Or maybe they never would. Some problems had no solutions, and he still carried a considerable amount of baggage from his dangerous past. Those memories seemed to make him cling even more tightly to his beliefs. Perhaps he was afraid of reverting to his old ways if he wasn’t strong or pious enough as a minister. Or maybe it was more complex than that. Either way, she’d try to be more understanding.
Ella reached for the top of the cabinet, where she normally kept her weapon. When Dawn had been younger, Ella had stowed it there to make sure it remained out of her daughter’s reach. Somewhere along the way, it had become a habit.
“I don’t suppose I should count on you for dinner?” Rose asked. “We’re having green chile stew and fry bread.”
“You really know how to tempt me,” Ella said. “Unfortunately, I can’t plan on anything until we catch the person who planted that bomb.”
Moments later, Ella hurried out the front door. While she was driving north toward Shiprock and the station, Justine called.
“Big Ed has called a meeting this morning, and he wants us there ASAP. Joe Neskahi and Marianna Talk have also been called in. I’m on my way to the station now. Do you have any idea what’s going on?”
“No, not a clue,” Ella answered.
“There’s more. Ford and Blalock are also coming.”
“When did you hear that?”
“About three minutes ago. I ran into Blalock at the Morning Star when I stopped by for coffee. He was finishing breakfast and mentioned he was on his way to pick up Ford, who conducted the seven o’clock service this morning without a hitch. An officer was watching the grounds, by the way.”
Ella wondered if Big Ed had also heard the rumor going around. Either way, she was about to find out.
“One last thing, Ella. I sure could use some help with the lab work. I’ve been trying to run down the lead to the rat poison by talking to the feed store owners in the area, but when I have lab work and field work I’m stretched to the breaking point.”
“I hear you, but our budget problems haven’t changed,” Ella answered, wishing she didn’t have to give Justine the same answer each time she asked for help.
“Could you bring this up again with the chief? I’m burning the candle at both ends each time we work a top-priority case, and that’s how mistakes get made. So far nothing’s happened, but I don’t know how long I can keep this up. I was at the station until two this morning, and it’s Sunday. I’m pushing my luck.”
“I know. You’re carrying too heavy a load, cuz, though you’re still doing an incredible job for the department. Let me see what I can do, but no promises.”
“It’s not like I’m asking for a raise. I just need help to keep doing the job right.”
“I wish I could give you a raise,” Ella answered honestly. “If anyone deserves one, you do.”
Ella hung up, the knowledge that her team was stretched to the limit weighing heavily on her. The SI unit had lost two people to higher-paying jobs at other agencies these past few years, and she’d only managed to find one replacement, Sergeant Neskahi. Then he’d been pulled back to patrol duty after three other officers had left the force. Though Ella desperately needed more people, the budget hadn’t allowed her to recruit any more officers or techs. Now with Ralph Tache out of commission, it came down to herself, Justine, and whoever happened to be available.
Ella was about a mile from the station, crossing the eastbound bridge over the San Juan river, when her cell phone rang. Without looking at the caller ID she picked it up, hoping it was Dawn. Her daughter usually called early. She was a morning person, and woke up with lots of energy, ready to talk to anyone who would listen.
To her surprise, it wasn’t Dawn, but rather her old friend, Teeny, whom she’d been planning to call anyway. Ella greeted him warmly. Despite being one of the best support assets their PD had, Teeny was also a friend she could count on. Friendships like theirs were rare, and all the more precious because of it.
“Hey, Teeny,” she said, knowing she was one of only a few who could call Bruce Little by that nickname and live to tell the tale.
“Hey, Ella. After hearing about the bomb and the injuries to Tache, I thought I’d check in and see how I could help out. I worked with Ralph a few times when I was still on the force, and I’d like to help nail the sicko who did this to him.”
“Great minds think alike, don’t they? I was going to pay you a visit this morning, but Big Ed called a meeting. I’m on my way to the station now. As soon as I can, I’ll head over to your place.”
“Good enough. I’ll be here all morning,” he said, then added, “Oh, I also spoke to Eugene Garner this morning. He finally took over the feed store from his dad. I stopped by because I’d picked up a story that someone had tried to poison Reverend Tome’s dog, and thought Eugene was the man to talk to. I got a hit. Someone shoplifted a box of rat poison the other day from his shelves.”
“The timing’s right. Thanks for the lead, Teeny. It’s much appreciated.”
“See you later.”
Ella parked in her usual spot near the station’s side entrance. Inside, she saw Blalock and Ford standing in the hallway right outside the break room, cups of coffee in hand. Justine came out a moment later and gave her a nod.
“What’s going on?” Ella asked, pointing down the hall. Big Ed’s door was shut—a very rare occurrence unless an officer was being reamed out.
“We don’t know,” Justine said. “Joe and Marianna are in there with him now. All I can tell you is that there hasn’t been any shouting—yet.”
Ella was about to respond when Big Ed stepped out into the hall and waved an invitation to them. Folding chairs were soon brought in, and moments later Big Ed regarded all of them with a satisfied smile. “I’d like to introduce you to the new, permanent members of the SI team—Sergeant Neskahi and Officer Talk.”
Ella blinked in surprise but before she could comment, Big Ed continued.
“You’ve apprised me many times of your team’s situation, Ella, and how critical your manpower shortage is. Now you’re down an officer again, though for a tragically different reason. Unfortunately, it’s precisely at a time when you’ll all have to give one hundred ten percent. To wrap this story up, I went directly to the tribal president and he guaranteed funding on the spot. He needs the Tsétaak’á Generating Station to succeed. Hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake. You all know that.”
After everyone had welcomed Joe and Marianna, Big Ed looked back at Ella. “I’ve briefed Neskahi and Talk on the terrorist threat to the Hogback reactor, but I leave it to you to deploy the new members of your team. Just keep me updated.”
“Done. And thank you,” Ella answered.
“Now for the other reason you’re here,” Big Ed said at last. “The attempt on Reverend Tome’s life is apparently connected to the threat on the Tsétaak’á facility. From now on we have to stay one step ahead of these individuals. We need to make certain that whatever’s being planned never happens. Be smart, people, and work fast.”
“We’ll do our best,” Ella answered, “but if we encounter another bomb threat, we’ll have to pull in outside help. With Officer Tache out of action, we don’t have anyone on this part of the Rez with the expertise we’ll need.”
“I’m ahead of you,” Big Ed said. “Our department’s getting a new bomb tech. Anna Bekis worked for ATF for five years, then decided that the tribe needed her more than the Feds. For the past few months she’s been working patrol out of Tuba City, but I heard about her and put in a call. She’ll be coming in later today, and I’m going to assign her to work with your team. Bekis has also done field work, so I think you’ll find her a good addition.”
“We can certainly use her help,” Ella said.
“Now tell me what you’ve managed to put together on Dr. Jane Lee. Is the professor a threat or not?” Big Ed asked Blalock.
“The FBI has had her on the radar for quite some time,” Blalock said. “She’s the
tip of the arrow, but there are others. That’s what I’ve been told anyway.”
“I’ve spoken to her and she’s trying very hard to disassociate herself from her past anti-nuke activism, but I don’t buy the turnaround,” Ella said. “Some of the coded e-mails she’s sent, and we’ve intercepted, directly contradict that. Based on what Ford has learned, it’s clear she never really dropped out of the game.”
“Lee maintains several blogs on Native American women’s issues,” Ford said. “Although they appear perfectly legit, there’s a near certainty that she’s switched tactics and is now sending coded messages via those. I’ve been monitoring the comments on her Web page, too, and they’ve really picked up these past few days, for no apparent reason.”
“Replies in code?” Big Ed asked.
“I believe so,” Ford answered.
“How long will it take you to find out for sure if that’s what’s happening, and be able to decipher their messages?” Big Ed asked.
“A week, or maybe a few days less, if I’m lucky. I have to analyze previous and current passages and look for patterns, anomalies, and other characteristics. I have some computer programs that’ll help me do all that, but the problem is that this will take time.”
“Which is exactly what we don’t have,” Big Ed said. “It looks like you’ve got your work cut out for you, so get going, people,” Big Ed said, standing.
Ella motioned for everyone to join her in her office, and a minute later they gathered there. “Okay, team, we need a game plan.”
“We should concentrate on adding names, besides Dr. Lee’s, to the list of people opposed to the Hogback plant,” Justine said.
Neskahi cleared his throat. “Many clans have members who died from radiation sickness caused by the mining operations that took place here in the ’50s and ’60s. There are many safeguards today, but most Traditionalists don’t trust them. I can think of at least half-a-dozen people in my clan alone who oppose the plant because it involves what they call ‘yellow earth.’ ”
Marianna Talk nodded. “It’s the same in my clan. The older ones . . . they’ve learned not to trust. They think we’re being naive. The only thing that has kept them from openly opposing the plant is that they know the tribe needs money for practically everything these days. Let’s face it—about half of all Navajo homes still burn wood for heat, but a big percentage don’t even have real wood stoves. Those homemade heaters made out of barrels and scrap metal can be death-traps, even if they’re properly ventilated. Our tribe’s not greedy. We’re talking about money to help our people survive. The Tsétaak’á Generating Station will generate a lot of that income, especially if they add more units, like they’re already talking about.”
“Almost all the Christians I’ve spoken to are for it as well,” Ford said. “God expects us to work together for the common good and this power plant will benefit the Anglos and us. It’s a godsend. Demands for heat and electricity are growing, and we can provide those resources.”
“There’s a rumor going around that bilagáanas from the federal government are here to make sure we get that facility up and running no matter what,” Ella said. “Of course, that story was deliberately planted to stir things up and generate mistrust—to play on traditional fears. Whoever started that knew our past and how our people think. That’s why I think it was the work of well-educated Navajos.”
“Then Dr. Lee remains the obvious suspect,” Justine said. “We’ll have to mount a twenty-four/seven surveillance.”
“That woman’s intelligent and careful,” Ford said. “If you’re expecting her to lead you to the others who may be working for her, or with her, you’re wasting your time. She’s even stopped using those anonymous Internet services subject to compromise. In my opinion, we’re dealing with professionals, so the key will be electronic surveillance—watching with untraceable eyes and ears.”
“Let’s do both electronic and physical surveillance,” Neskahi said at last. “Maybe I should sign up for one of Dr. Lee’s courses.”
“In Women’s Studies?” Ella countered, fighting a smile. Joe was a bit of a chauvinist.
“I’m already taking one of her courses at night,” Marianna said. “My presence in or around the building won’t send off any alarms. I have the option of attending other sessions, too, if I miss a class.”
“All right. Keep track of whoever she meets, but don’t let her catch on. If she does, she’s likely to start feeding us false information. In the past, she’s been involved in highly organized demonstrations in Arizona and California, and she’s well schooled on government agencies and their tactics,” Ella said.
“Could Joe help me with the leg work on the rat poison we found and the other leads we need to follow up on?” Justine asked.
“Absolutely,” Ella replied, quickly giving them the feed store information update she’d gotten from Teeny. Lastly, Ella glanced at Blalock. “I’m going to need everything the FBI has on Dr. Lee. I mean everything.”
“Some of that stuff’s classified, Ella. I don’t even have clearance to see it.”
“The Bureau brought us into this investigation. If they want us to work this case effectively, they’re going to have to cooperate with us. We have need to know.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“That’s it, then. Get to work everyone.”
As the others left the office, Ford looked at Ella. “Is there anything specific you’re going to need from me?”
She nodded. “You and I have someplace to be this morning.” Ella led Ford outside to her unit, then drove out of the parking lot.
EIGHT
They rode in silence for several miles. Ella was still lost in thought when Ford spoke.
“You never mentioned any of the actual evidence we have against Jane, like the downloaded schematics, or even the FBI data mining that triggered the investigation. Neither did Big Ed,” he said.
“I know. I thought Big Ed had the right idea about that so I followed suit. Half of the stuff we’re dealing with is classified, and I want to respect that by going on a need-to-know basis. For example, the Cloud brothers, who’ve been told to protect you, have only the information they need to adequately do their job.”
“All right,” Ford said. “I’ll continue what I set out to do—gather intel on Jane and try to determine what codes she’s using.”
“There’s one problem I need to talk to you about. Protecting you during the day is going to pose a variety of challenges,” Ella said slowly. “The Cloud brothers and Officer Charlie can rotate their schedules, but there’s only three of them, and sooner or later, they’ll be spotted. During the day, it’s harder to find concealment in such open country—and vehicles tend to stick out.”
“And you don’t want to give rise to too many questions,” he finished for her, nodding.
“Exactly. So how about telling everyone that you’ve been assigned to me as a ‘community ride-along’? We could just say that it’s a public relations thing, and avoid specifics. Since everyone knows the bomb was planted at your lecture, they’ll assume I’ve signed up to protect you—just in case you’re really the target.”
“That’s a good idea.”
“Could you do your work on a laptop while riding with me?”
“Considering what I’ll be doing next, sure,” he said, then explained. “I need to research some new, more advanced computer programs now available. Mine are too outdated.”
“Your old ones were good enough to get you the data from her computer, so maybe you shouldn’t discard them yet.”
“I worked around their limitations. What I did was hack into her laptop while she was online. She doesn’t stay on very long, so I had to work fast, but while I had access to her hard drive, I discovered her laptop has unaccounted memory—meaning memory that’s being used, but isn’t stored in any particular file or place. I need more sophisticated software to track down what she’s hiding on her system.”
“I know someone w
ho can help you figure out your computer questions,” Ella said. “We’re heading there now.”
Ella pulled up to Teeny’s place about ten minutes later. Her old friend, who served as an IT and computer consultant, also did PI work on the side. He lived in a square, industrial style metal building surrounded by electrified fencing. As she pulled up to the gate, the camera monitor moved down to focus on her face.
“Hey, Ella,” came Teeny’s disembodied voice. “Come in. I’ve been waiting for you.”
The gate swung open and Ella drove through, parking next to the metal structure, which also had a two-car garage at one end.
Ella led the way inside the small warehouse. Long wooden tables were covered with sophisticated computer equipment. There were at least twenty different kinds of laptops, servers, and mainframes placed along the walls and in a center row.
Seeing Teeny, a big bear of a Navajo, video conferencing in front of one of the computers, Ella led Ford to the inner courtyard. Once outside, they sat at the coffee table in the center of a square patch of sunlight.
“Mr. Little’s ability with computers is almost legendary,” Ford said. “I understand that the Albuquerque office of the FBI offered him a tech job once, but he turned it down.”
“Teeny’s not much for rules and regulations,” Ella said. “But his heart’s in the right place.”
Ford gave her a long look. “You’re close friends?”
She nodded. “We grew up together in Shiprock.” She looked at Ford, wondering if his curiosity had gone hand-in-hand with a spark of jealousy.
Almost as if reading her mind, he added. “Everyone needs friends. Your work takes up too much of your time—and heart. I’m glad to see you haven’t neglected yourself completely.”
Ella smiled. “Reverend, doesn’t that sound a lot like your own life as well?”
“You’ve got me there,” he answered with a grin. “Working for God is as full-time as it gets. But I have friends. Reverend Campbell is one, and some of my parishioners. I like to think you and I are close, too.”
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