by Rita Karnopp
“With enough money to replace every school in Browning with a brand new one. One hell of a deal…if you don’t know about the gold.” Running Crane flipped through the Montana Toxic Waste Prospective Plan. Sketches showed miles of buried toxic waste drums nestled deep in the depleted gold mine. “The toxic waste angle is a clever one.”
Summer stretched her neck, right and then left. “I agree. They’ll expose Worthington’s unscrupulous ways of obtaining Blackfeet Reservation land. After stirring up bad feelings there, they’ll reveal his ultimate plan to use the land to bury toxic waste drums from Texas, saving him millions of dollars.”
“I see there are typed-in party agreement lines on the toxic waste plan, but no actual signatures. But along with Worthington’s shady purchase of the land and this plan conveniently nestled in the same envelop, who is going to question it?” Running Crane closed his eyes for a moment.
“It won’t hold up in a court of law without—”
“Worthington’s signature.”
“That’s it,” Summer turned enough in her seat to face Running Crane. “Nah’ah is going to be one credible witness. And that will add kidnapping to Worthington’s long list of offenses. They’ll get him to sign that toxic waste plan by threatening Domonique.”
“You’re a genius!” Running Crane bent over and kissed Summer hard on the lips. “That brings us back to the conclusion Domonique’s life is in danger. Once he’s signed that plan, she’s dead…and his suffering begins.”
“I think you’re right.”
“Do you have any idea where we might find Domonique?” Running Crane dropped the remaining documents back into the computer cavity. “We have these documents—”
“We’re not showing her those pictures. We should destroy them. What good would come of her seeing…no Running she would be—”
“I don’t think she stabbed her brother, I think she was staged with that knife and all that blood. I think Worthington did the deed and made sure those pictures were taken. What he didn’t expect is being caught running from the scene with blood on his hands.”
“Oh, I…never thought about that. I really believed Domonique…that poor child. Again, I don’t think she needs to see those pictures. I think it would devastate her. We should just burn them—”
“We’re not destroying any evidence. There’s no reason to show her those pictures. We can show her the birth certificate, the land purchase, plus that waste plan. She’ll believe she’s in danger once she sees them. Let’s sit outside for a while. “He got out of the car and walked around, opening the passenger side for her.
Summer headed straight toward a large cottonwood tree and leaned against it. “I hope so. We should head back to Missoula first thing—”
“No, I’m tired of driving around in circles.” He stood next to her and pulled out his cellphone and pressed a button. “It’s me. Text me Domonique Worthington’s cell number. I’ll explain—later.” He hung up and gave Summer a glance. She looked as exhausted as he felt.
“This has been the craziest couple of weeks I’ve ever experienced. If we live through this, I’m taking a month off with Nah’ah, just like she wanted. I have so many questions about our people. I can’t help worrying about her.”
“She’s tough, just like you. I think she’ll be happy you want to do that. I’d love to be your protector,” he smiled. Moving toward her, he pulled her into his arms and lowered his head. He loved how she met him half-way, their lips asking for satisfaction.
His phone buzzed and he reluctantly released Summer. “Hello…who is this?” He took in the scene, following the creek as it meandered across the land. He loved this place; the peacefulness and the strength it gave him.
Summer grabbed Running Crane’s phone. “Summer Timber Wolf. I know I’m the last person you expected to hear from…but…you have to know your life’s in danger.”
Running Crane pressed the speaker button and listened to the conversation.
“I heard you and that BIA guy were sent off to find that paperwork. Oh…you found it—didn’t you?”
“We need to talk.”
“Come on, tell me where you found it. Do you realize how many guys have been scouring around for that? It’s almost humorous a woman found them. Guys think they’re so tough and all that.”
Summer glanced over at Running Crane. “Like I said, we need to talk…and yes, we found the land contract and some other interesting documents. Don’t tell anyone we found them or where you’re going. Like I said, we believe you’re in danger.”
“Where do you want to me to meet you?”
Running Crane leaned closer to the phone. “I know you’re not all that familiar with Montana, but a bit over twenty-three miles north of Browning you’ll find Buffalo Lake. Just take highway two-thirteen and you can’t miss it.”
“I’m not driving miles and miles across Montana, I’ll be coming by helicopter.”
“We’re at the northeast corner of the lake. There’s a circle drive on the point you can’t miss. We’re parked nearby.”
“I…guess that works. Are we…going to the mine?”
“We need to talk.” Running Crane cleared his throat. “You can decide what you want to do when all is said and done.”
“Something tells me I’m not going to like what I find out…am I?”
He could hear the hesitation and even sadness in her tone. “I’ll be honest—it’s not going to be what you expect and…not what you’ll want to hear. Whatever you do, don’t tell anyone where we are or where you’re going. And, Domonique…”
“Yes?”
“Don’t tell your father.” Running Crane waited for her response.
“Why?”
“Just know he’s in the middle of all this…and before you make any decisions, you need to see the evidence and come to your own conclusions.”
“Okay, expect me around eight tomorrow morning. You better not be trying to trick me to get Summer’s grandmother back. You try anything like that and she’ll be dead before you can find her.”
“We’re not trying anything…we want to save your life,” Summer said.
“I’m not sure why, but I believe you, Summer. You help me and I’ll see what I can do to get your grandmother back to you safe and sound.”
Running Crane smiled at Summer. “You can count on us…and I hope we can count on you.”
“We’ll see…won’t we?”
A dial tone announced Domonique had hung up. “I’m not so sure she’s as grateful as we thought she’d be. I can’t blame her for thinking we’re up to something. You think we made a mistake by calling her and letting her know where we are?”
“I sure hope not. I guess if a chopper full of gunmen show up…we’ll have the answer to that, won’t we?”
* * *
Summer woke to the chirping of birds and early morning light filtering through the car window. She spotted Running Crane under the cottonwood. First he faced east and sang his song asking for help for Natosi to rise. He raised a braid of burning sweetgrass in the four directions, pulling the smoke over himself. She knew the smoke purified him and let Ihtsi-pai-tapi-yopa, the Essence of All Life, Creator, to hear his prayers.
Waking with Nah’ah on her mind, Summer felt an urgency to make her grandmother safe. Stretching, Summer didn’t want to disturb Running Crane while he prayed. She noticed a paper cup with a toothbrush resting in it, and realized he’d already freshened up for the day. She set his toothbrush on the dash and filled the cup with some water and quietly got out of the car, walked to the back side, and quickly brushed her teeth. Refreshed she returned to the car and retrieved her brush and pulled it through very matted shoulder-length hair. She couldn’t help regretting the twelve inches she’d had cut off last year. She wanted to appear more-white than Native, which wasn’t all that hard to do. She remembered when she was young; it hurt to look more napi’kwan than Blackfeet.
Summer tossed the brush into the car and crossed the distance to
the shoreline. She stood taking in the beauty of Buffalo Lake, the smooth water mirrored the shoreline. The early stillness hovered a kind of eeriness, birds chirped in the distance, and the cool morning air reminded her why she loved Montana. Running Crane’s chanting stopped. She glanced over at him, and said, “Good morning. I see why you like this place.”
“Can you imagine what large bulldozers and tunneling equipment will do to the landscape? What was Kevin Wild Horse thinking?”
“Maybe he didn’t have a choice, or maybe he signed that contract so they’d believe he was one of them? Maybe he wanted the inside scoop or with his son in love with the buyer’s daughter, he felt he had no choice. Who knows? Nah’ah trusts him, so I trust him.”
“I agree with you on that one.” He rolled off his knees and sat, then motioned for her to join him on the grass.
Summer smiled and snuggled up against him. “I’m worried about Nah’ah and I just pray she’ll be safely with us after today.” She waited while Running Crane thought things through, before speaking.
“Today is going to be an interesting one. We’re going to get some answers…I just hope it’s the answers we want.”
She looked into his warm brown eyes and held still. She’d fought against even liking Running Crane for so many years and here he was…making her heart pound. He excited her and she drew in a breath to slow down her breathing.
Before she knew it, his soft lips covered hers and she melted into his embrace. She couldn’t stop him even if she wanted…and she didn’t want.
He kissed a hot line down her jaw, neck, and past her collar bone. He seductively flipped several buttons open, then slid the edges of her bra down before taking her firm, full breast into his mouth.
Summer gasped and pulled his head into her. She lay back on the grass and Running Crane stretched across her, recapturing her lips.
He sat and moved back, pulling off his shirt. She smiled and removed her blouse, jeans, shoes, socks, and finally panties. She wanted him, and in this peaceful place…it seemed more right than ever.
She shivered more from his touch than the cool morning air. The more he kissed and touched, the more she wanted. Finally he slid into her…and she raised her hips to receive him. As he increased the tempo, she found herself trembling in want. Wrapped in emotion and desire, Summer took him fully – giving all she had in return.
A gripping jolt sent them over the edge together and they lay spent in each other’s arms.
He rose to an elbow and slid several strands of hair behind her ear. He stared into her eyes and she stared back at him. She hated to admit she really cared about Running Crane…if she was honest – she more than cared. It seemed they belonged to each other in a way she’d never felt before. It seemed right and destined.
“You know I’m falling in love with you, Niipo? Could I possibly believe you feel the same way about me?”
Summer smiled up at him. “Possibly. I…it feels right to be in your arms. It’s almost like we were made for each other. I’m so afraid something will come along and take you from me. My track record for relationships is on the flip-side of right.”
“Maybe together we can make it right. That would mean…some changes and big decisions from both of us. But right now we have more pressing decisions to make. Let’s get dressed before our guests arrive.”
“Good idea,” she laughed.
“Not before we have a refreshing wash.”
Before she could answer, he swept her into his arms and ran into the icy water. The deep drop-off sent them both plunging beneath the surface, then sputtering as they surfaced. They laughed at the surprise it offered them both.
“You’re in big trouble, mister. When I get even you’ll wish you’d never dropped me into this icy water!” She swam until her feet touched the ground. She twisted her hair squeezing it tight as she ran toward her clothes.
“That was twice as cold as I expected. Mountain waters just don’t warm up,” Running Crane laughed.
By the time she pulled on her jeans, her body had dried. She walked to the car and retrieved her brush. “Hey, I hear a chopper heading this way,” she shouted.
“Yep, me too.” Running Crane pulled up the zipper of his jeans and walked toward the car squeezing water from his braids. “You have to admit, that felt incredible.”
“I might agree, but if I do then I can’t get even. I think I prefer being upset.” She smiled, then quickly grew serious. She said nothing when Running Crane slid his forty-five down the backside of his jeans, pulling his plaid shirt over it.
As the chopper approached in the sky, a sudden wind whirled up and passed across them…then left as quickly as it appeared. “That was strange…almost like a warning.”
“You’re becoming paranoid. It was only a wind devil.”
“I think it was more than that…I believe…my ancestors’ spirits are whispering to me. They want me to be careful. Things are not what we believe they are.”
“I’m not going to question that. If you believe they were among us—I believe it.”
In silence, they waited by the car, shielding their faces from whirling wind, dirt, grass and sticks from the chopper’s blades. Domonique Worthington and one male escort headed their way. It seemed more of a relief than she imagined. What would they have done if a group of gun totting thugs jumped out of that chopper?
“Charlie, stay back and keep an eye out for anyone approaching. Hi, Summer…Running Crane.”
Summer didn’t miss the arm cast beneath her expensive wool jacket. “Hi. We’re glad you came. I know you had nothing to do with my grandmother’s abduction. If I thought otherwise, we’d never have called you. And…I’m…sorry I broke your arm.”
“You might say I asked for it.”
“You’ve walked a fine-line with me, Domonique,” Running Crane said.
“What exactly do you mean by that?”
He stretched his neck first right, then left. “There was a time I thought you were the center of everything happening. Once we saw those papers Borden had been hiding…well…I have to admit, I might have been wrong about you.”
“You really have those documents my father’s been ranting about? This ought to be good, since it takes a lot to rattle his chain. You do realize we have to strike some kind of bargain…as…angry as he can make me – I don’t want him spending time in prison.”
“You might not feel that way…in a while. Running Crane, do you want to get the documents and we’ll sit on those rocks by the shore?”
“Sure,” he said.
Summer realized Running Crane had become quiet and she wondered what was bothering him. “Have you been to the mine?”
“I’ve only heard talk about it…can’t say I really know where it’s located. One thing about Montana, it’s certainly as big as Texas.”
Summer smiled. “I’d venture to say we’re as beautiful as we are big. Why don’t you sit there on that boulder?”
“This is a pretty spot, although I’m not crazy about sitting on dirty rocks. I didn’t come here for the chit-chat or the scenery. You two implied my father…what…is doing something illegal? You do realize just because we have money, that doesn’t make us crooks, right?”
“We aren’t trying to imply anything,” Running Crane said. He sat on a rock next to Summer, facing Domonique. “We have proof. For instance here’s a contract between your father and Kevin Wild Horse.” He handed it over to Domonique.
“It looks like a legal land sale contract. This proves nothing.” She handed the document back.
“Here are core sample results that date-wise prove your father knew about there being oil and a rich vein of gold on that land. No problem with the oil, since that was what the lease was all about. But, purchasing Reservation land—that’s another thing completely.” Running Crane dug through the stack of documents he held on his lap.
“It looks all legal and binding to me. How exactly do you figure this endangers my life?”
“Do
you remember a time when your father and Winter were…a couple?”
Summer noticed Domonique’s cheeks color. She swallowed and Summer wondered if it was going to get ugly. “You know she’s my mother, right?”
“Yes, I know the woman. Why?”
“Do you remember having a younger brother?” Running Crane asked.
“Umm…I was uh…around ten when he died. Why are you asking about my brother?”
Summer leaned forward. “Did you know he wasn’t…your father’s son?”
“What the hell are you talking about? Of course he was my father’s son.”
Running Crane handed Domonique a paper. “This birth certificate states Lawrence Anderson Borden, son of Lawrence Borden and Winter Anderson.”
Summer drew in a breath. “Winter Anderson is my mother’s maiden name.”
“Why are you telling me this? I don’t get what this has to do with me. So…my dead brother wasn’t my dad’s kid. It was so long ago…who cares?”
Running Crane took the birth certificate back. “Lawrence Borden and Winter Timber Wolf care. Your father killed their son.”
“I repeat, what’s that have to do with me? Why should I care one way or the other? The two of you aren’t making any sense.”
Summer leaned forward. “We believe Borden and my mother want your father to suffer for their loss. They are setting him up for—”
“Kidnapping, land swindling and here are plans to bury hazardous waste on the Reservation land after the gold and oil is gone. These are all Federal offenses and will put his ass in prison…I would guess he’ll die there.”
“Again, how is this going to threaten my life? You two made it sound like someone was out to kill me.”
Summer leaned back and stared at Domonique. “You don’t care they’re framing your father for all this…which will land him in prison for the rest of his life?”
Domonique scrunched up her lips and rolled her eyes to the sky. “Of course, I don’t want that to happen. I’m…not sure why you thought it necessary I fly here to hear all this.”
