by Aimée
As she walked through the side doors, she heard the clamor of voices coming from the back of the building, and some laughter. The Navajo radio station was playing over the loudspeaker.
Ella walked down the hall, noting with satisfaction that a surveillance camera had been set up. It was not obvious, but the field of view ensured complete coverage of the hallway. She was glad Big Ed had agreed with her recommendation. As she reached her office, she saw that someone had left a copy of the Farmington paper on the floor by her door. Picking it up, she unlocked the door and walked inside. The hostage/suicide situation and the bus accident were twin headlines on the front page. A brief account further down the page promised details on the Dodge murder.
“Great, you’re back.” She heard Big Ed’s unmistakable voice behind her. “I’ve got good news for you.”
Ella turned around and saw Justine Goodluck, her second cousin, wearing a Navajo police badge clipped to the belt of her slacks. She stood next to Big Ed with a proud smile. “This is your new assistant,” he said obviously pleased. “We scraped some additional money together for this year’s budget. Based on the importance of the crimes you handle and recent events, the council thought we should use it to give you an assistant. Justine has been a patrol officer with the department for two years, as you probably know, and has attended special classes to further her qualifications. She’s now a fully qualified lab technician, and we’re putting together a small lab for her on the premises. Having Justine assigned to you exclusively means Detective Ute will have more time to work on other things. He’s overworked as it is.
“Justine can conduct most of our routine testing with the equipment she’s been given, so you can have more immediate results. The budget requires her to wear more than one hat in order to warrant the position, so she’ll also be doing investigative work with you, under your supervision, and will assist you in gathering evidence. I also briefed her on our added security measures, and the need to keep everything locked.”
Ella smiled at Justine, who was barely five foot two and a hundred pounds. She looked like she should still be in high school. Her cousin had been the youngest of seven children, and the one everyone had overlooked. Her older sisters and brothers had all excelled, either in athletics or academics. Justine had been the one whose talents had never been particularly strong in either direction. “I knew you were interested in law enforcement, but…”
“Cousin, when I was in high school I kept hearing about you, and all you were accomplishing with your life. When I started looking around for a career, I knew I wanted to go into law enforcement, like you, so I joined the tribal police. I’ve been taking all the courses that were available to me, and have just returned from a forensics class at the FBI Academy. I want to be able to serve the tribe like you have.”
Ella smiled, surprised by the admiration that shone in Justine’s eyes.
“Well, I’ll leave you two to work. Justine has already started reviewing the case, so I know you’ll have things to discuss.”
As soon as they were alone, Justine grinned at Ella. “Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. I’m too young, or just not as experienced as you’d like. But I’m going to be the best thing that ever happened to you.”
Ella burst out laughing at the young woman’s confidence and bravado. She could see herself in Justine. She’d been a lot like that at the start of her career. “I have no doubt that you’re good at your job. Many apply to be cops on the Rez, and openings are few. Only a handful actually make it.”
“Once I make up my mind, I always carry through. Besides, it’s just like you told me many years back, before you joined the FBI. You said that anyone who was willing to work hard could make a dream come true.”
“Many, many years?” Ella stared at Justine in surprise. “I don’t even remember saying that, though it sounds like something I would have said.”
“I never forgot it.”
Ella nodded slowly. “Be aware of one thing, cousin. I’m glad to have a helper, but the cases I get are usually the ones nobody else ever wants.”
“I know. That’s why you need me. Now let me show you what I’ve been doing, and why I’m going to be the best assistant you’ve ever had.”
Ella chuckled. “You’re the only assistant I’ve ever had.”
“Well, that should make things even easier,” her cousin answered. Justine placed several files she’d held tucked beneath one arm on the desk. “I’ve studied the evidence and run a check for you on the prints we found. No one with a record left any latents on”—Justine lowered her voice to a whisper as she mentioned the victim’s name—“on Kee Dodge’s truck or belongings.”
Justine’s voice returned to a normal level as she continued. “I did a comparison check on all the vehicle tracks and footprints found at the site too. Most were linked to the students who’d driven there and walked around. But there is one set of footprints that didn’t match. They were made by Nike cross-trainers. It’s a very common brand, but around the Rez most men wear boots. From the imprint and size, nine, my guess puts the suspect at about five foot seven, weighing about 155 to 160 pounds.”
“I’m impressed.”
“Good. That’s what I was trying for. And I’ve got more.” Justine checked her notes on the second file. “The leather shoelaces used to strangle the victim were a common brand, found at most groceries or drugstores in our area. I know NCIC may have a report on similar M.O.s, but I’m really not sure how to access that.”
Ella smiled. “I intend to check that now that I’ve got Carolyn’s autopsy report.”
“I’ve also got one piece of information that came from the Albuquerque crime lab, via the FBI.”
“They faxed something?” Ella glanced around her desk.
“No, I called the agent in Farmington, knowing he’d put a rush on things for us. The crime lab began tests with the saliva on the gum almost immediately upon receipt. I took a chance, figuring they might have answers they could give us verbally before anyone got around to writing the report.”
“Good thinking!”
“Their tests are very hopeful, according to Agent Blalock. The blood type doesn’t give us much because it’s type O, the most common. We can rule out the victim, however; his blood type was AB. But the saliva in the gum is from what they call a secretor. That’s an individual whose body fluids, like his blood, can be grouped. According to experts, sixty to eighty percent of the population are secretors. So we have a good chance of establishing that the gum was chewed by a particular individual. All we need is a suspect to get a comparison sample from. Until then, however, it’s just one more report.”
“Let me check some data banks and see if I can find a similar M.O. on murder victims in the Four Corners area,” Ella said, switching on her computer. “If it works, we may get a lead.”
“You don’t sound hopeful.”
Ella shrugged. “I don’t think we’re going to find any easy answers on this case. This killer is too organized.” Ella cleared her throat. “The best I can hope for is to find a loose trail, or another slip-up, like the gum, that could lead to Dodge’s murderer. Many killers have long histories of brushes with the law. Prior convictions, especially ones like aggravated assault, could point us in the right direction.”
“I’ll help you look through the files and data banks.”
Justine’s enthusiasm again reminded Ella of herself at that age. She’d been eager to change the world back at the start of her career. Nowadays she was satisfied with making a good collar that would stand up in court. “Okay, let’s both get busy.”
With Justine working her own leads from the computer in her lab, Ella accessed state computers. She mentally reviewed what she knew as she searched for any leads. The killer lived in the area, she was sure of it. He had stalked Kee Dodge, then struck at a time well in advance of the start of the class, knowing the road to that class site was not well traveled. He’d known there was no need to rush, as evidenced by the time he spen
t creating the charcoal dry painting. He’d imbedded the bone in the victim’s eye, and had taken care to remove any evidence that might incriminate him, like the weapon he’d used to initially strike down the victim. Everything had been considered, except the gum.
Perhaps it was time to take a closer look at Dodge’s students. In this type of killing, where everything had been meticulously planned, the murderer often enjoyed playing with the police by getting involved and acting helpful. That egotism pointed to the weakness that would eventually bring him down.
She called Justine into her office.
“It’s time to track down Steven Nez,” Ella said. “See if there’s a listing in the phone book.”
“No need. I know where he and Sally live. It’s in Shiprock, just west of the high school.”
“He’s not living there any longer, but maybe Sally can tell us where to find him.” Ella hadn’t forgotten what Elsie Billey had told her.
Following Justine’s directions, Ella drove past several alfalfa fields, then saw a single trailer parked just east of some low hills. Two small children were playing tag outside, while a jeans-clad woman in her mid-thirties hung up laundry. “That’s Sally,” Justine confirmed.
The woman turned and glowered as Ella opened the car door and stepped out of the vehicle calling out that she needed to speak to Steven Nez.
“He’s not here. You’re wasting your time,” Sally snapped.
“I’d like to ask you a few questions,” Ella said clearly, not approaching, but instead holding out her badge.
“I can’t help you. I kicked Steven out. He doesn’t live here anymore.” Sally’s gaze shifted to Justine as she too stepped out of the vehicle. In a flash, the annoyance on Sally’s face turned to rage. “You! How dare you come to my home!”
Sally spun around and unsnapped the chain that anchored an enormous mutt to her clothesline pole. “Sic ’em, boy!”
The bear-sized chow cross, suddenly free, ran directly at them. Ella and Justine froze, knowing that running was the worst thing to attempt. The dog stopped a dozen feet away and growled menacingly. “Good boy,” Ella encouraged. “Aren’t you a brave dog!”
After fifteen seconds or so, the dog’s tail started wagging, and he came up and licked Ella’s outstretched hand.
“You worthless mutt!” Sally yelled. The dog turned, lowered his ears meekly, then walked over and lay down in the shade with an old bone.
Ella walked cautiously toward Sally Nez, one eye still on the dog. When Justine followed, Sally rushed toward her.
“How dare you come with her to my house!” Sally yelled.
Ella glanced at Justine for an answer, but saw only confusion on her cousin’s face. “Calm down, Mrs. Nez. We just wanted to ask you a few questions, and what you’re doing now is just going to send you before a judge.” Ella brought out her handcuffs so Sally could see them.
“No. Please, don’t do that,” she said wearily. “If you arrest me, there won’t be anyone here to take care of my kids.”
Ella felt defiance ebb from Sally Nez and defeat set in. The two children, neither old enough for the first grade, huddled on the steps of the trailer, staring at them fearfully. “We didn’t come here to arrest you, or anyone else. Why did you set your dog on us?”
“Because you brought her to our home! My children don’t need to see the girl my husband wanted to abandon them for!” Sally glared at Justine.
“You mean me?” Justine was surprised. “I’m a police officer, and I’ve been out of state for the last eight weeks!” She gestured down to the badge she’d clipped to her belt. “I would barely recognize your husband. We’ve never even met.”
Sally blinked. “You’re not Cindi Dodge? Janet Frazier showed me the photo in the yearbook, and you look just like her.” Sally’s gaze remained distrustful.
Justine gave the woman a bewildered look, then produced her photo ID. “Honest. I’m Justine Goodluck. I’m twenty-two years old, not some high school kid.”
Sally’s face crumpled. “I’m really sorry. I thought you were her, looking so young and all. You don’t have any idea how hard it is being married to Steven. He’s good-looking, likes to go dancing, and attracts a lot of girls. He tells them all kinds of stories about how I don’t do this, or do too much of that. Pretty soon they end up feeling sorry for him and agree to meet him. The younger ones particularly. After a few times, they end up coming here to tell me I’m no good, and to beg me to let him go.” She scoffed. “Let him go? I finally had to kick him out.”
Now that Sally had mentioned it, Justine did look a lot like Dodge’s daughter. Ella put away the cuffs. It had been a reasonable mistake, and she’d get far more from this woman by showing some sign of goodwill than any other way.
Sally gave her a grateful smile. “Thanks. Now tell me how I can help you. I figure you’re here because of the murder.” She turned and waved to her children, letting them know everything was all right. Immediately they resumed their game of tag. “Steven didn’t do it, you know, though from what others told me, he hated the old man for messing up his little romance.”
“Did he speak to you about Cindi’s father?”
“No. But then again, we never talked much. For the past few years all our conversations have been short, like his paychecks. I’ve always known he made more than he brought home.”
“Where does he work?”
“He had been working in Farmington for Sherman Construction, laying sheetrock. But he had an argument with his boss and got fired about a week ago.”
“Tell me about Steven. Does he become violent when he’s angry?”
“Steven?” Sally looked surprised. “No, not at all. Even when he drinks too much, all he does is fall asleep. He’s a tomcat, that’s for sure, but he’s never even spanked the kids.”
“Where could he be found now?”
Sally shrugged. “I’m not sure. I know he isn’t at his mother’s—she wouldn’t have him. She doesn’t like what he’s been doing to me and the kids. My guess is he’s probably at his brother’s. They’re two of a kind. Joe drinks too much, and lives way out near Teece Nos Pos.”
“Thanks, Sally. If Steven comes back, will you give us a call?”
“Sure. Are you going to arrest him?”
“No. I just want to ask him a few questions.”
“Oh. That’s too bad.”
Her disappointment was so evident that Ella struggled hard to suppress a smile. “But if he breaks the law we won’t be as easy on him as we were on you.”
Sally smiled. “Then I’ll just hope like crazy he puts up a fight.”
“Will you be okay?” Ella asked, her glance shifting to the kids.
“Yeah. It’s easier, really, with Steven gone. He was just one more kid I had to look after. My mother’s coming to stay with us, too, so I can go to night school. I want to become a midwife. I figured others, like you, have made it on your own. There’s no reason why I can’t do the same.”
Ella was quiet and thoughtful as she walked back to the car with Justine.
“Is something wrong, boss?”
Ella smiled at her title. The only “staff” she’d ever had was a contagious bacterium. “You know, I could really empathize with what Sally’s going through. There was a time when my biggest dream consisted of marrying a handsome man and having his children. But then life stepped in. It forced me to see that there were all kinds of options open to me.”
Justine shrugged. “My career is important to me, but I think the drive to find a good mate and have children is instinctive.”
Ella glanced at Justine. “You’re still so young. Thinking of marriage yourself?”
“Not yet. I love my work too much, and I don’t want to hassle with divided loyalties. Those usually make a mess out of a cop’s personal life.”
“Police work does tend to be all consuming, that’s true. It’s hard to find a mate who can understand and live with the demands it makes.”
“Also, let’s face i
t, we really don’t meet that great a selection of men. In this line of work, we’re mostly around bad guys or other cops.”
Ella laughed out loud. “And neither of us wants to get involved with a crook, or a man who does what we do for a living.”
“In a nutshell,” Justine agreed with a grin.
Ella entered the station’s parking lot and pulled up next to Justine’s vehicle. “It’s time for us to split up. I want you to track down Kee Dodge’s students. His classes were open to anyone who wanted to audit them and were held all over the Rez, so it may take a while. Officer Jimmy Frank has the addresses of the students who came to the last class. Find out from those students who else regularly attended his lectures, and start interviewing those people. I particularly want to know about anyone at all he might have had problems with. We have progressives around here who believe that to look to the past is to embrace it. See if any of them ever disrupted Dodge’s classes. I recommend you try to talk to Professor Wilson Joe. He’s a good friend and could be a lot of help. We went through a lot together last year. You can trust Wilson.”
“It is going to take a long time to track everyone down, even with help.”
“Then you better get started,” Ella said. “And one other thing: See if anyone remembers hearing about a cat disappearing in the past few days, or being found dead.”
“A cat, huh?” Justine looked at her strangely. Then nodded with sudden understanding. “Oh, right. A cat, of course.”
Glancing in her rearview mirror as she pulled back onto the road, Ella saw Justine walk over to her patrol unit. While Justine took care of the other leads, she’d finally track down Stubby Todacheene and Leonard Haske.
FIVE
Ella knew where Todacheene lived; his farm was downriver a half mile or so from Kee Dodge’s. As she drove past the victim’s farm, she could see Cindi off in the distance with her basketball, practicing. It was over ninety degrees outside, yet the girl was shooting free throws. Ella could see one of the reasons why Shiprock kids played basketball so well. There wasn’t much else for them to do besides farm chores.
