ella stepped out of the emergency room into the waiting area. Carolyn and Big Ed came up, Agent Payestewa following right behind them.

  “We’ve been giving some thought as to who the dead person was. Nobody’s reported any empty graves or stolen bodies,” Carolyn said. “Do you have any ideas?”

  Ella nodded. “My guess is that it’s Justine’s real aunt Lena, and she just hasn’t been reported missing, living where she did. But short of documenting Lena’s disappearance, I doubt we’ll be able to prove it conclusively. A positive ID won’t be possible, and Manyfarms isn’t about to confess. Right now I figure he’s probably working hard to come up with a way to avoid a first-degree murder rap, like Paul Natoni. But maybe the Manyfarms twins will plea-bargain and testify against them—if they can be located, that is.”

  “We have the Bureau looking for them in all the western states, and a bulletin has been sent to every police agency, large and small. They’ll be picked up, especially if they stay together. Everyone remembers seeing twins,” Payestewa said, notebook in hand. “Was Officer Goodluck able to fill in some blanks for us, like when and how they took her?”

  Ella recounted everything Justine had said, knowing Paycheck would still have to interview her cousin later. “Jeremiah didn’t complete his plan, but he still got some measure of revenge for the death of his youngest son. He put us all through the worst time of our lives.”