Earthway

by Thurlo, Aimée

  Ella joined Blalock, who was leaning against the tribal SUV. “If you hadn’t come out when you did, I would have gone in after you,” he said flatly.

  Wilma gave him an exasperated look, then glanced at Ella. “Were you able to help each other?”

  Ella suddenly realized that their quid-pro-quo arrangement had probably been Wilma’s idea and she’d persuaded Jake to play along.

  “I’ll be asking the tribal court for leniency for your brother,” Ella replied, studying her expression.

  Wilma nodded, satisfied. “I thought it was a good idea. Without balance, nothing really works. I’m going to stay here, so I won’t need a ride. You can get back to your work.”

  Wilma went back inside the shop, and Ella brought Blalock back up to date as they climbed into her vehicle. “Let’s go over to Teeny’s and see what they’ve got,” she suggested, turning on the engine.

  Blalock nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

  “I don’t know if they’ve made any progress breaking the code, but maybe they can tell us who else is working for, or with, Dr. Lee. I’d also like to find out what she’s done with the weapons she bought. I didn’t spot them earlier, during the sneak-and-peek.”

  “One step at a time,” Blalock said.

  As they got underway, Ella glanced over at Blalock. “I sure miss the days when crimes were crimes, and terrorism was something that happened only in the Middle East.”

  “Amen to that,” Blalock said. “Speaking of terrorism, Ella, how much has the Saytak—uh, forgive my pronunciation—Hogback Generating Station’s security been told about the situation regarding Dr. Lee?”

  “They have her photo on file, and were asked to keep her under surveillance if she tried to approach again. Security’s on high alert because of all the publicity leading up to the reactor’s installation.”

  “I haven’t been there since the combined briefing the week before their staff training began,” Blalock said. “Wanna stop by and see how they’ve implemented all their security plans?”

  Ella looked at her watch. “Good idea.”

  Ten minutes later, they were seated in a small guard house, inside the second line of razor wire fencing, with Captain Henderson, the on-duty head of security. Henderson was ex-military and Navajo, like most of the protection detail, and armed with a handgun, Taser, and a submachine gun slung over his shoulder. Ella doubted that even military bases around the country had such a high level of security personnel and training.

  Ella looked at the plastic strap on the man’s wrist, a tracking device and heart monitor everyone inside the second fence wore. If they went in any further, Blalock and she would each be wearing one as well.

  “As you noticed while coming into the parking lot, officers, we’ve now completed the concrete barrier. Without authorization from the inside, no vehicles can penetrate beyond the staff and visitor lots. No trucks filled with explosives could get anywhere near these buildings,” Henderson said. “And the EDS—explosive detection system—keeps anything like that pipe bomb you described from ever getting inside the gates. We’re much tighter here than any airport security. Notice how far you were from the sensor when it picked up the backup pistol in your boot, Investigator Clah?”

  “Yeah, that was impressive,” Ella said.

  “Your remote sensors are effective,” Blalock said with a nod. “I’m surprised you felt a need to add human and canine patrols, too.”

  “We didn’t want to rely on technology alone, even though we’ve got battery backups on all our observation gear,” Henderson said. “We want to be ready for anything that could come at us. All of our people have completed their DOD training, just like the crews that’ll be transporting the reactor bottle and pebbles.”

  Ella looked at the low, thick-concrete buildings, sort of a cross between bank and fortress. “How many attackers would it take to fight their way inside to something important?”

  “More than fifty, based on our training experiences so far. We’ve had worst-case-scenario mock attacks as part of our training, with Special Forces teams playing the aggressors. We’ve sometimes lost twenty percent of our security force, but none of the attackers ever made it inside,” Henderson said, smiling. “We even have surface-to-air capability, though I’m not allowed to elaborate.”

  “How does your anticipated security level compare to other current US nuclear utilities?” Ella asked.

  “Mock attacks on other facilities have succeeded in penetrating defenses fifty percent of the time. We feel a lot better about our protection, though we’ll continue to hold drills and revise our tactics. The key here, I think, is that our people aren’t glorified rent-a-cops. They’re highly trained professionals.” Henderson stood. “Anything else?”

  “No, that’s it for now. Once we get more information on the potential threat, especially regarding suspects and specific target areas, we’ll pass it along immediately,” Ella said.

  “Good luck tracking these bad guys down, and give my regards to Officer Tache’s family.” Henderson led them to the door, punched in a code, then escorted them to the outer fence. Four minutes later they were underway.

  “Looks like Dr. Lee is going to have some trouble penetrating their defenses. Compared to the coal-fired plants around here, that place is Fort Knox,” Blalock commented, looking back in the side mirror.

  “I agree, though that doesn’t mean innocent people couldn’t die in an attempt against it. Terrorists might try to hijack the reactor en route, too, or gain entry to the parking lot. That’s where the big ceremony is going to be held, what, next week?” Ella said. “We need to know what Dr. Lee has planned.”

  “Let’s see how close our code breaker is to reading Dr. Lee’s mail,” Blalock said as they slowed, nearing the turn-off to Bruce Little’s street.

  A short time later, after getting past Teeny’s cameras and security, they entered his main work room. Ford was at one of Teeny’s computers, and with the exception of a quick nod, barely looked at Ella when he started speaking.

  “We’ve studied Jane Lee’s blogs, her e-mails, and the rest of her files without incident,” Ford said. “Everything looks painfully ordinary, but, considering who we’re dealing with, that just means she’s using a code we haven’t broken. We’re still working on recovering that file that deleted itself, but that’s going to take considerably longer.”

  “And here’s a heads-up, Ella. My guess is that she’ll know we accessed her computer,” Teeny said, walking into the room with a can of soda in his hand. “I would.”

  “You’re assuming she’s as computer savvy as you are, but I don’t think she is,” Ella said. “Judging from her initial mistake—trying to communicate in plain language via a supposedly anonymous service—it’s clear her focus isn’t computers. What drives her is more likely to be her desire to make her mark on the world. For example, she teaches because that’s one way to touch a new generation. She knows that a few of her students will always remember her, and she finds continuity in that. Many women find that same deep-seated need fulfilled when they have children. Kids become their legacy to the world.”

  Blalock looked at her for a long time. “That’s certainly an interesting viewpoint. But her motivation isn’t our concern—her potential actions are. And the way she bought her handgun and a hunting rifle are borderline illegal. The real question is: Just how far is she willing to go to make an impact on the world?”

  “I’ll have more for you when I break her code,” Ford said, looking up from his keyboard. “And before you ask, I haven’t got much so far. It’s just a guess, but I think it may be the type of code that requires certain words be said in a certain order—a trigger word or expression, followed by the message. It could be hidden within her blogs or e-mails. If that trigger word or key isn’t there, the message isn’t valid, it’s just words.”

  “Like baseball signals,” Blalock suggested.

  “Exactly. If the third base coach wants the batter to bunt, the signal may be h
im crossing his arms. But the key might be him touching the bill of his cap first. The coach can send all kinds of phony signals, touching his ear, clapping his hands together, or even crossing his arms. But until he touches his cap, then crosses his arms, it doesn’t mean a thing,” Ford explained.

  “That’s a very simple key. There are other, more complicated ones that are changed daily,” Teeny said. “Those are more secure, and if that’s the type they’re using, the code key may be hidden in something she carries on her person, like her purse. You might want to take a look there. This lady’s no novice, so I doubt she’d keep the codes in her computer—the same place as her messages.”

  “Using the same argument, it’s also possible she’d keep the key on a piece of paper in her shoe, but I’ll admit, her purse is more likely,” Ella said. “In my college days, the women professors always kept their purses locked in their desks. If that’s still the case, we have a set of skeleton keys that’ll give us access to it.”

  “Checking inside her purse and putting it back without her knowledge is going to be real tough,” Blalock said.

  “We’ll give it a shot. That’s all we can do,” Ella replied.

  Ford glanced at Blalock. “I’m going to need some extra security clearance. There’s this program I’ve only heard about . . .”

  Leaving Blalock to work with Teeny and Ford, Ella walked back out to her department vehicle. From there, she called Officer Talk and learned Dr. Lee’s whereabouts.

  “The subject’s been in her office for the past hour or so. Students have been dropping by almost continuously,” Marianna said. “She also has a class coming up soon, then a thirty-minute break, followed by another class. After that, she has another hour of office time scheduled.”

  “Stay with her until you’re replaced; probably by Sergeant Neskahi. I’ll let you know when you can pull back,” Ella said. Then she called Justine. “I’ll pick you up in twenty. We’re heading to the college. I need your help for a little black-bag work,” she added.

  As she drove, Ella considered her options. What they needed was a diversion, maybe just a touch of confusion . . . like setting off a fire alarm. People would be jumpy enough after the recent bomb blast, and it was possible that in her rush to get out of the building, Dr. Lee might leave her purse behind. Then, in the ensuing chaos, either she or Justine could slip into Dr. Lee’s office and get a quick look inside her purse. But setting off a phony fire alarm would require a lot of interdepartmental cooperation. That promised to be trickier than the operation itself.

  Ella entered the station a few minutes later, still deep in thought. She was halfway down the hall when she heard a familiar voice.

  “Shorty,” Big Ed called, waving her to his office.

  As Ella went inside, she saw another plainclothes officer, judging by the badge on her belt, sitting across Big Ed’s desk. She stood up as Ella came in, but didn’t smile.

  “This is Officer Anna Bekis. She’s your new bomb squad tech.”

  Considering they were all Navajos here, Ella never made a move to shake hands. “Good to meet you,” she said.

  “I’ve been briefed about your situation and know what happened to your EOD tech. I want you to know that as soon as he can get back to the job, I’ll be happy to accept reassignment,” Bekis said, her voice crisp and professional.

  “Thank you for the thought, but that’s not going to happen anytime soon. Our officer is still in intensive care, and we have no idea how long his recovery will take.”

  Just then, Big Ed’s phone rang. He answered the call, listened for a second, then looked up. “We’re glad to have you on board, Officer Bekis. Now I’ll let you two get back to work.”

  Ella led Bekis to her office. Halfway down the hall, Justine joined them.

  Ella waved both women to chairs, then quickly updated Anna on the details of their case. After she finished, Ella studied Anna’s calm expression. The woman had scarcely moved a muscle. Ella figured she was in her early thirties, but there was a weariness around her eyes that spoke of someone with serious field experience.

  “Our team’s badly understaffed,” Ella said. “That means pitching in whenever you’re needed to work with the Crime Scene Team and putting in unspeakably long hours during crunch times. Are you ready for all that?”

  Anna nodded once. “This is where I want to be.”

  “Then we’re happy you’re here. But I’d like to ask you a question. After all your years on the outside, what made you come back to the Rez?”

  “Personal reasons.”

  Ella took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. “Our lives are often in each other’s hands and I like to know who I’m working with. Will you reconsider your answer?”

  Anna said nothing for a long moment, then answered her. “There’s a sameness about crime on the outside. You work on cases—three, four, or maybe five at a time. You solve some and not others, but you never get the feeling that you’ve accomplished anything. After a while, you end up forgetting why you’re doing the job. On the Rez, we restore order because that’s the only way to walk in beauty. That makes sense to me, and puts things in the right perspective.”

  “In one way or another, life between the sacred mountains always calls to a Navajo. It doesn’t matter how far away we go,” Ella said.

  Justine nodded in agreement.

  “So where do you need me today?” Anna asked, her tone all business again.

  “I have to get our subject, Dr. Lee, out of her office and separate her from her purse,” Ella said. “Here’s a recent photo.” Ella brought out the folder she had on Dr. Lee. “Since she’s never met you, Anna, I was thinking you could be our lookout. But I’m getting ahead of myself. First, I need to run an idea past Big Ed. We can’t get things rolling unless I can get his permission and his help.”

  Leaving Justine and Anna, Ella returned to Big Ed’s office. With luck, and a lot of fancy footwork, they’d soon know a lot more about Dr. Jane Lee.

  ELEVEN

  Ella entered Big Ed’s office at his invitation and took a seat. “I need a diversion so I can take a look inside Dr. Lee’s purse for a code key,” she said, getting right down to business. “If we could get our fire marshal to give an impromptu safety update to the college faculty members—a few at a time—pulling them from their offices as available, that’ll give me the time we need. Best part, no classes will be disrupted, so administration at the college shouldn’t object. The fire marshal could cite the bomb incident and the need for heightened security as a reason, and repeat the presentation he normally gives to school staffs and tribal agencies. If he’s quick to assure Dr. Lee that it won’t take long, there’s a good chance she’ll leave her purse behind, knowing her office is locked and supposedly secure.”

  Big Ed thought a moment, then nodded. “I can do that, but it seems like a big effort just to get a look at her purse. If she doesn’t leave it behind, then what?”

  “It won’t be a total loss. There’s still a chance that she keeps the code hidden elsewhere in her office and only takes it with her when she leaves for the day. Once we get her out, we’ll be able to search her office from top to bottom, as well as her car.”

  “Okay. I’ll call our fire marshal, Mike Martinez. He’s my cousin, and I’m sure I can get him to cooperate.”

  “That’s great. Thanks.”

  “What do you think of Anna Bekis so far?” Big Ed asked.

  Ella considered her answer. “I like the way she thinks,” she answered at last.

  “She’s in my wife’s clan. Her family doesn’t approve of her work, but I think she’s well-suited for the job. I’ve been told that she has nerves of steel.”

  “EOD is as dangerous as it gets. Any idea why she chose that?”

  “Her dad. He worked EOD for the Albuquerque Police Department. She idolized him. She always wanted to be just like him.”

  “Idolized? Past tense?”

  “He died several years ago of a particularly nasty form of ca
ncer. It was a long, hard process and it changed her. She saw firsthand that you can’t run from death, and the ‘natural’ way isn’t always the best road out. According to her supervisors, she’s not reckless or suicidal, but she doesn’t hesitate to do whatever has to be done. On her application she wrote that the danger and the uncertainty of her work makes her appreciate life more.”

  “That, I get.” The reason Ella never took the time she spent with Dawn for granted was because of the nature of her job. In some ways, she breathed more into one afternoon with her daughter than some parents shared in a lifetime.

  Big Ed looked up a telephone number, then glanced at Ella. “I’m going to call the fire marshal now. Could you be ready to roll if I get things set up right away? I’ll have better luck if I don’t give him too much time to think about it.”

  “The sooner, the better,” she said.

  “Good.” Big Ed picked up the phone and dialed.

  Ella waited as he spoke on the phone. After the usual greetings, Big Ed got down to business. “I need a favor,” he said, providing details of what he needed and the urgent timeline. “Can you do this for me? I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”

  There was a brief silence, then Big Ed gave Ella a thumbs-up and slid over a piece of paper with Mike’s telephone number. “Thanks, Mike. I appreciate it. Around noon is perfect,” he said. “Come for dinner tonight. I’ll have Claire fix her special green chile stew.”

  Ella returned to her office moments later. As she gave Justine and Anna the details, Justine sorted the skeleton keys they’d need to gain access to Dr. Lee’s office and desk drawers.

  “It’s going down within the hour, so let’s roll,” Ella said. As an afterthought, she looked at Anna and added, “Follow us there in your own vehicle. I don’t want to take a chance that Dr. Lee will see all of us together.”

  After getting an update on Dr. Lee’s whereabouts from Marianna, Ella gave Anna additional information, including directions to Dr. Lee’s classroom. “She’s supposed to be teaching a woman’s studies class this morning, then making herself available to students for a half hour in her office. Once she’s back in her office, the fire marshal, with administrative backing, will drop by and pull her out for a quick security review. When she leaves, keep her in your sight. Justine and I will search her office and car. Once Dr. Lee’s done with the fire marshal, send us the text message ‘go.’ ”