by Aimée
“And what about the woman he killed? Shouldn’t you reserve some compassion for her?”
“She knew the risks when she decided to work there. The mentally ill need to be cured, not shot down by the police.”
“So you’re saying that you think he belonged where he was and didn’t help him in any way?” Ella pressed.
“Of course not.” She paused. “But I got the impression he never intended to stay imprisoned there.”
“Who did help him?”
“I don’t know. He did say he was never without friends. He told me that those who’d stood with him had not all been destroyed. You’d only forced them into hiding.”
Betty’s gaze was unflinching. Instinct told Ella the girl was telling the truth. “Did you speak to my brother?”
“I went by his hogan, but his wife said he was away with a patient. Ask her.”
Ella decided to speak in down-to-earth terms. She stood deliberately close to Betty. “I believe you’ve told me the truth, but if you know anything else about Peterson’s escape and you don’t tell me, you’re obstructing justice. Believe me when I tell you I’ll take you to jail for that. I’m sworn to uphold the law, and I’ll do precisely that.”
Betty’s eyes grew wide. “You’d put me in jail?”
“You bet.”
“But I didn’t do anything.” Betty stopped, then narrowed her gaze. “And I have witnesses who will testify where I was when he escaped.”
Ella knew her bluff had been called. “Peterson Yazzie claims responsibility for the two murders that have occurred. Now, with the nurse, that makes three. Keep that firmly in your mind.”
“That only supports my claim that he’s insane. He’s been in that hospital ever since the trial. You know that!”
“The nurse he killed was named Isabel Fernandez. From now on, when you think Yazzie deserves sympathy, think of Isabel Fernandez too. She became a nurse to help people. She deserved better than this.” Ella kept her eyes on Betty’s until the girl looked away. “If, by any chance, Yazzie happens to contact you, I want you to call me immediately.”
Anna took the card from Ella. “I will make sure of that. Betty will not be using the telephone or leaving the house without me for the next two weeks. I’ll stay home and enforce that.”
Betty glared at her mother, turned on her heels, and marched back to her room, slamming the door behind her.
Anna looked at Ella. “I will protect my daughter from the likes of him.”
The pager at Ella’s waist sounded. If she’d been elsewhere, she would have asked to use the telephone, but Betty’s contacts with Peterson made her reluctant to discuss anything the girl might overhear. Ella said a quick good-bye to Anna, then hurried to the cellular phone in her vehicle. The dispatcher put Justine through.
“I’ve got things set up. We have an old Ford like Kee Dodge’s, and Sally is ready whenever Steven calls back.”
“Any idea when that is going to be?”
“No, but we’ll be ready when it happens. You also received a call that sounded important. You should check with your mother as soon as possible. She’s at Loretta’s.”
Ella swallowed back the sinking feeling that gripped her. “Did she say anything more?”
“No, I’m afraid not.”
Ella immediately called her brother’s house. When Rose answered, Ella’s tension increased. “I just got your message,” Ella said. “What’s going on?”
“Your sister-in-law heard about that man’s escape. She became very agitated and started having pains. Your brother was not here, so I came to stay with her until he returns.”
“You know, under the circumstances, it would probably be a good idea if you moved in with them, or they moved in with us.”
“I’ll see,” Rose said.
That easy agreement told Ella just how serious things were. “Where’s Wilson?”
“He went back to his office at the college to get a few things. He said the college has a security guard there as well as plenty of faculty, so there was no reason for any of us to worry about him.”
After Ella said good-bye, she decided to check out her home and the surrounding area. She had a bad feeling she just couldn’t shake, but it wasn’t any premonition. It was just that Peterson knew their house very well; he’d been there dozens of times. Experience made her suspect that made her home a prime target.
Ella drove home, intending to see what, if anything, could be done to make it more secure. She was almost certain that her mother would try to get Loretta to move in with them. Rose’s herb garden was her most cherished possession, and she wouldn’t leave it to the mercy of the summer heat without daily tending. If, by chance, Loretta didn’t consent to move in with them, her mother would walk back and forth between their homes, exposing herself to greater danger than the three-digit summer temperatures. But Loretta would know that, too, and would not jeopardize Rose.
As she approached the turnoff, Ella saw white, odd-shaped objects scattered all along the highway, blocking the dirt road that led to their home.
Ella leaned forward, trying to make some sense of the shapes that littered the area. As she drove closer, she realized what they were, and disgust made her breath catch in her throat. Flies were thick in the air, buzzing everywhere. The carcasses of six dead sheep had been dumped near their mailbox. The animals had been gutted and mutilated, exposing bones in several places.
Ella stopped the Jeep beside the highway and then stepped out of her vehicle. She searched the shoulder of the road for tire imprints or anything that would provide her with clues. Unfortunately, all she could see was that someone had deliberately taken a branch to obliterate any marks on the ground.
Unwilling to drive over the carcasses, Ella grabbed the hind legs of the sheep, one at a time, and pulled the mutilated animals off to one side.
Once the path was clear, Ella drove straight through. She wanted animal control to come pick up the carcasses before anyone else could see them. She also wanted Carolyn to take a look at them. If the method used to kill the animals could be linked to the murders, it could provide additional clues to those unsolved crimes.
Ella called the dispatcher and made the necessary arrangements, then carefully went inside her home. After telephoning her mother at Loretta’s and letting her know where she was, Ella replaced the receiver. She made a mental note to once again pressure her mother and her brother and his wife to move in together until the case was solved.
Ella was listening to the quiet of the house, deep in thought, when she heard a vehicle drive up. Automatically reaching for her gun, and making sure the snap was unfastened, she went to the edge of the window and peered outside.
Seeing Wilson emerge from his truck, she relaxed, and went outside to greet him. The moment she saw his expression she knew how much the sight of those mutilated animals had angered him. “It’s okay. I’m the one who moved them off the road, and I’ve made arrangements to get them hauled away,” Ella said.
“Has your mother returned?”
“No, and she walked to Loretta’s, so she’ll be coming around through the back when she does come.” Ella gestured to her father’s old truck, which had been parked in the shade of a tall piñon.
“In case you’re wondering why she left…”
Ella held up a hand. “I heard about Loretta.”
“There’s something you should be aware of.” He hesitated. “It’ll help you understand why Loretta’s frightened. We all know the gifts in your family are inherited…”
Ella gave him a puzzled look, but slowly understanding dawned over her. “Yazzie wouldn’t want the baby to survive, knowing that it carries our line forward.”
“Precisely. Clifford knows this too. You can rest assured he’ll do his best to guard his wife and make sure she’s safe.”
Ella led the way inside, glancing around for their old mutt. Not finding him, she went to the kitchen, then opened the back door and whistled.
“If you’re looking for Dog, y
our mother took him with her.”
“Thank goodness!” Ella said, relieved. “For a moment…”
“No,” Wilson said gently. “He’s safe, and making sure your mother stays the same way.”
Ella dropped down onto one of the chairs at the kitchen table. “There’s so much work to be done, and the entire department is spread so thin!”
Wilson went to the refrigerator and brought out a cola for Ella. “Here, you look as if you need it. Do you want me to fix you a sandwich?”
Ella smiled at Wilson and nodded. It felt good to have a friend like him who cared enough to look after her, particularly when she was too tired to do it for herself. Her gaze was gentle as it settled on him. “I don’t know why you put up with me.”
“Hey, I only see you when you’re dead on your feet. It’s the only time you sit down! I’ve got to make the most of the situation, otherwise you’d forget me altogether,” he teased.
He placed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in front of her. “I’m not a master chef, but this will give you some quick energy.”
Ella ate slowly, knowing she needed something in her stomach, yet not really hungry. “You realize those animals are Yazzie’s calling card?”
Wilson nodded. “Are you any closer to catching him?”
“No, but I do have some leads that I believe will pan out sooner or later. It’s the same with our investigation into the murders.”
“Are you going to install a security system here at your house?”
“I’m going to try, but you know Mother. She’s not going to stand for anything too elaborate. She believes the pollen and the blessings protect better than anything else.” Ella exhaled softly. “She may be right, too, when it comes to Peterson, but I doubt this ‘packrat killer’ would even notice. He’s more likely to shy away from lights that are activated by motion. Anyone larger than a rabbit would set those off and advertise their presence. I think Mom will allow that.”
“You’re just like your mother when it comes to asking for help, but have you considered talking to some of the neighbors?”
Ella smiled, thinking of how different a meaning that would have in the cities where she used to work. A neighbor here could live miles and miles away. “They’re too far away to help.”
“Herman Cloud would make it his business to keep a watch on this place, even using binoculars, if you asked. He’s a loyal friend to your family.”
She remembered the elderly man who’d helped them once before. He and his friend Samuel Pete had helped fight the skinwalkers. They’d both stood by her, even during that final battle when all seemed to be lost.
“I’ll talk to him.”
“I saw him the other day at the Totah Café. He figured you would drop by his place sooner or later.”
“I’ve always meant to go by, but somehow I never quite found the time. Now I have to ask him for a favor.” She shook her head. “I hope he understands.”
“He will.”
Ella heard the sound of vehicles off in the distance. In the wide-open spaces of New Mexico, it was hard to miss the noise from a truck or car. “I better go back to the mailbox. The county’s supposed to be coming by, but there’s no guarantee they’ll arrive before someone else does.”
“I’ll go with you.”
Ella shook her head. “Why don’t you stay here in case my mother decides to return? It’s probably just tension from the case, but I’d rather not leave the house totally unguarded for any length of time.”
Ella drove out toward the main road, and from a distance saw that the vehicle there was not from the animal control people. She increased her speed slightly, straining for a better look.
A moment later, she saw Justine emerge from her car, her face contorted in disgust.
Ella parked on the side of the road. “Animal control is on its way.”
“This is Yazzie’s doing, isn’t it?”
“That’s my guess.”
“Did your mother see this?”
“No. I’ll tell her about it, of course, but at least she was spared the sight.” Ella brushed the flies away from her as they buzzed around, landing on her face and clothes. “Is there anything new on the case?”
Justine shook her head. “But I expect to hear from Sally Nez soon, then we’ll have a suspect to question.”
“If it goes as planned.”
Moments later she saw the animal control vehicle approaching. The driver, a tall, thin Anglo, stepped out and surveyed the scene with cold detachment. “My orders say that we’re not to dispose of these yet. Just put them in a walk-in cooler. Why? The meat’s sure not going to be any good.”
“These are part of a chain of evidence. Someone will be by to run some tests on them this afternoon, if possible.”
The man smirked. “Okay. Whatever you say.”
Wearing long rubber gloves, he tossed the carcasses into the back of the truck effortlessly. Ella was thankful that the dry climate had at least kept the smell from becoming intolerable. The flies were the worst part.
As the man drove away, Ella heard her pager go off. “That’ll be Carolyn calling.” Ella saw the look on Justine’s face and smiled. “No magic intuition. I left a message for her. Follow me home, okay?”
Ella dialed from her cellular unit as she headed back to the home, but reception wasn’t good from this stretch of desert. She’d have to place the call from home. The land lines here were usually more reliable than radio waves.
Ella and Justine arrived at Ella’s home just as Rose came walking down the hill behind the house. She had taken the back route, as Ella had predicted. Ella quickly joined Justine. “Don’t mention the animals until I’ve had a chance to talk to her, okay?”
“No problem.”
By the time Rose came in through the back door, Justine and Ella had joined Wilson in the kitchen. Rose smiled. “This reminds me of old times when your friends would all come over to visit,” she said to Ella. “It’s a welcome sight.”
Ella saw the wistful look in her mother’s eyes and realized how much Rose needed her good memories. Although she’d finally accepted the death of her husband and found peace of mind, she was happiest when she was providing for others.
Rose greeted Justine and Wilson with a smile. “It’s almost dinnertime. I hope both of you are planning to stay.”
Ella glanced at Wilson and Justine who each nodded, then back at her mother. “I have to make one phone call, then I’ll be back to help you with the cooking,” Ella said.
“No, don’t worry. I’ll take care of this; you entertain your friends.”
Ella glanced at the others and saw the flicker of understanding in their eyes. Wilson and Justine had each sensed her mother needed to pretend, if only for now, that these were just Ella’s friends gathered together.
Ella walked to her room and dialed Carolyn’s number at the office. Although it was nearly six, Carolyn was still there.
“Hi,” Ella greeted her. “What’s up?”
“I got your message, and before you ask, the answer is no. I am not going to bring six mutilated sheep here to the hospital. The board would hang me up to dry if I did.”
“No one expects you to bring those animals to the morgue. Just go over to animal control and take a look at them there. See how they were killed, and if they were shot, try to retrieve a bullet or two.”
“I am not a vet,” Carolyn clipped out.
“Vets are used to treating live animals, not processing evidence or working with the legal system,” Ella insisted. “I need you to do this.”
Carolyn said nothing for a moment, then finally agreed. “Okay. I’ll take care of it. You going to be home tonight?”
“For several hours at least,” Ella answered.
“I’ll give you a call there as soon as I can.”
“I appreciate it. Listen, if you get a chance, why don’t you come over and have some dinner with us? Wilson Joe and Justine are both here.”
“Sounds to me like you�
��ve got plenty of company,” Carolyn said hesitantly.
“Not enough without you. Come on. It’ll do you a world of good to take a few hours off and relax.”
“What time?”
“It’ll take my mother at least an hour and a half to prepare dinner. I figure she’ll be making stuffed sopaipillas.”
“Are you sure having me there is okay with her?”
“Yes, it’s no problem.”
“All right, but I may be a little late. I’ll stop by and get what I can from the sheep, then come over.” She paused. “Maybe I shouldn’t have put it that way.”
Ella laughed. “Don’t give it another thought. I’m the same way, as you know. My work and I are no strangers, but tact and I are.”
“Thanks for inviting me to your home. It means a lot to me.”
Ella knew that it was Rose’s acceptance that Carolyn was referring to. Though Ella hadn’t mentioned it, Carolyn knew that the dinner invitation had only come about because of Ella’s intervention.
“You’re always welcome here,” Ella reiterated.
As she hung up the phone, Ella heard laughter from the living room. She joined Justine and Wilson, and saw how quickly they’d taken to each other. She brushed aside a sudden burst of jealousy. There was no place for it in her world, and she had no claim on Wilson other than friendship.
“Your mom suggested that we keep ourselves busy out here. I think that was a polite way of telling us to get out of the kitchen.”
Ella smiled. “She’s seen what happens when I try to help.”
Justine lifted her hair up away from her shoulders. “I hate this time of day. I know everyone says that it’s starting to cool off, but I don’t feel any difference until the sun goes down.” She sipped some of the mint tea Rose had put out on a tray for them.
Ella picked up the one glass still on the tray. “Do you remember when we were kids?” Ella asked, looking at Wilson. “We never worried about things like the weather.”
“Of course we did,” Wilson answered with a grin, “there were just other more important things to talk about.”
“Like guys,” Justine said, giving Ella a teasing wink.
“Or basketball,” Wilson answered.
