“Doesn’t mean a thing to these ‘artist’ types. Anyway, I’ve got my Bronco on a side street. Let’s go to your place so you can change into something more practical, like jeans and hiking boots. I’m taking you someplace special.”
“Great. Where’s that?”
“You’ll see.”
Abe’s rented bungalow sat on a bluff within walking distance of the college, but he took advantage of Emily’s offer of a ride, and they got there in five minutes.
“I’ll wait out here for you. Bring Patch.”
A half hour later, they left Farmington behind and headed toward Shiprock, then split off to Indian Service Route 13. Abe never tired of the scenery on the Navajo Nation, a mystical land blessed with red rock mesas, natural sandstone arches, and incredible eroded rock formations in every color and form imaginable. They crossed into Arizona near Red Valley, with Emily still secretive about their destination.
“You are very mysterious today, sweetheart. What’s up?”
Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “It’s a surprise. Be patient, though I’ve noticed that isn’t always your strong suit.”
Abe knew that occasionally he was hotheaded and impulsive. “I hope my finer qualities outshine my faults.” Grinning, he glanced at Patch, perched beside a covered basket on the backseat.
“Lucky for you, they do.” Emily guided the Bronco along a twisting mountain road and over a high pass. “We’re almost there.”
“It’s beautiful country. Wherever we’re headed, I’m happy to be going there with you. By the way, I haven’t seen Will in a while.”
“He’s accompanying Grandfather on his quest to the six sacred mountains. Will is still an apprentice hataalii, and Grandfather is showing him where to find items he needs to replenish his jish.”
“Jish?”
“Bundles of sacred soil, herbs, and various other things for his medicine bag. Only the hataalii knows the contents of the jish, and each item must be renewed every year. Grandfather is blessed with many years of experience as a hataalii, but he is feeling those years. This may be his last trip to our sacred mountains, and he wants to pass on all his knowledge and prayer songs to Will.”
Abe didn’t understand the magic of Navajo healing ceremonies, but he had witnessed the transformation in Will after the sweat-lodge cleansing ceremony performed by his grandfather. Will no longer felt the need for alcohol to achieve what the Navajo called hózhǫ́—a state of harmony, peace, and balance.
Emily grinned. “And I have more news. There will be another Kinaaldá for Darcy and Lina. This time, they will celebrate and run the races together. We’re invited, of course.”
“That’s great. I’m glad they’re doing it together.” He smiled back at her. The girls had won their race against time. Now, they would go full circle. “I can’t wait to see them, but you are going to sit this one out, Em.”
They drove on, through the village of Luckachukai, then veered onto Indian Route 64 toward Chinle, on the rim of a long three-armed canyon with spectacular vertical walls.
“Wow. What is this beautiful place?”
“Canyon de Chelly—the only national park on Navajo land. It’s administered jointly by the Diné and National Park Services and has been an ancestral home for the Anasazi, the Pueblo Tribes, and the Navajo. There are still about forty Navajo families living and working here for the park services. We can walk along the rim and hike down into the canyon. This is also the place where Kit Carson trapped the Diné, leading to their surrender and the devastation of the long walk.”
“It’s amazing and haunting at the same time. Ghosts of the past.”
“Yes. Best not to disturb them. See that tall pinnacle? That’s Spider Rock, home of Spider Grandmother, Na’ashjéii Asdzáá, creator of the world. Our legends say she was responsible for the stars; she took the web she had spun, laced it with dew, threw it into the sky, and the dew became stars.”
“Very romantic.”
“I love our legends. I never tire of these stories.”
“I love it when you tell them.”
“Get that thing out of the backseat, and let’s walk along the edge here.”
“I hope there’s something good to eat in there. I’m starving.”
Emily laughed, a sound like tinkling bells. “We can eat in Chinle. I wanted to bring you to this place for another reason.”
Puzzled, Abe fetched the bulky item from the Bronco and returned to where Emily waited.
“We can sit on this boulder overlooking the canyon. Put that down between us.” As Abe watched, Emily took the blanket from around the object.
He stared, his mouth hanging open, at the ponderosa-pine frame looped with buckskin laces. “Emily, is that what I think it is? Are you . . . ?”
“It’s a cradleboard, passed down through generations in my family. And, yes, I am. You’re going to be a father, Abe Freeman.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to recognize some of the wonderful people who have helped make this novel a reality. To the loyal gang of fellow writers in my critique group who have spent countless hours poring over my manuscript and providing feedback—Pat Walsh, Steve Anderson, John Johnson—a sincere thank-you. I am indebted to an amazing Navajo hataalii and healer, Rita Gilmore, who has so generously shared her wisdom and knowledge. Her stories have given me a greater understanding of Navajo spirituality.
Eternal thanks also to acquisitions editors Jacquelyn BenZekry and Jessica Tribble for believing in me, and to developmental editor Charlotte Herscher for her sound advice and patience in helping me polish this piece of work. I am exceedingly grateful to the entire team at Thomas & Mercer for all their input. And, as always, I want to give gratitude to my family for their continued support. I am truly blessed to have these people in my life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © 2016 J.F. Johnson
Sandra Bolton’s novels are based on her real-life experiences with diverse settings and cultures, as well as a desire to right racial inequality. Her first novel, A Cipher in the Sand, was inspired by her work in the Peace Corps in Honduras; while Key Witness and her follow-up novel, Abducted Innocence, were inspired by her years spent teaching Navajo children.
With twenty-five years of teaching experience and a master’s degree in guidance counseling, Sandra is no stranger to compelling stories, but her love of writing truly began with a passion for reading. Then, her skills were honed under the tutelage of southwestern mystery writer Steven F. Havill.
Originally from California, Sandra has traveled the globe with her military husband and three kids. She now resides in Raton, New Mexico, where she divides her time between writing, hiking, photography, and gourmet cooking. Sandra is currently at work on a third novel in the Emily Etcitty Mysteries with the help of her coauthors—her cat, Fidel, and her dog, Sam.
For more on the author and her work, visit her website, www.sandrabolton.com, or find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sandraboltonauthor.
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