by Aimée
“Are you in a hurry, Daughter?”
“A press conference is about to start on TV. The man who caused your accident, and his sister, are going to be there with their lawyers. I heard they’re going to make a statement.”
Rose gestured toward the TV set mounted on the wall, “Turn it on. Whatever concerns you, also concerns me. Let’s hear what those liars have to say for themselves.”
As Ella switched it on, she noted Rose’s calm expression.
“I think this is going to be good news for you,” Rose said.
“One of your … feelings?”
Rose nodded slowly. “But I can’t guarantee that my positive attitude isn’t being influenced by the newspaper articles the hospital staff has been talking about. Things are getting brighter for you. The paper has been investigating The Brotherhood, trying to prove its existence. Now that it’s been confirmed, The People are angry that they’ve dared attack one of our own—you.”
The significance of that wasn’t wasted on Ella. When she’d first returned to the Rez over two years ago, she’d longed for that acceptance, although she’d despaired of ever getting it. Now she was begining to see that it had been given to her sometime after she’d stopped reaching for it. She no longer heard the term “LA Woman” murmured behind her back, or used directly when people spoke to her. The joy that realization might have given her, however, was lost under the weight of her present responsibilities.
“Turn up the volume,” Rose said.
Ella did, noting Gladys Bekis had already appeared on screen in front of several microphones. “I’ve dropped the lawsuit for excessive force against Special Investigator Ella Clah of the Navajo Police Department.” Ella noted Gladys was reading from a written statement. “Don’t get me wrong. The incident happened just as I said it did but, after careful consideration, I’ve accepted the fact that I won’t be able to find justice in a community where police are allowed to harass and abuse law-abiding citizens without fear of reprisal.”
It was then that one of the local television reporters asked the question foremost in Ella’s mind. “Your comments sound like the sort of rhetoric we would expect from someone who felt they would be unable to prove their case if it went to trial. As a matter of fact, members of the press were just shown a photo taken at the police station twenty minutes after the alleged incident, and your face was unmarked. How do you explain the discrepancy?”
Gladys’s attorney, Wainwright, stepped up from the side, and spoke before Gladys could respond.
“We haven’t seen any photo, though I understand Officer Clah’s attorney has made one available to reporters. I have to tell you though, it wouldn’t surprise me at all to learn that the tribal police had one doctored up to protect their own rogue cop.”
Robert Kauley, Leo Bekis’s attorney stepped up to the microphones next. “My client, distinguished tribal attorney Leo Bekis, has advised me that he is willing to drop his defamation of character suit against Investigator Clah as well, on the condition that Investigator Clah make a public apology concerning her unfounded allegations concerning my client. If such apology is not made within twenty-four hours, we will continue to pursue this litigation in court.”
The same reporter as before had a question ready immediately. “Do you think Mr. Bekis’s prior arrests on DWI, and the blood alcohol results on his recent accident will influence Investigator Clah’s decision concerning the appropriateness of an apology?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t answer any questions related to a pending legal action.” Kauley responded quickly. “Investigator Clah can bring all this to a satisfactory conclusion with an apology.”
“He expects me to apologize. That son-of-a—” With effort, Ella clamped her mouth shut.
“Don’t be upset, Daughter. Some will believe this nonsense, but the majority won’t. At least you won’t have to face the ridiculous claim that you hit that woman. And once Leo Bekis is convicted of DWI again, and I’m sure he will be, his lawsuit will no longer be a threat. I think he’s bluffing, hoping you’ll apologize before he appears in court. He’s trying anything to save his reputation.”
“I think you’re right. I’ll have to ask my lawyer what he thinks, but I bet Kevin Tolino already knows I’d never apologize to that drunk. Once Leo’s twenty-four hours run out, he’ll probably drop the suit just like his sister did.”
“Then let’s talk about something else more pleasant, like getting me out of here?” Rose laughed.
Dr. Natoni came into the room, and seeing Rose packed and ready to go, laughed. “Boy, you don’t waste any time.”
“You said I could leave as long as I came back for therapy, Doctor.”
“Yes, but I never said you could check out today.”
Ella felt her stomach drop when she saw the disappointment on her mother’s face. “Don’t you think Mother is strong enough to use the crutches and get around at home? I’d heard she was doing much better. I can try and take a day or two off, and I’m sure my brother and our friends will help keep an eye on her when I can’t be there.”
“That’s not necessary,” Rose said. “You’ll keep searching for criminals, just like you’ve been trained to do. I will look after myself.”
“Is she ready for that?” Ella asked Dr. Natoni.
Dr. Natoni looked at Rose, then back at Ella. “Let me examine her one more time before I say anything else. Come back in about twenty minutes.”
As Ella walked out into the hall, she saw Carolyn approaching.
“I was just on my way to talk to you,” Carolyn said.
“Did you catch Alice Willie?”
“Yes, I sure did, and she’s glad to help out with transportation. Apparently she owes Rose quite a few favors, and was happy for the chance to repay her.”
Ella breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, that’s one worry off my mind. I’m pretty sure I can get Clifford or Loretta to look in on her often during the day, and I’ll be there as much as I can. But if Dr. Natoni tells me that she’s going to need someone to stay with her full time, I’m not at all sure I can take off work, with things being the way they are now. Who can I get?”
“Alice has a list of volunteers who can spend a half day or more at a time helping around the house. She posted that list in every department of the hospital, even mine. I can recommend some people to you from that list.”
Hearing footsteps behind her, Ella turned her head and saw Dr. Natoni. “Is Mom ready to come home?” she asked.
“I think so. She gave a demonstration on those crutches that makes her look like a pro. I think keeping her here for another day would do more harm than good at this point. Her frame of mind is extremely important, and the boost she’ll get from being released will help her far more than an extra day here.”
“Can she take care of herself without help?”
“I think so, but I’d like someone around for the first several hours, at least. Then, maybe you or someone could drop by once or twice during the day, just to make sure she hasn’t hurt herself somehow. Crutches can trip you up, too. Pushing a full-time companion on her now would probably be a mistake. She needs to know that she can cope when she’s by herself.”
“All right. I’ll take care of everything,” Ella replied.
“Good. Then I’ll go ahead and sign her release papers, and you can take her home. If there are any problems, day or night, have her call me immediately.”
Ella said good-bye to Carolyn, went to help her mother with her things, and found that Rose had already walked out into the hallway. “I hope you’re ready,” Rose said. “I’ve been stuck here long enough, and some of the Plant Watchers promised to come visit me this evening.”
A nurse came up and, brushing aside Rose’s protests, escorted her down the long hallway in a wheelchair as Ella walked beside them, carrying her bag of possessions and the crutches. “I don’t want you to overdo it, Mom, or you’ll end up back here.”
“How can I overdo? I’ll have these sticks to lea
n on,” she said, pointing at the crutches. “But at least I’ll have my privacy, and Two will keep me company when no one else is around.” She sniffed. “You’ll be stopping by once in a while during work, I expect.”
Ella felt her chest tighten. “I thought about asking Big Ed for some time off.”
Rose’s eyes grew narrow. “And what would you do, sit around and watch me like I was some toddler?”
“I could catch up on my paperwork, I guess,” Ella said with a tiny smile.
Rose burst out laughing. “We’d both be better off if you were at work. You’re not much good at goofing off.”
“I am serious about getting some leave.” Ella said. “Let me know if you’d like me to.”
Rose studied her daughter’s expression as they went out to the Jeep, but she remained quiet until they were underway and alone. Then Rose took a deep breath. “Police work is the job you’ve given your life to, and it’s part of who you are. If you get away from it for more than a few hours, you get restless.”
“I know,” Ella admitted, “but I have a responsibility to you, too.” She was about to explain how guilty she’s felt over not visiting the hospital more, when she heard her call sign over the radio.
Ella picked it up, identified herself, and received the report of a 10–25.
“What’s going on? I couldn’t make out a word through all that static,” Rose asked as Ella placed the mike back.
“It takes practice. They’re asking me to go meet a neighbor of Wilson’s murdered fiancée,” she said, avoiding Lisa’s name out of respect for her mother’s beliefs. To speak of the recently deceased by name to a traditionalist like her mother would be inappropriate, and according to many, dangerous. “Apparently, my teacher friend went inside the house this morning, and hasn’t been seen since. I’ll go check it out as soon as I get you home.”
“No. Don’t worry about me being with you. Let’s go now. I’ll wait in the Jeep. Your friend may be in trouble,” Rose said in a tone that broached no argument. “He shouldn’t have gone in there again anyway.”
“All right, we’ll go,” Ella said, and called in her response.
At the speed she traveled, it didn’t take long to arrive. As reported, Wilson’s truck was in the driveway. As Ella parked in front of the house, she saw her mother tense up. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?” As a traditionalist, the last place Rose would want to be near is the home of someone who had been killed in a violent way. That she had insisted on coming was an indication of her fondness for Wilson.
“Go inside and do whatever is necessary. I’ll be fine out here.”
Ella saw Lisa’s neighbor step out onto her front porch. Before Ella reached her, the middle-aged Navajo woman gestured toward Lisa’s house and Wilson’s truck, then went back inside. Ella understood the signal. The woman had helped all she was going to. She was also afraid of the house.
Ella tried the front door of Lisa’s home, and found it closed but not locked. Opening it, she went inside. There was still something about this house that felt wrong. She looked around, unable to identify the source of her uneasiness, wondering if it was just a case of imagination mingled with nerves.
“It’s Ella,” she said loudly.
A moment later, Wilson stepped out of the hall closet, a handful of folded clothing in his hands. “I’m here.”
Ella felt her heart go out to him. He’d lost weight over the past few days, and he looked as if he hadn’t slept in a very long time. She smelled what she thought was liquor, and wondered if Wilson had been drinking. She dismissed the thought immediately. Wilson never drank at all. It was probably cleaning fluid or rubbing alcohol that had spilled somewhere while he was going through the closets.
“What are you doing here?” She spoke softly. “You’ve got the neighbors worried. They saw you come in hours ago, but no one’s seen you since then.”
He gestured to several large boxes stacked against the wall. “I’m going through her things. I figure I’d give the clothing to an Anglo church group outside the Rez, so they can distribute them to the poor. Since you’re here, why don’t you go through the cupboard and put the non-perishables you find there into a sack for me to take along with the rest. No Navajo would touch that food if it was known where it came from.”
“Okay, just let me go tell my mother everything is all right. I also need to let dispatch know the same.”
Ella was back in three minutes. She went to the kitchen cupboards and looked inside. They were barren except for a dozen or so cans of vegetables and fruits, mostly sliced peaches. “There’s not much here. How about putting these in one of the boxes with the clothes?”
“Sure. Go ahead.”
Ella looked inside the small built-in pantry. Except for one plastic bag of herbs, and an unopened can of coffee, there wasn’t anything else in there. Curious about the herbs, she opened the bag and sniffed the contents. The sickeningly sweet aroma seemed to squeeze the oxygen right out of her lungs. Closing the bag quickly, she clung to the door for support.
“These herbs,” she asked, managing to find her voice, “What is this stuff?”
“Oh that! Throw the bag out. It’s one of Lisa’s home remedies, a blend she made up. She was convinced it was good for everything from poor circulation to indigestion, but it tastes like swamp water when it’s brewed. She made tea for me with it every time I came over. The stuff is foul, but I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.”
Ella placed the coffee can in one of the boxes, then put the tea in the trash. Herbs were common on the Rez, and people who knew enough to mix their own teas usually had their own specialty blends, like her mother. Rose, in fact, had her own blend for just about everything. With the exception of her mint tea, though, most of it tasted and looked like water that had been scooped out of a mud puddle.
“Okay, the food is in the boxes,” she called out, and then went to join him. “I better go now, though. Mom’s still waiting in the Jeep. She’s finally gotten released from the hospital today.”
“Why didn’t you ask her to come—” He shook his head. “I’m not thinking. I was about to make a very dumb suggestion.”
“When she heard you were here, she insisted on coming to check on you, before I could even get a chance to drop her off. She was worried about you. We both were.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t been by the hospital for a visit, but I don’t think I could cheer anyone up right now.”
“Then just come out and say hello to her,” Ella suggested.
Wison shook his head. “Not when I’ve been handling the personal effects of someone who’s passed away,” he said.
“Normally, I’d agree with you, but I think she’d like to see you anyway, just so she could confirm that you’re okay.”
Wilson shook his head again. “I have to finish this now, while I still can. Some other time. Do you have anything new to tell me concerning the crime?”
“We have a dead gang member we think might have been one of the killers, but we still haven’t been able to confirm his identity. Once we do that, we hope to find out who his partner was. I’ll let you know when we make an arrest.”
“Thanks. I just hope whoever it was doesn’t kill someone else in the meantime.” Wilson’s voice was starting to take on that harsh edge again, and Ella knew it was time to leave.
“Promise you’ll give my mother a call soon, or come by. I think it would be good for both of you.”
Wilson agreed.
When Ella finally joined her mother back in the Jeep, Rose seemed more tense than ever.
Rose gazed at the house in silence, then looked away. “There’s something bad coming from that woman’s house,” she said, avoiding the mention of names. “You must have felt it, it’s so strong.”
Ella nodded. “I know what you mean.” The feeling had been strong, all right, though she wasn’t sure she’d attribute it to anything more than the knowledge that a particularly violent crime had occurred there.
; “How’s your friend? He really shouldn’t stay in that house.”
“He’s packing up his fiancée’s things,” Ella answered.
Rose shook her head. “He should walk away from it all,” she said. “It’s not our way to handle things that belonged to the dead, and he knows that, whether he’s a progressive or not. This house should be abandoned, too, or sold to an Anglo. Wilson is behaving very dangerously because of her. I knew that woman was trouble when she started keeping Wilson from visiting his old friends.”
“You mean when she didn’t let Wilson see me,” Ella clarified for the sake of logic. “It really was understandable. Everyone thought that there was something going on between Wilson and me, and she must have heard the gossip. Under the circumstances, I don’t blame her for not wanting Wilson to visit with any of us.”
Rose shook her head. “It was more than that. I’m sure of it now. There’s evil in that house.”
Ella considered her mother’s words as she drove down the highway. “If you want to know the truth, that entire neighborhood gives me the creeps. You wouldn’t believe what we found in the pocket of one of the murdered teens,” Ella said, then explained about the bone fetish.
Rose looked down the road for a while, then finally spoke. “You know enough about the gifts our family possesses to trust your instincts. It’s only when you ignore what you can’t explain that you get into trouble. Take Clifford back there with you and have him check that woman’s house and yard for things associated with witches. A hataalii can sense evil and knows what signs to look for. He may be able to help you recover objects that she’s kept hidden from everyone, including your friend.”
“You’re that sure there’s something there to find?”
Rose nodded slowly. “I think you know that, too, but for whatever the reason, you’re blocking the thought.”
Ella considered it. Maybe she had shied away from this aspect of it for personal reasons. She still hadn’t questioned Wilson about Lisa’s religious beliefs, as she’d told her team she would. She didn’t want to find out that Lisa was involved with skinwalkers, or worse, was a Navajo witch. Learning that the woman he’d loved had been no more than an enemy casting a spell against him would destroy Wilson.
