by Aimée
“Skinwalkers! What the hell are you talking about? It’s bad enough that everyone around knows I was going out with Cindi Dodge. Where does this bull about skinwalkers come from? Are they back again?”
“Are you joining them?” Ella asked.
“You’re crazy! Those guys are on loco weed half the time. I’d have nothing to do with them.” He paused. “But I’ve heard their women sit around naked…” He shrugged with a grin.
Ella shook her head. “You’ve got a one-track mind.”
“I want a lawyer. You’re out to put somebody away, and it isn’t going to be me. Sure I like the ladies, but I’m no killer and no skinwalker. Pin this on someone else.”
“By the way, where were you when Dodge was killed?”
“I’m not answering one more thing until I have a tribal lawyer next to me.”
* * *
Ella transported the suspect, handcuffed in the backseat, while Justine followed close behind. Nez stayed silent the whole way to the station, but Ella could feel his gaze boring holes through the back of her skull.
She wasn’t sure whether to believe him. Much would depend on his alibi, but her instincts were telling her that he wasn’t the Packrat. His feet seemed too large, for one, and he wore boots. He was also older and heavier than Mrs. Zah’s description. He did smell, but that was from a popular aftershave Ella recognized. Of course, these details would have to be checked more definitively later.
All in all, Ella was disappointed. Steven Nez just didn’t seem to be the man they were looking for.
Afterward, at the station, Nez met a tribe-appointed lawyer named Chester Manuelito. The young Navajo man spoke briefly with Nez, then approached Ella. “You can’t hold him.”
“I can for twenty-four hours,” Ella replied.
“It would be a waste of time. My client has done nothing illegal,” Manuelito argued.
“I want to know where he was on the night of Kee Dodge’s murder, and what he’s done since then.”
“He was at his brother’s,” the young attorney answered for his client.
Ella estimated Manuelito to be around Justine’s age, and just as eager to prove himself at his chosen profession. For a moment, she sized him up as a possible mate for Justine. Suddenly, realizing what she was doing, Ella halted that line of thought. She was doing to her cousin precisely what she hated people doing for her. Maybe she was turning into her mother after all.
“His brother can verify his whereabouts then?” Ella looked from attorney to client.
“Only partially. They weren’t together all the time. His brother, for instance, didn’t come home until the afternoon after Dodge’s murder took place. Same with Haske’s.”
“So he has no alibi.”
“You can’t prove my client was at either murder scene. If you can, let’s see the evidence.”
“We’re not revealing any specifics until we go to court. If your client wants to be released before tomorrow, however, he’d better be able to account for his whereabouts for every moment, from the last time he saw Kee Dodge alive to the moment we arrested him tonight. I want the names of anyone who can confirm that too. Is he willing to do that, or do I lock him up?” Ella crossed her arms and waited.
Manuelito glanced over to Steven Nez, who nodded reluctantly. “He’ll do it. Then you release him, right?”
“For now. One more thing, Counselor. If your client gets near his wife, she’s prepared to file a restraining order. And this department will make darned sure that it’s upheld.” Ella wanted no reprisals against Sally, and she wanted Nez to realize that she wouldn’t stand for it.
Steven gave her a slow, lazy smile. “You’ve got me all wrong, Officer. I want my wife back. I wouldn’t do anything to drive her away from me.”
“You’d better be telling the truth. I’ve got enough problems on my hands without you harassing the mother of two children. I’ll haul you in here so fast you won’t know what hit you.”
Steven scowled at her. “Have you been turning my wife against me?”
Ella met his gaze without flinching. “No, you’ve done that all by yourself. Now go to the front desk, get yourself some paper and a pen, and give me a statement.”
Anger shone in Steven’s eyes, but before he could reply, his attorney shoved him out the door.
Justine appeared in the interview room doorway just as Ella was preparing to go back to her office. “Big Ed wants to see you,” she said in a muted voice.
“What’s going on?” Ella asked, knowing how fast rumors traveled.
“I think he’s worried that we’re not making enough progress.”
“So a head or two on the chopping block will help him pass the time?” she teased halfheartedly.
Justine shrugged. “Something like that, I suppose.”
Ella went down the hall to Big Ed’s office. His secretary wasn’t at her desk, so she went all the way through the outer office and knocked lightly on her boss’s partially open door.
She heard him conclude a telephone conversation, then replace the receiver. “Get in here,” he barked.
Ella stepped inside his office and, following the waved invitation to sit down, took the chair closest to his desk.
“I’m getting a lot of pressure from the top to find the ‘packrat’ killer, and to do everything in my power to see that he doesn’t strike again.”
“I’m doing my best, but he hasn’t left us much to go on. We have a profile, which you’ve seen. But that doesn’t point to any particular individual yet. We’ve finally lured Steven Nez out of hiding, but that’s led us nowhere so far. He had the most obvious motive for the Dodge murder, and he doesn’t have an alibi, but linking him to Haske is going to be tough, and he doesn’t match the description we’ve compiled.”
“What motive can tie him with the second one?”
Ella pressed her lips together. “He could have killed Haske to divert suspicion from the fact he’d killed Dodge. Maybe he thought he could lead us off the trail by staging the Packrat profile.”
“That has a certain perverse logic, but is it true?” Big Ed leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers beneath his chin. His eyes never left Ella’s face.
“No,” she admitted. “I don’t think so. Nez doesn’t seem smart enough to come up with a scheme like that, and a lot of the physical clues, like shoe style and size, point in another direction. You can fake a larger shoe size, but not a smaller one.”
“I’ve been empowered to borrow any cops from Farmington who volunteer, to help with the roadblocks. We now have some extra manpower, though it’s costing the department a fortune.”
“I think Yazzie is on the Rez already. Somebody dumped some freshly mutilated sheep by my mom’s mailbox this morning,” Ella informed him.
“If that was his work, then we can drop the roadblocks and use the officers to track down other leads.” Big Ed shrugged. “You know Yazzie better than I do. What will his next move be?”
“What makes Yazzie such a formidable criminal is that he’s part chameleon. He can hide out right under our noses, and we’ll still have a problem finding him. I’m not surprised he beat the roadblocks.”
“You mean with his skinwalker illusions?”
“Or his skills as an actor and magician. Take your pick.”
“Do you think he’s behind the killings?”
She took a deep breath then let it out slowly. “I think he would like to be, but I don’t think he’s as involved as he wants me to believe. It is possible, however, that it’s one of his followers, a wannabe, and he knows precisely who it is. That I have no problem believing.”
“Do what you have to to find out, but get results. I don’t like taking this heat. The whole tribe is on edge about this. And make darned sure no more victims crop up. I’ll go ahead and cancel the roadblocks, but I want the extra manpower that becomes freed up to maintain surveillance on potential targets.”
“Okay. Any idea how many cops we’ll have available
for that?”
“We have eight on loan from Farmington, and as far as I’m concerned, you can use all of them on surveillance. I want to prevent any more of our elders from turning up dead. I saw the list of names you compiled in your report, and the short list of locals. All those people are very important to this tribe. If we lose them, we are losing a part of our heritage.”
He paused. “I’m not sure I believe that evil is going to destroy us as a tribe, but fear can do untold damage. If one more bad thing happens, it’s going to demoralize the tribe. With unemployment high because of the coal mine closings, and the deaths already on record, people may stop believing in us and start taking things into their own hands. And that chaos would be the biggest threat the People have faced in over a century.”
“I agree. But protecting those who seem to be the most likely targets for the packrat killer is tricky. They don’t want protection,” Ella reminded him.
“Tough. We’ll watch them from a distance then.”
“He could strike elsewhere. This is a big reservation.”
“We can guard only against what we know. You may have a personal reason for wanting to find Yazzie, but make sure he takes second place to your search for the murderer. I want this packrat psycho behind bars. I’m hoping everything will fall into place after that.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Assign cops to watch your brother and your mother too. I haven’t seen a report on it yet, but I did hear earlier about those sheep. I want an officer near your family by tonight.”
“My brother won’t stand for anyone hanging around when he’s working, and the tribal council will back him up. But my mother does need protection. I’ll have a unit watching from the mesa behind the house, which also covers the access road to my brother’s home. They’ll be able to see anyone coming or going, and if there’s trouble, they’ll be there to react.”
“Do it then.” As the telephone began to ring, he looked at it wearily. “Find answers soon,” he said, picking up the receiver.
Ella left Big Ed’s office and walked back to her own. Someone was there, standing with his back to her. “Can I help you?” she asked.
As the man turned around, she smiled. Herman Cloud, with his weather-beaten face and white hair, was a welcome sight. “I’ve been meaning to pay you a visit!” she said. “But tell me, what brings you here today? Are you worried, Uncle?” she asked gently.
“Not for myself. Your family is in more danger than the rest of us if it’s true that the Navajo witch has escaped.”
“It’s true, but why do you believe my family is in greater danger than people like you who fought with us?”
“You and your family stand like a wall between those who would harm the tribe and the rest of us. That means you’re the most prominent target, and getting you and those you love out of the picture for good would be a most coveted prize.”
Ella bit her bottom lip pensively. “Yes, that’s true. But so far, no move has been made directly against us.”
“First they must shake your confidence. Afterwards you’ll all be easier targets. Don’t let that strategy work. Believe in yourself, and in those you love.”
“I do. My family and friends are my strength.”
“And your weakness. Remember that,” Herman Cloud answered. “I will be nearby. When you need me, you won’t have to look far.”
Ella thanked him, then watched as he walked out. He had remained a staunch family friend throughout all the problems her family had faced. She had no doubt that he’d be there just as he said. Finding comfort in his friendship and loyalty, Ella gathered a few reports, then started toward the door. Somehow she still had to break the news about the carcasses to her mother, and she had to convince her to get Loretta and Clifford to move in.
Ella was in the hall when Justine came by. “I’ve got a problem. I sent one of our officers, Bradford Atcitty, to talk to Sadie Morgan, the linguist. She was adamant that she would not alter her schedule. She records at night, and also sometimes conducts choir practice at the new church.”
“At least she’ll be with others during choir practice, and there will be other members of the congregation on the road. But I’ve got to talk to her about those solo recording sessions. That’s begging for trouble. Maybe she’ll consent to having one of our tribal cops with her just at those times.”
“I wouldn’t count on it. Bradford said that she was having none of it. She has a rifle, and she’ll use it if she’s threatened, but she’s not going to have a ‘babysitter.’ Her words.”
Ella sighed. This wasn’t going to be easy. If they put unwanted surveillance on someone like that, she was just as likely to shoot them.
“I know she’ll be at the church tonight for choir practice. Do you want me to go talk to her?” Justine asked.
Ella considered it, then shook her head. “No, she’s going to be a problem. I’ll take care of this. It’s no reflection on you. It’s just that people know about my family. If I tell her that even they will have protection, it may put things in a different light for her.”
“Who’s going to guard your family?”
Ella filled Justine in on the way to her car. “So we will have some extra manpower. That should help. I’ll have an officer watch Sadie’s house tonight too. The Packrat seems to prefer early morning, so she should be covered at that time regardless of what she says.”
“Sounds like a good plan,” Justine said, stopping by Ella’s vehicle. “If you don’t need me anymore tonight, I’m going to meet Furman. He’s been doing his best to keep his ears open for me and keep a watch out for anyone who might hold a grudge against our ways.” She plucked at the red Chieftains T-shirt she wore. “He’s the one who let me borrow this T-shirt so we could trap Steven Nez.”
“Be careful about giving him details of what we’re doing,” Ella said, concerned not only for Justine but for the investigation. Handling informants was difficult at best.
“I didn’t tell him why I needed it. I just mentioned it when I saw him on my way back to the station. He brought it here for me. He didn’t have to, you know. He’s really pretty decent.”
Something nagged at the back of her mind, but Ella reluctantly brushed it aside for now. Justine could be trusted to keep her mouth shut, and she did need a certain amount of autonomy with the sources she cultivated. “Keep me current,” Ella said at last, getting into her car.
Ella drove directly home. When she arrived, she saw her mother outside speaking to Clifford. Ella sighed. The last place they should have been hanging around was near a lit porch after nightfall.
“Would you two get into the house? I’d like to speak to you,” Ella said, a bit more curtly than she’d intended.
Rose led the way into the living room, then turned to face Ella. Rose’s gaze was hard as it rested on her daughter. “I’ve just heard about the ‘message’ that was left near our mailbox. Why didn’t you tell me? Did you think I didn’t have a right to know?”
Ella sighed, then glared at her brother, who just shrugged. “I came home tonight to talk to you about it,” Ella said. “There was no chance before.”
“Are you telling me that your friends didn’t know?”
Ella knew there was no sidestepping the issue. “You had been really looking forward to my having people over. It was enjoyable for us too. The carcasses were being taken care of. I didn’t want to bring it up then; it would have ruined your evening.”
“So instead, you kept something from me, something that I had every right to know. I’m not an old woman who needs to be sheltered from the truth. I expected more from you.” Rose turned and strode down the hall to her room.
“I better go after her,” Ella said.
“No, she’s too upset to listen to you right now. Give her some time first,” Clifford advised.
“Why did you have to tell her?”
“I didn’t. Apparently Samuel Pete came by. His visit was unexpected, and she immediately suspected something wasn
’t right. She finally wormed it out of him.”
Ella nodded. “I shouldn’t have waited to talk to her about it, but she really was enjoying having company. I didn’t want to spoil the evening for her. She’s been after me to have people over…”
“Not people—person,” Clifford corrected. “She wanted to fix a quiet dinner for you and Wilson.”
“That I can’t let her do, but she did enjoy my having Justine, Wilson and Carolyn over.”
Clifford’s eyebrows shot up. “That doctor was here?”
“Yes, and she’s a friend of mine,” Ella said, stemming any protest he might have made. Clifford nodded once, and she continued. “Now it’s time for you and me to have a talk.” She gestured to the couch. “All of us are in danger, and the department’s manpower is stretched as far as it’ll go. It would help matters all the way around if you and Loretta would move in with us until this is over.”
He nodded. “I agree. That’s why I came over. Loretta’s brother is with her now, but she needs someone there almost ‘round the clock. I can’t be home all the time. There are others who need me as well. I’ve already asked Mother if we could move in until the baby arrives.”
“Did she say yes?”
“Of course,” Clifford answered.
Ella glanced back down the hall. Her mother’s door was still closed. “Since she doesn’t want to talk to me right now, I’ll go take care of other business I’ve got pending. I’ll be back in about an hour.”
“Good. That’ll give her a chance to calm down. You really blew it, you know. Don’t ever try to protect her from something like this, even if it’s just for a short while. It’ll cost you her trust. As it is, it’s going to take a long time for you to repair the damage already done.”
Ella felt her heart turn to lead. “I know.” Without further words, she went back to her vehicle. Sometimes you just couldn’t win, no matter what you did.
Ella glanced at her watch. She’d go visit Sadie Morgan and have a talk with her. Maybe she could do some good there.