Anna continued. “Officer Danny Martinez is with the Farmington PD. He’s taken a lot of special classes, most notably he underwent SWAT training with the Albuquerque Police Department. He’s half-Navajo and his sniper skills are really extraordinary. His kill scores at six hundred yards are 100%, and 90% at a thousand.”
“That’s impressive,” Big Ed commented, voicing what they were all thinking.
“Lastly, there’s San Juan County Deputy Henderson Whitefeather,” Anna continued. “I think I’ve seen him somewhere before, I just can’t recall where. He’s Navajo and lives somewhere on the Rez. He was a sniper in the military, which puts him on a par with Martinez, maybe better. He has some explosive-ordinance training, too, but I’m not sure how extensive,” she said, closing her small notebook. “I wasn’t able to verify the whereabouts of these last two men during the times in question.”
“It’s still an impressive bit of investigative work,” Ella said. “Good job.”
“One last thing. I also managed to get photos,” Anna said. “I thought Reverend Tome could take a look and see if he recognizes any of these men.”
“Good thinking,” Ella said, taking the photos from her and glancing down at the faces. “I know Reverend Tome met Whitefeather recently, though we were outside in the dark at the time. He was the deputy who visited Ford’s home after the attempted break-in. That happened the same night as the bomb attack.”
“Coincidence? Or something more?” Big Ed asked.
“Whitefeather took the call, and responded pretty fast for a non-emergency stop,” Ella said, thinking back. “It might not hurt to find out if he’s usually in the vicinity around that time. Also we should check and see if Dispatch sent him or if he volunteered.”
“I’ll handle that,” Justine said. “And one more thing comes to mind, now that I think of it. The county lab never could find that lost .22 bullet Whitefeather said he turned in. What if he never did?”
“If it came from one of his personal weapons, he certainly wouldn’t have wanted it booked in as evidence,” Ella responded. “And I remember something about him using air freshener. That could have been used to cover the scent of recent gunshots originating from his vehicle.”
“So we keep him on the suspect list. But what about Henry Mike? What’s going on with that part of the investigation?” Big Ed asked.
Ella brought him up to date. “He’s still on the run. At the moment, we’re trying to track down his wife.”
“I’ve got a lead I’m following on that, Big Ed. I’ll know later today if it pans out,” Justine said.
Big Ed nodded to the group. “All right. It looks like there’s plenty of work to go around. Get to it.”
As everyone began filing out, Big Ed signaled to Ella to remain behind. “I’m thinking that you may be too close to this case, Shorty. Perspective is everything, and if what I hear is right, you and Reverend Tome are pretty close nowadays.”
“Yes, we are. That’s no secret. But if anything, that’s an asset to this case. He’ll trust my judgement far more than he would a stranger’s, and that’ll help me keep him safe.”
“I’ll take your word on that for now, Shorty. You’ve got good instincts, but be careful,” he said. “This case is running your team in circles, and we still have no idea what Dr. Lee and her people have up their sleeves concerning the power plant.”
Ella paused for a long moment, then spoke. “I think we’re being played, chief. My gut tells me everything’s connected somehow, but we’ll need a lot more to go on before we have any definitive answers.”
“Watch your back,” he said somberly. “I have a real bad feeling about this one.”
Absently, Ella reached up and touched her badger fetish. It felt cool to the touch, but she knew he was right. There was too much beneath the surface that had yet to be uncovered.
Ella drove to Teeny’s shortly thereafter. As she took a seat in the main room with the wall-to-wall electronics, Ford swung his chair around and faced her. “I don’t have anything new for you, Ella. I’m still working on the codes.”
“I won’t interrupt you for long. I just wanted to show you some photos. I need to know if you recognize any of these men,” Ella said, handing him the file folder.
Ford set each out on his desk, studying the faces. “I know this man,” Ford said. “He’s the deputy who came to the house the night someone tried to shoot Abednego. His last name was Whitefeather.” He paused for several seconds. “But I also recall having met him somewhere else in the past. His hair was longer back then . . . I think.”
Teeny, standing behind him, shook his head. “I’ve never seen Whitefeather before, Ella.” He then glanced at Ford. “Maybe you remember his face from one of those traffic blitzes—the roadblocks checking for DWI. Or maybe it was at the scene of an auto accident?”
“He apparently lives on the Rez. Could he be one of your parishioners, Ford?” Ella pressed.
Ford’s gaze remained on the photo. “No. I know the people at my church. Whitefeather. . . . I definitely recognize the man’s face, but the name doesn’t seem to fit. What’s his first name?”
“Henderson,” Ella answered. “Disregarding the fact that he’s now a deputy, does his face strike you as someone you met in pleasant or unpleasant circumstances?”
Ford continued to study the photo, his eyebrows knitting together. “I can’t tell you. There’s just something about his face . . .”
“Then keep thinking about him, okay? You might be interested to know that the bullet from your front porch, which I gave Whitefeather to have processed, has disappeared. The county lab said they have no record of it ever being turned in,” she added.
“Those people are top-notch, so my guess is that Whitefeather dropped the ball. He’s either bent or incompetent. So what now?” Teeny asked. “Would you like my help digging up something on Deputy Henderson Whitefeather?”
Ella considered. Teeny had no equal when it came to getting information discreetly, but one slip could blow things sky high. Other departments were understandably protective of their people, and she knew Sheriff Taylor, Whitefeather’s boss. If he thought the tribe was investigating one of his men without his knowledge, an irreparable breach would result between their departments. “Hold that thought. I’ve got some things I want to try first.”
“Good enough.”
Ella petted Abednego when he came over. “Anything more on Dr. Lee’s blogs or e-mails?” she asked.
“We’ve been looking for the appearance of the words ‘Red Rock’ but so far there’s been nothing,” Ford said.
“The second you see them, let me know,” Ella said.
“Of course,” Ford answered. “And Ella?”
She stopped halfway to the door and glanced back at him.
“Watch yourself. It’s the ones you think you can trust, like a fellow police officer—or a deputy—that’ll pose the greatest risk.”
“Have you remembered something else about Whitefeather?” Ella asked immediately.
“No,” he answered, leaning back in his chair, his gaze focused on her. “It’s just an observation.”
She respected his instincts. Staying alert for whatever lay beneath the surface of things was what good investigators—and cryptographers—did best.
A short time later, Ella was driving west again on her way back to Shiprock and the station. She was lost in thought when her cell phone rang.
“It’s Justine.” Her partner’s voice came through clearly. “Can you meet me at home? I’ve got an idea.”
“Sure. See you in ten.”
When Ella arrived, she saw Sergeant County Sheriff Emily Marquez’s unit parked outside. She realized then what her partner had in mind. Emily, Justine’s roommate, was in the ideal position to provide them with additional information about Whitefeather. Most importantly, Emily trusted them, and would keep their interest to herself.
EIGHTEEN
Ella walked up Justine’s driveway. Although from th
e front it looked like a perfectly ordinary middle-class suburban tract house, Justine’s home was large by reservation standards. The five-bedroom home, built by a wealthy Navajo businessman who now lived out of state, also had all the modern amenities.
Justine rented it for an extremely reasonable price because of the deal she’d struck with the owner. He’d wanted someone he could trust completely to take care of his horse, a surly stallion no one could ride. The horse was also known to bite and kick without provocation.
Justine came out from around the back of the house as Ella reached the front door. From the wet, gooey spot on her jacket, Ella surmised that Leggar, the horse, had tried to take another chunk out of her partner.
Justine followed her gaze and nodded. “I went to give him an apple, but my cell phone rang and he freaked.”
Ella laughed. “I hope you smacked him on the nose.”
“I threw the apple at him.”
Ella sighed. “You two really do need to establish a better working relationship.”
“It’s hopeless.”
Justine led the way inside. “By the way, I finally got a lead on Kim Mike. It turns out my sister Jayne’s a friend of hers. The problem is, Jayne refuses to tell me where Kim’s living now. She’s afraid Henry will follow us, track Kim down, and hurt her again. I was thinking that if you talk to Jayne yourself, she might listen to you.”
“All right. But first let’s talk to Emily. That’s why you wanted to meet here, right?”
“Yeah,” Justine said with a grin. “Together, I’m sure we can talk her into giving us some unofficial help.”
Ella nodded. She’d been the one who’d introduced Justine to the blond San Juan County sheriff’s deputy a couple of years ago. Emily Marquez, divorced, had needed to split housing costs, and Justine had also needed a roommate, though for different reasons. After living at home, and being part of a huge family, the silence had gotten to Ella’s second cousin.
“She’s in the greenhouse right now. She loves those orchids of hers,” Justine said.
Ella smiled. Orchids and the desert didn’t exactly mix, but they were Emily’s way of relaxing and staying sane, and somehow she managed to manipulate the humidity and other growing conditions.
“But Jayne’s here, too,” Justine continued, “and has to leave for work pretty soon. Maybe you should talk to her first.”
“What’s she doing these days?” Ella asked as Justine motioned her toward the long, black-leather sofa.
“She finally gave up the desk job at the motel and began working the evening shift at the Stargazer Café on campus. She says a lot of people who come in to buy coffee are really just looking for someone to talk to, and Jayne loves dispensing advice. She’s never been happier.”
“That’s great,” Ella said.
“Hi, Ella. You two talking about me again?” Jayne flashed them a playful grin as she came in from the kitchen holding two large mugs filled with coffee and whipped cream. “This is Stargazer Café special mocha mix. It’s terrific and not heavy on the caffeine, so you don’t have to worry about staying up all night.”
Ella tasted the chocolate and coffee mix through the thick mound of whipped cream. “This is really good,” she agreed. “You’ve given me a new vice.”
“Glad to share one of mine,” Jayne responded.
Justine nodded. “This is terrific.”
“Didn’t I tell you?”
Jayne was a year older than Justine but nearly as petite. They looked so much alike that they were often confused with each other, a source of embarrassment for Justine sometimes when strange men came up and started flirting. Jayne was the wild one of the family, and had only recently shown signs of settling down with one man.
She sat down on the couch, then waited for Ella and Justine to follow suit.
“I need a favor, Jayne,” Ella said after a moment, and started explaining.
Jayne shook her head. “I know what you’re going to ask, and I’d love to help you, but I gave Kim my word of honor that I’d never tell anyone where she was. That idiot husband of hers is dangerous. She’s lucky she’s still alive, the way he used to beat her.”
“What we’re really trying to do is find Henry. Kim might be able to tell us where he’s likely to hide out.”
“And after you catch him, will you be putting him away for good?”
“We don’t have enough to hold him. We just need to question him at this point,” Ella admitted.
“Then I can’t help you,” Jayne said flatly. “You don’t realize how crazy Henry is. Did you even know that he’s been following you? He’s been leaving messages on Kim’s cell phone telling her all about it. He’s determined to use you to lead him to Reverend Tome.”
“No way he’s been following me. That’s just a bluff. I’d know if I’d picked up a tail—particularly recently. We’ve been extra careful about that.”
“When I heard about the shooting that took place over at Bruce’s place, I figured Henry had gone there hunting for Ford. If I know Ford’s there, maybe Henry figured it out too,” Jayne said.
“Back up a bit. What makes you think Ford’s there?” Ella asked. Jayne and Teeny had been hooking up over the past few years, but she seriously doubted Teeny would have told her anything about this. Jayne was one of the biggest gossips in the Four Corners.
“He didn’t tell me, if that’s what you’re worried about. You know that Bruce and I see each other, so when he broke our last date, I started wondering if he was seeing someone else. I decided to drive by his place and take a look. That’s when I saw Ford in that old sedan of his, pulling into Bruce’s garage. No visitors ever park there so I realized he was hiding out. After the bomb that hurt Ralph Tache, and the shooting over at Ford’s place, it was obvious he needed someplace safe. What a better place than Bruce’s? The last piece of that puzzle fell into place for me once I spoke to Kim. That’s when I realized that Henry Mike’s after Ford.”
Ella had been afraid all along that Ford’s little excursion to help Reverend Campbell had been tracked. Now that she knew she’d been right, she had to minimize the damage, if she could. “You’re reading way too much into things. We don’t know who was responsible for that incident at Teeny’s. But if you are right and it was Henry Mike, all the more reason for us to find him—fast.”
“If Henry’s on a rampage, nobody’s safe, especially his wife. Kim’s not like you or Justine. She’s not a fighter. She took his beatings for years. She loves the a-hole.”
Ella grimaced. She’d never been able to understand why any woman would remain loyal to a man who abused and terrorized her. That was one of the main reasons officers hated responding to domestic calls. All too often, the woman would turn on the officer and defend the man who’d just hurt her, rather than see him get arrested.
“I’ll do my best to ensure I’m not followed. But we have to talk to Kim,” Ella insisted. “Other lives are at stake here, too.”
Jayne considered it, then at last, nodded. “How about a compromise? Even if you can’t see anyone, and all you have is a feeling that someone’s tailing you, will you back off?”
“Yes, and I’ll do you one better. I’ll have Justine come with me. Between the two of us there’s no way we’d miss a tail.”
Jayne took a deep breath then nodded. “All right,” she said, then recited an address in Farmington. “She planted a trail west into Arizona but doubled back and is now living with her second cousin, Alyce, who’s a nurse practitioner. She found Kim a job working afternoons with her at Dr. Sanchez’s office.”
“Everything will be fine. Don’t worry. We know what we’re doing,” Ella said.
“Henry Mike is really bad news, Ella. Kim says he has all kinds of rifles and ammunition, too. If he even hears that you know where Kim is, you and Justine will be in a world of trouble.”
“Actually, I hope he does come after me for whatever the reason,” Ella said with a lethal smile. “He’ll find out the hard way that I’m not as
easy a target as his wife.”
Jayne looked at her watch. “I better get going. You know where to find me if you need me.”
“Thanks for the coffee, Jayne,” Ella said.
As Jayne left, Justine glanced over at Ella. “Shall I go get Emily?” she asked, finishing the last of her mocha.
“Get me for what?” Emily asked, coming into the living room and sniffing the air. “That’s Stargazer’s coffee, isn’t it?” Seeing their empty mugs, she sighed. “Next time pick one up for me, too, okay? I’m addicted to the stuff.”
Emily sat down and stretched out her jeans-covered legs. “It feels so good to finally have time off! I’m not due at the station until the day after tomorrow, and I’m going to enjoy every single second of it. I’ve been working double shifts and I’m beat.”
“Personnel problems?” Ella asked.
“Other law enforcement agencies pay a lot more for their services, so after four or five years, our deputies grab their résumés and move to greener pastures.”
“The county and the tribe are going to have to wake up. Without enough officers out on the streets, everything will fall apart,” Ella said.
“So what do you need from me?” Emily’s gaze narrowed and she gave Ella a hard look. “I hope you’re not going to try and recruit me for a special assignment. Unless County’s working with you and will cover my shifts, the answer’s no.”
“All I need from you is some information, and your discretion,” Ella said.
“What kind of information?” Emily asked cautiously.
“I can’t tell you why I’m asking—not now at least—but I want to know everything you can tell me about a Navajo County Deputy named Henderson Whitefeather. I need to get a feel for who he is, what he believes, and so on.”
“That’s a tough call, Ella,” Emily answered. “W—that’s what he prefers to be called—doesn’t socialize with the rest of the officers, not even for an off-duty beer or a pick-up game of basketball behind the station. I don’t think he’s ever said more than a few words to me, and that was in passing.”
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