by Aimée Thurlo
“Tradition,” she said, and nodded thoughtfully. “I should get something for you, too. You’ve spoken about balance before.” She looked around quickly.
“You’ve given me more than I ever had a right to expect,” he said softly.
As Pablo returned with the pouch, he smiled at Erin, then at Kyle. “You’ve chosen well, nephew,” he said.
Once they were on the road again, she shifted in her seat. “Was Pablo talking about the fetish you chose for me, or about us?”
“I’m not sure,” he said. “Sometimes it’s better not to ask. In a lot of ways he’s like Hosteen Silver. His predictions are amazingly accurate. Whether that’s because he’s a good detective, or the result of a gift that goes beyond our ability to understand, I can’t say.”
They were soon heading northeast. Part of the trip was over dirt roads, and after a long, bumpy, teeth-jarring drive, they arrived at a spot where the river was fed by a large creek.
“This is it,” he said.
“Where are we?” she asked, getting out of the SUV.
“It’s a sacred place. The Diné, the Navajo people, come here to pray for success in war.”
He led the way to the water’s edge, near the junction of the two streams, then lifted out his pollen-covered fetish from its pouch. Next, he took the one that would become hers and dipped them both in the water. Afterward, he covered each with pollen once again, put Fox back in his jish, and placed Bear in her extended hand.
“The waters here have power. Using the fetish, we made an offering of pollen, and asked for a blessing in return, that our fetishes be made strong, so they can strengthen us. It’ll bring us both luck and skill in the fight ahead.”
She looked at the small bear carving in her hand, turning it over in her fingers. “It’s beautiful.”
“Bear will become your spiritual sister—if you allow her to be. She’ll bring you confidence and courage in times of trouble,” he said. “Should we need to pull away from a situation, or fall back, Bear will also be there to remind you that withdrawal is a way to gather strength. Hibernation is part of nature’s pattern, too.
“Erin, I’ve spent my life taking chances, but there was one risk I never would take—letting anyone get close to me. Then you came into my life,” he said, drawing her into his arms. “I’m going to fight to keep you after this is over.”
“Will I be exciting enough for you in the long run?”
“I love you. I’ve never said that to anyone in my life, but it’s how I feel. All you have to do is love me back.”
She drew in a breath. “I do,” she whispered as he leaned down and kissed her.
He was gentle this time, coaxing but not demanding. She’d seen the hardened warrior, but now he was patient and tender.
After a moment he eased his hold. “There’s something I need you to think about. No matter what work I choose after I come home, being an investigator will be at the heart of it. It’s what I do best. Will you be able to handle the stress that comes with my job, of knowing that one day something could happen and I may not come home?”
She didn’t answer right away. “I don’t know.”
“Think hard about it, and when you’re ready, we’ll talk again.”
He took her hand as they moved to a narrow channel in the stream where the water was very still. “Do you see it?” he asked, pointing down. Although the river’s current was rapid not twenty feet away, two leaves had found each other in a point of stillness. “Together they form a heart.”
“Maybe it’s a sign,” she said and smiled. As she watched, the leaves swirled gently but continued to stay together.
The peace of that wonderful moment vanished instantly the second Kyle’s phone rang. He looked down at the caller ID and his expression instantly changed back to agent mode.
“Time to get to work,” he told her.
* * *
IN THE SUV heading back to Hartley, Kyle continued his conversation with Preston.
“We questioned Bruce Leland,” Preston said, “but I couldn’t hold him. He lawyered up and insisted he was the vic in what happened. He’d been loaned some money, and that was being used to try to link him to his brother’s death. Blackmail, he called it. I didn’t expect to hear from him again anytime soon, but he just called. He said that he figured out where his brother hid the detonators and wanted to meet at Secure Construction. I tried to get him to give me the location, but he refused. He said someone might be listening in. He also insisted that Erin be there, that she’s the only person who would be able to figure out the combination to the electronic lock.”
“Do you know what he’s talking about?” Kyle asked her.
“No. Hank installed one electronic lock on the door to the secure room, but that was for demonstration purposes only. I know how it works, and have operated it when showing the design to clients, but that’s about it. I don’t know of any other locks like that on the property.”
“After last time, I don’t trust him,” Preston said. “I’ll meet you there and get some patrol units in place, too.”
“Hang back. Let him think Erin and I showed up alone. You can monitor what’s being said through my cell phone. I’ll keep it on speaker in my shirt pocket,” Kyle said.
“All right. If Bruce is up to something again, stall and give us a chance to move in,” Preston said. “Paul will stick by the computer and track your GPS location, and Gene’s already in town, ready to move. We’ll have all the manpower we need.”
“Just in case we get separated, Erin’s carrying a tracking device,” Kyle said, giving him the access codes to monitor it.
“It’s secure?”
“I have it in a small pouch I’m wearing around my neck,” she said. “But just in case they search me, I’m going to put the pouch in my bra. It’ll stay put.”
Preston didn’t comment, and Kyle smiled.
“One more thing. I heard from Daniel. He was able to recover enough from that SIM card to verify that they were blackmailing Hank. He retrieved copies of some of the documents they sent him while he was in Spain. They’d hacked into his construction records, altered entries and made it look like he was making phony purchases and overcharging the DOD.”
“How were they able to hack into our system?” Erin asked, surprised. “Hank was really careful about things like that.”
“My guess is that Frieda—Evelyn Santeiro—managed to get Hank’s passwords. She’s still holding out, but she’s intimated as much.”
“No one’s really safe from these people,” Erin said, and shuddered.
“Don’t worry. I have your back, and my brothers will have mine. You’re in good hands.”
They arrived at Secure Construction twenty minutes later. Kyle glanced over at her, a somber expression on his face. “Get ready. A van’s been tailing us for the past five minutes, and now it’s show time.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Kyle slowed down and stopped at the curb just before the turn leading to the gates, which were closed. “I have the key. Should I get out and open them?” Erin asked.
“No. Sit tight,” he said, watching a white van approach from behind.
As it passed by, Kyle saw Bruce at the wheel. The van pulled up to the curb, and parked in front of them. “Come out on my side and stay behind me,” Kyle said, exiting as Bruce stepped out into the street.
Bruce took a few steps toward them, then the side door opened and a man wearing a ski mask jumped down, his gun aimed at Kyle.
Kyle moved in front of Erin. “Bruce, you’re playing for the team that murdered your brother?”
“No, and this isn’t my fault!” he said, looking back and forth between Kyle and the man with the gun.
“Shut up,” the man said, motioning with his pistol barrel for Bruce to walk back
toward them. Another gunman slipped out the side door, and a third came around from the passenger’s side of the van. All were masked and kept their weapons pointed at Kyle and Erin.
“I never saw them coming, I swear,” Bruce said.
The first armed man came within ten feet of Kyle. “Put your weapons on the ground—and do it slowly.”
“Okay, Ed,” Kyle said, recognizing the voice of Ed Huff, the bartender at the Quarter Horse Bar.
“I knew you’d recognize me,” Huff said.
“We’ve known you were involved for some time, so why the masks?” Kyle asked, removing the pistol from his holster and ejecting the magazine before placing the weapon down on the pavement.
“Just a precaution in case something went wrong,” Huff replied.
“Mike Bewley, even with that dumb mask, I know you just by your posture,” Erin said, looking closely at one of the other two. “The police already know you and Huff are involved. Why are you making it worse for yourself?”
“Shut up,” Mike said.
“Now get rid of your weapons,” Huff ordered, pointing his .45 pistol at Erin.
“I haven’t got any,” she answered as the third man moved up to frisk Kyle.
“He’s clean.”
“Ron Mora. You’re not fooling anyone, either,” Erin said, as he came over to frisk her, too.
“We already know who you are, and so do the police,” Kyle pointed out, glad to know Preston was listening in.
“Yeah, good point. This mask is bugging me, and if someone drives by and sees us they’ll be on their cell phone in a nanosecond,” Mike said, yanking his off.
Ron Mora pulled his off, too, even as Huff cursed and took off his own.
Kyle knew that he had to draw things out until either he or Preston could make a move. Huff probably killed Moe, and he’d kill again unless he was stopped. “Huff, you’re working with some half-assed ecoterrorist clowns and your mission’s been compromised. We know what your target is, and security has already been doubled. Your best chance is to give yourself up.”
“Shut up. I’m in charge here,” Huff said, then added, “Take your boots off.”
Kyle did as he was told, and Huff saw the backup pistol in the attached holster on Kyle’s ankle. “Use your left hand, finger and thumb, and place that down on the ground—gently,” he snapped.
Kyle did, then put his boots back on.
Huff gestured with his .45, glancing up and down the empty street. “You three move onto the sidewalk behind the van so we can’t be seen.”
After they’d done as he’d ordered, Huff stared at Erin. “Give me the detonators right now or I’ll shoot your boyfriend in the gut and let him bleed to death,” he said. “I’m out of patience.”
“Erin, give them whatever they want,” Bruce said, his voice rising in fear.
Huff pulled back the hammer on his pistol. “Your choice, lady.”
“No, wait!” Erin screamed. “You’re right. I know where they are, but if you shoot any of us, I’ll die before I hand them over.”
“So you had them all along!” Bruce said, surprised. “You lied to me, to us!” he added, glancing at Kyle.
“Yeah. Forgive me, Kyle, Bruce. I found them by mistake and believed that as long as they stayed hidden, no one else would die.”
Kyle glared at Erin, feigning anger, though he knew she was also doing her best to stall.
“Where are they?” Huff demanded.
Erin was shaking now. “Hank put them in a padded envelope and told me to hide them. He knew you guys were coming. After you killed him, I knew they weren’t safe here anymore, so I moved them.”
“Where?” Huff growled. “I’m through playing games.”
“The police were searching this place inch by inch, so I sneaked the envelope into my tote and buried it later where no one would ever think of searching. It’s way out in the desert, and if you want those detonators, we’ll have to drive there.”
Huff shook his head. “I don’t buy it. You’re stalling, hoping for a miracle that’ll save your sorry butts. Prove that you’ve seen those detonators. Describe them.”
Kyle felt his blood turn to ice. The only closeup photo she’d seen of them had been on Daniel’s computer. If her description was off...
“I’ve seen detonators before, but these were different from the ones I’m familiar with,” she said. “They were metal, painted light brown and labeled in Spanish, which makes sense because that’s where they came from. They were about three inches long, and had, let’s see, red and green wires. They were the electric kind. There were at least eight or nine of them, maybe ten. I was too nervous to count them.”
Kyle almost smiled. He couldn’t have given a better description himself. Her memory was perfect. Unfortunately, all the detonators were now inside a secure evidence bunker, way out of their reach.
“Yeah, okay,” Huff said. “Take us to where they are.”
“Damn,” Kyle spat out, thinking fast. “You hid them when I took you to my foster father’s ranch, didn’t you?”
Erin hung her head, trying to look embarrassed, and nodded.
“Yeah, I buried them beside some rocks.”
Huff stepped closer and aimed the barrel of his gun at Kyle’s head. “I want precise directions—down to the inch.”
“I can’t do that. It’s not like there are street signs out there, and all the rocks look pretty much the same. The best I can do is try to retrace my steps. I’ll recognize it when I see it.”
“If you’re playing me, I’ll shoot all three of you and leave you in the desert to die slowly,” Huff growled.
“You don’t think I know that?” Gulping in a breath, she added in a trembling voice, “I’ll take you there, but before I do I need a guarantee that you’ll let us go after you get what you want.”
“Maybe I should put it in writing?” Huff said, mocking her.
Kyle stayed rock still, watching. Careful, Erin. Don’t push them too hard.
“Once we’ve hiked up the trail about a third of the way, I want you to let Bruce go. Out in the middle of nowhere is fine. I’ve never liked him anyway. It’ll take him hours to get back to civilization or find help, so he won’t be a threat to you,” she said, and saw Huff nod. “Next, you have to let Kyle go. After they’re both free, I’ll lead you to the exact spot.”
“Deal. But if either man causes any trouble, I’ll kill both of them. You’re the only one I need alive. One more thing. Before we go, hand over your cell phones.”
Kyle slipped his phone out of his shirt pocket. As he did, he touched the display and shut it down, making sure no one knew Preston had been monitoring their face-off.
“Toss it over,” Huff ordered.
Kyle did as he asked.
Ron stomped on it with his boot, then put it on the ground in front of the van’s left front tire.
“Good idea. Once we leave, it’ll be extra crunchy,” Mike said. “Where’s your phone, Erin?”
“The police took it away. We’ve relied on Kyle’s.”
“Then you won’t mind if we pat you down.”
“Do I have a choice?”
“No,” Huff said, nodding to Mike.
Kyle clenched his jaw as Mike ran his hands over Erin slowly, deliberately baiting him. To her credit, Erin never even flinched.
“No phone,” Mike said at last.
Huff gestured toward the van. “Okay, let’s go. Bruce, Kyle, get into the van and lie face down on the floor. Don’t roll over or turn around to look. You’ll have two guns aimed at your backs, so don’t go stupid on me,” he warned. “Erin, you’re riding up front with me. If you make one wrong move, the men will pay the price.”
* * *
AFTER AN HOUR and a half on the road, Erin led
them onto a sturdy one-lane wooden bridge that crossed a deep arroyo. They drove across slowly, the tires rumbling on the rough timbers below.
Up ahead there was a fork in the road. “I remember those rough sandstone walls. That bluff is familiar, too, but I was only out here once. From this direction, I’m not sure whether to go left or right to find the trail that leads into the canyon.”
“Try harder, or we’ll be one passenger short,” Huff ordered.
She pointed to the east road, then hesitated, and shook her head. “Get Kyle up here, he knows the way, at least to the house. I can find it from there.”
“If this is a trick—” Huff growled.
“Guy, look around you! There are no street signs, just sand, mesas, sagebrush and piñon trees. You’re going to tell me that the view to your left looks that much different than the one on your right?”
Huff stopped the van and ordered Mike to bring Kyle up front. “Erin, in the middle. Kyle, sit by the passenger’s door. Mike, stay in the back but keep your gun trained on Kyle. If he tries to jump out, kill him.”
“Okay, where do we go?” Huff asked once they were all seated again.
“Take the right. You’ll find some recent vehicle tracks there that’ll lead you to the house,” Kyle said. “Once we get there, you’ll have to park the van and hike the rest of the way.”
Kyle studied the look on Huff’s face. As soon as they were of no further use, Bruce, Erin and he would be dead. He’d have to help Erin stall until his brothers got into place. From the fresh tracks, he knew help was already there—somewhere.
* * *
THEY WERE ON foot now, more than a mile from the van, having left it beside the ranch house. Mike was several feet behind Kyle, weapon aimed at his back as they hiked across uneven ground dotted with sandstone outcrops and tough sagebrush. Erin hadn’t said anything since they’d passed the empty sheep pens, and from her gait, Kyle could tell she was already exhausted.
“Everything looks the same out here this late in the afternoon,” Erin said, stopping and looking toward the rugged sandstone bluff to the south. “I’m having trouble finding the spot again. I remember going past a gap in the cliffs, but I’m not sure I’m heading in the right direction.”