"My uncle has suggested that I invite you to our festival tomorrow night. It's the night we celebrate the Wolf Dance. I think you would find it interesting."
Laura didn't recall a dance by this name, but she reminded herself of the fact that she really knew nothing of the Sungmanitu culture.
"I think I'd like that very much. Thank you for asking."
Strangely enough, Justin seemed troubled by her acceptance of his invitation. This man seemed to be a mass of contradictions. His deep desire for her was apparent, but at the same time he appeared determined to keep her on the outskirts of his mind and heart.
Laura felt sure that his aloofness must have something to do with what happened to his parents. He was making sure it never happened to him.
After Laura bid his uncle goodbye, Justin walked her back to her truck. Thanking him once again, she left.
That night, Justin’s mysterious eyes invaded her dreams--calling out to her with a hunger that she could not begin to understand.
Chapter Eight
Laura was surprised to see the sheriff’s car sitting outside her cabin. Moss was out of the car even before she had a chance to turn off the engine. He stood next to the Bronco waiting for Laura to join him.
"Miss Ellison ... I was beginning to think that you might have disappeared on us too."
"I’m sorry if you had to wait long. I was up at Beaver Creek."
He gave her a strange look. "Those people are not real open to outsiders. I’m surprised they would even talk to you, considering what company you represent and all."
Laura shrugged her shoulders. Some sixth sense warned her to hold her tongue where it concerned her relationship with Justin.
"What can I do for you, Sheriff?" Laura asked as she unlocked her front door. Moss followed her in.
"We found your missing man this morning," he informed her.
The darkness inside made it necessary for her to turn on a lamp. "Where did you find him?"
"In a pond, near where you found his briefcase. His body was discovered by a fisherman visiting from Montana."
Laura froze. This didn’t sound good at all.
"The body had been half-eaten by some kind of animal, but we won’t know the exact cause of death until we get the coroner’s report."
Laura shook her head, as if it might help to clear away some of her confusion. "What’s going on, Sheriff?"
"I don’t know, but after finding that body we decided to drag the pond. We found another body and it turned out to be another of your missing employees."
Laura felt her knees grow weak and she lowered herself to a chair. To think that she had gone swimming in that very same water--she was sickened.
"Who could have done this?"
"As I have told you before, I have a hunch that someone in Beaver Creek is responsible for this. It just seems funny to me that most of the locals around here are terrified of those Indians--though they have never been anything but peaceful. At least that’s what’s in the official records."
"We also have to consider the fact that so far, it has only been Duccini people that have become victims," he added.
"But ... I have met a couple of them, and they seem like normal, levelheaded people. Of course there is some friction due to the cutting, but nothing that you wouldn’t expect," Laura defended them.
"To tell you the truth Miss Ellison, I think it would be best if you stayed away from Beaver Creek all together ... at least until we find out who’s behind this."
Laura almost mentioned to him that she had been invited to Beaver Creek tomorrow night, but thought better of it. "I was just going to fix me a bite to eat. Would you like to join me?"
He nodded and followed her into the kitchen. They made small talk while she put together a hasty dinner of cold cuts and iced tea. Laura wasn’t comfortable with the sheriff’s presence at the moment, but it was the way of her people to always offer refreshments to visitors.
Mustering enough courage, Laura put voice to something which had been nagging at her. "Are there any suspects, or is it just Beaver Creek in general?"
Their eyes met, and in his eyes she could see the hard glint of determination.
"Yes and no. I think their new chief has a lot to do with this. I’ve had to lock him up a few times for fighting in town, and I can tell you this ... he is one vicious Indian. But we have no hard evidence against him ... yet."
"When I checked, there didn't seem to be a new chief," Laura told him.
He shook his head. "No, with these people when a chief dies the son automatically takes his place. If he declines, they would elect a new one. So even if old Gray Eagle isn’t officially dead, Justin would be the new chief, even if it were just temporarily."
Laura was stricken, her faced drained of color. All this time she had been talking to the new chief and he had not seen fit to let her know this. Was she that unimportant, or was he indeed hiding something as the sheriff suspected?
Moss eyed her curiously. "Are you all right?"
Laura forced herself to act normally. "Yes, it’s just a little frightening to think we have a murderer running loose."
He rose to leave: "Like I said ... just be careful and trust no one. You might even ask your boss about staying at the office instead of all the way out here by yourself."
"That is a thought," she told him as they were walking to the door.
"Thank you for supper. It was really good."
"You’re welcome." She offered her hand and he brought it to his lips kissing it lightly.
Laura forced a smile. "Goodbye, Sheriff. Please let us know if anything comes up."
"Will do and you take care of yourself," he told her before turning away.
Laura closed the door and rested her head against the cold, hard wood. She closed her eyes hoping to still the pounding in her temples. Dread crawled over her when she thought of the rapidly descending darkness.
* * * *
Paul Moss fumbled with his car keys, his thoughts full of images of Laura lying beneath him. The others wanted her though, and they would never allow him to touch her. But maybe he could find a way to have some fun with her before delivering Laura into their hands.
He was to receive payment on delivery. They were paying more than enough money, but he would be long gone before they could find out he had sullied their goods.
Paul could well imagine the feel of her satiny skin as she squirmed beneath him. He became so caught up in his fantasies that he soon found it necessary to shift positions, his arousal causing his jeans to fit much too tightly.
The sheriff eased his cruiser past Laura’s car and started down her long wooded drive. His headlights caught movement just up ahead and he was forced to slam on his breaks.
The wolf stood motionless in the middle of the road. It had to be the largest one that he had ever seen--at least twice the size of a normal wolf. Baring its teeth, the wolf’s growls became more violent with each passing second.
In the next instant, it disappeared into the aspens. Paul understood this had just been a warning, a warning that the others were paying him a king’s ransom to ignore. Paul tried to disregard the feeling of impending doom, but the message had been clear and chilling.
The wolf’s furious eyes had promised his death if he should dare to touch her.
* * * *
On the road to Acton, Laura took time to savor the scenery around her. The beauty of the land never wavered, though the landscape changed dramatically. Driving through lush green mountains graced with towering pines, Laura marveled at how suddenly the scenery changed to imposing red canyon walls.
On her first trip to town, she had not taken too much notice of the land around her, but now Laura could not help but think what a beautiful and unique place this really was.
For just a moment she let herself indulge in a harmless daydream. What would it have been like to live out here hundreds of years ago--wild and free? She would have had a man like Justin to hold her at night, to keep h
er safe from danger. She could almost feel the chilled night air against her skin as she burrowed further into the buffalo robes seeking his warmth.
Laura smiled to herself, startled at where her thoughts had drifted. Justin had somehow gotten a grip on her mind and no matter how she tried she could not seem to shake him loose.
Not since Kenny had someone taken such complete control of her thoughts. No, with Justin it was much more powerful.
So immersed in her thoughts, Laura scarcely noticed that she had entered the outskirts of town. She tried to remember where she had seen the library the last time she was here. It took five minutes of driving around before spotting it. The building was minute compared to most libraries, only about the size of a small house.
A petite redheaded woman with wire-framed glasses sat behind the information desk. She looked up when Laura approached.
"Can I help you?"
"Do you have any history on Beaver Creek and the Sungmanitu?"
A queer look entered the older woman’s blue eyes. "Yes, you can look in non-fiction, under Native Americans. When you get done with that, I’ll get you the microfilm of old newspapers. Look under Lakota migration," the woman offered as she pointed to the aisle where Laura would find the books.
A few minutes later, Laura had found what she was looking for. There was just a brief paragraph in a single book about Sioux history. It seemed as if the Sungmanitu separated from their Lakota relatives sometime in the seventeenth century. It was apparently unknown or forgotten as to why exactly this occurred, but after separation their contact with the Lakota became virtually non-existent.
The book was not much help--she had already suspected as much. Laura returned it to the shelf and peered back at the information desk. Those blue eyes were still staring at her with something akin to hostility. Laura wondered what it was about the Sungmanitu that brought up so much hatred.
Laura spent the next hour looking through microfilms of the local newspaper. From about 1889 through 1950 she found about seventy-five disappearances of both locals and travelers. All the disappearances occurred within the vicinity of Beaver Creek.
Laura had been biting her lower lip so hard that it started to bleed. She brought a finger up to wipe away the blood. Somehow, all this tied into what was happening now, but how?
Why were the Sungmanitu so shrouded in mystery?
Instinctively, Laura knew that the answers lie in their history. She gathered up her things and returned to the information desk.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" the librarian asked.
"No ... Not really. Do you know where I might find an anthropologist?" Laura asked.
The woman squinted her eyes as if it would make thinking easier. "If it’s just something local you are looking for, the Shoshone might have someone in their cultural department that can help you. They are in Riverton. If not, the university might have someone."
On her way out of town, Laura pulled into a fast food restaurant that served Mexican food. Thinking that she and Jessup might as well make a meal out of it she ordered for two.
It was late afternoon by the time Laura returned to the office. She rushed in hoping it was not too late to contact someone at the university.
Laura dropped the bag of food in front of Jessup and went straight to the phone.
The university operator connected her directly to the Anthropology Department.
A female voice came on the line. "Anthropology."
"Hello, this is Laura Ellison. I was wondering if there might be someone in your department that can help me. I’m trying to get some information on a band of Native Americans who broke away from the Lakota about four-hundred years ago."
There was a pause before the woman answered. "Yes ... Dr. Bingham is an authority on the Plains Indians. I'm sure he might be able to help you."
"Great," Laura cut in.
"Unfortunately ... he is holding class right now. I’ll have to take your name and number and have him return your call."
"Do you know how long it might be before he can get back with me?" Laura was disappointed.
"No, Miss Ellison, but I will leave the message on his desk."
Laura hung up after giving the woman her number. Dismayed, she leaned back in her chair.
Jessup eyed her with concern. "Didn’t gain much headway, I take it?"
She shook her head. "Not really, but I did find out that they were originally Sioux. But that’s where it ends. They separated from them almost four hundred years ago."
"I don’t see what the big mystery is there. From the way I understand it that kind of thing was commonplace."
"But what isn't so common is the fact that they completely disassociated themselves from all people. What I want to know is, why?"
Their discussion ended abruptly when the phone rang.
Laura snatched up the phone. "Duccini, this is Laura."
"Laura Ellison, this is Dr. Bingham speaking. I received a message that you wished to talk with me."
"Yes, thank you for calling. I was wondering if you might know anything about a distinct branch of the Lakota. They are called the Sungmanitu."
"To tell you the truth ... I know very little about them. Nobody really does. The word Sungmanitu means wolves. They were driven away by the other Lakota bands in the seventeenth century. It must have been a forbidden subject from the beginning, because most Lakota have never even heard of them and the old timers won’t talk."
He had been talking so fast, he had to stop and take a break "Consequently, we have been unable to find out why they were driven away. They keep mostly to themselves and so far we have been unable to get them to work with any researchers. It has been impossible to find out much about them."
"I see." Laura was discouraged. "What would cause a whole band to be banished?"
"It’s hard to say. Could be a number of things. We are talking about a people with a very strict code of conduct ... but still, it is virtually unheard of for a whole band to be banished. That is what is so intriguing about the Sungmanitu."
"Thanks, Dr. Bingham ... it’s at least a little more information than what I had before."
"No problem. I wish I could be of more help, but if you do not mind me asking, why all the interest? Most people don’t even know the Sungmanitu even exist." He was curious.
"Just personal interest." Laura shied away from further questions.
"Okay, if I can be of further assistance, please let me know."
Laura thanked him again before hanging up. She was even more drawn into the mystery now.
"Why don’t you just ask your friend about it?" Jessup was setting the table with the food that she’d brought back.
Laura gave him a blank look. The truth was she didn't know why she refrained from asking Justin. Only that something was telling her not to broach the subject with him.
"I don’t think he would confide in me," she admitted.
"One thing’s for sure, I’ll be glad when we’re done with this job. This place is a little too weird for me," he told her.
Laura nodded her head in half-hearted agreement. A part of her felt as if she would be forever leaving a part of herself behind when it came time to leave Wyoming.
After they finished dinner, Laura rose to leave. "I’ve been invited to Beaver Creek tonight and I have to be going so I’ll have time to get ready. It’s some kind of annual tribal dance that they do."
Jessup appeared worried. "You weren’t thinking of going up there alone ... were you?"
"No, I’ll be with Justin."
"Oh, no worry at all then," he grumbled.
Laura gave him a wry smile. "I’ll be as safe there as I would be anywhere."
"Like I said, no reason to worry."
"Don’t worry, Pops. I can take care of myself. I’ll see you later." She winked.
Chapter Nine
Laura stopped by Justin’s cabin on her way to Beaver Creek, but he was nowhere around. Concluding that he must already be ther
e she continued.
On arriving, she was immediately taken in by the festive atmosphere. There were many more people about than there were on her first visit. Finding a place to park near the trading post, Laura went in search of Justin.
As she walked, Laura scanned the crowd hoping to spot him, but this turned out to be an impossible task. The small community was as busy as a beehive. Laura looked onto a very colorful scene. The ceremonial garb of the Sungmanitu was exquisite, and conveyed a distinct Lakota style.
The aromas which drifted on the air were intoxicating. The fragrance of burning sweet grass and sage mingled with the scent of tanned leather and roasting beef. Laura felt as if she had been drawn into another time.
Walking north along a wooden plank sidewalk, she caught sight of an open area which had been made into a dance arena. Once again, Laura was lulled back to her childhood and the many Powwows she had attended on the reservation. She, Kenny and many of the other children had wreaked havoc on those events.
The memories brought a smile to her lips. She had been secure in their poverty, sure that no other child could have been as loved or as free.
Slowly the memories gave way to something else, a feeling that something was not quite right, but what? She had begun to draw attention that much she’d noticed. Laura saw only Indian people, but that was not so unusual.
Before she had time to think about it further, there was a tap on her shoulder from behind. She turned to see Justin’s dazzling smile.
"Hi." She smiled back.
"I wasn’t sure that you would really come." He took her by the hand and they began to walk to the dance area.
"I almost didn’t. There has been some trouble down there." Laura wanted to discuss the sheriff’s suspicions with him, but knew this would not be the time.
He made no comment and they continued to walk in silence. Once reaching the arena she saw that on one side there was a long table laid out with food.
"Grab a plate," he told her as he was doing so himself.
"No thanks, I’ve already had dinner," she declined politely.
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