“Who’s this witness?” Ella asked quickly.
“He’ll be coming here this morning to make his statement,” Lena replied.
“Is Brewster being watched by the Fierce Ones?” Ella pressed her.
“They’re keeping an eye on things for the police,” Lena said, sidestepping the question. “But you’ll be the first to know if they learn anything.”
“I know you think they’re helping us, but to stand up in a court of law, evidence has to be gathered in a certain way. If we don’t follow certain procedures, your daughter’s killer could walk. It’s not enough to know. We also have to prove it.”
Lena’s gaze hardened. “They might let him go, but he won’t get far.”
“And then what? They’ll go to prison for killing someone they inadvertently helped escape justice,” Ella said. “Let us do the work we’re trained for. By interfering, all you’re really doing is helping your daughter’s killer.”
Lena shook her head slowly. “You’ve had to take my granddaughter from me so you can keep her safe. If you’d really handled the situation, this wouldn’t have been necessary. Those who are looking for this man—Caleb—won’t rest until he’s found. He thinks he can hide on our land. But he’s one of ours and we’ll find him.”
Ella noticed that Lena had deliberately used Caleb’s name. It was her way of taking power away from him.
“I miss my granddaughter. She’s all I’ve got left.” Her voice cracked, and before Ella could say anything, Lena hurried out of the office.
Justine, who’d had to sidestep to avoid crashing into Lena, came in next. “She’s in so much pain, anger is all she’s got to hold on to. When that’s gone, she’s going to fall completely apart,” she said gently. “Don’t let her get to you.”
“She could end up costing lives if she keeps pushing this, and end up in a jail cell herself,” Ella answered, her lips pursed. “But that’s not why you’re here. What’s up?”
“I have some new information for you. Caleb Lujan was working using his Leroy Atso identity. He was caught on the construction company’s security video. Teeny wants you to come take a look.”
Ella hurried into the back room that Teeny and Blalock now shared. Looking over Teeny’s massive shoulder, she saw Caleb clearly. “Is he at work now?”
“No. He hasn’t reported to work for two days now. The foreman said that, as far as he’s concerned, the guy’s fired.”
Big Ed came in a moment later and motioned for Ella to follow him. When they entered his office, he waved her to a seat and shut the door.
“Okay, update me. What arrangements did you make for Boots and why haven’t you filed a report?”
Ella hesitated. What she had to say was bound to make the chief furious. “Lena Clani came in and let me know that the Fierce Ones are hot on Caleb’s trail. One of our people compromised themselves, accidentally or not, and now the Fierce Ones know the details of our case. I suspect that they’ve got a member among us, so I’m playing things close my chest.”
Big Ed’s hands curled into massive fists and his hardened expression mirrored his struggle to curb his temper. Ella knew it wouldn’t take much to push him over that precarious edge now.
“AFierce One here…right under our noses,” he said in a taut voice. “I’ll find him. And after I’m through with him he’ll be lucky to get a job serving french fries,” he muttered, then, after a pause, continued. “Okay, Shorty, moving on. I understand why you’re going slow with the paper trail, but I still need to know where Boots is staying and what arrangements you’ve made.”
“She’s with Reverend Tome at his home over in Waterflow,” Ella answered. “He’s got a bear of a dog that’ll give them plenty of warning if there’s a stranger in the immediate area. Also, one of the Clouds, in plainclothes, will be there to keep an eye on things.”
“Did you contact the sheriff’s department? The deputy who patrols that sector needs to know.”
“Haven’t had time yet.”
“I’ll do that and ask them to increase their patrols, too.” He gave her an approving nod. “Putting her at Reverend Tome’s was good thinking, Shorty. No one will think of looking for her outside our borders or in the company of a Christian preacher.”
“That’s if Caleb’s really after her,” Ella added cautiously. “I wish we could hurry that DNA test.”
“I’ll see what I can do for you. But keep in mind that Caleb has no way of knowing for sure if Boots is his kid or not. All that may matter in the long run is who he thinks is his child. Now tell me what you’re doing to follow up the lead you got on Brewster.”
“I’m going to have Sergeant Neskahi keep an eye on Brewster and have Tache go talk to his wife once she’s alone. I have a feeling Donna’s the key. If Brewster’s guilty, something tells me she’d know.”
“If you don’t want to file a report, keep me updated verbally, but I want to be kept current on what’s going on. Clear?”
“Yes, sir.”
Ella walked out of his office, then headed for the room where Teeny was working. Catching him alone, she gave him an update. “If you have any manpower you can spare, I’d appreciate having someone on the outside, keeping an eye on Ford’s house. Just let Ford and the inside officer know. We don’t want them stalking each other.”
“Right. I’ll let you know when things are in place. Anything else?”
“Keep trying to get a location on Caleb. I won’t breathe easy until that guy is in lockup.”
As she heard the words coming out of her own mouth, she realized that Caleb had pushed her buttons and, somewhere along the way, she’d made it personal. Looking at it dispassionately, Brewster was still a prime suspect. Maybe the murder in L.A. and Kayenta weren’t related to what had happened to Valerie. Or maybe Brewster had preempted Caleb…
Until she knew for sure, making sure Boots stayed safe would remain her top priority.
Twenty-Two
Ella went to Ford’s house that evening dressed in simple brown slacks and a turquoise silk blouse—just as if she were making a social visit. She’d checked often to see if she’d been followed, but with only one major road in the area, tracking her from a distance would have been a relatively easy thing to do.
Ella checked with Officer Philip Cloud, who was standing by the window in a darkened back room and watching the open land behind the house. The night vision binoculars would allow him to remain watchful as long as necessary.
Ella filled him in about the extra patrols, and Philip nodded. “Good. Word has a funny way of getting out on this case, but if this place is somehow compromised, it’ll still be well protected by people you can trust.”
Ella couldn’t ask for more. Confident Philip and his brother Michael were the right men for the job, she left him to his work.
Boots was in the study—a converted bedroom—seated at a large desk and reading from a textbook. She looked up as Ella arrived in the doorway.
“How you holding up, Boots?” Ella asked, noting with satisfaction that the shades were drawn and, from Boot’s position, it was doubtful that any silhouette of her could be seen from outside.
“I’m okay. This is a good chance to catch up on my studies. But I’m worried about missing classes if this lasts beyond the weekend.”
“I’ll talk to your professors, if necessary. Just make sure you don’t make any phone calls or do anything to give away your location.”
“I understand. I’m forbidden to even stand in front of a window. Just catch the man who killed my mom, okay?”
“We’re getting close,” Ella replied, reluctant to say more. If Caleb took off, it might take weeks, or months, to track him down. “Stay safe.”
Ella joined Ford in the kitchen moments later, regrets and second thoughts filling her mind as she considered his situation. She’d placed him in danger by getting him involved and, although he’d readily agreed, she now wondered if she’d been wrong to ask.
Ford brought her a cup of coffe
e. “I’m glad you called me,” he said, as if reading her mind. “There’s no safer place for Boots than here at my house. I’ll be gone during the day of course, but I’m here at night, and Abednego will hear and start barking at anyone who tries to creep up,” he said, glancing down at the dog and giving him an affectionate pat. “He’s a pussycat around people he knows, but no stranger would dare make a move on this property.”
Ella took a sip of the scalding liquid. “I’ve recruited you into something that may turn nasty,” she said softly.
He chuckled. “Believe me, I can handle this. I won’t lead anyone here. And you were smart wearing something other than your normal work clothes. Since people know you and I are seeing each other, no one will think twice about it. And Abednego is quite a sight when he gets riled up. He knows a few tricks, just as I do,” he added with a grin.
“You two are filled with mystery,” she said with a tiny smile. “Wanna play twenty questions, Reverend?” she asked only half jokingly.
“You know more about me than most people,” he said in a serious voice. “Relax and trust your instincts. They’re more reliable than a long list of facts any day.”
Ella looked at the man before her, more intrigued than ever. “When I look at you I see…a maze of government firewalls,” she said, laughing.
He smiled. “Good. At least I’m not boring.” He cocked his head toward his office. “Come on. I’ve dug up some information for you.”
They entered his office, Abednego close to Ford’s side. “You asked me to see what I could get on Caleb,” he said, then pulled out a small vinyl-covered notebook from the desk drawer and glanced at his notes.
“Caleb Frank had his own take on retribution. He believed that it was God’s will that man clean up his own messes here and now. He’d cite passages from the Old Testament to lend support, and made a very convincing case for that notion. But his philosophy went completely counter to the doctrine and practices of the Divine Word Church. That’s why he and your father had to part ways.”
“I have a theory that the murders are his way of cleaning up his own past sins,” she said, and explained. “What do you think?”
He considered her theory, then nodded. “If you’re right about that, then there’s someone else you should talk to soon. She used to be in your father’s church, though these days she and her husband come to ours. Her name is Martha Etcitty, and I was told she’d had an affair with Caleb Frank back in the days when he was a deacon at your father’s church. The reason I didn’t say anything to you before is that my source is far from reliable. She’s an elderly woman who’s known to be a gossip. The only reason she told me is because she dislikes Martha and didn’t want her to become a member of our church.”
Ella called Justine up immediately and passed the name on to her. “Find out whatever you can about her. We’ll be paying her a visit later.”
She’d just hung up when her phone rang. It was Big Ed and from the tone of his voice, she knew he was furious. “Have you looked at the Diné Times?”
“No, why?”
“They ran an article linking Brewster to Valerie Tso’s murder. Lea Garner, the waitress, claims that Valerie had intended on taking Brewster to court for sexual harassment. She said that Brewster was desperate to stop Valerie and tried buying her silence, but she blew him off.”
“I’ll check it out.”
Ella called the Navajo-owned newspaper next and asked for the editor, her friend, Jaime Beyale.
Moments later a familiar voice answered. “I thought I’d be hearing from you,” Jaime said.
“Did you write the article?” Ella asked.
“Guilty,” she answered. “We had no way of verifying Valerie’s intentions, of course, but the rest of the story checked out. Lea called me and said she wasn’t afraid of Brewster anymore, that she wanted to go public and expose the scumbag.”
“Any reason for this sudden burst of bravery on Lea’s part?” Ella asked.
Jaime hesitated. “I can answer that, but it wouldn’t be based on fact, just my own opinion.”
“Understood.”
“I was interviewing her at her home when her brother Wallace came in. He had on that shoestring-size leather band around his wrist.”
Ella waited, but Jaime didn’t elaborate. “You’ve lost me.”
“Word has it that when a member of the Fierce Ones wants to be recognized, he wears that as a sign of his affiliation.”
“I hadn’t heard about that.” It made sense that the Fierce Ones would want to push Brewster’s buttons. Since he was married to a Navajo woman, the Fierce Ones had multiple reasons for wanting him to go down. “Thanks for the tip, Jaime.”
She was still sorting things out in her mind when Justine called. “New lead. I spoke to a couple of Jayne’s friends about Martha Etcitty, and I guess she heard about it, because she just called me. She told me that she’d hooked up with Caleb many years ago, but it hadn’t amounted to much more than a one-night stand. She said that if we needed to talk to her about it, we should stop by tonight, because her husband would be out till late.”
“I’ll meet you at her house,” Ella said.
After saying good-bye to Ford and assuring Boots she’d be well taken care of, Ella hurried out to her car. It was already 9P.M. It was going to be another long night.
Ten minutes later, she arrived at a house on the hillside behind the Good Shepherd Church where Ford preached. The neighborhood of wood-framed houses was relatively new and each residence stood on a one-acre lot. Justine was already there waiting as she pulled up and parked.
“Hey, cuz. Shall we go see what the lady has to say, or do we wait in case she’s a traditionalist?”
Ella glanced around. One car, a late-model sedan, was parked near the side of the house. She could hear the TV all the way from the street. “Let’s go up and knock,” Ella said. “With that much noise inside, I doubt she heard us coming.”
They were almost at the door, when Ella stopped. “Hang on. Something doesn’t feel right.” Over the years, she’d learned not to dismiss feelings she couldn’t explain. Ella placed her hand on the badger fetish she always wore around her neck. It felt warm, but not hot.
“Stay sharp,” she warned Justine and continued to the door. Nothing seemed out of place, yet the odd feeling persisted. When she knocked loudly, identifying herself, there was no response.
Ella stood rock still and listened. The raucous laughter of a television sitcom echoed across the yard, landscaped with colored gravel and a few hardy bushes. Aware of the slight part in the curtains to her right, Ella moved to the window, and, staying to one side, peered in. The interior was encased in darkness except for the glow of the TV set somewhere down the hall. From what she could see, everything looked neat and orderly.
“That’s her vehicle. I already checked,” Justine answered gesturing to the sedan.
“Go around the house and see if any other windows are open, or the curtains drawn back,” Ella said.
“What if she’s in bed, and she’s not alone?”
“Then somebody is going to be embarrassed. It’s worth the risk.”
Justine went around to the left, and Ella covered the right. As she reached what she assumed was a bedroom window, Ella glanced inside. The muted light coming from the bathroom covered the bedroom in a pale yellow glow. She could see what appeared to be a bullet hole in the middle of the back wall, and dark stains on the carpet. A lamp lay on its side near the headboard, the shade askew. In contrast to the chaos surrounding the bed, some clothes had been neatly folded and placed at the foot of the bed.
“Something bad went down here, partner. We’re going in,” Ella said, using her handheld radio.
“Back door,” Justine responded. “It’s not locked.”
Ella met her partner, and weapons out, they moved into the kitchen. Once again they identified themselves, but no one answered. After clearing every room they passed, they entered the master bedroom and followed the
trail of blood into the bathroom.
The dead woman was dressed in her Sunday best—a yellow, flowery dress, low heels, and a matching scarf. She’d been propped next to the bathtub in a kneeling position. Her hair was still dripping wet. The cuts and bruises that covered her face, arms, and legs said she hadn’t gone down without a fight.
Ella holstered her weapon. “There was a pair of slacks and a sweater folded on the bed,” Ella said. “This was staged after she died.”
“Same MO,” Justine answered quietly.
They went back to collect their gloves, two pairs each, and called Neskahi and Tache.
“Can you positively ID the victim?” Ella asked Justine.
She nodded. “It’s the woman we were searching for. I know her face from her driver’s license.”
The full moon pushed back the darkness, and Ella’s gaze took in the hillside above them. “While you begin processing the scene, I’m going to take a look outside and see if I can spot anyone watching us. This guy goes to a lot of trouble to stage things just right and he likes signing his work, so I’ve got a feeling he’s not far. We may have interrupted him.”
Leaving Justine to take photos and gather evidence, Ella walked out the back door and moved toward high ground, listening every step of the way. As she neared the summit of the small hillside she heard the sound of low laughter. Then, in a heartbeat, it was gone. Except for the distant rumble of a truck on the highway below, it was silent.
“Come out and avoid getting shot,” she said firmly, peering into the darkness. She couldn’t see him, but she could sense someone out there. For a moment Ella considered using her flashlight, but if the killer was armed—and the bullet hole in the wall suggested that was the case—she’d just make herself a target.
Another gust of wind swirled around her, but this time she heard nothing at all. Ella slipped noiselessly through the brush, a skill she’d learned as a kid growing up on the Rez. She also knew how to spot a trail, no matter how faint. Yet, as she searched the ground directly ahead, she found absolutely nothing.
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