by Aimée
“Tell me what you have in mind.”
* * *
It was nearly ten P.M. when Ella stood in the police station’s largest interview room, surrounded by press and TV cameras. Even the Albuquerque media would carry this story. Wherever Peterson and Furman were, they wouldn’t be likely to miss this. By morning, it would hit every paper and radio and TV station in the state.
Ella briefed the reporters, using her carefully prepared statement. “A Navajo woman named Naomi Zah, one of our stargazers, was the first intended victim, but she really outsmarted her killer. Her cunning and bravery got him so rattled he couldn’t quite pull it off,” Ella said. “He has been incredibly lucky to pull off the crimes he’s committed since then. In fact, from Naomi’s description of his behavior, we have reason to believe that he’s needed constant guidance from someone else. It’s the reason he’s been able to kill at all.”
“So you’re saying that the killer is acting under someone else’s direction?” a woman in the front asked.
“Yes, the fact that an old woman was able to outthink and outfight him demonstrated his need to seek help from someone smarter than he is. Our web is closing now, though, and we hope to make an arrest very soon.”
“So you know the identity of the Packrat?”
Ella had expected the question. She didn’t want Furman to bolt—she wanted him angry and susceptible to the bait. “We don’t know who he is, but we do know what he is. We have a carefully constructed profile based on clues we’ve collected from each of the murders. We believe he’s in his mid-twenties. He’s got a limited education and is probably unemployed. According to what Naomi’s told us, we also know he’s sloppy and disorganized about everything. He’s ineffectual, unattractive or at least unappealing. Naomi has corroborated that for us. She is almost certain she can identify him if they ever come face-to-face again. All we need is the right person in a lineup.”
Ella answered a few more questions, always careful to avoid giving a name and trying to profile Brownhat in a way that would enrage him and build up Naomi Zah at the same time. The angrier he got with Naomi, the more likely he’d be to take the bait and try to finish her off.
Peterson, of course, was another matter. But if things went Ella’s way, and she was confident they would, she’d nail both of them.
When the reporter for the Farmington paper spoke, he brought the room to complete silence. “Every time one of the tribe’s special teachers has been murdered by the Packrat, something else really bad has also happened, almost immediately. The last time, after Sadie Morgan’s death, Navajo children died. The two events were only an hour or so apart according to reports. Do you think there’s a connection? Are some journalists correct in calling this a curse?”
All eyes were on Ella. She looked around the room and took a drink of water, considering silently what she should say. The belief that the events were related was a common one now, and many were losing hope, just as Big Ed and others had predicted. She had to restore their faith somehow. “We are taught that good and evil live side by side, and that for harmony to be maintained in the world, some kind of balance must be achieved. There have been many unhappy events lately, and sadly, lives have been lost. But we must work together to restore that balance between light and dark. Bringing the Packrat to justice will be a step in that direction, I believe.”
A Navajo reporter had the last question. “The ex-cop, Peterson Yazzie, has killed several of our people, and recently murdered a nurse while escaping from a mental hospital. Do you have any hope of catching him before he kills again?”
Ella had already planned her answer, anticipating at least one question about Yazzie. “We hope to find him soon, of course, but he’s not our top priority. His power and influence are all but gone from the reservation. He killed an innocent health worker while escaping, but our people are too well protected to make easy prey. All he’s managed to do since his escape is kill a few sheep.”
With the conference ended, the reporters left quickly to file their stories. Big Ed stood beside her.
“Are you sure about this? You’re provoking an attack.” The police chief crossed his arms, waiting for her answer.
“Yes, and it’s going to work too.” Ella gave him a quick half smile. “It’s our best shot. Peterson is going to see this for exactly what it is. He’ll know we’re setting up Furman, and provoking him to go after Naomi Zah. We’ll make sure our radio traffic, which he’s listening in on, supports this impression. Yazzie also knows that there’s no way we’d allow Naomi to put herself in the line of fire. He’ll conclude that I’ll be the one posing as Naomi, or that I’ll be close by, ready to spring the trap. Peterson knows where we’ll be, and he’ll make his move while we’re setting things up. It’s imperative that he see me getting into my disguise as Naomi. That’s going to draw him in close, and we’ve got to give him the opportunity. Then we’ll seal the trap. I’ve already assigned two officers to remain at the Zah hogan. They’re in position now. Even if he still has sources within the department, he won’t be able to get there ahead of us.”
“Good idea. Now, what about Furman?”
“He’ll wait until the area is clear. His pattern so far is to watch first, learn the pattern, then strike. He’s not professionally trained, but he is smart. He’s not going to stick around if he sees lots of cops. He’ll think we’re trying to trap him, so he’ll leave and bide his time. We’ll have to draw him in whenever we’re ready by announcing an arrest, then seeming to have the cops pull out. When he thinks Naomi is alone, he’ll make his move, and we’ll be there to catch him. And who knows?” Ella tried to sound optimistic. “Maybe we won’t have to go through all this trouble with Brownhat. If he shows up at any of the places we have staked out, our officers will nab him.”
“I have a real bad feeling about this, Ella. Peterson, from the reports I’ve read, could alter his appearance and make people believe he was someone else. If he slips through our net…”
“I’m going to ask my brother for his help. Clifford knows the tricks Peterson would use and how to counter them. Maybe he can give our team some support and tell us how to tip the scales in our favor.”
“Good idea. I like it.” Big Ed finally smiled.
Justine walked inside, holding a long-haired gray wig. “It’s mostly talcum powder,” she explained, “but it’ll complete your disguise. You can tie it into a bun like Naomi does. I’ve also got a long skirt and a colorful blouse like she wears. From a distance, with a little padding around the hips, no one will be the wiser.”
“I’ll have to try and learn the way she walks, and what her routine is.”
“Naomi’s on the way here now. One of our uniforms picked her and her husband Raymond up before the press conference. They’ll be here shortly.”
“The news story will be everywhere by tomorrow morning, so I figure our people have to sneak in and be in place not too long after dawn. We’ll make a show of getting ready later, but that’ll be for Peterson’s benefit. Peterson will want to strike in the early morning, as soon after he hears the news as possible. Furman’s M.O. is to strike either late at night or just after dawn, so he will need more time to get ready. If he learned one thing from his first attack on Naomi, and from his second, it was to be prepared for the unexpected. The earliest he will show up should be tomorrow evening.”
“I’ll have men placed all over the area of the Zah hogan. If Yazzie comes with an army, we’ll still be ready,” Justine said.
“He won’t,” Ella assured her. “This is personal. He wants me dead by his own hand, not one of his people’s. He’ll come for me himself.”
Ella spent the rest of the evening talking to Naomi, familiarizing herself with her routines, and trying to talk and walk like the woman while wearing a cumbersome disguise. Naomi enjoyed the activity immensely. She laughed at Ella’s efforts as if she were one of the Navajo clowns who impersonate dancers during ceremonies, becoming caricatures of the real thing.
&
nbsp; Ella continued her efforts until she was confident that she could fool Furman when the time came. Naomi, too, seemed pleased with the transformation.
“We’re done for tonight,” Ella finally told Naomi. “Thanks for helping. We’ll put you and your husband under protective custody until this is over. Don’t worry about anything. You won’t be in any danger. You have my word.”
Naomi nodded slowly. “And you?”
“I’ll be doing my job,” Ella assured the stargazer. “I know what I’m doing.”
“You’re a strong woman, but remember that like all of us, you bleed too. Is there another, less dangerous way?”
Her genuine concern touched Ella deeply. Slowly but surely she was gaining acceptance among the tribe. “This is the way I serve,” Ella said softly, knowing that Naomi would understand.
The elderly woman nodded somberly. “Then look after yourself as well as you do those you protect, and you will be fine.”
Ella saw Naomi and Raymond leave, escorted by two plainclothesmen. She was glad that the elderly couple would be safely out of the way. It would be one less thing to worry about.
Ella changed out of her disguise and drove home quickly, placing the bubble on top of her car and breaking the speed limits on the deserted roads. She wanted to get a few hours’ sleep at home, but she had no illusions. Even her mother’s special herbs wouldn’t help her relax tonight.
When she arrived, she expected the household to be asleep; it was almost midnight. Instead she heard her mother and Loretta moving around in the back room, and saw Clifford place a suitcase near the front door.
“What’s going on?”
“Loretta’s gone into labor. With Peterson and his friends on the loose, I have to take her to the hospital and stay by her side.”
Rose came out of the back bedroom and placed an overnight suitcase of her own next to Loretta’s. “I’m going too. She needs a woman with her, and her relatives live too far away to come quickly.”
“No, you can’t, Mom,” Ella said softly. “You’re a target. I can’t risk—”
Rose cut her off with a wave of her hand. “I will not allow our enemies to keep me from helping my family. My unborn grandson is also in danger, and I will be there to do all I can.”
“The doctors…” Ella saw the look in her mother’s eye and knew any further argument was useless. “All right, but the officers outside will have to go with you.”
“Do whatever you feel is necessary,” Rose answered with a shrug, then returned to Loretta’s side.
Ella stood alone with Clifford. “I was hoping you’d help me. We’re laying a trap for Peterson, but his abilities to disguise himself are going to make things difficult.”
“My wife and my son need me now,” he said. “I have to be with them.”
“It could be a daughter,” Ella teased halfheartedly.
“No, it is a son,” he said with perfect assurance.
Clifford reached into his medicine pouch. “Close your eyes,” he said firmly.
Ella did as he asked, then felt her brother touch both her eyelids, muttering a prayer she’d never heard before.
“Now open them.” He met Ella’s gaze. “That will help you see the truth. Remember to use your intuition, and you won’t be wrong.”
Ella ordered one of the officers to transport her family in his own patrol unit while two others followed close behind. She remained on the porch until the cars disappeared from view, then returned inside. One officer remained nearby, guarding her. Big Ed had insisted on that.
Ella walked around the empty living room. The house felt odd now, so empty. She sat in her mother’s chair and, as the silence encompassed her, she wondered what tomorrow would hold. She was under siege from all sides now. Instinct assured her that she would either emerge victorious, or find death.
Ella retired to her room soon afterward, but spent a restless night. She heard every creak and groan the old house made, listening and wishing she could sleep.
Ella rose shortly after four, turning off the alarm before it rang. She felt tense and in need of action.
She had just finished dressing when an officer came to the door. Ella recognized Philip Cloud. “Is something wrong?”
“No,” Philip answered quickly. “I just wanted you to know that Officer Frank will be watching the house today. I’ve been reassigned.”
“To do what?”
“Well, for starters, I’m to follow you to the station,” he said, evading her question. “Big Ed called me personally, but he also told me not to discuss it with anyone.” He glanced at Officer Frank then back at Ella. “You can check with the boss, if you want.”
If there was one family she knew she could trust, it was the Clouds. “No need. Let’s go.”
“My replacement, Michael, is back again. He’ll be watching the house now.”
Ella nodded. “All right. Let’s go.”
“I’m ready.”
He stayed no more than two car lengths behind her as they drove down the highway. Ella’s stomach growled and she was suddenly very aware that she hadn’t eaten anything in the last sixteen hours. Unwilling to stop, she decided to grab a sandwich from the machine at the station. Even one of those cardboard-tasting specials would be fine about now.
A short time later Ella walked inside the station and turned to smile at Philip Cloud. “You’re relieved, Officer.”
He shook his head, and keeping his voice low, explained. “I’m part of the team that’s guarding you today. It’s a good thing too. If I wasn’t, my uncle would have my head on a platter.”
Ella smiled, thinking of Herman and how he’d always been there to help. If he couldn’t be there now, it was a foregone conclusion that he’d want one of his family in his stead. “You’re right. Your uncle would want you there. But what about you?”
“I’m a cop. It’s all part of my job.”
Ella smiled. His simple answer, so close to what her own would have been, said it all. “Let’s get to it then.”
Ella arrived at her office and saw Justine already there. A plate covered with tinfoil had been placed on Ella’s desk. The aroma of eggs and bread filled her nostrils, making her mouth water. “Is that for me?” Ella asked, hoping for a positive response.
“I had a feeling that you wouldn’t have stopped for breakfast, and I knew you’d need it. There’s no telling how long things will take out there today, and our breaks will be few. When I made breakfast this morning, I decided to make enough for both of us.”
After thanking Justine, Ella ate greedily and quickly. The eggs, scrambled with chiles and spices, with thick slices of toast on the side, were filling and renewed her energy.
Big Ed came into her office carrying two armor vests just as she was getting her disguise together. “Add this to your outfit, Ella, one inside the other. And come on. We want to be there while the papers are still being tossed, and before the morning TV newscasts.”
“I’ll be ready in a few minutes,” she said, tying the wig’s hair into a bun and fastening it while it was still on the Styrofoam head.
“I know we discussed this before, but I think you should keep in mind that there’s still a chance Furman and Peterson are working together,” Big Ed said.
“It’s not that likely. That’s not the profile of most serial killers. They rarely work with anyone else. Do you think Peterson would trust someone like Furman, or take him into his hiding places, or let him know who any of his followers are? Peterson is too smart to deal with a psycho. According to his grandmother, Furman would eventually target Yazzie anyway. Peterson would have figured that out too.”
“You’re right. Peterson is an ex-cop, and that stays with a person. He might have been judged crazy by the courts, but he’s certainly not stupid.” Big Ed glanced at the clothing that lay on Ella’s desk. “I wonder how soon Peterson will show up. I hope we won’t have to wait long. I’d like him in custody and out of the way as soon as possible.”
“The morning
news will broadcast at six-thirty, an hour and a half from now, and the papers will hit the stands shortly after that. Depending on how close he is to Naomi’s hogan, I expect him to strike soon afterwards. He knows the terrain around there like the back of his hand, and he’s taken tactical training. Providing he has adequate transportation and weapons, and I think he probably has both, we shouldn’t have too long a wait.”
“He won’t expect you to be alone. I wonder how he plans to get around that.”
“He’ll undoubtedly use trickery to get through my screen of officers, and count on striking before we’re ready for Brownhat.”
“You’ll have the best team with you.”
“Then let’s get moving. I’ll park behind good cover and carry my disguise in. I want Peterson to know for sure that it’s me impersonating Naomi, so I won’t be changing clothes until after I’m there. Just one more thing. Remind the others that it’s possible Peterson got early word about the press release and is already in position, ready to strike. Having two of our officers out there all night doesn’t necessarily mean he didn’t manage to circumnavigate them.”
Ella picked up her disguise, patted her pocket to verify the badger fetish was with her, then went to the parking lot. The time had come to confront her enemies. Fear made her mouth feel as dry as the sand that surrounded her. She had no wish to die, but the possibility was inescapable. Forcing herself to concentrate on the details of their plan, she placed her key in the ignition and began the journey.
TWENTY-SIX
Ella made no effort to hide her arrival at Naomi Zah’s hogan, and everyone had been briefed. Peterson’s ability to alter his appearance had been explained to each officer. The last time Ella had faced him in a deadly confrontation, when she’d arrested and sent him to jail, he’d almost managed to fool even her by appearing as an elderly woman.
Today, despite the care taken to make her appear a good target for Peterson, she wouldn’t be alone. She took comfort in that. The majority of the police officers would be “hiding” where an experienced hunter like Peterson could spot them. They were to allow Peterson to evade them, maintaining radio silence unless they came under individual attack. The key was to make it hard, but not impossible, for Peterson to get through. The frightening thing, Ella realized, was that Yazzie probably would have been able to elude them anyway.