Earthway

by Thurlo, Aimée

  She was so tired. Maybe she’d just rest her eyes for a second or two. . . .

  Ella didn’t wake up until the alarm on her nightstand down the hall began to buzz loudly. It took her a second to get her bearings, then she hurried down the hall and turned off the racket. Hoping the noise hadn’t carried to her mother’s side of the house, Ella showered and dressed. A short time later, she headed out the door, a cinnamon roll left over from yesterday in hand.

  Ella entered the station a little after seven-thirty and stopped at the break room to pour herself a cup of coffee. The carafe was half full, but the second the strong black liquid touched her tongue, she gagged. The coffee, far from fresh, tasted like acid syrup. Ella promptly poured it down the drain and discarded the foam cup.

  Justine came in while she was brewing a fresh pot. “Hey, partner. I see you worked late last night.”

  “How did you know?” Ella asked.

  “My computer’s on the fritz, so I went to your office to use yours and noticed your log-off time. I also saw that you’d picked up the crime scene reports I left on your desk,” Justine answered.

  “Yeah, I did,” Ella said, then added, “Anything new on Ralph?”

  “I called the nurse’s station a while ago. He made it through the night, but there’s been no change. I’m still praying for him,” Justine replied.

  “He’s got a lot of support in our community. Now we have to nail the animal who did this. Why don’t you follow me to my office and we’ll get started,” Ella said. “I need to fill you in on a few things.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Ella had updated Justine, relating what had happened last night at Ford’s home. She then explained what she could about the possible terrorist threat to the nuclear facility. “What do you know about Dr. Lee?” Ella asked at last.

  “She’s just a name to me, but I think Marianna Talk arrested Professor Lee several months ago, during a demonstration on campus. The activists wanted to force some tribal council members to talk to the students about the nuclear plant’s safety procedures. Dr. Lee and some others were arrested when they refused the order to disperse.”

  “Is Marianna on duty now?”

  “I saw her a little while ago meeting with the watch commander,” Justine said, stepping toward the door. “I’ll take a look in the briefing room, and if she’s still there, I’ll send her your way.”

  Marianna Talk had been with their department for only a few years, but she was already on the radar for a promotion. Ella had heard rumors that Marianna had set her eye on the Special Investigations Unit. Considering that Marianna was only a few inches over five feet—a weak point when encountering drunk drivers—Ella thought it was a good career decision.

  Marianna entered Ella’s office minutes later and took a seat. “Justine said you needed to talk to me.”

  Ella nodded. “I wanted to ask you about Dr. Jane Lee, a professor at the community college. I understand you had to place her under arrest several months back.”

  Marianna nodded slowly. “Professor Lee’s a strange one. She never said a word after her arrest. Maybe she thought that was the best thing she could do for herself, and I don’t dispute that strategy, it just surprised me. The only time she spoke at all was after I’d booked her. She thanked me for all the work I and the other officers do for the Diné. What struck me as odd was that she looked at me directly—and you know Diné hardly ever do that. It’s considered disrespectful.”

  “She’s in a leadership position at the college. She’s used to dealing with Modernists. Did any of the others arrested on that occasion make any comments about Dr. Lee?”

  “Gladys Joe did. She was one of the students I arrested that day. I’ve known Gladys and most of her clan all my life and we spoke for a while. She told me that Dr. Lee was one of the finest minds on campus. According to Gladys, her professor wasn’t a rabble-rouser, but she had some very deep beliefs and wasn’t afraid to stand up for what she felt was right.”

  The news didn’t give any comfort. Some of the worst felons throughout history had been ones who’d professed to be acting according to their highest sense of right. But before she could ask Marianna anything more, Big Ed Atcitty, the chief of police, appeared in the doorway.

  “My office, Investigator Clah,” he said without preamble.

  Ella thanked Marianna, then followed Big Ed down the hall. Along the way she met Justine, who’d apparently also been summoned. It was going to be a busy Saturday.

  As they stepped into his office, Big Ed glanced at Justine, the last to come in. “Close the door, Officer Goodluck.” Their broad-chested superior stepped behind his desk and took a seat, motioning them both toward chairs.

  “I received a one-of-a-kind phone call this morning,” he said. “At first I thought it was someone playing a joke on me. FBI in Washington doesn’t generally communicate directly with the tribal police. If it’s important, they contact us through Blalock.” Big Ed stared at the swinging pendulum of a cuckoo clock his wife had given him last Christmas. Silence stretched out.

  At long last he spoke again. “Assistant Director Hansen said that Reverend Tome is working for the Bureau on a sensitive assignment involving national security. They want us to provide him with protection—immediately. They’re concerned about a possible connection between yesterday’s events and an article that appeared in the Diné Times a few months ago. Apparently, the reporter mentioned that Reverend Tome was skilled in cryptography—codebreaking, specifically.”

  “I don’t remember seeing that,” Ella said, thinking back.

  “I didn’t either, and said so,” Big Ed answered. “Then I was told that it was part of an editorial that appeared after we closed the case involving that murdered serviceman just back from Iraq.”

  Ella and Justine nodded. Two years ago Ford had helped unravel a coded message sent by a National Guard soldier serving overseas. He’d hidden it within some Navajo creation stories. The disclosure had helped solve a much larger crime.

  “I’m surprised that the FBI is monitoring the Navajo newspaper that closely. That was quite a while back,” Ella said. “Ford must be even more important to them than I’d realized.”

  Big Ed nodded slowly. “I asked about the work the reverend’s doing for the Bureau now, but the AD told me you’d been briefed, and I should get that information from you.”

  Ella gave him the highlights from her discussion with Ford the night before. “The way I see it, there’s only one way we can protect Reverend Tome and not interfere with his assignment. I’ll have to become his bodyguard. People won’t think twice about seeing us together.”

  “Resources are tight. The department needs you to investigate the bombing,” Big Ed countered.

  She considered for several long moments. “The reverend wants to be at his church, and maybe we should make that possible for him. Good Shepherd’s on the Navajo Nation, so maybe the Cloud brothers can keep an eye on him there—one outside, one inside.”

  Big Ed nodded. “Good idea. When it comes to surveillance, they’re among our best. I’ll speak to the men,” he said, then continued. “Anything new on the bomber?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Nothing’s more important than finding him, you get me? One of our own is fighting for his life, and I want the SOB who did this. Clear?”

  “I’ll let you know as soon as I’ve got something,” Ella said.

  “Needless to say, we’re going to have to keep all this on a need-to-know basis. We have no idea if this conspiracy against the Hogback facility is for real, or just another wild goose chase,” Big Ed said, standing to announce the meeting was over.

  As soon as they left his office, Ella glanced at Justine. “I need to know what was in the bait that was left for Ford’s dog. Then I want to know who in this area supplies it.”

  “I’ll work on that,” Justine said with a nod. “By the way, the pellets you recovered won’t be much help. They’re too common and leave no marks, so we can’t link them to a
specific gun. I’m still waiting to hear from the county crime lab on that .22 round you turned over to Deputy Whitefeather. Maybe we’ll get lucky.”

  “Unless it matches a bullet they’ve already recovered from a previous crime scene, we’ll either have to find the gun—or wait for the next bullet.”

  “Not something I’m looking forward to, Ella,” Justine said.

  “Me neither, cuz. I’ll be in my office.”

  “One more thing,” Justine said before Ella could walk away. “You staying close to Ford at night. . . . That’s going to be tricky. Nobody’s supposed to know that he’s a target and needs a bodyguard, so having you there at all hours is going to get people talking. A minister is supposed to serve as a role model for his church. . . .”

  Ella nodded, only too aware of that, having grown up with a father who was also a very hard-nosed conservative preacher. “I’ll figure something out,” she said, then went to her office.

  Ella knew that Ford would never willingly upset his congregation. Spending the night at his house would be completely out of the question. Somehow, she’d have to find a way to protect Ford without destroying his reputation. His conservative Christian congregation wouldn’t be as understanding as the tribe. To Traditional Navajos, sex wasn’t linked to moral standards. It was considered a basic physical need, much like eating, and had its place in the scheme of life. The key to harmony was balance.

  There was only one solution to the problem. She’d have to arrange for the Cloud brothers to take turns, keeping watch day and night, and give them permission to recruit a third member for the operation, if needed.

  She made the call attending to the arrangements. As she hung up, Justine returned.

  “I’ve got the results of the screen I ran on the capsules. It’s rat poison, strychnine, essentially. Most feed stores carry it. The empty gelatin capsules can be purchased online or at any health food store. Both might have been shoplifted, too.”

  “Check area stores and see what you can get. I’m going to talk to Clifford. Dr. Lee’s in charge of the guest speaker program, and my brother accepted her invitation to give some talks on the roles of hataaliis on the Rez. If I gave him a ride to and from campus, that’ll give me the perfect opportunity to make a connection with Dr. Lee.”

  “What about Ford?” Justine asked. “Who’s protecting him now?”

  “The county sheriff will help with his deputies, and Ford agreed to stay home until we’ve worked up a security plan. My guess is he’ll call in sick today.”

  “But what if he gets called on an emergency?” Justine answered.

  Ella considered it and knew Justine was right. “He’d go anyway.” If a parishioner became seriously ill and specifically asked for Ford, nothing would stop him from going—with or without her okay. “Good thinking, partner.”

  “What gave me the idea was reading the notice on the bulletin board in the squad room. Did you know that Reverend Tome is expected to lead a special prayer for Ralph tomorrow at our early Sunday service?”

  “Couldn’t he turn that over to Reverend Campbell?”

  Justine shook her head. “Reverend Campbell’s got a wedding to perform in Gallup.”

  Ella’s phone rang, so Justine waved and left the room. As Ella picked it up, she heard Dr. Carolyn Roanhorse’s familiar voice. Loosely connected to the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, Carolyn was the tribe’s only ME, and, as such, had very few friends. No one wanted to be around a person who exposed herself daily to the chindi.

  Carolyn and Ella had hit it off from the first day they’d met. Knowing firsthand the cost of walking the line between cultures—raised by a Bible thumping minister father and a Traditionalist mother who followed The Way—Ella understood Carolyn better than most people ever could.

  “How are you holding up?” Carolyn asked. “I figured this case would tug at you, and thought you could use a friendly voice about now.”

  “You’re right, but I’m snowed under with work. I was just going to call the hospital again and check up on Ralph. Have you heard anything?”

  “I try to stay away from the upper floors for obvious reasons, but I checked a few minutes ago by phone. He’s stable, but he’s still got a long way to go.”

  Before Ella could respond, her other line began to ring. “I better get that, Carolyn. I’ll check in with you later,” Ella said, then picked up the second call.

  “Ella, this is Lori, Ralph’s younger sister. I don’t know if you remember me from school.”

  She didn’t, but that didn’t matter. “Lori, how can I help you?”

  “I went by your brother’s hogan twice this morning. The second time, I waited, hoping he’d return, but I never saw him. His wife was out, too, or I would have left a message with her. My family wants to hire him to do a short blessing here at the hospital as soon as possible. We’ll have a full Sing done later when my brother is released, but we need a hataalii now. Could you find him for us?”

  “I’ll see what I can do,” Ella said, wishing Clifford would agree to carry a cell phone. To date, her brother refused to do so, claiming that it interfered with the mind-set he needed to do his work.

  After giving Lori some words of encouragement and support, Ella hung up and called Ford. At first she assumed that she’d be catching him at home, but when she heard voices in the background, she realized that he’d forwarded his calls to his cell.

  “Tell me I’m wrong and you didn’t leave the house . . . ,” Ella said.

  “Don’t worry. One of the county deputies followed me right to the reservation border. Then, before he left, he notified the tribe, and a tribal officer met me and followed me the rest of the way to church. That’s where I am now. Abednego’s here, too. I decided to take him with me wherever I go.”

  “You and I had an agreement.” Ella clipped her words.

  There was a brief pause, and when he answered, it was in a soft, gentle tone. “It was my duty to be here. I have to write a special sermon for tomorrow and I needed some references I keep here. There’s also a faculty event at the college this evening. I’d assumed they’d cancel, considering what happened yesterday, but they didn’t, so I’ve got to attend that, too. The patrol officer outside said he’ll attend with me. The college is still on full alert, so there’ll be plenty of security there. I’d never endanger others by not taking precautions.”

  When she didn’t answer right away, he added, “It’s my responsibility to show everyone that I trust in God’s protection. I won’t be cowed into hiding.” When she didn’t respond, he continued. “I never figured I’d have to spell this out for you.”

  Ella took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. She should have known. Ford could no more be kept from his duties as a spiritual leader than she could hers as a police officer. In that respect, they were two of a kind.

  “Who’s there with you now?” she asked.

  “Officer Charlie’s by the side door just down the hall. He said Michael Cloud has reassigned him, with your permission. There are also two ladies from the women’s auxiliary taking care of flower arrangements in the chapel.”

  “I’m going to send Justine Goodluck to relieve Officer Charlie. From now on you’ll be guarded by plainclothes officers only.”

  “Excellent idea,” he said. “Justine’s perfect. She’s a member of our congregation and no one will think twice about it.”

  “I’ll try to take over from Justine before the faculty thing tonight, and go there with you myself,” Ella said.

  “Great. I’ll look forward to that.”

  “Don’t count too heavily on it. It’ll all depend on what else is going down at the time,” Ella answered.

  “I expect you have your hands full,” he said.

  “My next job is to track down Clifford and take him over to the hospital. The Tache family wants a blessing done. Hospitals—the doctors, the smells, the sounds—can be very frightening. The family needs to cling to something more familiar right now—ways
they trust.”

  “On the drive here I passed your brother in his pickup, heading west out of town. He might be going home.”

  “Thanks for the tip.”

  Ella hung up, then hurried to find her partner. She walked into the department’s tiny lab, and found Justine behind the computer.

  Justine gave her a quick half-smile. “I called the county crime lab to check on the .22 round you recovered from Reverend Tome’s porch. They can’t find any record of it, but they promised to check with Deputy Whitefeather, just in case there was a screw-up. He filed the report, right?”

  Ella nodded. “If they’ve mislaid evidence, heads will roll. Sheriff Taylor doesn’t tolerate sloppy paperwork.”

  “On the good-news side, I’ve got the phone numbers of three area merchants who carry those gelatin capsules.”

  “Save it for later,” Ella said, and filled her in on the current situation. “Right now I need you protecting Ford, partner. You’re the logical choice.”

  Justine nodded. “This’ll be a first for me. I’ve never gone inside a church packing.” She looked at Ella. “I’m assuming you want me to take my service weapon?”

  “You’ll be on the job, so don’t close your eyes even if they have a prayer or moment of silence. Trust no one.”

  Justine nodded once. “Nothing will happen to Ford, Ella, not on my watch.”

  Ella left the station shortly afterwards, driving west out of Shiprock, then turning south. Once clear of traffic, she asked to be patched through to Officer Charlie, whom she’d met several times in the past.

  Officer Charlie was a dedicated tribal police officer who came from a long line of Traditionalists. Walking the line between Traditionalist and New Traditionalist, he’d found a way to make peace with his job. After all, Navajo police officers restored the balance between good and evil and that was at the heart of walking in beauty.

  Ella reached Officer Charlie on a direct channel a moment or two later and listened to his report. So far he’d encountered nothing unusual. After warning him to stay alert because things could change at a moment’s notice, she let him know about Justine. “SI Goodluck will be replacing you soon, but until she gets attuned to things there, she may need your backup. Will you be able to stick around?”