Chase The Wind

by Janelle Taylor

  “I’m impressed. You continue to amaze and teach me. Being your partner is one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.”

  Navarro looked at Beth and said, “Sorry you have to stay here and miss the heart of the action. You deserve to be in on their defeat, but it’s too risky with you being a woman and a fiery redhead to boot. We don’t wanna bust your cover for future assignments; you’re far too memorable, Beth Breed. ‘Course, if you hide that red hair, dirty your white skin, put on your Indian garments, and paint your face, you could hide behind the others. It’s no secret that some of the Apache tribes had female warriors.”

  “You mean I can go and help? See everything up close?”

  “If you promise to keep outta sight and avoid stray bullets.”

  “I promise. Let me go change; then, you can decorate. Wait, I only have my buckskins with me. Will they be all right for a disguise?”

  “Nope.” He saw her exuberance fade as disappointment filled her. “Put on those things Sees-Through-Clouds is holding. He says they’re yours to keep.”

  Beth rushed into the woods and donned the ceremonial garments. She tied a buckskin cloth over her hair and tossed a colorful blanket similar to a Mexican rebozo over it. She hurried back to Navarro. “Ready.”

  The lawman painted her face and neck yellow, then decorated her cheeks and forehead with blue and red designs. He did the same with her pale hands. He didn’t tell her to remove the wedding band, as it shouldn’t be noticeable at a distance. If it were, the white men would think it was stolen from their kind during a raid. It wasn’t necessary to color her legs, as they didn’t show with the long dress and high-topped moccasins.

  Navarro eyed his completed task and grinned. “Perfect.”

  One of the braves said, “Nkeedéndla,” and pointed to the other hill.

  “What is it?” Beth asked.

  “He said they flashed the signal; Charles is in sight. Let’s ride.”

  Everyone mounted except the shaman.

  “Aren’t you coming with us, Sees-Through-Clouds?” she asked.

  The elderly man spoke in Chiricahua to Navarro, who translated for Beth. “He says he’ll watch the great deed from here. His task is done in this sacred mission. When the battle is over, he’ll return to the hills to live out his days in peace. He says they’re short but he will die in freedom. No, Beth, don’t argue,” he advised to halt her protest. “He’s right; it’s his way.”

  Her gaze roamed the deep lines in the old man’s face and drifted over his white hair. She noticed how slumped his shoulders were and how tired he appeared after the long journey to this site. She looked into eyes that were clouded by age and troubled vision. This was the last time she would see him, a man who had foretold her destiny and helped it come true. “Goodbye, Sees-Through-Clouds, my friend. I shall never forget you.”

  Navarro translated for the smiling and misty-eyed shaman again, “Wise One says he will remember Flamehair for all his days left on Earth Mother and for all the days he lives in the spirit world. He says Ysun will guide you and protect you, and White Painted Woman will bless you with treasures. We must go and face our last challenge of this mission, partner.”

  Beth smiled and waved at the shaman as they left him standing there alone. God bless you, too, Sees-Through-Clouds: stay safe and happy.

  As they waited in the clearing for the arms rendezvous, Navarro fingered the amulet the shaman had given to him this morning; he had claimed it held great magic. He knew the old man’s days were numbered short and he hoped his friend stayed safe until they passed. He had promised to contact President Cleveland, Secretary of War Endicott, and Secretary of Interior Lamar to persuade them to get the Bureau of Indian Affairs to investigate and halt the many injustices against the Apaches. He also promised he would try to get assigned to probe the Chiricahuas’ charges of corruption and abuses at San Carlos Reservation. With luck, Beth could work as his partner again. But before a new case was taken on, he wanted to settle personal matters with her. Not much longer, he told himself, until he could do so, as this mission should be completed today.

  As suspected, Charles sent two scouts to check the area’s security from a distance with fieldglasses. Duped by what they saw, they returned to their boss and reported everything was fine. A coded signal was flashed to Navarro that they and the scene had passed inspection.

  In an hour, the noisy caravan of seven freighters, one schooner, and twenty-two men entered the valley. Some of the white men rode on horseback on all sides of the wagons. Others were aboard them, their mounts’ reins tied to tailgates. At a steady pace, the miscreants approached their buyers.

  Navarro noticed the unfamiliar white man sitting on a wagon seat and assumed it was Ben from Morenci. He also assumed Charles Cordell and Jim Tiller were hidden in the covered schooner since they weren’t in sight. As that wagon held a Gatling gun, he warned himself to be alert for trouble.

  When the party halted over fifty feet away, Nighthawk and a chosen few other Indians stood and went forward to speak with the seller. The stranger alighted from the wagon and looked at the man he thought was Eagle Eye. The imposter asked if they had the guns and bullets for trade.

  “Yes, we have everything we promised. What about you?”

  Nighthawk handed him a fake map. “That is my trade.”

  Blue eyes studied drawings on an old leather skin. He recognized many landmarks. “You’re sure this is where we can find the silver metal?”

  “I speak true.” He took back the skin. “Show me guns for map.”

  Ben called out orders, and a box was unloaded and pried open. He lifted a lever-action rifle and handed it to the Indian, who accepted and examined the repeating model.

  Nighthawk passed other guns to his friends nearby for them to pretend to study. “How many you bring?”

  “Many rifles, Eagle Eye, more than you’ll need. The wagons are full.”

  “We look. See all boxes have guns and fire balls.”

  “Suit yourself. Stand back, boys, and let them have their way.”

  White hirelings moved back from the wagons so the copper-skinned group could climb aboard and break open crate after crate as if to be sure they weren’t being duped with empty or rock-filled ones. When Nighthawk came to boxes of ammunition, he tossed cartridges to his helpers and told them to load the weapons and make sure they worked. A tense Ben protested.

  “Make sure rifles good before trade silver metal for bad ones.”

  “You can do the testing yourself, but your friends don’t get rifles until our deal is settled. Choose any rifle you wish and try it out, but only you.”

  Navarro and Beth remained to the rear of those who hung back at a campfire with the horses. He wondered why Charles and Jim didn’t show themselves and why their ill-fated partner was handling this crucial aspect of the sale. “Something’s wrong,” he whispered to his partner.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Just a gut feeling.” Go look in that covered wagon; he tried to send a mental message to Nighthawk. “Stay here. I’m going to nose around.”

  “What if they recognize you?”

  “You think they might, dressed and painted like this?”

  “No,” she admitted. “But be careful. You’ve got me nervous now.”

  Navarro worked his way to the schooner, pulled aside the flap, and was stunned by what he viewed. A culprit was standing at one of two awesome weapons, as if ready to fire it if given the word. The disguised agent kept his expression passive as the man eyed him with a scowl. He saw how the weapons were mounted on wooden stands instead of wheel bases and were facing opposite sides to thwart attacks from either direction. He knew what just one rapid-firing Gatling gun could do to the soldiers and Indians, a reaction he must prevent. He lowered the flap of the wagon and walked to the front as if checking out the team which was part of the deal. In truth, he was searching for a way to get inside and disable the villain before he gave the Army an attack signal. Without
exposing his intention, it was impossible.

  Navarro went to Nighthawk and told him in Chiricahua to ask to see the big guns in the covered wagon, to demand they be unloaded so he could examine them. Nighthawk obeyed, but Ben refused.

  “They’re bolted down for travel so they wouldn’t get damaged. They’re heavy and awkward. It’ll take too much time and work to unload them. You’d just have to put them back to haul them to your camp.”

  Navarro whispered added instructions to Nighthawk.

  “Bring big gun from wagon. Teach how to shoot.”

  “All you do is aim it at your enemies and turn the handle; it’s easy.”

  “Show Eagle Eye how to shoot, how to put in metal bullets. Guns no good if no can shoot. You teach, or trade no good: I take map and go; you take wagons and go.”

  “We had a deal, Eagle Eye: weapons for silver, and supplies until they arrived so you could stay hidden from soldiers. We’ve kept our end of the bargain. Nothing was said about teaching you to fire and load them.”

  “Weapons no good to Chiricahua if not know how to use.”

  “There’s no time for lessons; we need to get back home before dark. Besides, it isn’t necessary; as I said, all you do is turn the handle to fire. The ammo crates have picture lessons on how to load them for people who can’t read. Just look at the papers and you can figure out that procedure.”

  Nighthawk consulted in whispers with Navarro again before he scoffed, “You trick Eagle Eye? Big guns no good? You scared I see?”

  “You can play with the weapons all you want after we leave. Give me the map and our business is finished. If not, we’re leaving with the guns.”

  Navarro realized the stranger and his culprits were getting anxious; they were glancing around as they moved toward their horses. Since the lawbreakers had incriminated themselves and the trappers’ advantage might be stolen soon, he had no choice but to give the signal. In Chiricahua, he warned the Indians about the lethal power of the big guns and told them to pull back and take cover when he let out a prearranged yell for the soldiers to respond with an attack.

  It was too late. The hirelings sensed treachery, pulled their weapons, and began firing at the buyers. On alert, the renegades avoided the rain of bullets. Their shots were returned by the Indians with bows and arrows. Troops with rifles and pistols made their presence and threat known from behind rocks, trees, and bushes.

  As ordered by her partner, at the first sign of danger, Beth had taken cover behind a large boulder, carrying his bow and quiver along. She saw mounted outlaws panic and gallop toward a retreat. Soldiers who had closed the gap during the meeting opened fire; that surprised and caused the villains to rein up and turn to escape in the other direction, to receive the same kind of reception. It was clear they were surrounded, so they dismounted and used their horses for protection as they returned gunfire. She watched in horror as the schooner’s canvas covering separated at the top and fell to both sides, exposing the enormous threat. Within moments, its deadly blasts drowned those of pistol and rifle noise and people’s voices.

  Navarro weaved a path toward that target, but was jumped by a culprit before he could reach it. They battled with wits and fists, preventing him from reaching the man with the Gatling gun. That beast was careful where he aimed since his friends and cohorts were mingled with Indians; it seemed as if he was sending out intimidation shots for now. The soldiers didn’t want to kill the peaceful party by error either. That precaution compelled them to surge forward to assist.

  For defense, the man on the wagon raised the barrel’s level to point his powerful gun in the direction of the blue-clad advance. Before he could crank the handle and spit forth injury and death, Beth locked her aim and released an arrow. She prayed it would strike its target or many people would die in this clearing.

  It did, at the same time Navarro’s knife entered the man’s chest. As the villain staggered a moment, he recognized his own arrow and his gaze scanned for his partner to see if she was imperiling herself. She wasn’t, and he was relieved. He focused on the battle at hand. He fought his way to the wagon and leapt upon it; he opened fire on villains who were at a safe distance from friends and allies, evoking their surrender.

  As soldiers and Indians closed in on the others, those remaining alive also yielded. Within minutes, all Cordell’s men were either dead or captured.

  Navarro went to the spot where a wounded and bloody Ben writhed in agony. “Who are you? Where’s Cordell and Tiller?”

  The tormented stranger murmured, “Ben Murphy. From Morenci. Tell my family and friends I tried to avenge and protect them and failed.”

  Navarro repeated his second question and the man said he didn’t know. “Where’s the fourth Gatling gun? Does Cordell have it with him?”

  “No, he sent an extra one to Diaz as a gift to make him happy.”

  “Why did you try to provoke war? We’re near peace.”

  The dying man said, “Those savages raped my wife and daughter years ago. My dear Mary killed herself out of shame. My sweet Anne lives in a silent dream world. I wanted those bastards to use these guns to provoke the Army and all whites against them. I wanted them hunted down like the animals they are and destroyed. I wanted those vipers cleared out of their nests in Arizona. With them dead or gone, they’d never harm another white woman again, never attack my copper mine again. I wanted them ki—” The suffering man died before he could reveal more.

  Navarro shook his head and muttered, “He hated the wrong people and hunger for revenge made him loco. If the attackers had been Apache, they would have slain everyone or taken the women captive as slaves or to sell. It was probably white men disguised as Indians; I’ve seen that happen many times before.”

  Navarro questioned other men about their boss’s whereabouts, but none would tell, if anyone knew. He resolved that their evil leader wouldn’t escape justice or become a threat to innocents.

  Zachariah Abernathy reached the scene. The black man told Navarro how he was contacted by mirror messages that the trap was in progress and to join the signalers. “You must have told them to be on the watch for me.”

  “I did. What happened to Cordell and Tiller?”

  “Don’t know. Just got here. Soldiers told me to look for a man with a yellow face marked with black symbols. That’s a clever disguise, my friend. Appears everything went as planned; that’s good.”

  “Not everything, Zack; they aren’t here; they didn’t come.”

  “Cordell and Tiller?”

  “Yep, we missed ‘em.”

  “Don’t make sense. They were with the wagons when I was flashed. Must have dropped off someplace after I stopped trailing them miles back. Maybe they were hiding and watching to make sure they wasn’t tricked. If that’s it, probably long gone by now.”

  Navarro grabbed fieldglasses and scanned the location on all sides: Nothing. He told Captain Blake that he and Zack would have. to pursue the two criminals, while Blake and his troops took charge of the prisoners and wagons and guided the renegades back to the reservation. He asked the officer to let three soldiers take Beth to the train station in Clifton.

  “What?” she asked in astonishment.

  Navarro excused them from the men and took her to a private spot. “Cordell and Tiller already have a big jump on us and they’re probably riding as fast as the wind to get away; that gap will get wider while we supply and search for their tracks. Me and Zack can ride faster without you, Beth. Besides, there’s two of us and only two of them. No need for you to ride a hard trail with us. I want you to go to Clifton and take a train to Tucson to wait for me there. Please, obey this final order.”

  “How will I explain my return, and without my husband?”

  “Tell everybody the ranch sites in Texas didn’t suit us. Tell ‘em I’m looking at one more in northern New Mexico, then, we’re going to check out Arizona. Tell ‘em that New Mexico area sounded too rugged and far so I asked you to wait for me in Tucson where you’d be
safe and comfortable. Ask Harrison to help us locate a ranch. That story should fool everybody until I join you.”

  “Wait for me there”…“You sure you won’t need me to come along?”

  “I’m sure. Besides, I don’t need any distractions. You can wash that mess off your face and hands with those yucca suds the shaman gave you, but wait until you’re away from here. No need to bust your cover to more men than necessary. If you leave now, you can make town by dark.”

  He handed her money to rent a room for the night and to buy a train ticket. “Get packed and moving, woman. I’ll see you in Tucson soon.”

  Beth eyed him a final time, smiled, and said, “Be careful, partner, Charles and Jim are dangerous and tricky.”

  He wished he could give her a farewell embrace and kiss. “I promise nothing will happen to me and Zack. Now move out while you’ve got plenty of daylight. I’ll finish up here and start backtracking their trail.”

  “What about the shaman?”

  “I’m sure he’s on his way home by now. He’ll be fine, so don’t worry. Captain Blake said he’s gonna speak to the government about rewarding the Chiricahuas with their ancestral grounds; that’s what they were promised in the treaty. Until then, they’ve agreed to return to the reservation. When Geronimo hears about this daring deed, maybe he’ll surrender, too.”

  “I hope so, for the sake of peace and his people’s survival. Goodbye.”

  Navarro watched Beth leave with an escort to Clifton to catch the train to Tucson, via Lordsburg. She was gone only minutes before he missed her. He gathered supplies, joined Zack, and they departed.

  In less than two hours, he found the wooded peak where the sly culprits had waited and watched the trap unfold. Signs said they were long gone. He flashed mirror signals to Captain Blake, who was prepared to begin his own trek to glory.