by Aimée
“I understand that your father’s been called to school before because of your behavior. And you didn’t tell me. I want an explanation—now,” Ella demanded, her eyes blazing.
“Oh, that. My teacher wanted to talk to someone right then, so I told her to talk to Daddy. I knew he would be at home, but you were working and Shimasání was on a day trip looking for plants. The teacher didn’t care.”
“And you didn’t remember to tell me?”
“It was just the one time, and I was already in trouble with Daddy. I didn’t want to be in trouble with you, too. I promised Daddy I wouldn’t do it again. I was going to tell you . . . but then I forgot.”
“You forgot?”
“Mom, you got home late that night. It happens a lot of times! By then I was probably asleep!”
It might have been true, but it was obvious that Dawn was using it as a convenient excuse. Ella felt the familiar conflict hemming her in again. She had a job she loved and a child she adored, but there were times when a workday lasted twenty-four hours or more.
“Do you think we’re too busy for you? Is that really the way you feel?” Ella asked, sitting down out of necessity, not choice.
“Sometimes . . . I guess.” Dawn shrugged, looked away, then absently took a sip of milk. “We still get to spend time together. It’s no big deal, Mom.”
But it was. She was about to answer Dawn, when her cell phone rang. “Hold that thought.” Ella took a deep unsteady breath, changing from mother to police investigator in the blink of an eye, and answered.
Justine’s voice came through clearly. “The New Mexico State Police pulled over a pickup on the hot sheet—it was one that was carjacked a few weeks ago on the Rez up by Four Corners,” Justine said.
“Arrange for us to interview the driver.”
“Already done. They made the arrest south of Albuquerque on the interstate, so they’re taking their prisoner and the vehicle there. We can meet them when we’re ready. But you’re going to have to come to the station first. We have someone from CID here waiting to talk to you.”
Ella knew the initials from her days in the Bureau. She’d been expecting someone from the Army’s Criminal Investigative Division to show up sooner or later. “Does he have any information for us concerning the victim?”
“I couldn’t tell you. All I know is that he met with Big Ed first, then was told to wait for you.”
“Is Big Ed in now?”
“No, he had to attend a tribal meeting in Window Rock.”
“All right, I’ll be there as soon as possible—maybe twenty minutes.”
Ella hung up, and looked back at Dawn. “We’ll have to pick this up later. But I want you to think about the decisions you’ve made, not telling me what’s going on at school, or about things that bother you. If you feel I’m not around enough, then we need to set aside time for us to talk each day. You have my telephone number and, unless I’m involved in an emergency situation, you can speak to me at any time.”
“I know, Mom,” Dawn said softly. “It’s just easier to get Daddy. He’s at home more than you now.”
The words stung. As a consulting attorney, Kevin could schedule his day far more easily than she could. “I’m only a phone call away, and you know that.” As she looked at her daughter’s face, she suddenly remembered what had occurred to her before she’d come into the kitchen. “Your father’s an easier touch, isn’t he? Lets you get away with things.”
Dawn winced, then added, “Well, he doesn’t always get as mad as you do.”
“We will talk later,” Ella said, knowing she was going to have to deal with being manipulated by not only Kevin, but by her own daughter.
One glance at Rose’s face as she came into the kitchen told Ella that her mom understood precisely what was going on. As Ella walked outside to her SUV, Rose accompanied her.
“Her father’s laying down bribes and using strategies that play on her emotions, but he doesn’t realize she’s way ahead of him.”
“You and I both know my daughter is playing him, Mom. Taking advantage because he’s soft on her. But even if I told him that, he’d never see it. Not yet, anyway, because he hasn’t been a full-time father.”
“He wants her to love him, so he forgives her bad behavior too easily. All reward and no punishment or rules. He also buys her anything she wants, because it’s easier to win her over with bribes than tough love,” Rose said quietly.
“I can’t allow this to become a tug-of-war between him and me, with my daughter in the middle. If it does, we’ll all lose.” She thought of what she’d said, calling Dawn “her” daughter, not “our” daughter. But that’s the way it was on the Navajo Nation. Children were considered the property of their mother. Unfortunately, Kevin was a lawyer, and he knew the Navajo Nation was part of a larger nation, one where Anglo law ruled.
“You need to sit down and talk to him. And you might also remind him that although I’ll be living with Bizaadii once I’m married, I won’t be more than fifteen minutes away,” Rose said.
Ella’s gut tightened. Part of her felt like screaming “Mommy!” and running into her mother’s arms. But the adult inside assured her that the time had come for all of them to carve out new paths. Kevin had been right about the need for changes.
“You and he will have to come to terms with the fact that neither one of you can be there for your daughter all the time. If you could work something out . . .”
“Mom, my daughter’s father is a tough lawyer. He’s used to manipulating situations and people. I’ve got to watch my step around him,” Ella replied, slipping behind the wheel and putting the key in the ignition, then fastening her seat belt.
“If you take no action, you’ll remain at a standstill, and your daughter will continue to play you against each other.” Not giving Ella a chance to respond, Rose turned and went back into the house.
Ella muttered a short explicit curse under her breath, then started the engine. If Herman ever got into an argument with Rose, she’d reduce him to cinders with just a few soft-spoken words.
Come to think of it, Ella had never heard Herman arguing with her mother. Maybe he’d found it easier just to keep his mouth shut. Too bad she’d never been able to do that.
As she drove north toward Shiprock and the station, Ella pushed her problems with Dawn into a corner of her mind, while the case and its ramifications came to the forefront of her thoughts. Sometimes she felt like two separate people—the cop her mother had described to near perfection—afraid to show weakness, or to even admit that she had any—and the mom who was ruled by the fear that she’d botch the most important job of all.
Reaching for her cell phone, she concentrated on the task at hand. “Justine, I’m on my way. Have you gotten anything useful from our visitor?”
“I tried to make small talk, hoping he’d relax a bit, but he’s not exactly friendly. He’s . . . self-contained. He’s sitting in your office right now, and, Ella, he’s so still he could pass for a statue. I’ve got a feeling his mind is a million miles away. I offered him a cup of coffee, but he declined.”
“I’m surprised he came to us at all—some of these guys would have kept a low profile and investigated on their own.”
Several minutes later, Ella walked into her office and introduced herself to one of the most imposing men she’d ever met. Dressed in a casual-looking sports jacket, slacks, and no tie, her visitor was at least six foot five and built like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his early bodybuilding years. In deference to the big Anglo with short, blond hair and intense gray eyes, she shook hands, her hand engulfed by his. “Have a seat . . .” she said.
“Chief Warrant Officer Neil Carson, ma’am.” Almost automatically, he answered her unspoken question. “We operate in civilian clothes, but we’re FBI-trained investigators.”
“Then we have something in common,” Ella said. “I was an FBI agent for a half dozen years.” His gaze was flat—she’d seen that in the military men she’d dealt w
ith lately, even those who were back in civilian roles.
“You made inquiries concerning the possibility of missing supplies or thefts from Specialist Blacksheep’s company,” Carson said, getting right down to business. “But you weren’t specific. Exactly what are you looking for?”
Ella leaned back in her chair and considered her answer carefully. She could have told him about the half-completed story Jimmy had sent her full of clues concerning his recent military experiences, but that begged the question—why hadn’t Jimmy turned the matter over to the CID in the first place, or at least his commanding officer? If he hadn’t trusted the military, then perhaps she shouldn’t either.
“Are you aware of how Jimmy Blacksheep died?” she asked and when he nodded, added, “What we’re still looking for is a motive that makes sense.”
“I’ve spoken to his brother, Samuel, and I’ve learned about the carjackings—and the inconsistencies that suggest his death was not a botched robbery.”
“There are a lot of inconsistences, like why the victim would get into a firefight over a rental car,” she said. “I believe we’re missing something important.”
Carson smiled slowly. “You’ve redirected my attention, but you haven’t answered my question. What do you think was stolen from us and what connection does that have to Specialist Black-sheep’s death?”
Ella regarded Carson speculatively. The man had a sharp mind—something that would serve an investigator well. “Look, here’s the bottom line. I’ve got one dead former soldier who refused to hand over his rental car—for no apparent reason. I’ve also spoken to some other soldiers in his unit, and I’ve noticed them carrying souvenirs of one kind or another,” she said, overstating it to gauge his reaction. Point of fact was that she’d only noticed one ex-soldier with a souvenir—of sorts. “That led me to believe there might have been other, more substantial items taken.”
“What kind of souvenirs did you see in the men’s possession?”
“Nothing dramatic—a piece of Iraqi military ammo, that kind of thing. But I’m considering the possibility that maybe it didn’t stop there. Rifles, pistols, money, gold, jewelry . . . maybe more. What do you think?”
“No way. If there’d been anything going on that involved more than one or two soldiers taking a knife or pistol as a souvenir, there would have been an investigation months ago. I’ve interviewed the unit commander, and his second in command, and they would have heard about it for sure. The reason I’m investigating this unit is because two of their soldiers died under suspicious noncombat circumstances at their Iraqi base. It’s possible that others in that unit were responsible, and for that reason, my superiors have assigned me to look into the matter.”
“Just to clarify—you do mean people in Jimmy Blacksheep’s unit?” Ella asked.
“Yes, his National Guard company and his platoon in particular. But I don’t have proof one way or another at this point. That’s why I’m here. I’ve been in the area since yesterday, questioning soldiers from his unit, trying to find out what happened to the two men who died. And now that another soldier from that unit has also died under suspicious circumstances, I’m expanding my investigation, searching for any possible connection to the first two deaths.”
Ella remembered Jimmy’s story and the segment about two men disappearing after “falling out of favor” with the Dark Ones. Maybe this was the first solid connection between the story and real events. If only they could break more of the code.
“What were the names of the victims?” Ella asked.
“Jonathan Parks and Micah Hawkins.”
She’d hoped to hear names that sounded like Konik and Bula, but that hadn’t happened. “I wish I could tell you why Jimmy Blacksheep was murdered, but the truth is I don’t know. Not yet.”
“Who are your suspects? Other members of his section?”
“Among a few others. Tell me, Chief Carson, what’s your theory? Something tells me you’ve got one,” Ella added.
“Just call me Carson. Officially, I’m not at liberty to share that information with you at this time. But unofficially . . . ?” he added, then seeing her nod, continued. “Unless we work fast, we may never find out what’s going on.”
“How so?”
“Earlier today, I was notified that some of the units involved in the rotation overseas have been reassigned or reactivated due to training and equipment problems. There are shortages in manpower, so that means that the members of Blacksheep’s National Guard company are going to be recalled soon, even those whose enlistments are up. They won’t be going back into a war zone, but they’ll be sent to Germany to replace another transportation unit being transferred to Afghanistan. It’ll be a six-month deployment this time. The soldiers will receive official notices soon, maybe within a day or two, and will have to report in a couple of weeks.”
Ella pursed her lips, the implication sinking in. It explained why Carson, who’d obviously been working his own case here for at least a day, had finally showed up at the station. “So what you’re telling me is that if I need to conduct any interviews, I’d better do it fast. A big chunk of my suspect list is going to be out of the country this time next month?”
“That’s the way it shapes up, yes, ma’am,” he answered, then stood. “I’ll be staying at the Thunder Inn on Farmington’s west side if you need me,” he said, giving her his card. “I’ll keep in touch.”
Ella watched him go, deep in thought. So now the pressure was really on—not only at home, but here at work as well. She needed a clone—or a miracle.
ELEVEN
Ella was quiet as they drove east on I-40, headed toward a state police facility in Albuquerque’s northeast heights. The three-hour drive, including a quick stop to pick up hamburgers and sodas, had given her plenty of time to think while Justine drove. The new deadline for military personnel was bearing down on her. She couldn’t afford to keep going in circles.
“I’m your partner, you know. Something’s bugging you, and has been for the past two hundred miles. What are you waiting for, talk to me,” Justine said.
Ella smiled. It wasn’t a surprise that Justine could read her so easily. For many years they’d been close as partners, friends, and second cousins. “I feel like I’m under siege,” Ella said, telling her about the military’s deadline, then explaining about the problem she was facing with Kevin over Dawn. “I always wanted to give my daughter the freedom to be herself. While I was growing up, I was always torn between Mom, the traditionalist, and Dad, the preacher. Even before I was in the first grade I was caught between them, and it was a no-win situation. Whenever I went in one direction I’d get a smile from one parent, and a frown from the other. More than anything I’d hoped to give Dawn the freedom to choose her own path in life, never feeling pressured by either Kevin or me to do or be anything other than herself. But Dawn’s a fast learner and has started using the differences between Kevin and me to her own advantage. She approaches whichever parent is more likely to give her what she wants. Kevin’s easier on her because he wants her to choose to live with him, at least fifty-fifty, and that really worries me, Justine.”
“Do you honestly think Dawn will want to split the time between you and Kevin, particularly if he forces the issue and makes that decision for her?” Justine asked, reading between the lines.
“Under those circumstances, no. But Kevin’s far from stupid. He knows Dawn has to be the one to make that choice, and he’s campaigning pretty hard, from what I’ve seen. The one thing in my favor is that my daughter’s a bright kid and she’s already figured out how to play his game. When push comes to shove, I don’t think Kevin will get what he wants.”
“But you’re still worried,” Justine observed, then, after a moment, added, “Ella, do you feel Kevin will be a better parent—or at least better for Dawn—because he’ll be at home more?”
Ella sighed softly. “That’s the real bottom line, isn’t it? I’m honestly not sure. Being at home is a plus, but a da
ughter needs her mother in ways that are hard to put into words. If I’m working on a case and Kevin wants to take her for a few days, I don’t see any problem with that. But Dawn belongs with me. The ties between us are stronger than Kevin realizes—or Dawn, for that matter.”
“Do you mind a piece of advice?”
“Go ahead,” Ella said.
“Take it one step at a time. Dawn’s a very smart little girl. It’s a given that she’s going to love it when Kevin showers her with toys and attention. But to leave the home she’s always known and live at his house every other week, or whatever? No way. It won’t happen.”
“Even if her grandmother moves out?” Ella countered, then told Justine about Rose’s plans to live in Herman’s new home.
“That’ll be a big change for Dawn, but you’re the focus of her life. And, for the record, I think you’re being too hard on yourself. You’re a great mom. You’re not always on a case, Ella. You’re supervising with her homework and reading with her at home. What about those horseback rides you and Dawn take on weekends, and the evening ice cream parties whenever Dawn gets an A on her report card? That grade-level trip to the mountains? Those add texture and form the framework of your lives together. Sure, there are days like now, when a big case takes over your life for a while. But what you two share goes beyond ‘stuff’ and Dawn knows it. Don’t underestimate her.”
Ella nodded thoughtfully. “I suppose you have a point. But even facing the possibility that my daughter might move out even part time is making me a little crazy. Don’t get me wrong, I know she’d be in good hands with Kevin. He loves his daughter and Dawn adores him. I would never want that to stop, or to hurt their relationship. But I also want Dawn to grow up with me there to guide and take care of her. I need to be part of her day-to-day life, and Dawn needs that from me, too, even if she’s not aware of it.”